Yeppers, I remember examining one and was impressed. They were a deal as well. I think they would have sold like hotcakes if it wasn't for the limited capacity mags. Springfield knew they were of good quality, and a capitalized on the venture.
I had a small gun store at the time and many of the purchasers of the IM Metals HS 2000 were security guards who wished they could afford a Glock. I was at the SHOT Show in 1999 and came across these beauties at the Range Day before the show over at PMC's facility in Searchlight. I liked the way it handled and sold every one I could get and suddenly, they were off the market for about a year only to reappear at Springfield as the XD with the noted $100 increase in price. What was nice about Springfield is they honored the warrantee from IM Metals.
My wife visited HS Product couple of years ago while she was working for lab providing calibration and certificates for measuring equipment in manufacturing (huh..). She said she was impressed that they had very high quality machinery and measuring equipment - something that indicated they were working with (very hard and) high quality materials.
I also visited HS Produkt factory 3 years ago. Me along with my coworkers were given a tour around whole factory (excluding r&d department). I must say i was very impressed by the technology they use (that includes measuring instruments), quality of products and sheer scale of production.
hs produkt/im metal was one of the companies of the Karlovac city based conglomerate Jugoturbina. that company produced gas turbines and jet engines for Rolls Royce GE and Snecma.among the other things like ship engines,generators for nuclear powerplants....in fact Chernobil generators survived which has been made in Croatia while Fukushima generators didnt. they were not produced in Croatia. then war started.... Croatia was very highly industrialised country.but as I sad war started and everything went to hell
I commented earlier the only issue I've ever had was with the striker. Springer Precision makes a great improvement upgrade and I've never had a primer issue since, with any type of primer. And still cost less than some other brands. Is it the best? No does it work reliably? Yes everytime. Since most of us have a crippling addiction to g powder I'm sure I'll be looking at another option in the near future.
Lots of dudes dog the XD but I have never had an issue with them. I think they're on par with a lot of the other polymer winners we've seen on sale since the early 2000s.
They were. Mine was a champ that handled anything I ran though it and was pleasant to shoot. The finish had absolutely zero corrosion resistance though. If you didn't give it a rundown with oil like it was a cast iron pan before storing it it would be rusty when you pulled it out.
I kick myself for doubting these when I first started shopping for pistols. Bought an XDM last year and I love the thing. Comfortable, accurate, and controllable
Yeah the price hike was kind of bs. But you do also have to factor in the importation fees they have to factor in. Did they charge more than they should have? Yeah probably. But unless you are and import dealer and do these things regularly it's really hard for poor people like myself to get the full picture. One of the reasons I love this channel!
@@rickyricardo3551 I can attest to how great SA's warranty and customer service are. Technically the warranty only applies to the original owner, but I bought a second hand Hellion that was missing its factory flash hider and SA still replaced it at no charge to me. My wife and I own several SA firearms and we really like the company, almost as good as Henry in their customer service in my experience so far.
Very good explanation, tnx for video👍. Im soldier in Croatian army, and use a lot this pistol, realy good weapon and im glad that in US people likes this HS💪👏
I got 3 of the later XDs, one a XD Mod 2 with the memeable Grip Zone (it was my first gun), one the subcompact Gen 1 both in 9mm, and the XDM in 45 ACP, all have been great, easy to tear down, maintain, magazines are plentiful and fair price, those Croatians know how to build guns
Thanks for the history of these pistols. Really amazing how the XD evolved into the pistol it is today. I owned one of the earlier HS 2000 but got bored with it an traded it for a Browning HI Power ( plus some cash). I now own the XDM Elite Compact 3.8 in .45 acp. It is a fine pistol and accuracy is better than I am. The " U" shaped rear sight and tubed from sights are very easy to us an pickup. Thanks for the history lesson.
Springfield was smart enough to realize that designing your own Glock competitor is really difficult and expensive so why not import instead? To my knowledge the M&P series is the only American designed polymer striker fired pistol that hasn't been an embarrassing failure.
The m and p would be my next consideration. I'm typically a rifle guy but since the ridiculous aft "rule" there's a lot of court battles about to happen. I'm glad I kept everything rifle like. And yes I'm one of the poors and bought a xd. But with a proper friend/gunsmith I've found it to be a very decent option. The price hike that Springfield did was a bunch of bs. But I guess it helps when you know the right people to fix known issues forced practically next to nothing in money. I'm not a fan boy of any particular brand. I just like something that works reliably.
@@TheStraycat74 I've only heard and seen great things about about the m&p 2.0. Would probably be my next choice. I've also considered a sig of some sort. But I'm going to talk to my gunsmith buddy again and get his input. Because he's not a brand loyalties guy either. Even though garand thumb does the silly torture test that makes most of us cringe because us poors know how expensive these things are. I think the m&p 2.0 surprised them the most as well as many others.
Love my HS2000 I have a later version. I have had one issue with mine a it broke an ejector but still worked fine. I called up Springfield and ordered a new one and it was a simple fix I own 3 of these guns the HS2000, a XD9 V12, and an XD45.
Thanks Ian (and all the HS / Springfield team). It is great to learn about a modern success story, of a significant breakthrough into the US firearms market. As you said, it was also great that HS were happy to share their earlier models and show the steps they took along the way.
I've a .45, 2000's model and a brand new 2022, 9 Para model (XD marks on grips). To be honest, after testing G17, G19, Beretta APX, Rugger SR9 and Sig 2022, and being a happy CZ-75 Duty owner, this Croatian made guns feels just right in my hands. Both models feels so comfortable that makes me believe that i'm a good shooter so 😅
The HS2000 in 9mm was the first gun I ever fired. Just for that I have a soft spot for it. Glad to see a video on it as it is originally called and in the form I was able to use myself.
You are officially my hero. I loved the HS2000 3rd gen so much, i still have it, and replaced it with the XD 45 compact in 2007. I still have that one as well. Now, I carry and swap between my XDM Elite 10mm compact and my XDS 45 subcompact pistols for daily carry. The HS2000 is by far my favorite configuration aside from 1911. 👍🏽👍🏽👍🏽👍🏽
Finally was able to get a .40 XD because I've wanted one for forever, now I'm eyeballing the 10mm XDM Elite as a mallninja-level fun gun. You run heavier ammo like 200gr+ or stick to 180 in it?
