PDA

View Full Version : Review: Custom XD-9 by Springer Precision - Pic Heavy



Medic218
09-29-13, 23:34
I have an XD-9 Service that I wanted a little work on so I decided to send it in to Springer Precision and let them tune it up a bit.
They offered me their FedEx discount, which was nice, so it was about 45.00 each way. They do this for all their customers by the way.

Services I had done:
Grip chop
Trigger job
Recrown barrel
Undercut trigger guard
Install my supplied sights(Trijicon HD)

Before you ask...no, I have not had a chance to shoot it yet. This review is just to show their handy work since when I was looking for pictures of some of the services they offered I couldn't find any of the things I wanted done. So, I decided to have them done on my pistol and then share it with anyone wondering what a particular service would look like once completed.

Now to the good stuff!

http://i53.photobucket.com/albums/g50/usaf_ff81/8758C1E8-F12C-4C7A-B0DC-0A6BF48D1906-2629-000002324888A749_zpsd5ca6a5c.jpg (http://s53.photobucket.com/user/usaf_ff81/media/8758C1E8-F12C-4C7A-B0DC-0A6BF48D1906-2629-000002324888A749_zpsd5ca6a5c.jpg.html)
Finished product.

http://i53.photobucket.com/albums/g50/usaf_ff81/091225D8-E2D1-4F7F-BECB-79BFD81D878D-2629-00000232418DC966_zps873c9681.jpg (http://s53.photobucket.com/user/usaf_ff81/media/091225D8-E2D1-4F7F-BECB-79BFD81D878D-2629-00000232418DC966_zps873c9681.jpg.html)
There is a bit of a gap that I wasn't expecting. I was expecting it to be a more precise fit, like from the factory. What you see hanging off the back is from the pinky extension.

http://i53.photobucket.com/albums/g50/usaf_ff81/257D5CC8-F734-4047-A75D-B0743D5ECE9E-2629-000002323A30E611_zps4e5989f1.jpg (http://s53.photobucket.com/user/usaf_ff81/media/257D5CC8-F734-4047-A75D-B0743D5ECE9E-2629-000002323A30E611_zps4e5989f1.jpg.html)
Notice the gap.

http://i53.photobucket.com/albums/g50/usaf_ff81/B78F11B9-BF55-4CF4-AC1D-2F7E5F04E733-2629-000002323056FE50_zpsee85aaba.jpg (http://s53.photobucket.com/user/usaf_ff81/media/B78F11B9-BF55-4CF4-AC1D-2F7E5F04E733-2629-000002323056FE50_zpsee85aaba.jpg.html)

http://i53.photobucket.com/albums/g50/usaf_ff81/0EF4DB2E-9E78-4995-9603-D009B4D5AD60-2629-00000232288E1811_zps674c2671.jpg (http://s53.photobucket.com/user/usaf_ff81/media/0EF4DB2E-9E78-4995-9603-D009B4D5AD60-2629-00000232288E1811_zps674c2671.jpg.html)

http://i53.photobucket.com/albums/g50/usaf_ff81/7782907A-457F-4D85-A288-8828CED6300E-2629-000002321E776C5D_zps1ef2e007.jpg (http://s53.photobucket.com/user/usaf_ff81/media/7782907A-457F-4D85-A288-8828CED6300E-2629-000002321E776C5D_zps1ef2e007.jpg.html)
Notice the offset. Both the compact and the full size mag have some side-to-side play in them but they do still lock in nice and tight and everything seems to be functioning ok to spite it.

http://i53.photobucket.com/albums/g50/usaf_ff81/05AB7E8C-0E38-49A8-A08B-64756D121CF6-2629-00000231DADE921C_zpsc19d5b7d.jpg (http://s53.photobucket.com/user/usaf_ff81/media/05AB7E8C-0E38-49A8-A08B-64756D121CF6-2629-00000231DADE921C_zpsc19d5b7d.jpg.html)
http://i53.photobucket.com/albums/g50/usaf_ff81/73264DF9-F3C0-44EA-ABBB-B63931B16FCF-2580-000002308CFC0594_zps93dd9563.jpg (http://s53.photobucket.com/user/usaf_ff81/media/73264DF9-F3C0-44EA-ABBB-B63931B16FCF-2580-000002308CFC0594_zps93dd9563.jpg.html)
The undercut of the trigger guard came out nice and smooth.

