XD magazine differences

All current Springfield Armory XD series handguns come with two very different magazines. This photo blog entry will briefly review the two types and illustrate the difference that an extended magazine makes.

For the Springfield armory XD sub-compact model series, the standard magazine is fairly short. Shown inserted in the firearm in the following photo, this particular model holds 9 rounds of .40 (caliber) ammunition.


The benefits of using this magazine are primarily its small size. It helps the sub-compact conceal easily under clothes or in a shoulder bag, fits flush with the bottom of the frame, but still allows for a decent amount of ammunition to be carried in the firearm. However, as you can see in the photo above, some people will have problems with obtaining a full grip on the firearm with the shorter magazine in place.

In the following photo, you can see I switched out the standard magazine for the extended magazine. This magazine not only holds two more rounds of .40 (caliber) ammunition than the compact magazine, but is also much easier to comfortably hold and also makes the firearm feel like its full size counterparts.


The full grip and extended ammunition capacity are a trade off for the ability to easily conceal the firearm, though. With the extended magazine in place, I find I have to use speciality holsters to keep it out of sight and larger compartments in travel bags as well. In an earlier blog entry, I discussed magazine extenders that can be added on to firearms to make holding the firearm more comfortable. This is the second kind of magazine extender - the type that actually adds ammunition capacity. With the XD series, you actually can have the best of both worlds.

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