{"id":4823,"date":"2025-03-27T20:15:01","date_gmt":"2025-03-27T20:15:01","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/gunsandpride.com\/?p=4823"},"modified":"2025-03-27T20:15:01","modified_gmt":"2025-03-27T20:15:01","slug":"springfield-armory-xdm-elite-10mm-affordable-power","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/gunsandpride.com\/?p=4823","title":{"rendered":"Springfield Armory XDM Elite 10mm\u2026 Affordable Power"},"content":{"rendered":"


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I\u2019ve been a fan of the 10mm cartridge for a while now. Well, let me qualify that \u2013 I had not owned a 10mm until just recently, but I\u2019ve been impressed by it for a long time. Living where we do, in the woods, you never know what sort of critter you\u2019re going to come across\u2026 we\u2019ve had everything from deer to a mountain lion on our property. Even tonight, we had a fox trying to get into the chicken coop. Now, don\u2019t get me wrong \u2013 I understand that 99% of the creatures we see roaming our woods are totally harmless. But, we\u2019ve also had firearms-toting visitors of the two-legged variety that were sketchy, usually during hunting seasons.\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 <\/p>\n

I say that to justify my wanting a 10mm to carry around during my rambles. A .22 would most likely work, but why not think big? Anyway, I\u2019ve wanted to try the XDM Elite 10mm since it came out. Thanks to Springfield Armory (SA), now I have the opportunity to do that.<\/p>\n

The XD Series<\/h3>\n

We have before us the culmination of the XD series that SA produces. Without boring you to tears, here\u2019s a quick run-down of that series. In 2002, SA contracted with a Croatian company, HS Produkt, to license and sell their pistols in America as the XD (eXtreme Duty). HSP\u2019s firearms are used by a long list of international agencies, more than the scope of this quick look will allow to list. (If you just have to know, look here<\/a>).\u00a0<\/p>\n

The originals won awards and were named Handgun or Pistol of the Year by the American Rifleman and others in 2003 and 2006. Throughout the years, the series has evolved to include the XD-M (match) in 2008, and the XD-S (single-stack magazine) in 2012. In 2014, the introduction of the improved XD Mod. 2 increased the number of pistols offered to 33. The year 2018 saw the introduction of the XD-E (external hammer).\u00a0<\/p>\n

The gun before us was introduced in May of 2022. The XDM Elite OSP 4.5\u201d was a different critter. Upgrades included the M.E.T.A. (match enhanced trigger assembly), OSP (optical sight pistol) cut for a red dot, a 4.5\u201d match-grade barrel, ambidextrous slide and magazine releases, a removable short extended mag well,\u00a0 improved slide serrations, and a Tactical Rack U-Dot rear sight. Two 16-round stainless magazines are included. It\u2019s been a good seller since its introduction.<\/p>\n

10mm History<\/h3>\n

By now, I think we all pretty much know where the 10mm cartridge came from but here\u2019s a short history in case you don\u2019t.\u00a0<\/p>\n

In 1983, Dornhaus & Dixon produced a pistol in collaboration with Jeff Cooper based on the CZ75. It was called the Bren Ten. Cooper, a .45 ACP aficionado, had long surmised that the optimum handgun cartridge in terms of stopping power was a 200-grain, .40 caliber bullet at 1200 fps. Norma Ammunition agreed to manufacture what was to become the 10mm for D&D. They surpassed Col. Cooper\u2019s 1200 fps and made it a truly powerful round.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Cutting to the chase, the F.B.I. adopted the round in 1989 after the disastrous \u201cMiami Shootout\u201d of 1986, where two of the many agents present offered the supreme sacrifice while using their service weapons. They were out-gunned by the bad guys. F.B.I. sidearms at that time were varied, but included S&W Model 459 9mms, .357 Magnum, and .38 Special revolvers.\u00a0<\/p>\n

The adoption of the 10mm was seen as a positive way to up-gun criminals, but it was reversed at a later time and decommissioned (except for a couple of special units). The recoil was too much for F.B.I. agents, so this led to the introduction of the .40 S&W. That\u2019s where the .40 came from.<\/p>\n

Popularity<\/h3>\n

The 10mm limped along, refusing to die. It gradually gained adherents, mostly among handgun hunters and those intrepid souls who trek where dangerous critters such as bears live. Today, it is back and is offered in more pistols and carbines than ever before. Hallelujah!\u00a0<\/p>\n

The advantages of a semi-auto cartridge that can, in some loadings, exceed the power of the .357 Magnum and approach that of the .41 Magnum are fairly obvious. Assuming equal reliability between the two, the main advantage of the semi-auto over the revolver is its capacity. This XDM Elite magazine holds 16+1, and you get two magazines. That\u2019s a lot of bear medicine. Many deer, hogs, and other game have fallen to the big 10. I would also surmise that more than a few of our intrepid wilderness trekkers are still vertical today because the 10mm defended them against a bear or other toothy critter. I\u2019ve also read that a lot of folks fishing in Alaska carry some sort of 10mm, usually in a chest holster, since bears share the fisherman\u2019s liking and consumption of fish\u2026 and sometimes have a taste for fishermen. It\u2019s good to know it\u2019s back.\u00a0<\/p>\n

The XDM Elite OSP<\/h3>\n
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The first impression I had when I picked this pistol up was that it was big. When you get used to compacts or sub-compacts, a full-size, 30+ounce pistol gets your attention. My fingers looked like a little kid\u2019s fingers, curled around the grip. Well, maybe not quite, but you get the point\u2026 this is one large handgun. It needs to be, for what it is.<\/p>\n

Let\u2019s get this out of the way now. It uses a grip safety. I\u2019m not a fan, but this one is unobtrusive and you don\u2019t know it\u2019s there when you\u2019re shooting it.<\/p>\n

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The grip texturing is blocky and reminds me of another kind of texturing:<\/p>\n

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Here\u2019s a close-up\u2026<\/p>\n

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This pistol is perhaps the pinnacle of the XDM line. When the M models were introduced in 2008, they were pretty well-received. The match barrel and trigger aided accuracy. This Elite model goes further. It uses the M.E.T.A. trigger \u2013 match-enhanced trigger assembly \u2014 which provides a crisp break without a lot of take-up. The slide serrations are wider and cut deeply to aid in grasping the slide. The Tactical Rack U-Dot rear sight is made for quick sight acquisition but is fine enough to shoot decent groups with.\u00a0<\/p>\n

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One of the most obvious additions to the Elite is the OSP cut. That stands for Optical Sight Pistol. You can get the gun from the factory with a Hex Dragonfly red dot \u2013 I have a Hellcat with the Hex Wasp sight and it works great. Or, you can install one of many sights via plates. I stuck a Holosun HS 407C on it, using the included adapter plate. One thing\u2026 you can\u2019t co-witness the iron sights with a red dot, since it\u2019s mounted higher because of the adapter plate. But that\u2019s a small trade-off\u2026 I had no trouble getting the Holosun on the gun.<\/p>\n

There is a short extended magazine well to aid in quick reloads. It is removable if you don\u2019t like it. Plus, as I mentioned above, you get two 16-round stainless magazines with the gun. That\u2019s a lot of 10mm at hand. Also included are a loaded chamber indicator flag and a cocked gun indicator\u2026 a pin that sticks out of the rear of the slide when the gun is cocked.<\/p>\n

The final feature I\u2019ll mention is one that I enjoy, being a lefty. Both the slide and magazine releases are duplicated on the right side of the pistol. I wish everybody did this.<\/p>\n

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Here\u2019s a good spot to stick the specifications in\u2026<\/p>\n