Disassembly of a Springfield XD

This photo blog entry will illustrate the basic disassembly of a Springfield XD series firearm for maintenance and cleaning.

The first step is to always remember the four rules.

#1 ALL FIREARMS ARE ALWAYS LOADED

# 2 NEVER POINT THE MUZZLE AT ANYTHING YOU ARE NOT PREPARED TO DESTROY

# 3 KEEP YOUR FINGER OFF THE TRIGGER UNTIL YOUR SIGHTS ARE ON THE TARGET

# 4 - BE SURE OF YOUR TARGET

In an earlier blog entry, I showed how to unload a Glock firearm. Unloading a Springfield XD firearm is very similar to unloading a Glock. Its the disassembly of the firearm that's different.

To unload a Springfield XD firearm, just like a Glock, you first release the magazine, then free the magazine from the firearm, and then pull the slide back to release any ammunition that may be in the chamber.

Once you are certain the firearm is not loaded, proceed with disassembly by locking the slide back. In the photo below, I have moved the slide back with my left hand and am pressing the slide stop lever up with my right hand.



Here's where the Springfield differs from the Glock on disassembly. Once you have locked the slide back on an XD firearm, you want to find the SLIDE DISASSEMBLY LEVER near the front left of the firearm. In the photo below, I have my thumb on the slide disassembly lever. You can also see in the photo above there is a small track on the main slide of the firearm directly above the slide disassembly lever.


Just push up on the slide disassembly lever and it will pop up into the track and point upward on the frame just like it is in the photo below.


Once the slide disassembly lever is moved up, to proceed with the disassembly, you need to push the slide back slightly toward the rear of the firearm. When you are pressing the slide back slightly, lower the SLIDE STOP LEVER. Then guide the slide gently back forward. In the photo below, my left hand is on the slide and my right thumb is pressing down on the slide stop lever.


Have I mentioned the four rules lately? To proceed with the disassembly, you will need to press the trigger. Do this with the firearm pointed in a safe direction.


After pressing the trigger, the slide will move forward and off the frame easily. Just grip the slide with one hand the the frame of the firearm with the other have and move the slide forward and off.


The basic disassembly of a Springfield XD firearm is complete!


You can see it was similar in many ways to the disassembly of a Glock.

-end-