Springfield XDM 10mm Review by Alien Gear Holsters

If you've been mulling whether to size up to 10mm, then let us tell you in this Springfield XDM 10mm review that you definitely should...if you're willing to make certain commitments. It's one of the best all-around cartridges out there, as it is vastly more capable than almost any other.

But what about this pistol itself? A powerful round in the most popular format of the day (striker-fired, polymer frame) and in Springfield's poly-striker gun with (almost) all the bells and whistles. You can also get one for a lot less than what Colt asks for a Delta Elite!

But it faces some competition out there; Glock has had a line of 10mm pistols for some time and there are a number of other 10mm pistols that can be sourced pretty easily. Should you look at the XDM 10mm first? Let's talk about that…

Springfield XDM 10mm Specifications

The Springfield XDM or XD(M) line has been around for some time; the Springfield XDM 10mm pistols are just the latest additions. There's a 4.5-inch barrel model, but also a 5.25-inch barrel model (with ported slide) that can be had as well. We got to look at the 4.5, so we'll concentrate on the specs for that one.

We just told you the barrel length, so no need to repeat it. Overall dimensions are 7.7 inches long by 5.75 inches tall by 1.2 inches wide, which is a little slim for this segment. Unloaded weight is 31.2 ounces. The pistol is fed a double-stack magazine that holds 15+1, which is quite a lot for 10mm pistols.

The M line stands for "Match," as Springfield Armory adds a match-grade barrel. The slide has chevron-style slide serrations for easier grip, and wears a combat rear ramp and a fiber optic front sight. The spring system features a full-length guide rod on this model for sure cycling.

The frame has a rail for mounting accessories. The grip has swappable palm swell panels (S, M and L) and their Mega-Lock texturing on the front of the grip.

Aside from that, it's the standard XD system with a bifurcated trigger with passive safety and a grip safety on the back of the grip. Springfield says the trigger is "short-reset with minimal trigger break for repeated rounds on-target" but what they mean is that it gets a better spring kit than the XD and XD Mod2. It's the same trigger, it's just better than the one on the other models.

Springfield XDM 4.5 10mm Review

The gist of this Springfield XDM 4.5 10mm review is that it's an excellent pistol, and it actually handles the powerful 10mm round very well. If you were looking to get into the 10mm thing, you could do a heck of a lot worse. In fact, the XDM can be had in 10mm or .45 if so desired.

The grip angle of the XD pistol family is the same 18-degree rake of the 1911 pistol, just like the S&W M&P series. A good high, tight shooting grip is pretty easily acquired, which also makes deactivating the grip safety a cinch.

The pistol is plenty accurate, and recoil with standard 10mm loads (which the comments section will quickly tell you are very light for what this round is capable of) is quite manageable, about on par with .45 ACP with just a hint of extra "snap." In other words, if you can handle .45 ACP, then you won't have a problem with this gun.

Could you conceal and carry it? You could, but it wouldn't be the easiest. It's on the tall side (at almost 6 inches in height) though length, weight and width are well within what most people CCW on the daily. With judicious placement and dress, carrying in an IWB would be feasible for some folks.

It feels good, it shoots pretty well. In all, if you were looking for an entry-level 10mm...this is not a bad platform to start with. MSRP isn't terrible at $652, so expect to find it in stores for about $600 or possibly a bit less.

XDM 10mm Enters Growing Segment

That said, the XDM 4.5 10mm is entering a segment of the handgun market that is likely to get more crowded as more people are warming up to the 10mm Auto as a cartridge. And they should; it has a lot going for it.

The beauty of 10mm is it's versatility. You can load it light and punch a whole lot of paper. Light loads, being basically a .40 S&W with a longer case, are also good for self-defense. Or, if desired, you can go up to heavy loads for handgun hunting, bear defense, or just carrying a stouter load.

It isn't an auto-loading equivalent of .44 Magnum (.460 Rowland is) so don't fool yourself. It's closer to the truth to say that 10mm Auto fills the gap between .357 Magnum and .41 Magnum. The 10mm does qualify for Major power factor in competitive shooting as well, which 9x19mm does not. Since this pistol holds 15+1 of them, that certainly would be a good use for it.

But there are a lot more 10mm pistols floating around these days. Not too long ago, your choices were 10mm Glocks and the Delta Elite by Colt. Those are still around, of course. Springfield has added 10mm options to its 1911 pistols (the TRP 5-in and 6-in models and the Range Officer Elite Operator) as well. In fact, darn near everyone and their brother makes a 10mm 1911 these days; you can get high-end custom 1911 pistols in that chambering even on down to some budget options such as those made by Rock Island Armory.

A few 10mm revolvers are coming out as well, such as Ruger's GP100 Match Champion in that chambering.

More and more pistols in 10mm are hitting the market, so the XDM 4.5-in 10mm is already one of many that compete for your money. Each has its own list of pros and cons as well as their own best-intended use.

What is the best-use for the XDM 10mm? If it were me, I'd get it for use as a range or competition gun rather than a carry gun, but you can certainly use it for much more if you wanted. (I'd get a 1911 in this chambering if the aim was a CCW pistol.) Loaded with the harder stuff, it would make a good open-carry gun for the backcountry. With optics, it would make a decent hunting handgun though longslide models are a bit better for that purpose.

It sounds a little weird to say I'd get a 1911 over the XDM, but the reason why is that Ol' Slabsides is thinner. It tucks into and rides against the side a little easier. I also happen to like them more than I like most other pistols, so it's pretty much for my own subjective reasons. As it happens, Rock Island Armory makes Commander frame pistols in 10mm, so if I were to want a 10mm carry pistol…that would probably be the gun I got for that purpose, due to the dimensions and my affinity for that platform.

In short, if you wanted to get your toe in the 10mm waters without spending too much and sticking to the poly-striker format or avoiding the 1911 system, this would be a great pistol to get.