@@angry_ike7628 Heavy is what I run. I get the heaviest JHP and I also run (for self defense) Underwood all brass "Screwdrivers". But my normal defense JHP round is Hornady Critical defense 175 grain. I have yet to find a 200 gr JHP, but I use 200 grain Blazers for target practice.
I picked up a .45 ACP Springfield Armory XDS in stainless a while back. It feels great in your hand, has plenty of power, a fiber optic front sight, and it isn't a Glock.
I got to speak with the HS Produkt guys at IWA in Nuremburg last year and like you I found them refreshingly honest and candid. Their knowledge, transparency, and honesty impressed me so much that I wound up purchasing a Springfield "Hellion" partially to support their company (and partially because it's beautifully made and extremely well thought out, for a bullpup).
2:57 -- shows clearly marked HS 2000 stamp on the right side of the frame. 3:03 -- shows clearly marked HS 2000 stamps on the left side of the frame. 3:04 -- says "in fact it's so early it doesn't even say HS 2000 on it anywhere." 3:05 -- shows clearly marked HS 2000 stamps on the left side of the frame again. OK, he does then point out it's marked on the frame but not the slide, but I was already laughing by then. Love you Ian, keep on keeping on brother
People make fun of it, but it's a well designed pistol. The loaded chamber and cocking indicators are quite nice and practical in low light conditions.
The HS Produkt/Springfield Armory partnership has to be one of the most successful partnerships out there, where both companies benefited a lot, without losing anything. Together they went from relatively small companies to one of the biggest ones on their respective continent. Symbiosis like no other.
The Story with the VHS-2/hellion is awesome. “Thanks for the partnership that allowed us to make a rifle for our military.....yall can have it too 😅” Imma get me one 😊
I bought an early version of the .45 caliber XD sort of on a whim. I actually loved the gun. At the time, a 13 + 1 capacity for a .45 was pretty novel to me, and I liked it so much, I ended up getting the XDS (in .45) to make a set. In those days the gun came with a hard plastic case containing a spare magazine, and a holster and mag carrier for a little over $450. Of course I’ve been carrying a Shield ( and now a Shield Plus) for over a decade, and haven’t even looked at the thing for a while, but it was an affordable, reliable gun, and a nice option to the polymer-frame, striker-fired gun market that previously Glock had cornered.
I have an XD that I bought used for under $300 quite some time ago. I don't use it much, but it's been extremely reliable and it has a nice case. It was fun watching how this model got it's start and became what it is today. The XD doesn't seem to be very appreciated, but it's a no nonsense sidearm that I don't mind having in my collection.
Same for me. I have a XDs in 45ACP, love it for concealed carry. The ergonomics are great, this pistol is more comfortable to shoot that a .380 pocket pistol I also have even with the much greater recoil.
I’d love to see a video like this on FN’s FNX series of pistols. My understanding is it was originally designed to compete in a US Army pistol trial as a polymer framed DA/SA version of the browning high power with fully ambi controls, a 1911 style safety and decocker and 17 round magazines, all at a pretty affordable price. That said, it was never adopted by the US (or any other military) that I know of, even with military’s out there still using browning hi powers and I’d like to know why. I definitely prefer it over an M9 beretta 92, but that’s just my opinion.
I bought my XD 9mm back in 2018 because...well in the gun shop I was in..the "Springfield Package" was on sale. Got the whole package for like..$600. The shop was originally trying to sell the package for $800.
Thanks. I've been a proud XD owner since 07. I knew that the gun was originally the HS 2000 but didn't know of its development history & the chance meeting of the two execs that ended up putting a great pistol in my hands. I've liked the XD so well that I added the XDS not too long after it came out.
The price range for these HS Product pistols, here in Croatia, ranges from €490 ($535) to €770 ($840), depending on the model. However, with a lot of administrative paperwork, taxes and state permits, it can only be purchased by registered sports hunters (with certain restrictions), and not by citizens. So, being a US citizen is a privilege par excellence. Btw, great job, mr. McCollum, and best wishes to your work.
Nikola Thats simply not true...anybody over 18 and no crime record can ask and get permitt and own a gun but only for holding in the house ,not for carrying around...Im no hunter and have a gun for a long time...now you get permitt for period,before you have to extend every 5 years
@mona5109 It's over 21 now.. But yes, we can legally own any gun just like in the US..Yes there are some restrictions but it's certainly better than California
Thanks for putting this series together! Now that I have seen some of the developmental history, the pistol is much more interesting to me. I shot a .45 XD a long time ago, and wasn't too impressed, but since I lean toward service-type firearms, I'm giving it a second look, UA-cam gun snobs notwithstanding.
My uncle and I dumped a couple thousand brass pieces of his xdm 45 at the range and I was quite impressed. I also had him (he's a retired marine) handle the xd-9 to make sure I wasn't sissy handling it and him and our gunsmith buddy showed us a simple striker improvement that's makes it run flawlessly now. Everyone has opinions and brand loyalty but I'm a "if it works great when I need it and you're comfortable with it" go with what works best for you.
My XD is my second favorite handgun next to my 1911. It's reliability and aftermarket accessories support makes it one of my favorites. I love the history lesson. Thanks!!
Damn! I had no idea of what I was up to hear in this video - which I started to watch just because I noticed a picture of a nice looking pistol. This video was way interesting for sure! Many Thanks!!👍🏻👍🏻
I have an early XD-45 and it is an extremely reliable pistol and a great shooter that I picked up super cheap several years ago. It has chewed through many different brands of ammo and has never had a single hangup, unlike my Glock 23 that is ammo picky...
I purchased a HS-2000 when they first rolled out ., they were imported in Knoxville TN .. about a hour away from me …A LGS had a dozen or so of them .. the owner of the store had already tested one out and was positive about the pistol… Being I was picking up a couple of transfers.. we worked out a deal on a HS .. $200 OTD I kept this pistol for at least 12 years. Ran thousands of rounds through it … mostly cheap surplus NATO ammo .. I had a great source of the NATO ammo It was my primary carry pistol during that time … I think the Turkish BRG Elite reminds of my HS-2000 .. a overbuilt pistol made by a metal company The Ruger P95 was my first polymer pistol… then the P97 But the HS-2000 was my first striker fired pistol… Thank you for this video
My shop first got these in and they were 299 for the combo. Springfield starts importing them, changes the outer appearance of them, and raises the price 200 bucks more.
