Springfield XDM 4.5in CO₂ PISTOL

As many of you know, I am a rifle shooter. I love my HFT and plinking, and when I grab a gun, it’s normally a TX200. However, I started my shooting life as a pistol shooter for London Underground. Back in 1991, I could often be found at the shooting range below Baker Street Underground Station with a .22 Ruger in my hand.

After the handgun ban in 1997, those of us who loved shooting handguns had to find an alternative. For me, it was air rifles, but for many shooters, the world of air pistols became a sanctuary. That said, air pistols in the 1990s were not quite what they are today, which is why I was very interested when asked to review the Springfield Armory XDM.

This is a CO₂-powered blowback pistol that shoots steel BBs. It’s not a target pistol like the Precihole or the Steyr LP50. The Springfield is all about fun, shooting a pistol that mimics the real thing. However, we are going to test how well it groups and what it feels like to shoot.

Is the Springfield XDM 4.5in CO₂ pistol popular?

For those who follow firearms, you’ll know that the 9mm Springfield XD is a favourite in the US for home defence and target shooting. The XDM variant is still an XD, but you get more for your money — match-grade barrels, extra magazines and so on. With the air pistol version, you not only get the pistol and a full-size magazine but also extra back straps so you can adjust the grip to fit your hand perfectly. What’s more, this is one of the most realistic-feeling pistols on the market. When you rack the slide back, operate the release and the slide moves into battery, this gun does not feel like an air pistol.

As I mentioned before, this pistol has a blowback action. Every time you pull the trigger, the slide moves back, picks up another round, slams forward — and you get a massive grin on your face. However, this blowback feature has a downside: it requires gas from the CO₂ capsule to function. As a result, you’ll only get around 60 shots per cartridge, so it’s worth buying them in bulk.

One thing I really like about the XDM is its safety features. Not only does it have the standard trigger safety, but also a grip safety — so if you pick up the pistol and accidentally knock the trigger, as long as you’re not gripping the handle properly, it won’t fire. Additionally, under the frame near the accessory rail, there is a third safety, which can be slid across for added security — handy for storage.

Is loading the Springfield XDM 4.5in CO₂ pistol easy?

Loading the XDM with CO₂ is straightforward. You drop the full-size magazine, remove the baseplate, and use the supplied Allen key to remove the CO₂ cover. Then, load a 12g CO₂ capsule (with a dab of Pellgun oil on the neck), screw the cover back in and replace the baseplate. Now it’s time to load the BBs, and this is where I had my first issue.

To load the BBs, you need to hook your thumbnail around a spring slider and pull it down to expose a small gap in the magazine. You can load up to 20 BBs, but I found this a bit fiddly — though I’m sure, with practice, I’ll master the technique. Once loaded, I slapped the magazine into the pistol and got ready to shoot some targets.

Is the Springfield XDM 4.5in CO₂ pistol easy to shoot?

With a suitable backstop set at seven yards, I raised the pistol and lined up the sights — two white dots on the rear and a red fibre optic on the front. To me, it felt very much like a Glock sight. I pulled the trigger and felt the slide cycle and pick up the next round. I fired again and again, and as I mentioned earlier, if the sound were different, it would feel just like the 9mm. However, remember you’re shooting steel BBs, stick to paper targets or spinners, as shooting at solid steel could result in dangerous ricochets.

After firing all 20 rounds, the slide locked back just like a real XDM. I checked the target — all shots were within about three inches of each other. I reloaded and focused on accuracy rather than just having fun. You can definitely feel the first and second stages of the trigger, and you can hold it right on the biting point. I concentrated on my grip and trigger pressure. Fortunately, the trigger is set to around 4lbs, so it’s firm enough that you don’t need to yank it, yet not so light that it goes off unexpectedly. With proper breathing control, I managed to tighten my groups to about an inch and a half. However, I was using bulk ammunition rather than match-grade BBs. If you want sub-inch groups, you’ll need Crosman Copperheads or Daisy Match Pro, but sourcing these in the UK isn’t easy.

Over at the chronograph, I was getting around 290fps on a warm day. Bear in mind that CO₂ performance is heavily affected by temperature. The XDM is also relatively quiet at 99dB.

The pistol can be field-stripped, with the slide removed, but I’d recommend only doing this if lubrication is needed. I took mine apart for a picture and then struggled to reassemble it — though that may just be my own incompetence! As the saying goes, “If it isn’t broken, don’t fix it”.

So, what do I think of the Springfield XDM? Simply put — it’s a blast. If you want a pistol to shoot in the garden or at a club, and you’re after something that feels realistic in terms of weight, action, and aesthetics, this is the gun for you. It’s made from metal, not plastic, and racking the slide to chamber a pellet makes you feel like Martin Riggs from Lethal Weapon. Looking through those sights, you could be holding a real 9mm — and you wouldn’t know the difference until you pulled the trigger.

If you can’t own a real 9mm Springfield XDM, this is the next best thing. And if you can shoot well with this, then if you ever get the chance to handle its big brother, you’ll be well on your way to becoming a crack shot.

Springfield XDM 4.5in Bicolour CO₂ pistol specifications

Calibre: 4.5mm
Capacity: 20
Colour: Black/silver
Length: 19.3cm
Weight: 1,170g
Material: Polymer with metal slide
Power: 290fps
General features: Blowback action; metal slide; rugged polymer frame; red fiber optic front sight; two white dot rear sight; interchangeable back straps (three sizes available); Picatinny rail for accessories; functional slide lock; ergonomic grip with aggressive slip-resistant texturing; ambidextrous magazine release
Safety Features: Functional grip safety, trigger safety and manual lockout safety
Price: £149.99
Website: range-right.co.uk