How the XDS Striker and Striker Safety Pin Rub Each Other
By James Nicholas

There are a lot of theories on why the XDS striker gets "damage" to its shoulder. To be able to show exactly whats happening I made a jig that allowed me to remove my extractor and be able to show what was going on behind the scenes. 

First let me start with letting you know that the XDS is directly based off the Glock and its 3 safeties. The trigger safety, firing pin safety and drop safety. 

When the XDS and Glock's trigger is pulled all the way back firing the pistol, the striker becomes free floating. If you dry fire either pistol on an empty chamber you will notice that there is a rattle from the striker since nothing is putting pressure on it to hold it in place. 

When you rack the slide, the trigger is reset and pulled forward, pulling the sear up and forward onto the drop safety area of the sear housing. This will allow the sear to now be positioned in front of the striker lug ready to catch it when you pull the trigger again. The striker in this state is under partial tension of the striker spring pushing it forward but at the same time also being held back slightly by the sear. Since the pistol is partially cocked and the striker is under partial tension both pistols incorporate a striker safety pin. What this does is add a spring loaded pin that rides in the striker channel physically blocking the striker even it if accidentally slips off the sear. When you pull the trigger a vertical extension on the trigger bar moves that safety up and out of the way for the striker to freely move forward striking the primer after it has reached full tension on its draw stroke.  

You will notice that on the XDS and Glock the "damage" only occurs to the top shoulder of the striker. When you fire the pistol, the striker is all the way forward and the tip sticks out of the breech face. When the slide starts to move back the striker is once again caught and moved back slightly into the slide regaining partial tension. At the same time the striker is moving back into the slide. The striker safety is being pushed down into the top shoulder of the striker.  Since the trigger bar extension is now past the safety it is  more or less free to rub that top shoulder.  You will notice that the damage looks like the edge of the safety slipped off the shoulder as the striker is moved back into the slide. It is not until you let go of the trigger that it now moves forward pushing it and the extension passed the safety to start the process all over. Watch the following video were I demonstrate that the damage does not occur from the striker slamming into the safety. The extension moves the safety out of the way before the pistol is ready to fire. It is only after firing that the safety is pushing rubbing on the striker. 

Notice in the above picture, imaging that the striker is forward and the safety is being pushed down. As the striker is moved back notice how the safety would be rubbing on the top edge of the shoulder.