Didn’t Glock start out in America selling their guns dirt cheap to police all over the country then once established raised their prices considerably for the public?
bunch of years ago i had the chance to shoot a .22, a Springfield XD in .45, and a 9mm Taurus in the same afternoon, and i hadn’t ever heard of the XD… and my god, the recoil on the damned .45 felt closer to the .22 than the 9mm. it is a weirdly pleasant, gentle pistol to shoot and though i’m admittedly a Glock nerd, i gotta give massive respect to the XD and in a pinch, i’d just as quickly choose that.
I have an XD-40, and I've owned it since 2002... It works quite well, and hasn't failed me yet! I preferred the grip angle to Glock. I also prefer the grip safety. Oh, and takedown is simple!
I have an XD-40 also. I like pretty much everything about it except the caliber. It has a lot of muzzle flip and recoil like a .45 with the performance of a 9x19.
@@kcoop9999 Lol, you must be a real sissy, because I have an XD-40, and the recoil and muzzle flip aren't bad at all. By the way a .40 has as good as performance as a .45, and far better performance than the 9mm.
Hello. Thanks for this video, that is very good as your tradition. I did not know anything about these guns, and now I am impressed with the quality of the products and the attention to all these details and particularlies, all in the same exemplars. 😮😮
I could never figure out why my local gun shop would advertise on their web site a used Springfield/HS. Did not know what the HS meant. Now I know. Thanks for another informative video.
I love my xdm, the "match grade" xd platform and my hellcat. Both have been excellent guns that given me absolutely zero issues over thousands of rounds fired. I just wish theyd introduce a pistol caliber carbine using the "xdm" mags. Im not a glock fan myself and would much rather purchase a carbine tthat uses the same mags as my main duty pistol.
I have XDm as well. Funny thing here in Europe they are labeled stil HS Product on the slide but Mags have Springfield cannons on them. Pistol is working very well - only the spring on my compact is very strong some people have peoblem ro rack it.
I will always have a soft spot for the XD series. I need to hunt down an HS-2000 marked pistol. I have both a Gen1 and Mod.2 XD. I love them both. Ultimately they were never the Glock Competitor. But they are a good pistol for a good price.
Ian mentions wanting the HS2000 for full service in Croatia, however, when I visited in 2012, the police and border agents (at the airport) in Zadar carried CZ75s, but the police in Zagreb had HS2000s. I get to say I own a gun that was on Forgotten Weapons, since I have an XD. Very nice gun and it just handles and shoots well for me. I know it's not great for everyone. When my Croatian colleagues visited the US and I took them shooting, for that night, it wasn't the Springfield Armory XD, it was the HS2000. They got to enjoy the product of their own country and take pride in it. Addenda: I field stripped my pistol along with Ian to see what the differences might be. Mine is roughly early 2010 manufacture. It was bought in July 2010. First, the month/date wheel is not included anymore. I know mine is early 2010 because the included proof cartridge is dated as such, and signed by the tester. 2 of my XDs have the same tester. Secondly, there are stress relief cuts/notches in the metal piece that forms the rails/ramp/etc.. in the frame where it makes a big U-shape. These were not present in the close ups that Ian showed of the early production pistols. Thirdly, there is a 2nd position in the rail. The "3rd gen" gun shown only has 1 position for the rail: at the end, but they moved the serial number plate back and added another position. This is useful if you have a short light/laser to mount.
This was a very cool advance for its time! I still have my old XD45. I used to let Glock owners try it at the range and they always shot it better than they could their Glock. Better ergonomics and better trigger! Being an old 1911 guy, the XD45 was a perfect thing to transition into. It just plain worked!
What`s wrong with that, you know there are people " sitting in their chair and playing with their ding - dongs, but naked, watching shark week " It`s weird world out there, but even weirder behind the screens - watching with only wife beater on ( Serial killer hunters and How to make a baked Pola potato )
I bought an HS2000 back in the early 2000's- I thought it was such awesome piece of engineering. Loved the loaded chamber indicator and the grip safety ala 1911. It fit my hand better than the Glock did and the price was too good to be true. Unfortunately, it got stolen out of my car parked in my driveway in the middle of the day. I reported it stolen, hoping to get it back, but never did. My wife bought me an XD a couple years later, but it has the rail clutter and all that. I really miss the clean lines of the original HS... I still have the original box somewhere
I worked in a gun shop years ago. We used to sell the latest generation of HS Produkt pistols, labeled as the HS-9 (pure Croatian model), not Springfield XD. The thing is that some of the magazines for a couple of pistols came engraved with the Springfield logo. Nothing wrong with that but just makes me think that they might run out of stock for default magazines or they didn't have a proper filter process for the magazine parts. None the less, every HS pistol I handed looked extremely well made, polished, very attractive and had that advanced/futuristic visual more than a Glock when placed both side by side on the display. They sold very well and never gave us trouble.
That is very cool. As a Croatian I am proud of the people that made this a success story under very challenging post-war circumstances. Thank you for doing the story a service Ian, hope you were treated well in Karlovac and Zagreb.
I remember hearing a LOT of hate thrown at the XD when it launched. Almost entirely from the older crowd, who didn't trust polymer frames or handgun calibers shy of .45 Carried mine for five years and really liked it. Only sold it because I had an opportunity to upgrade.
Or maybe you heard alot of hate thrown at a gun that was already on the market at around $200 being rebranded by Springfield and the price almost doubling... Because that's what I remember... This wasn't in 1985, this was 1999-2001. Plenty of polymer wonder 9s out and popular. Plenty of PDs had already adopted plastic guns.
@@mattatat1138 I recall Glock selling guns to police all over the US dirt cheap first and then doubling the price when they started selling them to the public.
As a Canadian of Croatian ethnicity I would love to have a XD or HS 2000, but Great Leader has said that we can't be trusted to have pistols, as they are dangerous and unneeded in a modern society. This coming from a man that has armed security around him 24/7. Funny how that's hypocritical when you think about it...
On the second one, the first at American market it says March 2000 production, not may, cause arrow is pointing to number 3 and that is March if I am not mistaken. The first iteration was pointing to 5 and number was 99, so that one was may 1999, which he said as much. The second one was one number before number 4 and not one number after the number 4, but it was hidden under the shadow, so it was understandable.