http://i53.photobucket.com/albums/g50/usaf_ff81/A028FB96-B449-4763-9B40-BBCF2AAF5CC4-2629-00000231FBA217E4_zps60483541.jpg (http://s53.photobucket.com/user/usaf_ff81/media/A028FB96-B449-4763-9B40-BBCF2AAF5CC4-2629-00000231FBA217E4_zps60483541.jpg.html)
http://i53.photobucket.com/albums/g50/usaf_ff81/AFAADE37-9F0D-4AE4-B3CC-CA0E84A39A1C-2629-00000231F6BE145A_zps117edd9c.jpg (http://s53.photobucket.com/user/usaf_ff81/media/AFAADE37-9F0D-4AE4-B3CC-CA0E84A39A1C-2629-00000231F6BE145A_zps117edd9c.jpg.html)
http://i53.photobucket.com/albums/g50/usaf_ff81/383FC129-C157-4A12-BBD1-7D3DCC4D11AD-2629-00000231F18C1666_zps416b69e4.jpg (http://s53.photobucket.com/user/usaf_ff81/media/383FC129-C157-4A12-BBD1-7D3DCC4D11AD-2629-00000231F18C1666_zps416b69e4.jpg.html)
http://i53.photobucket.com/albums/g50/usaf_ff81/263108B5-CCE5-4C81-9798-E666478C9B12-2629-00000231EC9971CC_zps5f96f158.jpg (http://s53.photobucket.com/user/usaf_ff81/media/263108B5-CCE5-4C81-9798-E666478C9B12-2629-00000231EC9971CC_zps5f96f158.jpg.html)
http://i53.photobucket.com/albums/g50/usaf_ff81/BB2E7709-85FA-410D-A553-4AB849A77713-2629-00000231E5F2F95E_zpsc3f58c5e.jpg (http://s53.photobucket.com/user/usaf_ff81/media/BB2E7709-85FA-410D-A553-4AB849A77713-2629-00000231E5F2F95E_zpsc3f58c5e.jpg.html)
The grip chop came out a little rough in my opinion. I would have thought that paying someone to do it and having it done on a mill would have yielded a cleaner end product. I was able to clean it up pretty well with a Dremel and a nylon bristle wheel.

http://i53.photobucket.com/albums/g50/usaf_ff81/AB6E42B7-D2CC-4146-9D71-E7C3C2B78591-2580-000002307BEDA8E9_zpsa430ae6e.jpg (http://s53.photobucket.com/user/usaf_ff81/media/AB6E42B7-D2CC-4146-9D71-E7C3C2B78591-2580-000002307BEDA8E9_zpsa430ae6e.jpg.html)
http://i53.photobucket.com/albums/g50/usaf_ff81/53363259-5F9E-4A8D-9661-A86964A80BA6-2580-000002308240C16B_zps1b2a6613.jpg (http://s53.photobucket.com/user/usaf_ff81/media/53363259-5F9E-4A8D-9661-A86964A80BA6-2580-000002308240C16B_zps1b2a6613.jpg.html)
http://i53.photobucket.com/albums/g50/usaf_ff81/43559C45-CBEE-43CB-B91A-B2FF6F6C9535-2580-00000230760A3703_zps9156922e.jpg (http://s53.photobucket.com/user/usaf_ff81/media/43559C45-CBEE-43CB-B91A-B2FF6F6C9535-2580-00000230760A3703_zps9156922e.jpg.html)
http://i53.photobucket.com/albums/g50/usaf_ff81/298674B6-0E2B-400C-A40C-D3E6E73606D8-2580-000002306D179E5D_zps2649ae50.jpg (http://s53.photobucket.com/user/usaf_ff81/media/298674B6-0E2B-400C-A40C-D3E6E73606D8-2580-000002306D179E5D_zps2649ae50.jpg.html)
http://i53.photobucket.com/albums/g50/usaf_ff81/C410DA30-E387-41AE-BC37-A30720E96C81-2580-00000230686816EF_zps88ddc64b.jpg (http://s53.photobucket.com/user/usaf_ff81/media/C410DA30-E387-41AE-BC37-A30720E96C81-2580-00000230686816EF_zps88ddc64b.jpg.html)
http://i53.photobucket.com/albums/g50/usaf_ff81/51370F4D-F7AE-4E5B-8E98-F8115AEB578D-2580-0000023063866F76_zpsb1c385c9.jpg (http://s53.photobucket.com/user/usaf_ff81/media/51370F4D-F7AE-4E5B-8E98-F8115AEB578D-2580-0000023063866F76_zpsb1c385c9.jpg.html)
Real happy with the sights and how they turned out. The bright orange is a great contrast on the nearly all black rear sight and should make getting on point a snap. The tritium is bright and easy to pick up in the dark.

