I was very hesitant at first when I tried this out, fearing it was just a Glock copy. Trust me, it is NOT. Feeling more like a three way hybrid between a 1911, a Sig, and a Glock, this pistol is something all on its own.

The gun is undeniably rugged and reliable. Accuracy is nominal, though not amazing but certainly will put 3" groups at 25 yards if the shooter is capable.

This gun is a a simple and intuitive firearm. With no complicated levers or safeties, this just shoots. No wonder it is called "Extreme Duty" because that is just what it is. It is a no-nonsense, rugged bulldog of a gun that will just keep chewing up whatever rounds you put in it.

I was very pleased at how hight you can get your hand on the grip. The distinace from top of grip hand to sight is very short, giving you a very natural point of aim and a platform to really manage the recoil of a .45 from a 4" barrel, even with +P loads.

Extremely reliable. This gun is an ideal carry gun, because if you pull the trigger, it'll go boom. Certainly accurate enough for combat distances, and at competition distances it is nominal. This isn't a competition gun, it's a compact duty gun, and for that purpose it is spot-on.

At 25yards, the gun will put 3" groups easily enough, but the gun really shines in ruggedness and reliability.

Recoil is very manageable despite the very light weight, and cleanup and breakdown are rediculously easy.

A ton of features: tactical rail, loaded chamber indicator that can be both seen and felt (in the dark for example), same is true for the cocked indicator. Ambidextrious mag releace, and a glock-like "safe action" trigger. No manual external safety in the traditional sense. This is a VERY safe gun however, and I carry this every day.

The XD gear it comes with is a nice novelty, but isn't very good. Springfield gets an A for effort, but the quality in the included holster and mag carrier really isn't all that good. The magazine loader is helpful if you have a hard time feeding ammunition into the magazines.

The lifetime warranty is also a REALLY nice feature for Springfield. They really considered the "whole package" with this one, and they don't disappoint.