Springfield 3.8 XDm Compact 

If you have been following things firearms-related in the slightest, you know all about the Springfield XDm series. And if you don’t, I have to wonder whether there is a polite way to ask, “What rock have you been living under?”

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For those who aren’t up to speed, here you go: The XDm is the latest of the polymer-frame, striker-fired pistols, and it corrects some earlier designs, both Springfield’s and those of competitors. First of all, the slide does not have the proportions of a shoebox; it is angled, geometric, aggressive-looking and fully up to the task of handling any 9mm (or .40) load that comports with SAAMI specs. The angled slide is both easier to pack comfortably and easier to work, as the slide serrations grab back when you get a hold of them.

It is accurate due to the match-dimensioned chamber and bore and the snug, but not excessively tight fit of barrel to slide. Fully hardened, the barrel is not going to wear to a sloppy fit with less than a lifetime’s worth of ammo. Also, the barrel will not throw a hissy fit if you happen to use or load ammo containing lead bullets.

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The magazines hold more rounds than comparable polymer-frame pistols. The full-size XDm in 9mm holds 19 rounds in the magazine, with the 20th in the chamber (the .40 version: 16+1). To gain that capacity, the designers did not have to resort to overly large frame dimensions and even found a way to have interchangeable backstraps as well. For you southpaws, the magazine release is fully ambidextrous.

In short, the XDm is everything you’d want in a polymer-frame, striker-fired pistol, and the shooting public has realized that.