data-csrf="1711618466,c811c44900fe5fdc5644b1891299a34c" Springfield XD M questions | As Real As It Gets

Springfield XD M questions

mkoeh475

Well-known member
Dec 24, 2007
845
3
Wisconcsin
With us hopefully getting a republican governor here in Wisconsin this fall I'm guessing we will get our concealed carry rights pretty soon. Even if we don't I still want to get an XD M. Does anyone have any experience with them at all? I've got a Springfield 1911A-1 mil spec, S&W Model 66 .357/.38 and want to add to my handgun inventory. If down the road I get the opportunity an XD would be my carry gun in all likelihood. Any thoughts/experience with these guns? Thanks.
 

Rogue

Well-known member
Oct 21, 2009
2,549
11
Jefferson State
My only polymers are glocks but a bunch of my pards pack the 45acp XD, a couple have the XDM's in 9mm and 40 cal. If you want a polymer gun your going to have a very hard time finding better than the XDs. A glock takes a lot of work to smooth out as nice as the springfield. Don't even try to compare the M&P. The pre-S&W Walthers polymers are very nice if you can find one.

If I was in the market for a new polymer I wouldn't even think twice about anything other than XD line.
 

cwh

Administrator
Nov 18, 2007
4,574
99
Anchorage
Not an "M", but I've been pretty tickled with my XD40. 100% reliable, even with my reloads, which is more than I can say for a lot of much more expensive pistols.

Accurate enough to trust, though I don't have a comparable size glock to run it against. I never played with the compact XD models, and I kind of like the glock 23 in that role.

Like most plastic guns, they're uglier than sin, but the thing works.
 

Chris

Well-known member
Nov 20, 2007
1,359
3
Between the Mtns and the Plateau
I have 2 XD's, a 9mmSC and a full size 45. I have been pleased with them both and have never had any malfunctions with them. They will shoot anything and I've never had one hiccup running different kinds of ammo.

I haven't shot an XD-M but if they are just better versions of what I have, they must be a pretty good pistol.
 

Rogue

Well-known member
Oct 21, 2009
2,549
11
Jefferson State
The M&P has adjustable backstraps, it's cheap and PDs everywhere are buying them like crazy. The blackwater guys had them and when you pull that new york trigger it goes bang. Glocks have been around long enough that you can after market the piss out of em. Shoot the XD side by side the other two and you'll pick the XD. Mind you I don't own one. OSP is trading in their glocks for M&Ps. Smith must have given them a good deal or some desk jocky thinks a10# plus gritty trigger is a good thing. Of course I'm talking stock guns. Not slicked up custom jobs. The pre-smith walthers where amazing wish I had picked one up when I had the chance.
 

Jug head

Well-known member
Feb 1, 2009
615
0
Damn,the M&P must be cheap.Glock has forever sold to LE at around $350 a pistol and then the departments turn around and sell the glocks a few years down the road to the public for around the same price they paid new.Good way for the departments to at least break even and still end up with brand new glocks each time.Plus the public gets a good pistol for cheap.

Sounds like smith is trying to out glock,glock with the same pricing strategy.Plus the euro is strong,maybe glock isn't as cheap anymore.

I've shot the piss out of the glock M17 and the XDM is hands down a better pistol then the glock.The croation sensation has taken polymer to a new level.
 

jds44

Moderator
Nov 18, 2007
1,665
0
East of pullit, West of Painless
The shitty trigger in the M&P is a cheap and easy fix. IMO, the M&P is a better gun than the XD. It ain't been around long enough yet to say if they'll hold up like Glocks.

Larry Vickers (former Delta Force Operator, American Pistolsmiths Guild member, and one of the top trainers in the country) calls the M&P a "product improved Glock". That's pretty high praise.
 

okbowman

Well-known member
Jun 4, 2008
396
0
A big part of my combat/concealed carry handgun selection process includes "natural pointability." For me my M & P wins over the XD, although it's not as good as a Sig.
 

jds44

Moderator
Nov 18, 2007
1,665
0
East of pullit, West of Painless
The XD is was a Croatian pistol called the HS2000 that sold for about $250. They wouldn't sell because people thought they were too cheap. Springfield licensed them, changed the name to XD, doubled the price, and now it's a top flight combat pistol. I ain't drinking that koolaid.

I will say the one XD .45 I've put rounds through did work and I haven't touched any of the new XDm's. Who knows, they may be great.

I owned an M&P .45 for a while and it was a solid gun. The one thing I didn't like was the funky take down method. I'm back to 1911's in .45 and Glock's in 9mm at the moment, but I'll probably own another M&P at some point.
 

Rogue

Well-known member
Oct 21, 2009
2,549
11
Jefferson State
The M&P has got the longest reset and the heaviest trigger out of the three. Not sure about what a decent smith could do for it. The large metro PD's with that traditionally run the heavy triggers love em. Out of the box trigger the XD wins in having a lighter, crisper, smoother trigger with less first round and reset travel.

Given a competent gunsmith, could possible make all three triggers equal. Then it's all ergos and personal preference.

Ergo wise the XD frame angle is closer to the 1911. If you’re a serious glock guy the angle of the M&P seems closer as far as natural point of aim.

As far as price points, Smith was offering the M&P free with the purchase of a M&P15 a few years ago. The pistol was running about $350 retail at the time. Price and quality don't always go hand in hand but a $250 Croatian gun and $350 US gun sound like pretty much the same price point.

Of the couple dozen shooters that I've been with that have shot all three factory guns side by side. Maybe two or three didn't pick the XD.
 

hangunnr

Administrator
Dec 12, 2007
1,912
77
Flatlandia
I don't believe it was the M&P they were offering. If memory serves it was the complete POS Sigma.

I have owned all three Glock, Springer and the one I kept a full size M&P 40.

I didn't care for the broken wrist grip angle of the Glock, didn't point naturally worth a shit for me. I really like the lower bore to grip the Smith offers over the Springfield. Muzzle lift and back on target time was less with the Smith so that's why I kept it.

hangunnr
 

Rogue

Well-known member
Oct 21, 2009
2,549
11
Jefferson State
You called the one gig I have against the XD. The bore sits pretty high above your hand. The short reset does a bunch to make up for that along with its ability to cushion recoil so well.

I could easiely be wrong about which mdl they were offering. The promo made me think twice but I didn't want to get stuck with a new unproven gun that I might not be able to dump.

Have the smiths been able to shorten the first round pull and/or the reset lenght? Guessing a smith can bring the pull down to 2-4#s?
 

Rogue

Well-known member
Oct 21, 2009
2,549
11
Jefferson State
Oh I've burned maybe 3-400 rounds through the new M&P's. The same one the Oregon State Police is swapping for there Glock 22's. I don't want to use a sigma for a fishing wieght. Does Smith sell one M&P to military/police/contractors and a different one on the civilian market? The few I shot had looonnng, gritty, heavy trigger pulls. The reset was almost out as far as the first trigger pull and bearly cleaner.
 

Jug head

Well-known member
Feb 1, 2009
615
0
Smith and Wesson would give their left nut to get back the market share they lost when Law Enforcement dropped wheel guns.And they've yet to bring anything to the table.