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Work order — Springfield Armory XD

Taking the firearm apart for a job such as refinishing, and putting it back together to specification. Generated from the Pew-Takedown entry last updated 2026-10-29. Confidence: high.

Shop difficulty: Tier 1 of 3

49 rows include three recoil-assembly variants and five magazine parts, leaving about 41 working parts; pinned frame with grip safety and spring, and a slide with striker, striker safety and loaded-chamber indicator on cross pins. Nothing timed; the grip safety and slide spring tension are the cautions. 49 parts (Original XD 'XD Frame Parts List' (p. 38) + 'XD Slide Parts List' (p. 40), incl. magazine and three recoil spring assembly variants; Mod.2 and thumb-safety lists omitted.). Pew-Takedown's rating, not the manufacturer's.

Bench time: strip ~20 min, rebuild ~30 min (estimate). Actual: strip ______ rebuild ______

Special tools:

• dovetail sight pusher (or brass drift and padded vise) — Removing and refitting dovetailed sights for coating

Watch for:

• The slide comes off under recoil spring tension and must be controlled. (disassembly; Springfield Armory, Inc.)
• Springfield says anything past the field strip is for Springfield or a pistolsmith. (both; Springfield Armory, Inc.)

1. Clear and make safe

1. Point the muzzle in a safe direction and keep your finger off the trigger.
2. Press the magazine release and remove the magazine.
3. Retract the slide fully to eject any chambered round and lock it open.
4. Visually inspect the chamber and magazine well, then physically feel the chamber to confirm it is empty.
   Warning: Look and feel. Both, every time.
5. Do not rely on the loaded chamber indicator in place of looking and feeling.
   Warning: Indicators fail. Fingers and eyes are the check.
6. Remove all live ammunition from the work area.

2. Disassemble

Field Strip

1. Complete the Clear and Make Safe procedure and put on eye protection. The manual requires it.
2. Draw the slide back to the rear stop position and lock it open by pushing up the slide stop lever.
3. Visually inspect the chamber to confirm the pistol is unloaded.
4. Rotate the disassembly lever clockwise to a vertical 12 o'clock position.
   Tip: Clockwise and up to vertical. It travels up, not down.
5. Pull the slide slightly to the rear to release the slide stop lever, then grip the slide firmly and let it move forward slowly until the spring tension is released.
   Warning: The slide is under spring tension. Maintain control.
6. While holding the slide and with the pistol pointed in a safe direction, pull and release the trigger to fully unlock the slide from the frame.
   Warning: This pistol cannot be field stripped without pulling the trigger. Only do this on a chamber you have just verified empty.
7. Move the complete slide assembly forward and off the frame.
8. Remove the recoil spring assembly from the slide.
   Warning: The 5 in Tactical models do not have a captive recoil system, so the spring is loose and under tension. Maintain control on those.
9. Remove the barrel from the slide. The pistol is now field stripped.

3. Refinish

The components the procedures above separate. Coating, masking and cure are outside this database; follow your coating system's instructions. A part the manufacturer marks "factory fit" should not be swapped or reworked.

The manufacturer's full parts list (49 parts) is on the reference page.

4. Reassemble

Reassembly

1. Set the barrel into the inverted slide and seat it fully forward.
2. Seat the recoil spring assembly in the cut in the barrel lug and press it down into the slide channel.
3. Set the slide onto the frame rails and run it rearward until it seats.
4. Rotate the disassembly lever counter-clockwise back to its horizontal locked position.
5. Rack the slide several times and perform the function check.

5. Torque

No manufacturer torque values are recorded for this firearm.

Reported by other sources — not the manufacturer

Fit or check on rebuild

• Grip safety blocks the trigger until depressed — Check the grip safety spring went back under the grip safety
• Function check: trigger reset, sear/striker engagement, safeties — Standard post-reassembly check on any pistol whose fire-control parts were removed; a mis-seated spring shows up here, not on the bench

6. Function check

• Verify the pistol is unloaded with no magazine inserted before each check.
• Without depressing the grip safety, press the trigger. The striker must not release.
• Depress the grip safety and press the trigger. The striker should release.
• Hold the trigger back, rack the slide, release slowly and confirm the reset.
• Confirm the slide locks open on an empty magazine and the magazine drops free.

If any check fails, the firearm is not safe to fire. Stop and see a licensed gunsmith.

Sources

1. XD Operation & Safety Manual — Springfield Armory, Inc. primary
   https://www.springfield-armory.com/wp-content/uploads/XD-Manual.pdf
2. XD-M Operation & Safety Manual — Springfield Armory, Inc. primary
   https://www.springfield-armory.com/wp-content/uploads/XD-M-Manual.pdf
3. XD-S Operation & Safety Manual — Springfield Armory, Inc. primary
   https://www.springfield-armory.com/wp-content/uploads/XD-S-Manual.pdf
4. XD® 4" 9mm Handgun, Low Capacity - XD9101 - Springfield Armory (Specs) — Springfield Armory, Inc. primary
   https://www.springfield-armory.com/xd-series-handguns/xd-handguns/xd-4-service-model-9mm-handgun-low-capacity/
5. Trijicon RMR / SRO, Holosun 407c / 507c Mount for Springfield XD, XDM (EGW product page, installation instructions section) — Evolution Gun Works (EGW) secondary
   https://egwguns.com/trijicon-rmr-sro-holosun-407c-507c-mount-for-springfield-xd-xdm
6. EGW Springfield XD / XDM Sight Mount (fits Burris FastFire, Docter, Viridian RFX25) (EGW product page, installation instructions section) — Evolution Gun Works (EGW) secondary
   https://egwguns.com/vortex-viper-venom-springfield-xd-xdm-sight-mount-fits-burris-fastfire-and-docter
7. Springfield Armory® Patents — Springfield Armory (patent-marking site linked as "Patents" from the springfield-armory.com footer) primary
   https://www.sa-ip.com/

Educational guide only. Some information comes from non-authoritative sources. Always consult your manufacturer's manual and a licensed gunsmith. Verify your firearm is unloaded before every procedure. Full disclaimer: https://github.com/Fundamental-build-LLC/Pew-Takedown

Legal notice: this material is third-party information compiled from sources of varying reliability and is provided for general informational and educational purposes only. It is not gunsmithing, technical, safety or legal advice, it is not verified or endorsed by any manufacturer, and it must not be taken as fact. Any work on a firearm beyond the routine field stripping described in its own owner's manual should be performed only by a licensed and insured gunsmith. You use this material entirely at your own risk. Fundamental Build LLC and the project's contributors make no warranty of any kind and accept no liability for death, injury, damage or loss arising from its use. Full terms: LEGAL.md.