Got an XD40 back in the day, and had the captive recoil spring retainer fail. Jammed it up solid. Sent it in for warranty. Got it back fixed, but that replacement spring went into the spare parts bin unused. Got a Wolff non-captive rig , and never looked back. Also got the XD 45 when it came out, and tried to get the Wolff rig for it, but they never wound up making one. Didn't really need it as it turns out. No wear on the peened retainer at all.
I miss my XD-9. that thing had a really nice package with it, for 400 bucks I got the gun, two mags, a nice case, molded holsters for the gun and the mags, a brush, loading tool and a lock. I can't say the same for any other pistol I've bought, that was an awesome deal.
Been a remarkable journey from the earlier pistols to this for sure. A pistol that, unlike some of the earlier models on this trip, truly stands proud when compared with any of it's contemporary firearms. The sheer number sold to this day does rather speak for itself after all.
I've actually had this conversation. Dude: "All my guns are American!" Me, notices Springfield XD on the guy's hip: "What about your Springfield XD?" Dude: "It's made by Springfield! Just like the 1911!" Me: "No, it's made in Croatia." Dude: "Bullshit!" Me: "Look on the frame. Says big as day "Made in Croatia." Dude: "But it's designed by Springfield!" Me: "No, Springfield just stamps their name on it. Designed and made in Croatia." Dude: ******* (Stomps off in a mood.)
@@RainbowIsAPromise I don't either. On the other hand, it's little more than a knockoff Glock. I've fired both, and frankly the Glock is better. At least my trigger modified Glock 17 (Second Generation I've had for 30 years) is better than my buddy's Compact XD in .45ACP. Perhaps it's the bad ergonomics of the compact format for a .45. I dunno. I'm not a fan of the .45. _Edit: This is not to say there's anything at all wrong with the XD as a platform, and certainly nothing wrong with Croatian firearms. My beef is with Springfield slapping their name on them to trick people into buying them._
We've had Forgotten Bergmanns and now we've had Forgotten Croatian Pistols. Hehehe... Really have enjoyed the history of HS Produkt and what became the Springfield XD (which back when I was just starting in firearms was one of the first handguns I shot).
I love my Xdm .40 Compact (I carry it with the full size mag with sleeve) it is without a doubt my favorite handgun. It is an absolutely rugged but also precise firearm.
Boss makes a dollar, I make a dime. That's why I watch Forgotten Weapons on company time.
You're a poet and you didn't know it!
@@mikehipperson it's an old saying
that’s why you make a Dime. Because your watching videos.
I'm taking a shit during work waching this. 😂
@@smiffersmaffer My friend, you don't teach wisdom and make a spelling mistake
I still have an HS2000 NIB. Paid $189. A month later it became the Springfield XD and the price increased $100.
to be fair they used those profits to develop the GRIPZONE, a revolution in handgun gripping technology
Yeppers, I remember examining one and was impressed. They were a deal as well. I think they would have sold like hotcakes if it wasn't for the limited capacity mags. Springfield knew they were of good quality, and a capitalized on the venture.
Bring that to Kalifornia and you could get $6-8000. Because roster.
'fornia will eventually be liberated from tyrants. (some of) Its' neighbors are far less corrupt and very well armed.
I had a small gun store at the time and many of the purchasers of the IM Metals HS 2000 were security guards who wished they could afford a Glock. I was at the SHOT Show in 1999 and came across these beauties at the Range Day before the show over at PMC's facility in Searchlight. I liked the way it handled and sold every one I could get and suddenly, they were off the market for about a year only to reappear at Springfield as the XD with the noted $100 increase in price. What was nice about Springfield is they honored the warrantee from IM Metals.
My wife visited HS Product couple of years ago while she was working for lab providing calibration and certificates for measuring equipment in manufacturing (huh..). She said she was impressed that they had very high quality machinery and measuring equipment - something that indicated they were working with (very hard and) high quality materials.
Everyone of their guns i have held has always been very well built.
I also visited HS Produkt factory 3 years ago. Me along with my coworkers were given a tour around whole factory (excluding r&d department). I must say i was very impressed by the technology they use (that includes measuring instruments), quality of products and sheer scale of production.
I have been told that removing or just moving the sights is really tough. I haven't tried it as it shoots spot on.
hs produkt/im metal was one of the companies of the Karlovac city based conglomerate Jugoturbina. that company produced gas turbines and jet engines for Rolls Royce GE and Snecma.among the other things like ship engines,generators for nuclear powerplants....in fact Chernobil generators survived which has been made in Croatia while Fukushima generators didnt. they were not produced in Croatia.
then war started....
Croatia was very highly industrialised country.but as I sad war started and everything went to hell
@@zagrepcanin82 Wasn't the Simpson's car made out of parts of Croatian tanks? And that thing lasted a big number of seasons...lol
03:02 "its so early that it doesn´t actually say HS-2000 on it anywhere". Turns pistol around and perfectly shows HS-2000 on the handgrips.
Presumably he meant "anywhere on the slide", given the markings on future revisions, but definitely had a good chuckle at that 😆
Ian does comment on that a few moments later. 😉
To be fair, that was well within the *GRIP ZONE* [TM] so he probably didn't notice.
@@fematrailer lol they haven’t had grip zone on them in quite some time😂
funny. Ian should have shut off the camera and started over.
I bought an XD9 when I turned 21, and to this day it has remained my carry gun.
@@TheFirstCurse1 Mine is a very "compact" 4 Inch Service model that I appendix carry.
Absolutely love my XD. I've never had any problems with it, very reliable firearm.
I commented earlier the only issue I've ever had was with the striker. Springer Precision makes a great improvement upgrade and I've never had a primer issue since, with any type of primer. And still cost less than some other brands. Is it the best? No does it work reliably? Yes everytime. Since most of us have a crippling addiction to g powder I'm sure I'll be looking at another option in the near future.
Same.
Lots of dudes dog the XD but I have never had an issue with them. I think they're on par with a lot of the other polymer winners we've seen on sale since the early 2000s.
They were. Mine was a champ that handled anything I ran though it and was pleasant to shoot.
The finish had absolutely zero corrosion resistance though. If you didn't give it a rundown with oil like it was a cast iron pan before storing it it would be rusty when you pulled it out.
Me too, first gen 45 5" tacticool.
