Springfield XDS

CB, you do what you want but gotta tell you I had one and dumped it last month. You have to load it with the slid back then let it slam forward. You can very rarely slingshot load it, don't work. I had stove pipes continually, jams and couldn't unload it. When it was working and I would fire it the rounds that were ejected would come out and then strike the breach face and leave like dents or horrible nicks on the outside next to the breach.
When I wanted to unload a round from the gun by hand it was extremely hard and I thought dangerous. I simply many times could not eject a round by hand, by pulling the slid back. It would not eject a live round. Yes, I sent it into Springfield but it came back with the same issues. They did clean up the breach face and tried to add some bluing but the main issues were not addressed and taken care of.
I then took it to a gun show and traded it for a Sig Ultra Compact in 45. They are about the same size, barrel length is the same. sig holds a couple more rounds. The Sig also works flawlessly and is very accurate.
I think the XDS platform is a great idea but know of others with the same issues. There have been many on the Springfield site that are having the same or similar issues. Yet there are some who have no issues. I for one could not trust the pistol. I have a Shield that is the same size in a single stack that has no problems at all and is also very accurate, but it is a 9mm.
I like my Sig because it is a 45 and the fact that it does function.

Your XDM 3.8 is a very good pistol but still bigger than the smaller carry guns like the XDS or the Shield. Sig has a new one out called the P938 that is even smaller than the XDS and its all metal and smaller. However it is only in 9mm. I also like the XD sub-compact but don't believe it comes in a 45 cal.

I been thinking of a XD 40 in the sub-compact. Mean looking little dude but yet carries plenty of rounds and the can take a beating and still work. I have a standard XD 40 and put a Powder River trigger kit in it, man what a difference that made. I like the XD line but that XDS I just couldn't get it to work where I felt confident in it to use as a carry.

I did the trigger job on mine myself and it is great. I did it not for carry but as a range gun. I have other pistols I use for carry like my two Ruger SRC 9mm or 40. They are smaller than the XDM compact.
Also my Shield is a excellent carry gun due to its size.
Where do you carry when riding your bike in the summer when you just have a T-shirt on?

That's where that XDS or Shield come in handy. I could stick em in my front pocket. I have also put a pistol in a holster and stashed it in the trunk.