Springfield Armory XDM 3.8 XDM9389BHC 9mm, $697

(GunReports.com) -- Recently, Gun Tests magazine received a letter urging us to test more deep-concealment guns, claiming that they are the most popular gun of the day. Checking with one of the larger distributors (Untitled 1), confirmed that it is the subcompact and micro guns that are currently driving the market. In this test we didn't evaluate a pocket gun, instead shooting a compact pistol that was just one step larger than the smallest model available from the manufacturer.The first test gun we chose was the $697 XDM 3.8 from Springfield Armory. Since the first XD pistol to hit our shores from Croatia was the Four-inch Service Model, we were tempted to refer to the XDM 3.8 as belonging to a 'sub-service' category. The XDM 3.8 utilized the trigger to release the striker after rearward movement of the slide had loaded the striker spring nearly to full strength. Pressing the trigger on the XD series pistols tops off the compression of the striker spring and releases the trigger.

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