I kick myself for doubting these when I first started shopping for pistols. Bought an XDM last year and I love the thing. Comfortable, accurate, and controllable
i have a Springfield XDS 3.3 .45. Its a wonderful shooter and has been perfect. I will never get rid of it and carry it often. Cheers.
I remember when those hit the shelves. They were around two hundred bucks. Shortly after, Springfield bought the brand and demanded more money.
Yeah the price hike was kind of bs. But you do also have to factor in the importation fees they have to factor in. Did they charge more than they should have? Yeah probably. But unless you are and import dealer and do these things regularly it's really hard for poor people like myself to get the full picture. One of the reasons I love this channel!
You are also paying for SA's lifetime warranty which is soild .
I still have mine. They have finish issues, but remain completely reliable.
That don't matter has they are still the best handguns you can pay.
@@rickyricardo3551 I can attest to how great SA's warranty and customer service are. Technically the warranty only applies to the original owner, but I bought a second hand Hellion that was missing its factory flash hider and SA still replaced it at no charge to me. My wife and I own several SA firearms and we really like the company, almost as good as Henry in their customer service in my experience so far.
I love all the variations of the XD pistol.
Thank you HS products!
I had no idea.
Very good explanation, tnx for video👍. Im soldier in Croatian army, and use a lot this pistol, realy good weapon and im glad that in US people likes this HS💪👏
I got 3 of the later XDs, one a XD Mod 2 with the memeable Grip Zone (it was my first gun), one the subcompact Gen 1 both in 9mm, and the XDM in 45 ACP,
all have been great, easy to tear down, maintain, magazines are plentiful and fair price, those Croatians know how to build guns
Thanks for the history of these pistols. Really amazing how the XD evolved into the pistol it is today. I owned one of the earlier HS 2000 but got bored with it an traded it for a Browning HI Power ( plus some cash).
I now own the XDM Elite Compact 3.8 in .45 acp. It is a fine pistol and accuracy is better than I am. The " U" shaped rear sight and tubed from sights are very easy to us an pickup.
Thanks for the history lesson.
Springfield was smart enough to realize that designing your own Glock competitor is really difficult and expensive so why not import instead?
To my knowledge the M&P series is the only American designed polymer striker fired pistol that hasn't been an embarrassing failure.
The m and p would be my next consideration. I'm typically a rifle guy but since the ridiculous aft "rule" there's a lot of court battles about to happen. I'm glad I kept everything rifle like. And yes I'm one of the poors and bought a xd. But with a proper friend/gunsmith I've found it to be a very decent option. The price hike that Springfield did was a bunch of bs. But I guess it helps when you know the right people to fix known issues forced practically next to nothing in money. I'm not a fan boy of any particular brand. I just like something that works reliably.
Ruger sr9 is fine too, i have one and never had a problem
My M&P 2.0 that's just fine. Much better feel in my hand than a damned glock
@@TheStraycat74 I've only heard and seen great things about about the m&p 2.0. Would probably be my next choice. I've also considered a sig of some sort. But I'm going to talk to my gunsmith buddy again and get his input. Because he's not a brand loyalties guy either. Even though garand thumb does the silly torture test that makes most of us cringe because us poors know how expensive these things are. I think the m&p 2.0 surprised them the most as well as many others.
S&W finally got it right after the abysmal sigma and the Walther collaboration.
I've had two XD's and both have been great pistols. Very interesting to see the life the pistols took to get to the final successful product.
Love my HS2000 I have a later version. I have had one issue with mine a it broke an ejector but still worked fine. I called up Springfield and ordered a new one and it was a simple fix I own 3 of these guns the HS2000, a XD9 V12, and an XD45.
Thanks Ian (and all the HS / Springfield team). It is great to learn about a modern success story, of a significant breakthrough into the US firearms market. As you said, it was also great that HS were happy to share their earlier models and show the steps they took along the way.
I've a .45, 2000's model and a brand new 2022, 9 Para model (XD marks on grips). To be honest, after testing G17, G19, Beretta APX, Rugger SR9 and Sig 2022, and being a happy CZ-75 Duty owner, this Croatian made guns feels just right in my hands. Both models feels so comfortable that makes me believe that i'm a good shooter so 😅
The xd 45 double stack in 45 is a chunky boy. I love it. I call it the Mirko Cro Cop
The HS2000 in 9mm was the first gun I ever fired. Just for that I have a soft spot for it. Glad to see a video on it as it is originally called and in the form I was able to use myself.
I saw one of these at a gun show years ago, and I still regret not buying it.
You are officially my hero.
I loved the HS2000 3rd gen so much, i still have it, and replaced it with the XD 45 compact in 2007. I still have that one as well. Now, I carry and swap between my XDM Elite 10mm compact and my XDS 45 subcompact pistols for daily carry. The HS2000 is by far my favorite configuration aside from 1911.
👍🏽👍🏽👍🏽👍🏽
As of now, i own at least one variant in each available caliber.... Although, I have 3 .45ACP variants, because that is my favorite caliber.
Finally was able to get a .40 XD because I've wanted one for forever, now I'm eyeballing the 10mm XDM Elite as a mallninja-level fun gun. You run heavier ammo like 200gr+ or stick to 180 in it?
@@angry_ike7628
Heavy is what I run. I get the heaviest JHP and I also run (for self defense) Underwood all brass "Screwdrivers". But my normal defense JHP round is Hornady Critical defense 175 grain. I have yet to find a 200 gr JHP, but I use 200 grain Blazers for target practice.
I picked up a .45 ACP Springfield Armory XDS in stainless a while back. It feels great in your hand, has plenty of power, a fiber optic front sight, and it isn't a Glock.
Love my XD9, very robust and rugged and has taken many beatings at shoots and keeps on rocking and rolling. Love seeing this firearms history!
If it weren't for HS Produkt, Springfield Armory would have simply continued their existence as a glossy Century Arms.
I got to speak with the HS Produkt guys at IWA in Nuremburg last year and like you I found them refreshingly honest and candid. Their knowledge, transparency, and honesty impressed me so much that I wound up purchasing a Springfield "Hellion" partially to support their company (and partially because it's beautifully made and extremely well thought out, for a bullpup).
2:57 -- shows clearly marked HS 2000 stamp on the right side of the frame.
3:03 -- shows clearly marked HS 2000 stamps on the left side of the frame.
