XDs gun line offers new options

Hats off to the Boulder Rifle and Pistol Club for a terrific job of hosting the 2013 edition of the Shooting, Hunting and Outdoor Trade Show media day, an event at which writers can get a firsthand look at some of the new firearms, ammunition and other related products bound for the market place.

Despite 30 degree temperatures and a stiff north wind that had some vendors and manufacturers packing up their wares early, in some cases before the afternoon shift of writers arrived, members of the Boulder City-based club hung in there until the bitterly cold end and went out of their way to make the event as successful as possible.

One year ago, I had the opportunity to be among the first to shoot the XDs by Springfield Armory. After firing six rounds through the compact .45, I was sold. So this year I was eager to learn whether Springfield had opted to expand its XDs offerings with additional calibers. Those who prefer shooting a 9 mm will like what I found - the XDs' little brother, the XDs 9.

The XDs 9 is built on the same polymer frame as the .45 and measures 6.3 inches long, 4.4 inches high and a single inch wide. This compact little gem fits the XDs tagline, "noticeably unnoticeable." The gun weighs 23 ounces and comes with two seven-round, single-stack magazines made of stainless steel. A nine-round extended magazine also will be available, which is good news for people with large hands. The slide is made of forged steel and carries a fiber optic front sight and a dove tail rear sight.

Does it shoot well? Quite. And it is enjoyable to shoot. This is due in part to the gun's trigger system, which doesn't leave the shooter waiting for the gun to fire. When you are ready to shoot, so is the gun, but the trigger also is designed so it will move only with direct rearward pressure, thus preventing an accidental discharge from dropping the gun or bumping the trigger. The XDs also has a grip safety that will allow it to fire only when the shooter has a firm grip on the gun.

Expect the XDs to hit the retail market in June or July and carry a price tag from $550 to $600. Springfield is considering the addition of a .40 caliber to the XDs line but has not made the decision to go forward with it.

For you varmint hunters and those who enjoy shooting fast, flat-shooting calibers, Winchester unveiled its new rimfire, the .17 Winchester Super Mag. Billed as the world's fastest rimfire, this round sends a 20-grain bullet downrange at 3,000 feet per second. According to the folks at Winchester, this round produces about 2½ times the downrange energy of the 17 HMR and close to 200 foot pounds at 200 yards.

I test-fired this round through a Browning model 1885 falling block rifle and was pleased with the results. Given the windy conditions, even on ranges protected by tall berms, I expected this little bullet to experience significant wind drift. It didn't happen, at least not at 100 yards. Winchester estimates that a 20-grain bullet will experience approximately 7 to 8 inches of drift at 200 yards in a 10 mph wind.

Initially Winchester will offer the .17 Win Super Mag in three configurations: a 20-grain polymer tip (Hunter HV), a 25-grain grain polymer tip (Hunter HE) and a 20-grain jacketed hollow point (Super X).

Savage Arms already has jumped on the .17 Win Super Mag train and used the SHOT Show opportunity to introduce its new rifle chambered for this round, but that is the subject for another day.

Freelance writer Doug Nielsen is a conservation educator for the Nevada Department of Wildlife. His "In the Outdoors" column, published Thursday in the Las Vegas Review-Journal, is not affiliated with or endorsed by the NDOW. Any opinions he states in his column are his own. He can be reached at intheoutdoorslv@gmail.com.