Sidearms & Scatterguns Springfield XD 45 compact wouldn't fire in cold

[johncamino]

To my surprise two weeks ago my Springfield Armory XD 45 Compact wouldn't fire in temps below 40 degrees. It has a springer precision trigger job. I called them up and they told me that the polymer was likely shrinking and not allowing the trigger to go back as far as required to release. I mailed it back and they made it right and I got it back today. I have never heard of such a thing and I wonder if anyone else might discover this problem. They left it in the freezer overnight after working on it before sending it back.

Anyone want to freeze their gun and see if it works?

 

[noahmercy]

Re: Springfield XD 45 compact wouldn't fire in cold

My stock XDs (a 40 S&W and a 45ACP) work in temps down to 13 below...the coldest I've ever shot them, and after leaving them in the trunk overnight, so the guns were indeed that cold, not just the air. They are stock except for an initial teardown and deep cleaning followed by dry lube for cold weather and Tetra grease for warm.

I have a hard time believing sub 40 degree temps (not cold by any standard) would cause the polymer to shrink so much it would cause a dramatic difference in trigger travel.

 

[turbo54]

Re: Springfield XD 45 compact wouldn't fire in cold

Grease or googe in the striker channel?

 

[High Binder]

Re: Springfield XD 45 compact wouldn't fire in cold

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Noah Mercy</div><div class="ubbcode-body">
I have a hard time believing sub 40 degree temps (not cold by any standard) would cause the polymer to shrink so much it would cause a dramatic difference in trigger travel. </div></div>

I could see that happening with a non-OEM trigger in place. Obviously we're talking about tight tolerances and was no doubt put together and tested at room temp. Plastics grow/shrink quite a bit in different temps and with a ~40 degree delta from assembly temp I could see some issues arsing.

 

[johncamino]

Re: Springfield XD 45 compact wouldn't fire in cold

I couldn't believe it either...but before I sent the gun back in for work I completely cleaned it...no lube whatsever in the striker area and I frooze the gun and the only way it would dry fire would be to pull up on the slide at the back to get the striker to release. At room temp no problem nice 4lb break, but at cold temps=no workie!


<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: High Binder</div><div class="ubbcode-body"><div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Noah Mercy</div><div class="ubbcode-body">
I have a hard time believing sub 40 degree temps (not cold by any standard) would cause the polymer to shrink so much it would cause a dramatic difference in trigger travel. </div></div>

I could see that happening with a non-OEM trigger in place. Obviously we're talking about tight tolerances and was no doubt put together and tested at room temp. Plastics grow/shrink quite a bit in different temps and with a ~40 degree delta from assembly temp I could see some issues arsing. </div></div>

 

[1shot2kill]

Re: Springfield XD 45 compact wouldn't fire in cold

i have a similar problem with polymer guns but it happens in -40 not 40

 

[Rookie]

Re: Springfield XD 45 compact wouldn't fire in cold

Ok so I'm gonna freeze my XDm and see if it will fire.

 

[Beef82]

Re: Springfield XD 45 compact wouldn't fire in cold

Aw hell, now I gotta take my new XD out in the cold and make sure it hasn't transitioned into a club. Looks like we're only getting down to about zero this week. My Walther P99 worked flawlessly to -45, this thing worked fine at ten, wonder when it'll get cold again. One more plus for 1911s when its all steel it all shrinks and expands at the same rate, trigger job or not.

 

[thebolt]

Re: Springfield XD 45 compact wouldn't fire in cold

I heard from local LE about this problem during cold weather with their XD pistols modified by Springer Precision. They are pretty vocal and didn't receive the same level of satisfaction with Springer.

They scared me off from using Springer for trigger work in my XD.