The XD as part of your balanced firearms collection
Your Springfield XD fills a niche in your gun locker for a self-defense pistol both in the home and out in the big, bad world as well as a gun for target shooting and some sporting uses. However, what do you have to go along with the XD to scratch that itch and round out the collection? Here's some suggestions.
View attachment 1850
A modern sporting rifle
Although your XD can protect the homestead, your vehicle, and your person out to a range of 25 yards reliably, maybe even out to 50 if you really practice and get in touch with your sights, you still may desire to reach out a little further. With this, you are going to want to lay hands on a sporting rifle. While the hunting and target guns of past generations were bolt-action rifles based on the military issue guns of the World Wars, today's more modern sporting rifles are based on the military guns of our age.
According to best estimates out there, there are some 8.2 million AR-15 and AK-47 based semi-automatic rifles known imported to or produced in the country between 1990 and 2012. You can probably add to that a few million that were made/imported in the past two years since that estimate as well as at least that many DIY guns built from 80 percent lowers and blanks.
These guns, especially the modular AR-series rifles that can have their upper receivers chambered in anything from .22LR to .50BMG, can be utilized for sport and competition shooting (3-gun!) as well as hunting and home defense. Better yet, they make the perfect companion to your XD.
A plinker
As fun as shooting your XD is, the price of full-sized pistol rounds can add up, especially if you are a .40S&W or .45ACP kinda guy (or gal). Well don't worry, even though prices skyrocketed in 2013 on .22LR ammo, the industry has rebounded a good bit and increased supply to where now a number of loadings are available that run about 10-cents a round if you look hard enough. When compared to 9mm or .380, that's a downright bargain.
With that in mind, you can afford some extra trigger time if you pick up a nice little rimfire pistol or rifle. Unfortunately, Springfield doesn't offer either, which puts you in the market for either a completely new gun, or an aftermarket .22LR conversion kit for your XD. Yup, they make em.
View attachment 1849
A scattergun
About the only other "should have" for the modern shooter besides the above is a good quality shotgun. With such a gun, you can augment your home defense, hunt small and large game, and enjoy traditional shooting sports like clays and trap while also setting the stage for more modern activities like 3-gun competitions and turkey shoots. This is due to the wide array of different shot shells that are on the market.
The good news is that modern (read= reliable) pump and semi-auto shotguns have been in wide scale production since the 1950s, which means there are literally millions of Remington 870 and 1100s, Mossberg 500, Winchester 1200 and similar shotguns out there for as low as $200.
This means a shotgun is a simple and easy to find addition to your complete firearms collection.
What do you have that complements your XD? Let us know in the comments below.
View attachment 1850
A modern sporting rifle
Although your XD can protect the homestead, your vehicle, and your person out to a range of 25 yards reliably, maybe even out to 50 if you really practice and get in touch with your sights, you still may desire to reach out a little further. With this, you are going to want to lay hands on a sporting rifle. While the hunting and target guns of past generations were bolt-action rifles based on the military issue guns of the World Wars, today's more modern sporting rifles are based on the military guns of our age.
According to best estimates out there, there are some 8.2 million AR-15 and AK-47 based semi-automatic rifles known imported to or produced in the country between 1990 and 2012. You can probably add to that a few million that were made/imported in the past two years since that estimate as well as at least that many DIY guns built from 80 percent lowers and blanks.
These guns, especially the modular AR-series rifles that can have their upper receivers chambered in anything from .22LR to .50BMG, can be utilized for sport and competition shooting (3-gun!) as well as hunting and home defense. Better yet, they make the perfect companion to your XD.
A plinker
As fun as shooting your XD is, the price of full-sized pistol rounds can add up, especially if you are a .40S&W or .45ACP kinda guy (or gal). Well don't worry, even though prices skyrocketed in 2013 on .22LR ammo, the industry has rebounded a good bit and increased supply to where now a number of loadings are available that run about 10-cents a round if you look hard enough. When compared to 9mm or .380, that's a downright bargain.
With that in mind, you can afford some extra trigger time if you pick up a nice little rimfire pistol or rifle. Unfortunately, Springfield doesn't offer either, which puts you in the market for either a completely new gun, or an aftermarket .22LR conversion kit for your XD. Yup, they make em.
View attachment 1849
A scattergun
About the only other "should have" for the modern shooter besides the above is a good quality shotgun. With such a gun, you can augment your home defense, hunt small and large game, and enjoy traditional shooting sports like clays and trap while also setting the stage for more modern activities like 3-gun competitions and turkey shoots. This is due to the wide array of different shot shells that are on the market.
The good news is that modern (read= reliable) pump and semi-auto shotguns have been in wide scale production since the 1950s, which means there are literally millions of Remington 870 and 1100s, Mossberg 500, Winchester 1200 and similar shotguns out there for as low as $200.
This means a shotgun is a simple and easy to find addition to your complete firearms collection.
What do you have that complements your XD? Let us know in the comments below.
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