Medic218
09-29-13, 23:34
http://i53.photobucket.com/albums/g50/usaf_ff81/91114D7E-A4D0-4D4A-9760-E6C38644A496-2580-0000023055035CA5_zpsa85c37ec.jpg (http://s53.photobucket.com/user/usaf_ff81/media/91114D7E-A4D0-4D4A-9760-E6C38644A496-2580-0000023055035CA5_zpsa85c37ec.jpg.html)
http://i53.photobucket.com/albums/g50/usaf_ff81/931500DD-2384-4F2C-931A-A44C7A33588E-2580-00000230506CED2C_zps7cdb82e0.jpg (http://s53.photobucket.com/user/usaf_ff81/media/931500DD-2384-4F2C-931A-A44C7A33588E-2580-00000230506CED2C_zps7cdb82e0.jpg.html)
http://i53.photobucket.com/albums/g50/usaf_ff81/8BC760DE-36D5-455B-9FC8-8D3C52BEC558-2580-000002305972EE73_zps7ebedeec.jpg (http://s53.photobucket.com/user/usaf_ff81/media/8BC760DE-36D5-455B-9FC8-8D3C52BEC558-2580-000002305972EE73_zps7ebedeec.jpg.html)
http://i53.photobucket.com/albums/g50/usaf_ff81/1F1962FC-A37C-4E4E-BE45-8D0D44F5C28A-2580-000002304A8F35E2_zpsaf5c6eaf.jpg (http://s53.photobucket.com/user/usaf_ff81/media/1F1962FC-A37C-4E4E-BE45-8D0D44F5C28A-2580-000002304A8F35E2_zpsaf5c6eaf.jpg.html)
Barrel recorwning just 'cause. I think it turned out really well and looks slick.


All in all I'm please with the work they did. My only gripe would be the roughness left over by the mill on the grip chop. It took me all of 5 minutes with a Dremel to clean it up and I feel the extra effort to clean up their work should have been made.

The trigger job seems nice while dry firing it. The take up and reset has been greatly reduced. They said they set it at about 4#, which I have no way to test, but it is a bit lighter than the factory trigger. The biggest difference is not the weight of the pull but the length of it as well as the reset.

beschatten
09-30-13, 07:01
I agree with you, a few minutes with 1000 grit sandpaper would have cleaned up a lot of the roughness. Other than, really great work on their part.

RIGPIG
09-30-13, 07:48
Looks pretty nice. The gap between the frame and basepad is necessary for seating mags. It allows the mag to be inserted far enough to ensure the detent locks in. All mag-fed semi autos have a little gap for this reason.

Medic218
09-30-13, 11:52
Looks pretty nice. The gap between the frame and basepad is necessary for seating mags. It allows the mag to be inserted far enough to ensure the detent locks in. All mag-fed semi autos have a little gap for this reason.

Right, I figured that if I want to look at the positive of it I could just consider the function to be similar to an exteneded baseplate on my 1911 mags.
The side-to-side play was an unpleasant surprise though.

RIGPIG
09-30-13, 14:12
I wonder if cutting the bottom of the grip off removed some ribs on the inside of the magwell that might affect side to side play. I'm unfamiliar with XD. Could you add some sort of epoxy to the inside of the frame and then sand it to fit so your mags will be tighter? It's sort of a non-issue until the movement causes feed malfunctions.

Medic218
09-30-13, 17:57
I thought about adding some expoy and reforming the inside o the mag well.
Looking back I should have just cut the dang thing off myself and gotten it where I thought it shoul have been.

I did get to the range. Function was flawless.
I'll just need to get used to it.
I had a hard time maintaining a decent level of accuracy while standing but from a rest it was dead on.

I also added the rubber Talon grip and am already thinking if taking it off and seeing what the factory grip offers.
It seemed slick and didn't really give me any grip advantage as far as I could tell.

Dave Williams
09-30-13, 18:05
Looks pretty good.

I know XDs aren't popular here but I really like them. I got to shoot an XD45 next to a G21 Gen4 and an S&W M&P 45 and the XD was the better gun for me.

SpeedRacer
09-30-13, 18:08
Looks good, and his triggers are fantastic. I would highly recommend installing one of his enhanced grip safeties as well, I consider it a mandatory upgrade for anyone using their XD for defensive purposes.

Medic218
09-30-13, 19:46
What's the benefit of upgrading the grip safety?

