XDM9 v XDM9 525

[Welding Rod]

I have a XDM9 that I have used for quite some time in steel matches, and I also have a very low use XDM9 525. Today I shot the 525 in a match with a familiar course of fire. I shot my fastest time ever on one of the two stages (25 plates each @ 45', shooting from 3 different locations). Time was 41.xx seconds which was about 10 seconds better than my best previous time with the XDM9.

Pretty good time for me too on a different match stage, drawing and hitting 2 steel silhouettes at maybe 20' - 2.19 seconds.

The sight radius is a bit longer and undoubtedly helps but the big thing appears to be the red fiber optic sight. My near eye sight really sucks but that red dot really jumps out at you.

Anyhow I was surprised what an advantage the 525 offered.

Anyone else have any experiences with like or with one?

 

[LocoGringo]

I can't say I have a measured improvement in performance because I never really measured, but I had the same experience and exact same equipment as you. I MUCH prefer the red fiber optic front sight and blacked out rear sight to the 3-dot sight the XDm had. I sold the XDm to get the XDm 5.25 and haven't regretted it for a single second. Of course, I kept the extra mags from the original XDm...

Since acquiring the XDm 5.25, I've changed over almost all of my handguns to red fiber optic front sights, including my Ruger GP100. Both of my shotguns even have red fiber optic front sights. If I'm not looking through a scope, I'm looking for a red fiber optic sight. Standardizing just makes things simpler and easier.

 

[mavracer]

Yeah I like fiber optics for speed, red doesn't work well for precision in good light for me though.