Editor’s Note: The author received a Springfield XD Mod.4 pistol on loan from the company for the purposes of writing this review.
I’ve always appreciated the Springfield Armory XD series for what it is: a simple, reliable and accurate 9mm pistol. While the original may have more than two decades under its belt, I appreciate a gun with a solid reputation for performance. That’s what the XD handgun is known for: being a dependable, no-nonsense striker-fired pistol.
With the new XD Mod.4, Springfield is clearly taking that familiar foundation and bringing it in line with what modern shooters expect — and all at an MSRP of just $399.
On paper, it checks a lot of the right boxes: optics-ready capability, a 4” hammer-forged barrel, and a 16-round magazine with backward compatibility with existing full-size 9mm XD mags. But specs only tell part of the story. What really matters is how it feels in the hand and how it shoots. So, I spent some time with the XD Mod.4 to see exactly what it has to offer.
Evolution of a Design
The Mod.4 is best understood as an evolution of a proven design. It retains the best features of the prior XD generations, while updating a few others. This allows for both backward compatibility and modern innovation.
Like the rest of the pistols in the XD line, the Mod.4 is a striker-fired handgun using a polymer frame. Chambered for the 9mm cartridge, standard-capacity magazines for the pistol hold 16 rounds. The company also offers a 10-round version for restricted locales.
Existing XD 9mm magazines run reliably in this pistol. If you, like me, have a stack of XD9 mags, you can upgrade to this pistol and not worry about needing to buy any more magazines.
Adding a Red Dot
Unlike the original XD line of pistols, the XD Mod.4 is designed to easily accept a red dot sight. At the factory, the slide is milled to accept Springfield’s OSP mounting plates, which are available for a wide range of optic footprints at the Springfield Armory Store.
Mounting a red dot sight is a simple procedure. I strongly recommend working with quality gunsmithing tools instead of typical hardware store tools. Purpose-built tools fit correctly and you significantly reduce the possibility of stripping a screw head or having the tool slip and mar your gun. I used my Real Avid X3 Driver Set, and it worked perfectly.
Start by removing the cover plate on the slide. Three screws are removed from the top of the cover plate, and it will slip right off. Next, mount the correct plate to the slide cut. I was attaching a Viridian RFX11 green dot sight to the XD Mod.4, which features a Shield RMSc/SMSc footprint. As a result, I used mounting plate #2. Springfield includes the proper screws for the plate along with torque specifications.
Once the plate is attached, you can mount the optic. Viridian Weapon Technologies includes several sets of screws, including a pair designed for this setup. Once mounted, the RFX11 proved to be rock solid.
Slide Cuts
The XD Mod.4 sports new slide serrations. Springfield cut the serrations deeper — both front and rear — to give you a very solid grip on the slide. If you have sweaty hands or are running the gun in foul weather, these aggressive slide serrations will work to your favor.
Racking the slide in all conditions is easy. With the addition of a reflex sight, slide manipulation is even easier. During my testing, the Viridian RFX11 put up with a fair amount of abuse, and both it and the gun performed like champs.
Frame
The XD line is Springfield Armory’s original polymer-framed pistol family, so it should come as no surprise that the frame of the Mod.4 is constructed of that material. Polymer is practically the default material for the frames of 21st century handguns as it is both extremely lightweight and strong.
Original XD pistols had frames with somewhat smooth sides and a symmetrical, grenade-like grip texture on the front and backstraps of the pistol. The frame of the new Mod.4 instead features integral finger grooves as well as an aggressive texturing within them as well as on the backstrap. The texture offers improved purchase and, like the slide serrations, work very well when your hands are wet or slick.
Flat Trigger
The original XD-series pistols feature a relatively thin, curved trigger shoe. While perfectly functional, trigger technology and preferences have advanced in the decades that followed. Recognizing this, Springfield Armory has continued refining the system over successive generations, and those improvements are clearly evident in the XD Mod.4.
One of the most noticeable changes on the XD Mod.4 is the change from the traditional curved trigger of the original to a flat-faced design. This modernized profile not only enhances the pistol’s appearance, but also contributes to more consistent finger placement and improved control during the press. To me, the feel closely resembles the company’s well-regarded META (Match Enhanced Trigger Assembly) system found in the XD-M Elite lineup.
In terms of performance, the XD Mod.4 trigger offers a balanced and user-friendly pull. There is a moderate amount of take-up, but it remains smooth and predictable, leading into a relatively light and clean break. The break itself is crisp, giving the shooter clear feedback that helps promote accuracy. An integrated overtravel stop helps prevent unnecessary rearward movement after the shot, which aids in maintaining control and reducing disruption to the sight picture.