3:04 -- says "in fact it's so early it doesn't even say HS 2000 on it anywhere."
3:05 -- shows clearly marked HS 2000 stamps on the left side of the frame again.
OK, he does then point out it's marked on the frame but not the slide, but I was already laughing by then.
Love you Ian, keep on keeping on brother
People make fun of it, but it's a well designed pistol. The loaded chamber and cocking indicators are quite nice and practical in low light conditions.
The HS Produkt/Springfield Armory partnership has to be one of the most successful partnerships out there, where both companies benefited a lot, without losing anything. Together they went from relatively small companies to one of the biggest ones on their respective continent. Symbiosis like no other.
The Story with the VHS-2/hellion is awesome.
“Thanks for the partnership that allowed us to make a rifle for our military.....yall can have it too 😅”
Imma get me one 😊
I bought an early version of the .45 caliber XD sort of on a whim. I actually loved the gun. At the time, a 13 + 1 capacity for a .45 was pretty novel to me, and I liked it so much, I ended up getting the XDS (in .45) to make a set. In those days the gun came with a hard plastic case containing a spare magazine, and a holster and mag carrier for a little over $450.
Of course I’ve been carrying a Shield ( and now a Shield Plus) for over a decade, and haven’t even looked at the thing for a while, but it was an affordable, reliable gun, and a nice option to the polymer-frame, striker-fired gun market that previously Glock had cornered.
Great video as usual! Cheers from Croatia!
There's something ironic that a polymer frame pistol has written on it _"I M Metal"._
They didn't build just pistols
@@richard_from_england333 sorry to hear they don't have humor in England.
😁
🤣🤣🤣🤣
"I M Metal ... trust me bro"
I have an XD that I bought used for under $300 quite some time ago. I don't use it much, but it's been extremely reliable and it has a nice case. It was fun watching how this model got it's start and became what it is today. The XD doesn't seem to be very appreciated, but it's a no nonsense sidearm that I don't mind having in my collection.
I have only seen them with crappy cheap cases. But I love the gun itself.
Same for me. I have a XDs in 45ACP, love it for concealed carry. The ergonomics are great, this pistol is more comfortable to shoot that a .380 pocket pistol I also have even with the much greater recoil.
I had a Springfield XD-9 as my first pistol when I turned 21. It was a pretty solid pistol
I’d love to see a video like this on FN’s FNX series of pistols. My understanding is it was originally designed to compete in a US Army pistol trial as a polymer framed DA/SA version of the browning high power with fully ambi controls, a 1911 style safety and decocker and 17 round magazines, all at a pretty affordable price. That said, it was never adopted by the US (or any other military) that I know of, even with military’s out there still using browning hi powers and I’d like to know why.
I definitely prefer it over an M9 beretta 92, but that’s just my opinion.
military contracts seem to come down more to greasing the right palms than anything else. sig is the best in the game for that at the moment lol.
here in Croatia we don’t have enough capital to drag out development processes in any venture. it either works and gets iterated fast, or fails fast.
I’ve carried a Springfield XD for concealed carry for 5 years now. Love it.
I bought my XD 9mm back in 2018 because...well in the gun shop I was in..the "Springfield Package" was on sale. Got the whole package for like..$600. The shop was originally trying to sell the package for $800.
Own a couple XD's for years now. One I clean and one I don't clean. Both with thousands rounds through them, and never had an issue.
Thanks. I've been a proud XD owner since 07. I knew that the gun was originally the HS 2000 but didn't know of its development history & the chance meeting of the two execs that ended up putting a great pistol in my hands. I've liked the XD so well that I added the XDS not too long after it came out.
The price range for these HS Product pistols, here in Croatia, ranges from €490 ($535) to €770 ($840), depending on the model. However, with a lot of administrative paperwork, taxes and state permits, it can only be purchased by registered sports hunters (with certain restrictions), and not by citizens. So, being a US citizen is a privilege par excellence. Btw, great job, mr. McCollum, and best wishes to your work.
😮
Nikola Thats simply not true...anybody over 18 and no crime record can ask and get permitt and own a gun but only for holding in the house ,not for carrying around...Im no hunter and have a gun for a long time...now you get permitt for period,before you have to extend every 5 years
@mona5109 It's over 21 now.. But yes, we can legally own any gun just like in the US..Yes there are some restrictions but it's certainly better than California
Thanks for putting this series together! Now that I have seen some of the developmental history, the pistol is much more interesting to me. I shot a .45 XD a long time ago, and wasn't too impressed, but since I lean toward service-type firearms, I'm giving it a second look, UA-cam gun snobs notwithstanding.
My uncle and I dumped a couple thousand brass pieces of his xdm 45 at the range and I was quite impressed. I also had him (he's a retired marine) handle the xd-9 to make sure I wasn't sissy handling it and him and our gunsmith buddy showed us a simple striker improvement that's makes it run flawlessly now. Everyone has opinions and brand loyalty but I'm a "if it works great when I need it and you're comfortable with it" go with what works best for you.
My XD is my second favorite handgun next to my 1911. It's reliability and aftermarket accessories support makes it one of my favorites. I love the history lesson. Thanks!!
Damn!
I had no idea of what I was up to hear in this video - which I started to watch just because I noticed a picture of a nice looking pistol. This video was way interesting for sure! Many Thanks!!👍🏻👍🏻
I have an early XD-45 and it is an extremely reliable pistol and a great shooter that I picked up super cheap several years ago. It has chewed through many different brands of ammo and has never had a single hangup, unlike my Glock 23 that is ammo picky...
I purchased a HS-2000 when they first rolled out ., they were imported in Knoxville TN .. about a hour away from me …A LGS had a dozen or so of them .. the owner of the store had already tested one out and was positive about the pistol…
Being I was picking up a couple of transfers.. we worked out a deal on a HS .. $200 OTD
I kept this pistol for at least 12 years. Ran thousands of rounds through it … mostly cheap surplus NATO ammo .. I had a great source of the NATO ammo
It was my primary carry pistol during that time …
I think the Turkish BRG Elite reminds of my HS-2000 .. a overbuilt pistol made by a metal company
The Ruger P95 was my first polymer pistol… then the P97
But the HS-2000 was my first striker fired pistol…
Thank you for this video
I have an XD9 and absolutely love it. It looks exactly like the mark 3 version shown. Awesome video
I love the XD series. The grip safety and ambi controls are what sold me.
