Over the last couple of years, Gun Tests has reviewed several 10mm pistols, most recently in the November 2021 issue, and prior to that, in September 2020, August 2020, March 2019, November 2017, May 2017, and others that you can find by searching for “10mm” in the online index. Impressed by most of what we have seen, some testers have switched to a 10 mil for our backup guns when out in the boonies. Springfield Armory and Smith & Wesson recently added two more of these 40-caliber thumpers to the mix, so we looked at them side by side. Tested: A Springfield Armory XD-M Elite 3.8-inch Black Comp with OSP XDME93810CBOSP and a Smith & Wesson M&P 2.0 10mm.

Many shooters mourned the passing of the 10mm Auto as a commercially viable cartridge back in the 1990s. Time has proven those concerns to have been premature. Once only a niche cartridge, the 10mm Auto has exploded back onto the shooting scene in the last 10 years or so. The power of the 10mm, which has been seen by some as a negative, now attracts outdoor enthusiasts who carry a pistol for backup and hunting in areas where they are not at the top of the food chain.

We recognize that some of the stories about recoil on the 10 mil may have been exaggerated. We also agree that the 10mm will recoil more than an average 45 ACP, and it can be a factor to some. That being the case, the specs on these two new pistols caught our attention. Both of these pistols are compacts designed to be even more easily carried afield.

How We Tested

The Springfield Armory unit that we tested is officially an XDME 3.8-inch Black Comp Elite with OSP XDME93810CBOSP, recently listed for $575 at BudsGunShop.com. The Smith & Wesson M&P 2.0 10mm sold for $619 at GunDeals.com. We fired them head to head at American Shooting Centers in west Houston. Due to their compact dimensions, we fired them for accuracy at 15 yards by shooting multiple five-shot groups from a well-sandbagged Caldwell Pistolero shooting rest and a Mini DRC Fortune Cookie from Wiebad.com. We measured velocities via a LabRadar chronograph using three different types of ammunition, mixing it up between JHP and defensive loadings. The first selection was 180-grain jacketed hollow points (JHP) from Magtech. Next was a different 180 JHP from Sellier & Bellot. Then we added the HSM 200-grain round-nosed flat-point “Bear Load.”

Basic physics being what they are, the smaller and lighter the handgun, the snappier the recoil. What did we find with the two new offerings? Was recoil substantially greater? How well could we hold onto the shorter grips? Did the shorter barrels lose too much accuracy or velocity? Let’s find out.

Gun Tests Grade: A-

$575

Springfield Armory has a wonderful reputation of modernizing venerable weapons, thereby making them suitable for the latest production methods and the latest shooters. The company also works with some of the most current types of firearms. A great example of this is the XD series, which Springfield has been importing from HS Product in Karlovac, Croatia since 2002. The XD-M (Match) version came along in 2009. The most recent evolution in the product line is the XD-M Elite, signifying their Match Elite version. Each new version has come festooned with new bells and whistles. The Elite model is no different.

Springfield Armory starts off with a 3.8-inch hammer-forged barrel for accuracy. The tube sports a flat-black Melonite finish, as does the slide. We have commented positively on the feed ramp of several Springfield Armory pistols in the past, and this XD-M Elite didn’t disappoint us — the ramp surface is polished to an almost mirror finish. All the better to feed a round with, frequently, a very short ogive. The slide on the XD-M has three grasping grooves in front of the ejection port and four behind. The edges are sharp enough to offer sufficient purchase without slicing your hand. The front sights are our preferred red fiber-optic. The rear provides a U-shaped groove with a white outline. Both sights are constructed of steel, and both are in dovetails, making them drift adjustable. The forward edge of the rear sight provides just enough of a ledge to make tactical-racks possible. The rear cover of the slide allows a portion of the striker to protrude when cocked. A lever, just behind the chamber, pops up when a round is loaded, thus providing a visual and tactile loaded-chamber indicator. The slide is an OSP version, meaning that it is already cut for optical sights. The pattern on the slide is designed for the Springfield Dragonfly Hex sight ($193 at BudsGunShop.com). The setup allows the iron sights to remain onboard even with the optical sight attached. Note that they will be too short to co-witness with the optical sight. Still, it allows a sighting option if the red dot can be removed.

Perhaps the first thing that caught our eye was the relatively new META (Match Enhanced Trigger Assembly) on our Elite model. Several things were improved over other versions. Trigger geometry changed with the now almost-flat trigger being designed to break at the vertical position. We have been major fans of flat, vertical triggers on good rifles for a long time and like them on good pistols as well. Springfield triggers employ a trigger-safety blade that others could learn from. The blade is big enough to activate easily while not having a sharp edge protruding through the surface of the trigger to bite the finger. The back edge of the trigger proper has a projecting piece that serves as an overtravel stop. While applying compression, the shooter can feel a fairly soft pressure wall that transitions into a smooth press a little over 1⁄8-inch in length. The trigger was easy to manipulate and easy to predict.

The slide stop and the magazine catch are ambidextrous. The mag release is buried a bit down into the grip frame. We found it just a bit difficult to release. Others might well find that a very desirable quality. Of course, since this is an XD variant, so there is a grip safety. Call us heathens if you will, but we have questioned the need for the grip safety on a modern 1911 and do so here as well. Many, however, are more comfortable with them present, so the Elite should not disappoint. The take-down lever is on the left side only. There is just enough room on the dust cover to allow a three-groove Picatinny rail. The grip surface has raised bumps (almost like stippling in reverse) designed to provide a secure grip in adverse conditions. They can be felt and do their job without being too aggressive.

The rear of the backstrap is fitted for interchangeable inserts — small through large. Changing them out only requires pushing a roll pin out transversely, pulling down on the existing insert, replacing it with the piece of your choice, and reinserting the pin. Fit was snug on the roll pin, but was just loose enough for us to do the job with just a punch and no hammer. The XD-M Elite is also fitted with a magwell. The shooter can leave it on or take it off as he prefers. It is held on with a polymer pin that slides up into the backstrap insert and is also held in place by the roll pin. Two 10-round magazines are supplied, each with two different base pads. The longer pad will work with the magazine well on or off, though with the shape of the forward edge, we really preferred using them with the magwell on. The shorter base pad will only work with the magwell off.

We expected the recoil to be a bit snappy, and we were right. While recoil was definitely noticeable, it was by no means prohibitive. Case ejection was brisk, tossing empties to our 3:30 position about six paces away. At 15 yards, the XD-M Elite averaged five-shot groups just over 2.1 inches for the three loads tested, with best groups coming at about 1.3 inch. Favorite fodder for the Springfield was the HSM 200-grain Bear Loads. Least favorite was the Magtech, which averaged almost 3-inch groups.

We were a bit surprised when we tested both pistols against a 5-inch-barrel SIG Tacops 1911 for velocity delta. With a 24% shorter barrel than our 1911, the XD-M Elite only gave up an average of 4% velocity to the longer pistol. The S&W, with its slightly longer barrel, only gave up an average of 3%. This shorter, lighter, more concealable pistol will obviously still put out the foot-pounds of terminal energy the woodsman needs.

Our Team Said: The XD-M Elite was the smaller of the two brand-new 10 mils we tested. Very light and easy to conceal, the Elite would make a great woods gun.

Drill Data (5x5x5)

Drill Data (5x7)

10mm Auto Range Data