April 17th, 2020
5:01 runtimeThe new XD-M Elite series has been turning heads since they premiered. The Elite series is made up of six different guns, each with a different mission set. When I got the offer to review one, I went big and went with the Precision model with the 5.25″ barrel. As a big guy, I appreciate good-sized guns, and I’ve also never handled a weapon designed more or less for the competition circuit. Needless to say, I was curious. Read on to see what I thought of it, and be sure to check out my video review of it above.
Ergonomics
When I first picked up the 9mm Springfield XD-M Elite Precision, I noticed how comfortable the grip was. It fit me like a glove. And I immediately noticed the changes in the design from the original XD-M family.
First and foremost, there is the Match Enhanced Trigger Assembly (META), which gives you a refined and crisp trigger (more on that in a bit). In addition to the META trigger, Springfield Armory also added an ambidextrous slide lock, which along with the ambi mag release makes the gun fully bilateral. The ambidextrous ergonomics are excellent and I’m sure lefties will be grateful for the design. The magazine release is an easy reach and long enough for quick engagement. Another upgrade is the addition of enlarged and enhanced grasping grooves on the slide, both fore and aft.
And finally, the magazine. The XD-M Elite 5.25 features an amazing 22-round magazine that matches up with a detachable extended and flared mag well (the Tactical OSP Elite also shares this, while the 4.5 and 3.8 versions have a 20+1 capacity and shorter magwell extension).
The magazine well on the 5.25 is massive and makes reloads intuitive but is removable if you don’t care for it. When it comes to tossing lead downrange, the recoil is basically nothing. The grip design and the lightening cut in the top of the slide makes a huge difference in how the weapon handles.
Accuracy
Top freakin’ notch. The fully adjustable sights are fantastic, and the high visibility front sight is easy to find and easy to track as you spread lead. Stepping back out to 50 yards, I was able to hit a 10” steel gong at least half the time. That’s an extreme range for a handgun, but the XD-M Elite was up to the task.
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Trigger
The new META trigger is an excellent and refined design. The META trigger gives you a light pull with little pretravel and a light pull with a crisp break. The overtravel is eliminated and the trigger gives an audible and tactile reset. The trigger is a big contributor to both the weapon’s accuracy and the speed at which you can shoot it.
Reliability
So far, the gun has been flawless. I ran a broad selection of ammo through the pistol, from cheap and dirty steel-cased ammo to some excellent Atlanta Arms ammo. All the ammo ran great, and the Atlanta Arms Elite family of ammo shot particularly well in it.
The ammunition provided by Atlanta Arms is extremely high-quality stuff and I didn’t expect it to cause any failures. It did not. I went to the complete opposite side of the spectrum and used the cheapest steel case ComBloc ammo I could find and I couldn’t make the XD-M Elite choke.
Downsides?
I have one, and I have it for a lot of guns. The slide lock doesn’t work well with my massive hands with a thumbs forward shooting position. The slide won’t lock to the rear when the gun runs dry for me. But, like I said, that happens a lot with me and my massive hands.
Final Word
The XD-M Elite Precision has proven to be an exceptionally accurate gun with top-notch reliability and an excellent trigger. Beyond all that it’s just a fun gun to shoot. Throughout numerous drills, the XD-M Elite performed flawlessly and has become a favorite in my stable.
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Travis Pike
Travis Pike is a former Marine Machine gunner who served with 2nd Bn 2nd Marines for 5 years. He deployed in 2009 to Afghanistan and again in 2011 with the 22nd MEU(SOC) during a record-setting 11 months at sea. He’s trained with the Romanian Army, the Spanish Marines, the Emirate Marines, and the Afghan National Army. He serves as an NRA certified pistol instructor and pursues a variety of firearms based hobbies.