Thank You Ian. Great history lesson.
My shop first got these in and they were 299 for the combo. Springfield starts importing them, changes the outer appearance of them, and raises the price 200 bucks more.
Didn’t Glock start out in America selling their guns dirt cheap to police all over the country then once established raised their prices considerably for the public?
I’ve been waiting for this video Thanks Ian
Very happy with all my XDs, my xdm 45 4.5 is perfect for me.
bunch of years ago i had the chance to shoot a .22, a Springfield XD in .45, and a 9mm Taurus in the same afternoon, and i hadn’t ever heard of the XD… and my god, the recoil on the damned .45 felt closer to the .22 than the 9mm. it is a weirdly pleasant, gentle pistol to shoot and though i’m admittedly a Glock nerd, i gotta give massive respect to the XD and in a pinch, i’d just as quickly choose that.
My dad has one of these, first pistol I ever shot. Has a special place to me
I have an XD-40, and I've owned it since 2002... It works quite well, and hasn't failed me yet! I preferred the grip angle to Glock. I also prefer the grip safety. Oh, and takedown is simple!
do you lubricate it with WD-40? 😂
I have an XD-40 also. I like pretty much everything about it except the caliber. It has a lot of muzzle flip and recoil like a .45 with the performance of a 9x19.
@@RealJohnnyDingo No, WD-40 is not a lubricant, but it's a great solvent to clean out the gun. I have cleaned my XD-40 with WD-40.
@@kcoop9999 Lol, you must be a real sissy, because I have an XD-40, and the recoil and muzzle flip aren't bad at all. By the way a .40 has as good as performance as a .45, and far better performance than the 9mm.
I also bought my XD-40 service 4 inch, in 2002, and still have it. I was wondering about how many rounds do you have through it?
Was waiting for you to do a episode on the hs2000
Hello. Thanks for this video, that is very good as your tradition. I did not know anything about these guns, and now I am impressed with the quality of the products and the attention to all these details and particularlies, all in the same exemplars. 😮😮
I thought Forgotten weapons was being silly with the "XD"
Watch this mechanically interesting firearm becoming obscure xdddddd
I could never figure out why my local gun shop would advertise on their web site a used Springfield/HS. Did not know what the HS meant. Now I know. Thanks for another informative video.
I love my xdm, the "match grade" xd platform and my hellcat. Both have been excellent guns that given me absolutely zero issues over thousands of rounds fired. I just wish theyd introduce a pistol caliber carbine using the "xdm" mags. Im not a glock fan myself and would much rather purchase a carbine tthat uses the same mags as my main duty pistol.
I have XDm as well. Funny thing here in Europe they are labeled stil HS Product on the slide but Mags have Springfield cannons on them.
Pistol is working very well - only the spring on my compact is very strong some people have peoblem ro rack it.
Yeah, I really wish more companies made PCCs that took their pistol magazines.
Woah, this pistol is how old?? Time flies!
Being willing to reveal your mistakes is a mark of confidence in maturity.
I still can't understand why people hate on the XD pistols.
Hah! I can't believe that croation pistol became the SPRINGFIELD!
XD
XD
😆
oops...I meant to XD
It's still croatian
I will always have a soft spot for the XD series. I need to hunt down an HS-2000 marked pistol. I have both a Gen1 and Mod.2 XD. I love them both. Ultimately they were never the Glock Competitor. But they are a good pistol for a good price.
I love these and their XD meme equivalents. Quite reliable and pretty cheap vs the competition.
Ian mentions wanting the HS2000 for full service in Croatia, however, when I visited in 2012, the police and border agents (at the airport) in Zadar carried CZ75s, but the police in Zagreb had HS2000s.
I get to say I own a gun that was on Forgotten Weapons, since I have an XD. Very nice gun and it just handles and shoots well for me. I know it's not great for everyone. When my Croatian colleagues visited the US and I took them shooting, for that night, it wasn't the Springfield Armory XD, it was the HS2000. They got to enjoy the product of their own country and take pride in it.
Addenda: I field stripped my pistol along with Ian to see what the differences might be. Mine is roughly early 2010 manufacture. It was bought in July 2010.
First, the month/date wheel is not included anymore. I know mine is early 2010 because the included proof cartridge is dated as such, and signed by the tester. 2 of my XDs have the same tester.
Secondly, there are stress relief cuts/notches in the metal piece that forms the rails/ramp/etc.. in the frame where it makes a big U-shape. These were not present in the close ups that Ian showed of the early production pistols.
Thirdly, there is a 2nd position in the rail. The "3rd gen" gun shown only has 1 position for the rail: at the end, but they moved the serial number plate back and added another position. This is useful if you have a short light/laser to mount.
This was a very cool advance for its time! I still have my old XD45. I used to let Glock owners try it at the range and they always shot it better than they could their Glock. Better ergonomics and better trigger! Being an old 1911 guy, the XD45 was a perfect thing to transition into. It just plain worked!
I bought an XD-9 last week to get close to an HS2000, now I'm watching this with it in my hand.
Interesting way to watch videos.
Saddo. You sound like the kind of person who shouldn't have a gun..
Nice! I have had my xd sub compact 9mm and full size xd .45 for about 12 years now. They are both fantastic. I outfitted mine with xs big dots sights.
What`s wrong with that, you know there are people " sitting in their chair and playing with their ding - dongs, but naked, watching shark week "
It`s weird world out there, but even weirder behind the screens - watching with only wife beater on ( Serial killer hunters and How to make a baked Pola potato )
Interesting that the serial number on that HS2000 is 37962. That’s a zip code for Sevierville which borders Knoxville.
I bought an HS2000 back in the early 2000's- I thought it was such awesome piece of engineering. Loved the loaded chamber indicator and the grip safety ala 1911. It fit my hand better than the Glock did and the price was too good to be true. Unfortunately, it got stolen out of my car parked in my driveway in the middle of the day. I reported it stolen, hoping to get it back, but never did. My wife bought me an XD a couple years later, but it has the rail clutter and all that. I really miss the clean lines of the original HS... I still have the original box somewhere
"It fit my hand better than the Glock" agreed 100%!
The ergonomics are far better than Glock which sat on its butt on top of its throne.