Trigger reset on the Mod.4 is slightly long, but it’s still tactile and audible enough to be easily managed during rapid follow-up shots. Overall, for me, the trigger strikes a solid balance between shootability, safety, and refinement.
Standard Sights
In addition to offering compatibility with modern red dot optics, Springfield Armory equips the XD Mod.4 with a solid set of factory iron sights that are more than capable on their own. Rather than treating irons as an afterthought, the company has clearly put effort into providing a sighting system that works well for both traditional shooters and those who may want a reliable back-up to an optic.
The XD Mod.4 uses a familiar and highly effective three-dot configuration, but with a thoughtful upgrade in the front sight. Instead of a standard painted dot, the front features a bright red fiber optic insert housed in a durable steel body. This fiber optic rod gathers ambient light, creating a vivid aiming point that naturally draws the eye and allows for fast target acquisition in a wide range of lighting conditions.
Complementing the front is a steel rear sight with two white dots that provide clear contrast without overpowering the front sight. This balance helps the shooter maintain proper focus on the front dot while still allowing for quick alignment. The rear sight’s profile is practical and unobtrusive, making it suitable for both range use and defensive carry.
Altogether, the sight system on the XD Mod.4 strikes an excellent balance between speed and precision. These sights offer durability, visibility and intuitive alignment, making them a meaningful improvement over more basic factory setups.
Accessory Rail
Earlier XD9 pistols came equipped with a standard accessory rail featuring two cross slots. For most users, this setup proved perfectly adequate, offering enough space to mount common accessories like weapon lights or compact lasers. However, as accessory design has evolved, Springfield Armory refined this feature on the XD Mod.4.
On the XD Mod.4, the dustcover accessory rail now incorporates a third slot. While this doesn’t extend the overall length of the rail, it does provide an additional indexing point for mounted accessories. That extra slot allows for more precise positioning, giving users greater flexibility in how they configure their setup.
At first glance, this might seem like a minor change, but in practical use it can make a noticeable difference. Fine-tuning the placement of a weapon-mounted light, for example, can significantly improve how naturally your support-hand thumb engages the activation switch. A slightly adjusted position can mean the difference between awkward reach and effortless control. Ultimately, this small but thoughtful update enhances the overall usability of the platform.
XD Mod.4 Specifications
| Caliber | 9mm |
| Barrel | 4″ hammer-forged steel |
| Slide | Forged steel, black Melonite finish |
| Frame | Black polymer |
| Sights | Front red fiber optic, rear white dot |
| Grip Width | 1.2″ |
| Weight | 27 oz |
| Magazines | One 16-round included |
| MSRP | $399 |
Range Time
My son, who was back from his university studies, and I had the gun at a local indoor range for the afternoon. I had a bulk pack of 115-gr. FMJ loads from Blazer along with several boxes of hollowpoints from Federal, Remington and Fiocchi.
Shooting the gun was very familiar. In the hand, the gun felt right at home. Although my son has less background time with the XD line, he too liked the feel of the Mod.4’s frame.
The undercut triggerguard works very well for me. It allows me to get a high grip on the pistol, which makes it easier to control recoil and muzzle flip. Combined with the aggressive texture on the finger grooves and backstrap, I found it easy to keep the gun on target during slow and rapid fire.
Accuracy was good. With the Viridian RFX11 green dot sight, we both averaged about 3” groups at 15 yards unsupported when shooting Blazer Brass 115-gr. loads. Using a sandbag for a rest, I was able to tighten that up significantly. All loads shot sub-2” supported from the bench. For a self-defense pistol at a very reasonable price point, I found this level of accuracy to be excellent.
| Ammunition | Velocity | Best 5-Shot Group | Average 5-Shot Group |
| Blazer Brass 115-gr. FMJ | 1,147 fps | 1.42” | 1.87” |
| Federal HST 124-gr. JHP +P | 1,183 fps | 1.27” | 1.72” |
| Remington UMC 115-gr. JHP | 1,122 fps | 1.80” | 1.94” |
Reliability was not compromised in the XD Mod.4. Through roughly 500 rounds of ammunition, we experienced no malfunctions. Everything fed, fired, extracted and ejected exactly as it was designed to do.
Final Thoughts
This gun is clearly a winner. For less than $400 MSRP, you get a full-size, optics-ready handgun backed by the Springfield Armory lifetime warranty. It’s a new gun with a proven track record of reliability at a price that makes it one of the best values available.
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