There are many people who are perfectly comfortable with carrying a 9mm pistol for their personal self-defense. I’m among that group (I’m in the accuracy is more important than “power” group and the I-want-abundant-easy-to-find-ammunition group, too).
There is another large group of people, though, who feel very strongly that you need something bigger than 9mm because they believe that you need more stopping power for personal protection. Some people also live in areas where they need a “bear round.” What if you’re in that group, but you don’t want to get a .45? In that case, maybe you’re considering 10mm as the chambering that you need to go with.
If you’re in that group, then, Springfield Armory released a 10mm version of their XD pistol design for your consideration. Adam Scepaniak gives us details:
When I pulled the XD-M Elite 4.5″ OSP 10mm out of its box my first impression was that this is a big boy! To Springfield’s credit, I like that it is a large handgun. No one wants to shoot a dainty 10mm; that recoil would suck. While the sheer size of the pistol is large and so is the grip, it is not too large where you cannot effectively grip the firearm and easily manipulate all of its functions.
Scepaniak notes that he weighed the pistol that he tested at 43.6 ounces (just under three pounds) with a full magazine of 16 175 grain hollowpoints and an installed Hex Dragonfly Red Dot. Scepaniak also speaks well of the trigger with pull weights averaging “from 4 ½ – 4 ¾ Lb,” and writing that “it not only has a good tactile feel, but it breaks light and cleanly.”
To summarize his thoughts, Scepaniak continues:
It is a well put together handgun, accurate, and I am definitely on the bandwagon of Let’s put a Red Dot on Everything! Red dots simply make shooting that much easier and faster. The only qualm I could have isn’t even a strike against Springfield, but I hope holster manufacturers jump on board to support this pistol. Something simple like a leather or Kydex hip holster would be perfect for carrying out in the woods. Other than that, I believe the MSRP of $837 [with the factory installed red dot] is very fair for what this pistol has to offer.
All-in-all, it’s clear that Scepaniak likes the XD-M Elite 4.5″ OSP from Springfield Armory, and even if you don’t have experience with the popular 9mm XD model, if you’re in the market for a 10mm pistol, then, this may be one to consider.
If I remember right, the 10 mm bullets cost nearly twice as much for only 1 extra mm in diameter bullet. With a Red Dot Mounted on top of a gun seems to be more likely to get hung-up when pulling it out of a holster, especially on clothing ! Who needs that when an emergency situation may arise ??? I like the smaller, lighter gun that is easier to carry or conceal !
I’ve been carrying a 10mm, first in an RIA 1911 (17 round mag), and more recently the new Springfield 4.5 described here. I still prefer iron sights (I’m old, and old school!). I’ve had no problems carrying them every day concealed. And, FYI, it’s not the extra ‘ll of diameter that counts. It’s the much more powerful cartridge, roughly equivalent to a .41 magnum. The 10mm semiauto is already the gun carried by most hunting guides in bear country (lots of high power and capacity). It’s also the handgun issued to the Danish “Sirius Patrol” members for polar bear protection when they don’t have a rifle handy.
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