Originally Posted by jfrink2

Hi All,

I have a question for the XD and Glock 9mm handgun owners.

If you had 400-500 to spend on only one of these guns, which one would you put your money on?

I shot the Glock 19 for the first time on Saturday and I plan to go back this week and shoot the XD9. I like the features of the XD (grip safety, striker status indicator, loaded chamber indicator etc.)

I will be using the gun I choose for home defense and at the range for fun.

Thanks,

jfrink2

Since you seem to have the opportunity to shoot both, you should simply decide based on which one you liked better after shooting it. They are both great guns with stellar reputations and lots of accessories are available for both. I have shot both on several occasions and even had an XD sub-compact for a while, and prefer the XD, though neither really works for me. Always buy the gun you really want the first time out. It will save you lots of money and agony in the future.

+1 With Maximo.

Originally Posted by jfrink2

I like the features of the XD (grip safety, striker status indicator, loaded chamber indicator etc.)
jfrink2

I think you already made your selection.

This is like comparing blondes to redheads. Both are great in their own way, but one will make you happier than the other, and only you can decide which one it will be. But I prefer the XD series. The grips are more comfortable for me and I just love everything about them. Nothing wrong with Glocks, but for the money and quality, the XD's are very hard to beat.

I prefer the XD, but that's my opinion (and you know what they say about opinions).

Go with what feels better to you, not with what anyone, especially the guy behind the counter of the gun shop, tells you.

Thanks guys! I'm going to head back to the range this week and put some rounds through each and see which one I like best. I might have to throw the Ruger P89 or P95 in the running too. I like the looks of those.

Which range are you going to? I live near Atlanta and have been looking for smeone who rents Springfields. I am looking at the XD45 compact, but I would expect the 9mm to give me some idea of how the .45 would handle.

Originally Posted by Dakota

Which range are you going to? I live near Atlanta and have been looking for smeone who rents Springfields. I am looking at the XD45 compact, but I would expect the 9mm to give me some idea of how the .45 would handle.

I just started going to Range & Guns in Forest Park, GA near the airport. Check em' out at www.georgiarangeandguns.com. So far they have been awesome. I took my wife to the basic training course on Saturday. I'll probably drop in on Tuesday or Wednesday to check out the XD myself. They have Springfields for rent.

Go f-n' figure, it's on the opposite side of town. I have heard of them. The Kimmer used to advertise for them alot. I may have to take a Saturday and go down there.

Friends have 9MM Glocks which I have tried. I had an XD9 for several months and still have an XD40 (have fired 5000+ rnds. combined). I now have an M&P9 and will ultimately have an M&P40.

I prefer the M&P9 by far.

Try them all then let us know what you purchase.

Enjoy.

Originally Posted by TOF

Try them all then let us know what you purchase.

Enjoy.

From my short time on the forum, I can tell that this is the way to ultimately choose the "right" gun to buy. I'm going to take this advice and spend the next couple weeks at the range trying out the different brands and the different calibers. I'd love to go straight with a .45 if I can handle it but I know ammo is going to be a killer for range practice. I might have to do what I've read on the board several times as well which is "BUY THEM BOTH" (9mm and .45).

Originally Posted by Cockroach

This is like comparing blondes to redheads.

In that case, get BOTH!!!

I'll go against the grain and say I strongly prefer the Glock. Why?

1. The Glock's lower bore axis gives it less muzzle flip than the XD, allowing it to be shot faster with good accuracy.

2. The Glock's trigger resets in a MUCH shorter distance than the XD's, again allowing it to be shot faster while maintaining good accuracy.

3. There is a far better selection of holsters and accessories for the Glock, and magazines are everywhere and cheap.

4. The Glock has a much longer track record of reliability than the XD.

The "safety features" of the XD - grip safety, loaded chamber indicator, striker status indicator - are all basically irrelevant if you learn and follow the Four Rules.

