Springfield Armory’s XD-M Elite series has been gracing us with its presence since 2020. While the 3.8-inch barrel 10mm Springfield XD-M Elite has been out since September 2021, many shooters (myself included) have been hoping for a 4.5-inch option — like its 9mm counterpart has been offering. Now that it’s here, I can attest it was worth the wait.
Unboxing and First Thoughts
Opening the box, the first thing you’ll find is a Springfield-branded, soft pistol case with the handgun and one magazine neatly tucked in the magwell. Also in the box is an extra magazine, various rear backstraps, and a couple of magazine baseplates — everything you need, plus a little you may not.
Grabbing the pistol for the first time, you can tell it was built like a tank. I mean, this gun is solid. Mine came with a pre-mounted and zeroed Hex Dragonfly, which only added to the heftiness of the gun. I say heftiness not in a negative manner, but to reinforce how comfortable and solid it felt in my extra-large hands.
Aesthetically, I think it’s a great looking gun. It has aggressive styling features such as prominent slide serrations and grip texture, but without being gaudy. You can tell Springfield really paid attention to each part of the gun.
XD-M Elite 10mm Features
For those of you who love upgrading every aspect of your gun, this may not be the gun for you. Do you usually get your slide milled for an optic? Th XD-M Elite’s slide is already cut. Do you usually swap your sights for tritium or fiber optic sights? They are already installed. Do you usually replace the stock trigger with an upgraded flat trigger? Yeah, the XD-M Elite has got one of those too. I think you get the point.
I want to expand on the trigger briefly. It has what Springfield calls, the META (Match Enhanced Trigger Assembly) trigger. Prior to receiving this gun, I didn’t have a whole lot of time behind the META trigger. I’ve shot a couple magazines through the 9mm Elite version, but I didn’t recall just how nice the trigger was/is.
The flat-face trigger has a crisp break and a quick reset, which allowed me to get quick and consistent follow-up shots off easily. Smooth comes to mind to describe it. Springfield listened to consumers when they added this trigger.
The XD-M Elite is loaded with other features in addition to those mentioned above. One of my favorites is the removable flared magwell. Especially when I first received the gun and started dry-firing, the magwell came in handy while practicing my reloads. I did wind up taking it off to see how I liked it, though I ultimately chose to keep it on. It also has a match-grade barrel, an ambidextrous slide release, and an accommodating accessory rail.
With all of these great features, there was one missing, in my opinion. I wish it came with optic height or even suppressor height iron sights. If you opt for the model without the pre-mounted Hex Dragonfly, you don’t need to worry. However, with the Hex Dragonfly attached, the iron sights are, unfortunately, too low to really get good use from them. I was able to still hit what I was aiming at with the setup as shown, but it would have been nice to have taller sights. Definitely not a deal-breaker though.
Springfield XD-M Elite Specs
Caliber: 10mmCapacity: 16+1 roundsLength: 7.6 inchesSights: Fiber-optic front, Tactical Rack U-Dot rear, Hex Dragonfly opticSafety: Grip and triggerHeight: 5.75 inchesGrip Width: 1.2 inchesBarrel: 4.5inches, match gradeWeight: 32 ounces
Range Report: Reliability and Accuracy
Typically, I prefer to put at least a few hundred rounds through a gun before I write my review. However, because I received an early sample that was embargoed, that didn’t happen. I have been able to put 125 rounds of 10mm Auto through it though, without a single malfunction. 100 of the rounds were Blazer Brass 180-grain FMJ and the other 25 were Hornady 180-grain JHP. I don’t foresee any issues arising, but I’ll try several other types before carrying the gun, to ensure it isn’t picky.
I’m not the best shot in the world, especially with 10mm, but I was pleasantly surprised with how I shot the XD-M Elite right out of the box. Having the red dot already mounted and zeroed didn’t hurt. It shot a hair low but was easily adjusted.
By the end of my first box of ammo, I was able to maintain slightly smaller than fist-sized groupings out to 21 feet. By the end of the second box, I had similar groupings out to 30 feet. For my personal skill set, I’m happy with those results after just two boxes of ammo. I’m confident with a couple more range trips, I’d be able to tighten up those groupings and replicate them at farther distances.
Final Thoughts
Simply put, I’ve really been enjoying shooting this gun. Admittedly, I haven’t shot as many 10mm handguns as I have 9mms, but this must be one of my favorites. I’ve been able to shoot it accurately and comfortably without having to make modifications.
With the included options and accessories, the Elite series comes with, I think the value is more obvious than it is with some of its competitors. If you’re in the market for a 10mm pistol, I highly suggest checking out the XD-M Elite.