110JBP
09-30-13, 19:48
Looks great. SA should make a model with those dimensions and specs.

opmike
10-01-13, 01:39
It "only" took you 5 minutes? And they couldn't do they themselves, why? I'm not a fit and finish freak, but if I'm paying money for "custom" work, I better not have some half-assed shit shipped back to me.

The magazine well is an area I'd especially want to be free of any sharp edges, burrs, or funky angles.

Blak1508
10-02-13, 00:39
Yeah I agree I would not be happy if I payed and it was sent back like that. I know is not a huge deal but that's just sloppy on them. I have worked on my fair share of XDM & XD, the gap is normal and larger on XDMs and XD especially and when you chop up even more. If anything I would send an XD to Powder River Precision or James to get work done in the future. PRP triggers are to the XDM /XD what Geissele triggers are to the AR. Other than the non finished jagged parts they left it looks good. Just remember that the factory sights and the HD sights use a different POA = POI, but they are awesome sights, great gun man. Yeah they do not get love here much but I really enjoy mine. I have never had an issue that wasn't human or ammo related, I find them soft and accurate even in the 3.8 45 compact


Just thinking back on this, did you ever mention to them about the state in which they left it to you?

Medic218
10-02-13, 19:08
PRP triggers are to the XDM /XD what Geissele triggers are to the AR.

Just thinking back on this, did you ever mention to them about the state in which they left it to you?

The Geissele comment is one that could have influenced my decision had I heard it before I chose Springer Precision.

Not, yet. Keep meaning to send them an e-mail with pics but keep getting sidetracked.
Guess I should get on that.

DIRTMAN556
10-02-13, 19:25
Looks pretty good. I'm also an XD fan. Grip was a better fit for me than a G23. Also surprised they sent the gun back a little "rough."

Blak1508
10-02-13, 19:49
The benefit to the grip safety upgrade, at least from PRP which I would strongly again suggest, is that it yields a much more positive engagement and more positive deactivation, the factory ones tend to be sloppy. Also it allows for a higher tang grip enabling you to get better accuracy and overall grip. I also like their X treme grips. Its a cheap but great upgrade and they do not look half bad also.

Here is a picture of my XDM. I did all the work to it myself
http://i1167.photobucket.com/albums/q629/blak1508/random/DSC01548.jpg (http://s1167.photobucket.com/user/blak1508/media/random/DSC01548.jpg.html)

http://i1167.photobucket.com/albums/q629/blak1508/random/DSC01549.jpg (http://s1167.photobucket.com/user/blak1508/media/random/DSC01549.jpg.html)

TXBK
10-02-13, 20:13
I will concur on the PRP(Powder River Precision) trigger on an XD. If a number was to be put to it......1000% better. Their grips are a good, cheap upgrade as well. PRP is the place I look for an XD upgrade.

Medic218
10-03-13, 22:26
I will concur on the PRP(Powder River Precision) trigger on an XD. If a number was to be put to it......1000% better. Their grips are a good, cheap upgrade as well. PRP is the place I look for an XD upgrade.

Cheese and crackers!!
Where were all these strong comments before I sent it off to Springer?

Thanks for the input though guys.

din
10-04-13, 03:01
Cheese and crackers!!
Where were all these strong comments before I sent it off to Springer?

Thanks for the input though guys.

Don't beat yourself up on this, plenty of Springer fanboys out there who are happy to tell you that the PRP is junk. Of course, I'm not one of those, I sent my XDm off to PRP. :laugh:
You can always try to either sell it and pick up another from PRP (they let you order the pistols direct with whatever mods you want, saves some on shipping) or poke around over on xdtalk, see if someone with a PRP XD is itching to trade for one with work by Springer.

Blak1508
10-04-13, 11:43
Yes seriously do not beat yourself up. I would not lose sleep over which of the 2 did my work, feel confident that you had one of the best companies to work on XDM XD do your work, I just think you should tell them about the state in which they sent it back to you. Going forward just give a look to PRP that's all. I think your XD looks great and I know they have great triggers, I just prefer the PRP for my personal usage. Another gentleman to check out is James on the XDTalk he is the buzz.

RagweedZulu
10-05-13, 11:00
I had Springer Precision do some work on an XD-45 Compact a couple of years ago and it came out GREAT. They reduced and stippled the grip, undercut the trigger guard, installed Straight 8 night sights and did amazing work on the crappy OEM trigger including over travel stop and short reset. It was an entirely different gun when I got it back and well worth the money.

SpyderMan2k4
10-08-13, 13:48
Scott (Springer) does excellent work. I've had him do trigger jobs on a few of my XDs and I've been incredibly happy with the results. That being said, the roughness of the grip chop is surprising and disappointing.