SPRINGFIELD XD-S MOD.2, 3.3", .45 ACP SEMI-AUTO PISTOL REVIEW

     I bought my Springfield XD-S Mod.2, 3.3", .45 ACP semi-auto pistol online from Bud's Gun Shop because Bud's has great prices and service and because I wanted a small “Pocket Gun” with enough power to neutralize a threat with the 1st round, something I wasn't confident that my 9mm Glock 26 could do no matter what kind of special, mushrooming, “wound channel” creating, defensive ammo it hurled at an assailant.
 
    The XD-S, at 6.5” long it's only 0.3 inches longer than the Glock 26, but at only 0.975 inches wide, compared to the Glock 26's 1.18” width, in my opinion, it is far more concealable--easily dropping into my coat or work-vest pocket when I take the dog out for an after-dark walk. Additionally, unlike a Glock, this sweet little thing has a grip safety, so I feel more confident that this single-action, striker fired gem will never accidentally be discharged from inside my pocket or my wife's purse by some other pocketed object actuating the trigger alone.
 

    For the last 10-plus years I've mostly used my full-sized Springfield XD's, with their recoil dampening heavier weights, in my defensive shooting practice. This most frequently consists of shooting one-handed while moving backwards and/or laterally, using reloaded cartridges of 230 Grain RNL, propelled by 4.7 grains of Winchester 231, so when I took this “runt gun”, with it's 5-round magazine grip

extender, to the range for the first time, I was expecting this “little thing” to pretty much rocket out of my hand from the recoil. Surprisingly it didn't!! In fact, the felt recoil seemed no greater than that of my full-sized lead lobbers. 

    As an added bonus, the fiber-optic front site (an optional tritium night sight is available), which I easily changed-out from the factory installed red to the yellow, made obtaining a good sight picture exceptionally easy. 

    To make matters even better, at defensive shooting distances, this baby, with it's smooth "take-up" and "clean break" in the trigger, is deadly accurate for a gun with such a short sight radius.

    To sum it all up, if you're looking for a wickedly accurate, readily concealable “pocket/purse gun” with the REAL punch of a .45 ACP round and easily manageable recoil, I highly recommend the exceptional Springfield XD-S Mod.2, .45 ACP semi-auto pistol.