HS2000: A first step to the excellence

Eric Sof

HS2000 or Springfield XD

HS2000 is a polymer-framed striker-fired semi-automatic pistol available in 9 mm, .357 SIG, .40 S&W, .45 ACP calibers. It is a short recoil-operated, locked breech pistol designed by HS Produkt from Karlovac, Croatia. The company is also known for its VHS-2 rifle and as the designer of the Springfield Hellcat, the world’s highest capacity micro-compact polymer-frame pistol.

Introduction

In Europe, the HS2000 pistols are marketed as the HS and XDM series, while in the United States, the pistols are sold as the Springfield Armory XD and XDM series marketing names, respectively. Other derivative variants sold by Springfield Armory, Inc., are unique to the American market. The HS 2000 and the Springfield Armory XD are available for civil customers.

Development

It was developed by a team led by Marko Vukovic. The HS2000 traces its roots back to the PHP (Prvi Hrvatski Pistolj) pistol, designed by the same team and first produced in 1991. The PHP was plagued by quality issues. Vukovic’s team continued to improve the design and released the HS95 in 1995. Finally, it evolved into HS2000.

Pistol PHP - Prvi Hrvatski Pistolj
PHP pistol (Photo: XY)

The HS2000 is manufactured by the HS Produkt company (formerly IM Metal) based in Karlovac. It was adopted by the Croatian armed forces and police in 1999. Currently, it is a standard issue sidearm. The HS2000 has been exported to Bosnia and Herzegovina, Dominican Republic, Indonesia, Iraq, Macedonia, Malaysia, and Thailand.

Design

The HS2000 and its versions are available in various calibers, such as 9×19 mm Parabellum, .375 SIG, .40 S&W, and .45 ACP. The HS2000 has similarities with other popular pistols like Glock 17 and shares some design features with SIG Sauer pistols. Nevertheless, it is an independent design with distinctly different trigger action and many other differences.

It is a short-recoil-operated weapon that fires with a locked breech. This pistol has no manual safeties. There is an automatic firing pin safety and automatic M1911 style grip safety. The last mentioned locks the slide and prevents it from cycling, so the gun can not be loaded if the grip safety is not fully engaged. It means it will not allow the pistol to fire without depressing a lever on the rear of the grip. A drop safety prevents the striker from releasing if the pistol is dropped or exposed to impact.

HS2000 pistol chambered in 9 mm in dual-tone
HS2000 pistol chambered in 9 mm, dual-tone (Photo: XY)

HS2000 has a cocked striker indicator accompanied by a loaded chamber indicator. The pistol is fed from 16-round double-stack magazines. It is suitable for both left and right-hand users because the magazine release button is ambidextrous. This pistol has fixed sights as basic, while it is also available with self-luminous night sights. This feature allows shooting more accurately in low light conditions. Newer versions of the HS2000 have an accessory rail for mounting tactical flashlights or laser pointers.

Variants

Springfield Armory X-treme Duty (XD)

It is a licensed version of the HS 2000, produced in the USA. Licensing rights were obtained in 2002. Also, the Springfield Armory introduced many manufacturing improvements and expanded the line. These pistols are available in various models with different calibers, sizes, and finish levels. The Springfield XD is used by the US police and law enforcement agencies, including the FBI (Federal Bureau of Investigations.

The price for the Springfield XD series pistols varies between $300 and $600, depending on the caliber.

Technical specifications

Country of origin:Croatia
Manufacturer:HS Produkt, Croatia and Springfield Armory, USA
Caliber:9 mm, .357 SIG, .40 S&W, .45 ACP
Weight (unloaded):650 – 700 g
Length:180 mm
Barrel length:103 mm
Muzzle velocity:300 – 460 m/s
Magazine capacity:16 rounds (9 mm)
Sighting range:50 m
Range of effective fire:50 m

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