People get hung up on the "feel" of a gun, but I don't. New shooters, quite honestly, often don't really know how to hold a pistol and therefore don't know what feels right. Also, your hand will adapt to almost any gun that is proportionate to your hand size. Lastly, it's not so much how a gun "feels" in your hand so much as how it performs. Not just in static slowfire shooting, but also in dynamic speed shooting (since you intend to use it for defense). Alas, you need a shot timer to measure speed, and the vast majority of shooters, while willing to buy targets to measure accuracy, are unwilling to buy timers to measure the other half of the equation.

Originally Posted by TOF

Friends have 9MM Glocks which I have tried. I had an XD9 for several months and still have an XD40 (have fired 5000+ rnds. combined). I now have an M&P9 and will ultimately have an M&P40.

I prefer the M&P9 by far.

Try them all then let us know what you purchase.

Enjoy.

M&P9? That's Smith & Wesson right?

Originally Posted by jfrink2

M&P9? That's Smith & Wesson right?

Yes.

Originally Posted by Mike Barham at Galco

I'll go against the grain and say I strongly prefer the Glock. Why?

1. The Glock's lower bore axis gives it less muzzle flip than the XD, allowing it to be shot faster with good accuracy.

2. The Glock's trigger resets in a MUCH shorter distance than the XD's, again allowing it to be shot faster while maintaining good accuracy.

3. There is a far better selection of holsters and accessories for the Glock, and magazines are everywhere and cheap.

4. The Glock has a much longer track record of reliability than the XD.

The "safety features" of the XD - grip safety, loaded chamber indicator, striker status indicator - are all basically irrelevant if you learn and follow the Four Rules.

People get hung up on the "feel" of a gun, but I don't. New shooters, quite honestly, often don't really know how to hold a pistol and therefore don't know what feels right. Also, your hand will adapt to almost any gun that is proportionate to your hand size. Lastly, it's not so much how a gun "feels" in your hand so much as how it performs. Not just in static slowfire shooting, but also in dynamic speed shooting (since you intend to use it for defense). Alas, you need a shot timer to measure speed, and the vast majority of shooters, while willing to buy targets to measure accuracy, are unwilling to buy timers to measure the other half of the equation.

Truly valid points! However, with a 9mm the recoil isn't that much to worry about. High or low bore axis, either gun will be easy to shoot relative to other guns out there. Also, a first timer will not know the difference between a long trigger or short trigger. I got used to the trigger of my first gun. Everything else felt weird. The XDs safety features are there if you want to use them. They don't require additional action from the user. I check the loaded chamber indicator on my XD after doing the standard open slide check. It gives me an additional layer of safety. The check is optional but nice to have.

go with the XD.. or the one that fits better - nah.. just go with the XD

Originally Posted by propellerhead

Truly valid points! However, with a 9mm the recoil isn't that much to worry about. High or low bore axis, either gun will be easy to shoot relative to other guns out there.

Recoil and muzzle jump aren't really the same thing. Recoil will be the same if the guns weigh the same (Newton's law). But a gun with a low bore axis minimizes muzzle flip, thus staying on target better in rapid fire. It just makes it easier for the shooter. A newbie will probably not be able to tell the difference, but as his skill increases, he will be able to see the difference.

I can certainly tell the difference in muzzle jump between a Glock and an XD. The Glock is simply easier for me to shoot fast and well because the front sight doesn't jump as high.

Also, a first timer will not know the difference between a long trigger or short trigger.

Probably also true, but if he eventually becomes more skilled, especially in shooting at speed (defensive type), he will probably come to prefer the shorter reset. This is very true if he takes good instruction, where emphasis is placed on resetting the trigger correctly.

The XD has a very comfortable grip - that "feel" thing that sells guns in the shop - but takes a back seat to the Glock in practically every other respect, especially once you actually get out on the range and start shooting fast.

Feel of the grip is extra important when it has finger grooves as the glocks do. Glock grips and my hands do not work well together.

To each his own.

Enjoy what you get.

Originally Posted by Mike Barham at Galco

Recoil and muzzle jump aren't really the same thing. Recoil will be the same if the guns weigh the same (Newton's law). But a gun with a low bore axis minimizes muzzle flip, thus staying on target better in rapid fire. It just makes it easier for the shooter. A newbie will probably not be able to tell the difference, but as his skill increases, he will be able to see the difference.