Give the police a call back, they might have found it but forgot to tell you 😅
I worked in a gun shop years ago. We used to sell the latest generation of HS Produkt pistols, labeled as the HS-9 (pure Croatian model), not Springfield XD. The thing is that some of the magazines for a couple of pistols came engraved with the Springfield logo. Nothing wrong with that but just makes me think that they might run out of stock for default magazines or they didn't have a proper filter process for the magazine parts.
None the less, every HS pistol I handed looked extremely well made, polished, very attractive and had that advanced/futuristic visual more than a Glock when placed both side by side on the display. They sold very well and never gave us trouble.
That is very cool. As a Croatian I am proud of the people that made this a success story under very challenging post-war circumstances. Thank you for doing the story a service Ian, hope you were treated well in Karlovac and Zagreb.
The Perfected Croatian Pistol that Became the Springfield XDDDDDD
I remember hearing a LOT of hate thrown at the XD when it launched. Almost entirely from the older crowd, who didn't trust polymer frames or handgun calibers shy of .45
Carried mine for five years and really liked it. Only sold it because I had an opportunity to upgrade.
Or maybe you heard alot of hate thrown at a gun that was already on the market at around $200 being rebranded by Springfield and the price almost doubling...
Because that's what I remember... This wasn't in 1985, this was 1999-2001. Plenty of polymer wonder 9s out and popular. Plenty of PDs had already adopted plastic guns.
@@mattatat1138 ...and it turns out that this example is a pretty popular option too.
@@mattatat1138 I recall Glock selling guns to police all over the US dirt cheap first and then doubling the price when they started selling them to the public.
As a Canadian of Croatian ethnicity I would love to have a XD or HS 2000, but Great Leader has said that we can't be trusted to have pistols, as they are dangerous and unneeded in a modern society. This coming from a man that has armed security around him 24/7.
Funny how that's hypocritical when you think about it...
If you are indeed a Croat, how could you ever consider yourself "Canadian"?
@@Pajdas610He ain't no croat..His grandpa myb was
I have 3 XD's and love them all.
On the second one, the first at American market it says March 2000 production, not may, cause arrow is pointing to number 3 and that is March if I am not mistaken. The first iteration was pointing to 5 and number was 99, so that one was may 1999, which he said as much. The second one was one number before number 4 and not one number after the number 4, but it was hidden under the shadow, so it was understandable.
Got an XD40 back in the day, and had the captive recoil spring retainer fail. Jammed it up solid. Sent it in for warranty. Got it back fixed, but that replacement spring went into the spare parts bin unused. Got a Wolff non-captive rig , and never looked back. Also got the XD 45 when it came out, and tried to get the Wolff rig for it, but they never wound up making one. Didn't really need it as it turns out. No wear on the peened retainer at all.
Would love one of these. My XD is still one of my favorite firearms. For whatever reason I just shoot it better then anything else.
Croatia: small country, huge variety of guns to choose 🤘
i had no idea about these import requirements. very interesting. thank you.
As a guy that has several XD's and carry's one as my self defense gun daily, thank you for this series on how it became what it is...
This whole epic saga makes me really want one... or at least an XD.
"I only buy American, that's why I bought a Springfield instead of a glock" 😁
It's Croatian btw :3
@@arnoldmachine676 sarcasm
I loved my xdm 3.8 with 19 rounds. Would buy another in a heartbeat I should of never sold it.
I miss my XD-9. that thing had a really nice package with it, for 400 bucks I got the gun, two mags, a nice case, molded holsters for the gun and the mags, a brush, loading tool and a lock. I can't say the same for any other pistol I've bought, that was an awesome deal.
Been a remarkable journey from the earlier pistols to this for sure. A pistol that, unlike some of the earlier models on this trip, truly stands proud when compared with any of it's contemporary firearms.
The sheer number sold to this day does rather speak for itself after all.
I live near Easton PA and the Sarco marking on that slide is perfectly descriptive of how crusty that store can be lmao
I love my springfield armory xd9. Great video and very informative.
I can't believe the HS2000 is now a "Forgotten Weapon". Just a few years ago, it was everywhere where I am.
XD
@@paleoph6168 Nope the XD didn't sell very well here because it was expensive.
@@rgi8426oh ok.
I was actually laughing XD
I've actually had this conversation.
Dude: "All my guns are American!"
Me, notices Springfield XD on the guy's hip: "What about your Springfield XD?"
Dude: "It's made by Springfield! Just like the 1911!"
Me: "No, it's made in Croatia."
Dude: "Bullshit!"
Me: "Look on the frame. Says big as day "Made in Croatia."
Dude: "But it's designed by Springfield!"
Me: "No, Springfield just stamps their name on it. Designed and made in Croatia."
Dude: ******* (Stomps off in a mood.)
I could see that happening 😂
But I don't understand the stigma with a Croatian-made gun. So many people think Croatia = junk.
@@RainbowIsAPromise I don't either. On the other hand, it's little more than a knockoff Glock. I've fired both, and frankly the Glock is better. At least my trigger modified Glock 17 (Second Generation I've had for 30 years) is better than my buddy's Compact XD in .45ACP. Perhaps it's the bad ergonomics of the compact format for a .45. I dunno. I'm not a fan of the .45.
_Edit: This is not to say there's anything at all wrong with the XD as a platform, and certainly nothing wrong with Croatian firearms. My beef is with Springfield slapping their name on them to trick people into buying them._
I own two XDs. The one in 45 acp is especially nice. Croatia is one of the most beautiful countries in the world. I truly great place to visit.
My first non-target pistol was an XD9. My most recent non-tartget pistol is an XD9. It is a great and reliable firearm.
Thank you Ian. Good stuff as always.
on 3:00 "so early it doesn't actually say hs 2000 on it anywhere", but it is on both sides of the gun right next to your thumb. :p
But not on the slide....
Ian points that out.
We've had Forgotten Bergmanns and now we've had Forgotten Croatian Pistols. Hehehe... Really have enjoyed the history of HS Produkt and what became the Springfield XD (which back when I was just starting in firearms was one of the first handguns I shot).
HS2000 on forgotten weapons? This must be what getting old feels like.
Nice pistols.
The XD works very well.
I love my Xdm .40 Compact (I carry it with the full size mag with sleeve) it is without a doubt my favorite handgun. It is an absolutely rugged but also precise firearm.