Frame stiffness

[Iggy42]

Ok so for quite a while now I have been trying to figure out what it is about all polymer guns that just seems off to me. I bring it up here since I am currently running a 5.25 XDm in USPSA Limited and 3 gun.

Early in my shooting days I spent most of my time behind a 1911, so I came to love the weight and stiffness that an all metal framed gun has. Now that I have been running an XDm for a couple years I have found I am realy missing that aspect. Since I want to stay with my XDm (can't afford a 2011, plus my EDC is an XDs - I prefer to compete with roughly the same platform as I carry) does anyone have any idea on how I can stiffen the frame of my XDm. I imagine that stiffening it will impart the weight I am looking for (already running a tungsten guide rod and 1911 springs), but open to options there as well. One idea I have thought of is filling a rail mounted light with weights to give me more weight (seen a few Glock guys go that route), but I use a DAA holster in USPSA and I am trying to avoid replacing a bunch of equipment.

[lee blackman]

Ok so for quite a while now I have been trying to figure out what it is about all polymer guns that just seems off to me. I bring it up here since I am currently running a 5.25 XDm in USPSA Limited and 3 gun.

Early in my shooting days I spent most of my time behind a 1911, so I came to love the weight and stiffness that an all metal framed gun has. Now that I have been running an XDm for a couple years I have found I am realy missing that aspect. Since I want to stay with my XDm (can't afford a 2011, plus my EDC is an XDs - I prefer to compete with roughly the same platform as I carry) does anyone have any idea on how I can stiffen the frame of my XDm. I imagine that stiffening it will impart the weight I am looking for (already running a tungsten guide rod and 1911 springs), but open to options there as well. One idea I have thought of is filling a rail mounted light with weights to give me more weight (seen a few Glock guys go that route), but I use a DAA holster in USPSA and I am trying to avoid replacing a bunch of equipment.

Its literally impossible to feel the dust cover flexing when your firing, so I don't think filling it with an epoxy is going change your perceived feel of the way the gun shoots. Maybe it would placebo you for a little. But in all actuality you could hack saw that piece off, and it won't do anything, but look ugly and leave your recoil spring exposed to the elements.

I believe they key to your statement "love the weight and stiffness that an all metal frame..." is WEIGHT...

Seriously, no matter how tight you grip your gun you don't feel it give any do you? Try doing a 2 point distance discretion test (google it). I mean specifically feeling the difference between two points in your hand. The difference between to points allows us to discern movement, not applying pressure to make something move and feeling the pressure of that. That distance is between 2-3mm in your hand specifically (different in different places), unless your diabetic or have nerve damage then is much more. If you squeeze a rubber ball without looking at it, how much does it flex before you feel it flexing. You already know its flexing because its rubber, and you feel yourself applying pressure to it, so you already assume, but you can't actually feeling it flexing until it gives to a certain point. If I gave you tennis ball or baseball and told you to do the same experiment, when would you tell me you can feel it giving? How much has it actually moved by that point? 2-3mm.... the minimum distance of pressure required for your nervous system to recognize two points in your hand. Same things, different amounts of pressure applied. A polymer frame doesn't flex enough to physically discern without actually visually confirming. Understand my point?

I would therefore deduct that Its not a stiffness issue, but rather a weight issue. Weight and placement of weight on a gun is going to change the perception in the way a gun shoots. Going from an all steel frame to an aluminum frame. You feel the difference in the same way. But its all how your brain interprets it, then how you perceive that interpretation. It could be possible that because you know its plastic, subconsciously you've told yourself to think you feel it flexing when you shoot, even thought physically its impossible to do so. But because you do feel the difference, do to the weight, you know there is a different feel, you agree with yourself its the flex in the frame. But its not the flex, your just misperceiving the different feel as such.

Adding weight to the frame, specifically at the rear of the grip, maybe even a heavy magwell should considerably change the percepted feel of the guns handling characteristics, but I'm not familiar with any aftermarket products for the XDM to do that off the top of my head (not saying they aren't out there, just I didn't look).

When it boils down to it, and I've heard this a hundred times. If you want a 1911 feel, the only thing you can do is get a 1911..

Final statement, IMHO, my advice... Just keep shooting your XDM the way it is, don't try to make it feel like something its not. Its better to spend that money on rounds down range. Get comfortable with it, to the point where you've spend more time behind it than any other gun. Then accept it, as what your used to shooting. Push to go faster and be more accurate. Then you'll pickup a 1911 again and go "Man, it just doesn't feel like my XDM.."

Best of luck to ya, happy shooting.

Lee

[Iggy42]

While I appreciate your opinion, it doesn't answer the question as to how could I stiffen the frame.

After all part of this game is mental and if after 2.5 years of matches I want to see what I can do to met my needs/wants then I see no reason not to.

[d_striker]

I agree with pretty much everything Lee said. With that being said, you're not going to be able to stiffen the frame. If you feel it's that big of a deal, get rid of your xd and go buy a CZ or other metal framed gun.

Edited January 19, 2015 by d_striker

[Reshoot]

I do not buy into the XDm lower needing to be "stiffer".

I run a Carver sight mount and the Leupold Delta Point. Said mount attaches to the accessory rail, and the trigger pin. If there were flex in the lower, I would not be able to keep my sight zeroed and hits would be all over the place.

The fact of the matter is, I never once touched the adjustment screws in 2014. During 2013 I re-zeroed once, after a battery change. Groups at 25 yards are good, for me, at under 4 inches.