I can certainly tell the difference in muzzle jump between a Glock and an XD. The Glock is simply easier for me to shoot fast and well because the front sight doesn't jump as high.



Probably also true, but if he eventually becomes more skilled, especially in shooting at speed (defensive type), he will probably come to prefer the shorter reset. This is very true if he takes good instruction, where emphasis is placed on resetting the trigger correctly.

The XD has a very comfortable grip - that "feel" thing that sells guns in the shop - but takes a back seat to the Glock in practically every other respect, especially once you actually get out on the range and start shooting fast.

True. True.

The XD, from my experience and what I have read from others, is more new shooter friendly. The original poster who is looking for a home defense and occasional range gun would fit this category.

Originally Posted by Mike Barham at Galco

The XD has a very comfortable grip - that "feel" thing that sells guns in the shop - but takes a back seat to the Glock in practically every other respect, especially once you actually get out on the range and start shooting fast.

That "feel" thing is what makes each one of us make the initial purchase. Somebody must like the XD line, they aren't out of business. Hasn't a couple popular named competition shooters won matches with an XD? I know...more Glocks have won compared to the XD. But, if he prefers SA over Glock, that's not all bad.

Originally Posted by SigZagger

That "feel" thing is what makes each one of us make the initial purchase. Somebody must like the XD line, they aren't out of business. Hasn't a couple popular named competition shooters won matches with an XD? I know...more Glocks have won compared to the XD. But, if he prefers SA over Glock, that's not all bad.

Rob Leatham has won with an XD, but he works for Springfield and can only shoot their guns. I have personally seen Rob shoot an XD, and the guy is amazing. But most top shooters, when given the choice, choose Glock.

The XD is a good pistol, no doubt about it, and if anyone prefers it, that's fine with me - "It's not the arrow, it's the Indian." I just always sense a sort of anti-Glock tilt on internet forums, especially among people without a whole lot of experience in defensive or speed shooting, and try to counter it with some objective facts about Glock advantages. A lot of people act like Glock is all smoke and mirrors, when the gun does in fact have some major things going for it.

Mike I agree. I read on forums where Glock is the gun invented by God and others say it's a piece of overrated hipe-junk. All good quality handguns will launch a bullet down the barrel when the trigger is pulled. My point is I believe "feel" is very important for a new purchase. Besides, not one of us will be crack, top notch, high speed, accurate, competition shooters. If my hands/wrists were comfortable with the Glock angle, I probably would have purchased one. The service models I've fired were nice (except that little G26) with no function problems. I'm not a Glock basher, I just prefer different brand makers.

Originally Posted by SigZagger

Mike I agree. I read on forums where Glock is the gun invented by God and others say it's a piece of overrated hipe-junk. All good quality handguns will launch a bullet down the barrel when the trigger is pulled. My point is I believe "feel" is very important for a new purchase. Besides, not one of us will be crack, top notch, high speed, accurate, competition shooters. If my hands/wrists were comfortable with the Glock angle, I probably would have purchased one. The service models I've fired were nice (except that little G26) with no function problems. I'm not a Glock basher, I just prefer different brand makers.

And my point is that I think "feel" is totally overrated compared to objective performance. The amazing human hand will adapt to just about anything that isn't simply too big or ridiculously small. The gun, however, will never change or adapt - it will always have a high bore axis and/or a long reset.

The very fact that none of us will be topnotch competitive shooters makes it, in my eyes, even more important that we choose the guns that give us the best balance between accuracy and speed. Shooters like Rob Leatham can overcome things like long trigger resets and high bore axes much more readily than the rest of us.

In this case, basically, you can live with a gun (the XD) that "feels" good before you've had a chance to adapt, but that will always be slower to shoot due to simple physics. Or you can choose a gun (the Glock) that may not "feel" as good at the outset, but that will allow you to shoot faster with the same degree of accuracy. Granted, the difference will not be noticeable in the hands of a novice, but experienced shooters can tell the difference.

Once again, though, in the broad scheme of things, as long as you follow the First Rule of Gunfighting ("Have a gun!"), you're still way ahead of 99.9% of people. One gun may have a minor advantage over the other, but simply being armed is what really counts.