testtest

Croatian XD .357 Sig

WarlockMainD2

WarlockMainD2

Alpha
I recently acquired this Gen 1? 4 inch service model XD chambered in .357 sig. I’m curious about it because I’ve owned several of the Gen 1’s over the years, including a sub compact .357 sig (she was a snappy one for sure).
But which strikes(pun intended) cause ya know…striker fired pistolllll….nevermind, I’ll be here all week folks. Anyways, strikes me as odd with this particular firearm is that it does not say HS 2000 on it or anything that I’ve ever seen before in the sense of it. Well, you guys can look at it with the pictures I posted it just seems odd that they fit the word Croatia on there. Yet it clearly has the US markings on it and overall I’m gonna say that it was made here in the US, I’ve just never seen one that had Croatia snuck in there on the slide. The serial numbers are relatively low in my opinion, but I could be wrong about that too. Maybe because of the caliber there was less made?
If anybody can tell me definitively anything about this pistol and perhaps it’s value, is it a collectors piece at this point what is the reasoning behind Croatia being on the slide was this done with other calibers of the time because I just have not been able to find any images guys online. Anytime I type in Croatia in regards to a XD it just comes up with the original HS 2000 models on the slide. I would really appreciate any input that people could give, knowledge about it. also that is a laser that came with a gun. I did not put it on there and yes, it is Tacticool green.
It’s funny some 20 years later owning one of these OG XD’s again cause the majority of the initial launch, if not all gen 1’s were plagued by the crappy finish on the slides and this one certainly is a testament to that hahahha.
Thanks in advance guys
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HansGruber said:
Well, all XD’s are made in Croatia, not the US (Springfield just imports them). The rest of the world calls them HS2000’s.

That looks like a model made for the non-US market that someone bought overseas and brought back into the country.
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Gotcha understood it’s just weird because it says Geneso Illinois on the barrel and Springfield armory USA on slide along with US 3889
 
HansGruber said:
Well, all XD’s are made in Croatia, not the US (Springfield just imports them). The rest of the world calls them HS2000’s.

That looks like a model made for the non-US market that someone bought overseas and brought back into the country.
Click to expand...
Also, that’s interesting to learn. I did not know that they were still solely made in Croatia and then just imported over here but good to know so what is going on in Illinois? That’s just where they get imported to so they get stamped accordingly with Springfield’s name on it once they arrive here?
 
WarlockMainD2 said:
Also, that’s interesting to learn. I did not know that they were still solely made in Croatia and then just imported over here but good to know so what is going on in Illinois? That’s just where they get imported to so they get stamped accordingly with Springfield’s name on it once they arrive here?
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No, they’re rollmarked overseas.

Pretty much all of Springfield’s plastic fantastics are made in Croatia; 1911’s/Prodigy are made here, as well as the M1A and Saint lines.
 
WarlockMainD2 said:
Also, that’s interesting to learn. I did not know that they were still solely made in Croatia and then just imported over here but good to know so what is going on in Illinois? That’s just where they get imported to so they get stamped accordingly with Springfield’s name on it once they arrive here?
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Not sure if the bare frame is made over there only or a complete frame?
 
I am with TexasForLife. The .357 Sig is one of my favorites, as an old wheelgunner that grew up with the 125 grain .357 Magnum "Magic Bullet". I was wooed to the semi automatic side with promises of more ammo and faster reloads, but in my heart I knew I was trading off the best defence cartridge ever. Loved my .45 1911 for decades. But then I got the Sig Commander Nightmare in .357 Sig for the best of both worlds. My usual carry rig now.
Small Sig.jpg
 
With Buffalo Bore loads that are the real deal. From their website:

Item 25A utilizes the 125gr. Jacketed Hollow Point bullet. It is designed to open radically and penetrate roughly 12 to 14 inches in tissue. Note my velocities from my real world pistol, (not a test barrel) below.

a. Sig. Mod. 229, 4 inch barrel - 1,430 fps (567 ft. lbs.)

Real velocity from a real firearm, not a test barrel. Yes, it is expensive to shoot, but my life and the lives of the ones I love are worth it.
 
TEXASforLIFE said:
357sig is 1 of my favorite cartridges! Enjoy! Not many factory offerings of this anymore (glock is probably the only 1). I get barrel conversions for my 40s&w to 357sig. It's not a waste as I shoot 40s&w also. Maybe email or call SA cs for assistance?
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Yes! Me too everyone thinks I’m crazy but I’ve gotten 5 inch barrels from certain high-end companies specifically for .357 sig, great round, damm shame folks don’t understand the context and intended purpose of the round originally I mean, I get it. It’s snappy and it’s loud, but it’s also originally meant to basically double the trajectory of modern day, similar rounds and penetrate automobiles, both doors and glass.
 
Winchester67 said:
I am with TexasForLife. The .357 Sig is one of my favorites, as an old wheelgunner that grew up with the 125 grain .357 Magnum "Magic Bullet". I was wooed to the semi automatic side with promises of more ammo and faster reloads, but in my heart I knew I was trading off the best defence cartridge ever. Loved my .45 1911 for decades. But then I got the Sig Commander Nightmare in .357 Sig for the best of both worlds. My usual carry rig now. View attachment 77860
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Dang, that is sweet looking, looks like she holds 10 rounds, how’s the recoil and did you invest in any or have to replacement parts over the years due to the high pressures of the cartridge on the internals?
And yeah, I just watched several videos the other night on YouTube where this gentleman was testing 357 Sigg versus 9 mm 124 grain plus P plus and 357 Sig completely outdid it in every category other than one of the most important ones, which is to be honest follow up shots that hit the target and time back to target are what wins gun fights.
Beautiful piece you won’t give me a ballpark figure on what she cost you or what they go for?
 
