XD PROS & CONS

[Gadsden]

So, here's some stuff on the trigger kits for the XD owners in the crowd:

The Powder River Precision (PRP) Kit replaces the Striker Safety Lever to reduce trigger take-up and reset, and uses an "Easy Fit Over Travel Stop" to eliminate over-travel. They also have an "Oversized Trigger Safety" that reduces trigger movement before the safety stops it. (They used to call this the "Zero Travel Trigger Safety.")

The complete kit includes reduced weight trigger and sear springs to lower the trigger pull weight and looks like this:

You can install it yourself in about an hour, and that's taking it overly slowly and learning as you go.

The Springer Precision Trigger Kit uses a different approach, and replaces the sear with a redesigned, polished version, which reduces take-up, and uses their own designed trigger bar which can be precisely fit to eliminate over-travel.

The complete kit includes a reduced weight sear spring and trigger spring, and looks like this:

Again, you're looking at about an hour's worth of work to install the kit, mostly in slowly fitting the trigger bar to eliminate over-travel.

There are excellent reviews of both kits over on XDTalk.com.

I have one of each installed in XD's, and anyone is welcome to give them the "squeeze test" anytime you're in So NH.

Also, two excellent vendors of XD stuff are Pistolgear and XDGuys. Both vendors are known for quick shipping and excellent customer service.

Great info, thanks. How did the kits do for pre-travel? One of my gripes about the XDm is the trigger seems "squishy".. I want it as close to a tuned 1911 as possible with around 4.5-5lbs of pull.

 

[ScottS]

Great info, thanks. How did the kits do for pre-travel? One of my gripes about the XDm is the trigger seems "squishy".. I want it as close to a tuned 1911 as possible with around 4.5-5lbs of pull.

Both drop-in kits remove most, if not all, of the take-up (pre-travel). The PRP kit has the extra replacement trigger safety that stops any movement of the trigger before the trigger safety engages, or "slop," as I think of it. (If you carefully position your finger on just the trigger, and try to pull it without depressing the trigger safety, you can actually move the trigger a bit before the trigger safety "catches." The PRP part removes this "slop.")

When my buddy, who has an XD40, and shoots an M&P in SSP, shot my XD9 (PRP Kit), the lack of takeup caught him by surprise. His first comment was, "I'd be AD'ing this thing all over the range."

 

[Kenny474]

I've been running a Glock 17 for a few months now, and had an XDm .40 a while back. I'm no expert in the mechanics, function of pistols, etc., by any means. A buddy of mine shoots an XDm 9mm pretty good, and I ended up getting rid of my XDm .40 because I hated the backstrap safety. I know the XDm is not an XD, but the function, safety features seem to be the same. We argue a bit about which is the better gun, etc., in terms of reliability / machining / safety features, etc.

You've got a bunch of really good information on hand loads, smelting, high power shooting, etc., and seem to know a lot about these two guns, so I have a queston. Which one do you think is the better gun? It'll help me settle the argument.

If you have owned both than you have far more to go on than I. Never claimed to know anything about either, just have an opinion as to which offers more options in the aftermarket.

 

[Gadsden]

Both drop-in kits remove most, if not all, of the take-up (pre-travel). The PRP kit has the extra replacement trigger safety that stops any movement of the trigger before the trigger safety engages, or "slop," as I think of it. (If you carefully position your finger on just the trigger, and try to pull it without depressing the trigger safety, you can actually move the trigger a bit before the trigger safety "catches." The PRP part removes this "slop.")

When my buddy, who has an XD40, and shoots an M&P in SSP, shot my XD9 (PRP Kit), the lack of takeup caught him by surprise. His first comment was, "I'd be AD'ing this thing all over the range."

Awesome info, thanks again. I'm sold.. put that one in the budget!

 

[Gadsden]

Follow-up:
Bought the PRP kit and finally got it installed. I'm impressed with the results! It took me a couple hours overall as I ran into a couple issues:

* The over-travel stop needed *major* fitting (I ended up getting impatient and over-doing it a bit). The hole for the push-pin was too small, it was too think to fit in place, and needed quite a bit taken off. Take your time and be patient!

* The Striker Safety Lever sits too high and would keep the slide from going back on, you have to push the trigger bar down a bit to get it to reset. Daniel @PRP said there is a spot that can be fitted to stop this, but once I pushed the trigger bar down it slid on ok.

* The Oversized Trigger Safety needed quite a bit of fitting as well.. the part was a bit too thick and I had to take about .001 off of the sides, then shave some off the top to stop the "pop" when the part came off safe. Not hard to do, this was the easiest part.

All and all I am impressed, the trigger is much better. I have not fired it yet, only dry fired.. I will update if there are issues with live fire.

 

[ScottS]

Follow-up:
Bought the PRP kit and finally got it installed. I'm impressed with the results! It took me a couple hours overall as I ran into a couple issues:

* The over-travel stop needed *major* fitting (I ended up getting impatient and over-doing it a bit). The hole for the push-pin was too small, it was too think to fit in place, and needed quite a bit taken off. Take your time and be patient!

* The Striker Safety Lever sits too high and would keep the slide from going back on, you have to push the trigger bar down a bit to get it to reset. Daniel @PRP said there is a spot that can be fitted to stop this, but once I pushed the trigger bar down it slid on ok.

* The Oversized Trigger Safety needed quite a bit of fitting as well.. the part was a bit too thick and I had to take about .001 off of the sides, then shave some off the top to stop the "pop" when the part came off safe. Not hard to do, this was the easiest part.

All and all I am impressed, the trigger is much better. I have not fired it yet, only dry fired.. I will update if there are issues with live fire.

Glad to hear it worked out. Did you have any problem getting the trigger pin out to install the Oversized Trigger Safety? I had a helluva time getting that pin out.

 

[ChevyGuy91]

Thanks for the write up dude! I gotta get on that ordering kick and get one myself.

 

[Gadsden]

Follow-up to the follow-up:
Evidently just talking me though getting the slide back on due to the Striker Safety Lever sitting to high was not enough for Daniel @PRP. Without me asking he sent me a new Lever. Works like a champ now!

Why can't everywhere have customer service this good?!?

I gotta admit that for no more than the parts entail the kit seems expensive, but the support and the results are *well* worth it. I highly recommend this kit to anyone that owns an XD/XDm.

Now I just have to find time to take it to the range and try it out..