Pistols that accommodate both a red-dot sight and suppressor are starting to pop up, and Springfield Armory’s XDM-Elite OSP is one fine example. Not much for concealment, they have their place in the tactical world, but remain pretty rare in real world applications. I have also used them to great effect hunting hogs with a handgun, especially with a red-dot sight, or even better, night vision and infrared light. Great for people who are sensitive to muzzle blast, they tend to tame recoil a bit as well. Move to center fire and they still have their advantages. 22 LR pistol is the epitome of fun plinking on the range. Zero recoil, incredibly quiet and easy to shoot, they smack of fun on the range. They are just flat out fun, especially on rimfire pistols. Our test pistol was the flat-dark earth colored 4.5” OSP model with a 1/2×28 5.28-inch threaded barrel for attaching a sound suppressor. For the most part, As of writing this, the new XDM Elite platform is available in five different configurations and three different slide lengths. Some suppressors are pretty short and you can at least fantasize about practical application. Threaded pistol barrels for suppressors are still warming on me. Regularly seen in competition and duty, even the military has adopted them for certain applications. Arguments still rage, just like they did for red-dots on rifles, but the battle is about over. Up close there is not much of an advantage for me, but at distance a red-dot sight is night and day, making it a regular feature on any pistol I carry consistently. Maybe it’s experience, or maybe age and a failing ability to get anything that resembles “focus” on a front sight. Over time that has changed and I have become a pretty strong advocate of them. Like most long-in-the-tooth shooters (especially those with a police background) red-dot sights have been a slow burn. High-capacity, optics and suppressor ready, and with the META trigger it is the culmination of years of development and customer input. With the introduction of the XD-M Elite series, Springfield Armory has brought it all together. Testing the Elite OSP using a Vortex red-dot sight and Liberty suppressor it was accurate, reliable and truly a blast to shoot. As time passed several models have been added, including those accepting red-dot sights and suppressors. Often seen at local action-pistol matches, they continued their popularity as model choices grew. With the introduction of the XD-M (Match) version in 2008 they only increased in popularity. They were accurate, reliable, and-aside from some magazine issues very early on-served well. Several officers purchased their own, carrying them as duty pistols when I was the department armorer.
![springfield xdm 9mm springfield xdm 9mm](https://dkfirearms.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/SPXDMET9459BHCOSP_1_HR-1024x1024.jpg)
Having tested Springfield Armory XD pistols since their introduction in 2002, I’ve found them to be among the most comfortable-shooting pistols on the market today, commanding a very strong following among owners. Every XD-M the author has tested to date has been soft shooting for its respective caliber, and the Elite was no exception. The XDM Elite ran extremely well with both the Dead Air Wolfman and Silencerco Omega-K (pictured) suppressors attached. Springfield Armory XD-M Elite 4.5-Inch OSP 9mm