No replacement parts yet, outside of a recoil spring since I got it used and didn't know the round count. It appeared low, one of the advantages to high ammo costs! Gunbroker has them at $1415 which is oddly specific. I got mine for less as they were still in production at that time. I can't give specifics in case my wife looks at my internet history! :)
 
WarlockMainD2 said:
Yes! Me too everyone thinks I’m crazy but I’ve gotten 5 inch barrels from certain high-end companies specifically for .357 sig, great round, damm shame folks don’t understand the context and intended purpose of the round originally I mean, I get it. It’s snappy and it’s loud, but it’s also originally meant to basically double the trajectory of modern day, similar rounds and penetrate automobiles, both doors and glass.
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Just wait until you shoot 90gr! High speed laser at 100 yards w/o hesitation. O bought the 357sig to shoot 147's, but really like shooting the light weights.

A story of what actually happened by accident
I was shooting my g22 (40s&w), all was going well then 1 shot felt off (as in recoiled differently)? I policed the ejection area and found a 357sig brass that was completely straightwalled. I was shooting at 50 yards at this time and it hit the target. I WOULDN'T suggest doing what I did, but no damage was done to the g22.
 
So, that is technically an In between model. Hence the SA-357. Originally they were imported by HSArms and were sold as HS2000. They saw limited success, and eventually HS Produkt (Croatian MFG) and Springfield Armory partnered together. SA secured the rights for sole importation into North America “forever” or at least a ridiculous amount of time. (This is important, Springfield learned from P9 CZ). So Springfield started one of the best partnerships in the firearms industry. As they started to import the early guns the main logo was not finalized yet hence the SA-9, SA-40 & SA-357 design. One of my best friends who worked at SA and now that I work with still to this day is the one who designed the XD logos and imagery up until the Saint/XDE era. Once the logo was finalized they were then marked the same as they are today. So technically you have a limited release pistol. But the flip side the only one who would get excited is a Springfield collector like my self. Beyond Springfield’s in house collection. I know of a few others that own SA marked pistols. Rob Leatham owns a SA-40 (that he teases me about and refuses to sell me). I own a SA-9 & SA-357 (need a 40) and a couple others members on xdtalk that own some SA-9’s. Any questions let me know



More interesting history:
Remember when I said, Springfield secured the sole importation rights to North America? Up until just lately everywhere else in the world you could still pick up an HS 2000 or HSM pistol and it would not be a Springfield branded at all. Take Australia for example their importation company was strong hand, industries, or like I have friends in Croatia that would buy HS 2000s and HS products instead of Springfield. Another interesting fact, the Philippines was one of the only places in the world that Springfield had importation rights. But so did the HS arms. So in the Philippines, you had a choice of buying a Springfield branded pistol or the HS branded pistol. But the Springfield pistols were always more expensive by about twice the price. Over the last couple years as Dennis Reese has become the soul Owner of Springfield. The partnership between HS product and Springfield have been so close that they’re basically now one company. So now, even if you’re in Croatia, it’s all Springfield branded, pistols, and firearms. My buddy in Croatia was finally able to get a Springfield hellcat, even though it’s manufactured literally 20 minutes down the road from where he lives, which is pretty funny.
 
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xdman said:
So, that is technically an In between model. Hence the SA-357. Originally they were imported by HSArms and were sold as HS2000. They saw limited success, and eventually HS Produkt (Croatian MFG) and Springfield Armory partnered together. SA secured the rights for sole importation into North America “forever” or at least a ridiculous amount of time. (This is important, Springfield learned from P9 CZ). So Springfield started one of the best partnerships in the firearms industry. As they started to import the early guns the main logo was not finalized yet hence the SA-9, SA-40 & SA-357 design. One of my best friends who worked at SA and now that I work with still to this day is the one who designed the XD logos and imagery up until the Saint/XDE era. Once the logo was finalized they were then marked the same as they are today. So technically you have a limited release pistol. But the flip side the only one who would get excited is a Springfield collector like my self. Beyond Springfield’s in house collection. I know of a few others that own SA marked pistols. Rob Leatham owns a SA-40 (that he teases me about and refuses to sell me). I own a SA-9 & SA-357 (need a 40) and a couple others members on xdtalk that own some SA-9’s. Any questions let me know



More interesting history:
Remember when I said, Springfield secured the sole importation rights to North America? Up until just lately everywhere else in the world you could still pick up an HS 2000 or HSM pistol and it would not be a Springfield branded at all. Take Australia for example their importation company was strong hand, industries, or like I have friends in Croatia that would buy HS 2000s and HS products instead of Springfield. Another interesting fact, the Philippines was one of the only places in the world that Springfield had importation rights. But so did the HS arms. So in the Philippines, you had a choice of buying a Springfield branded pistol or the HS branded pistol. But the Springfield pistols were always more expensive by about twice the price. Over the last couple years as Dennis Reese has become the soul Owner of Springfield. The partnership between HS product and Springfield have been so close that they’re basically now one company. So now, even if you’re in Croatia, it’s all Springfield branded, pistols, and firearms. My buddy in Croatia was finally able to get a Springfield hellcat, even though it’s manufactured literally 20 minutes down the road from where he lives, which is pretty funny.
Click to expand...
Very, very interesting and informative post, thanks, learned a lot from it, great history.
 
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