Glock or Springfield XD?

[Gryff]

I LOVE my XDs. I shoot about 8,000 rounds a year through my XD9 competition guns, and the guns have been unbelievably reliable. Got an XD45 Tactical for home defense and occasional competition, and it is one of the smoothest, softest-shooting .45s I've ever used.

Glocks are fantastic, but I really don't care for the grips. So much so that I'm getting rid of my G23 concealed carry gun and getting an M&P 40 Compact instead. The XD sub-compacts have a good grip and are easy to shoot, but they are too blocky IMO for comfortable concealed carry.

A point in favor of the Glock, though, is that they are fantastically easy to work on yourself, and parts are readily available. Just wish I liked the overly large, Luger-angled grips on the guns.

[Gryff]

Until you can buy replacment parts for an XD on the street corner like you can a Glock then it's a no brainer Glock.

If you don't shoot your gun much or have other guns then it doesn't matter when it breaks how long it takes to repair.

For the cost of shipping I can buy lots of replacement parts. For the amount of time it takes to get fixed I can shoot an extra 3 to 5 days.

That argument isn't enough to compensate for what is, to me, a suck grip angle and a horrible grip feel due to size. Other's may like it, but it feels to me like a BMW engine stuck in a VW Bug chassis and body.

As it is, you can get common parts for an XD like sights and after-market trigger kits (admittedly they are more expensive, though). But an XD isn't a AR...there are only so many mods that you are going to do to it.

If your gun breaks, Springfield will reimburse you for the shipping cost for the warranty repair, so that isn't an issue. Or they will send you the replacement parts (such as a striker retainer pin that I needed to replace).

Glocks because they are trusted by millions of cops.

Because they were early to market and expertly marketed. The statistic isn't a reflection that millions of cops have chosen the Glock over the XD.

Glock has:

-Better trigger reset

Agreed

-Better Mags (XD mags are dirt sensitive and are known to get cracked feed lips)

15,000+ across my eight mags and I have never seen any dirt sensitivity or cracked feed lips. Nor have I heard that as a common complaint on the XD forums.

-Easily available cheap factory and aftermarket parts

Definite win for the Glock here

I actually like the ergos more on the Glock, the slide stop on the XD is located in a bad place: if you shoot thumbs high, you will accidentally ride the slide stop and cause it to not lock back on the last shot.

True, but you can teach yourself not to ride the slide stop lever.

The biggest indicator to me is that you see used XDs for sale all over the place and they only command 2/3rds of the initial retail price. You can sell pretty much any used Glock 19 or 17 in excellent condition for at least $450.

Links? The XDs I see are usually within about $50 of a comparable Glock. Because of Glock's successful history, there is generally a greater desire for them, but that again is more of a marketing thing than a statement about superior reliability or performance.

I think that it is a great indicator that most XD owners are rabidly supportive of their guns. I just think that the platform needs to mature enough that the parts will become more readily available. That is the only significantly unfortunate aspect of the XD.

But it is Mac vs. Windows to me. Choose the one that you like better, because they are both going to get the job done perfectly well.

[Pryde]

Gryff, your case for the XD is very well argued.
I respect the fact that you have good objective arguments on the merits of the XD rather abstract ideas of how it "feels" better.

However, I honestly don't think that marketing is a significant reason why the Glock has more popularity and better market share. Even though Glock got into the game earlier, the XD has been around for almost 7 years and (according to Springfield's figures) only 90 police departments in the US have adopted it into issue at one point or another. The Glock has countless hundreds and the M&P which has only been around for 2 years, already has more police contracts than the XD. Unless Springfield's marketing department is asleep at the wheel I don't understand why it wouldn't be a more popular working gun. I have no clue firsthand, but from what I have heard, reliability problems and inconsistent function (particularly relating to slide velocity) is why some places are hesitant to adopt them.

[windsheer]

Until you can buy replacment parts for an XD on the street corner like you can a Glock then it's a no brainer Glock.

If you don't shoot your gun much or have other guns then it doesn't matter when it breaks how long it takes to repair.

For the cost of shipping I can buy lots of replacement parts. For the amount of time it takes to get fixed I can shoot an extra 3 to 5 days.

For about a hundred to a hundred and fifty bucks I can have most spare parts in my gun bag.

Exactly , that's the point . Call Springfield and ask them to sell any gun parts for any of their guns , they will not do it , very frustrating . I have two XD's 2 m1a's 2 1911's. No more XD's . I have and will by more Glocks as anyone can get a dvd about glocks and fix their pistol and get parts anywhere in the world , almost . Springfield makes me mad with that policy and I'm not inviting them to my birthday party.

[Gryff]

However, I honestly don't think that marketing is a significant reason why the Glock has more popularity and better market share. Even though Glock got into the game earlier, the XD has been around for almost 7 years and (according to Springfield's figures) only 90 police departments in the US have adopted it into issue at one point or another. The Glock has countless hundreds and the M&P which has only been around for 2 years, already has more police contracts than the XD. Unless Springfield's marketing department is asleep at the wheel I don't understand why it wouldn't be a more popular working gun. I have no clue firsthand, but from what I have heard, reliability problems and inconsistent function (particularly relating to slide velocity) is why some places are hesitant to adopt them.

The Glock was the first of the "Wonder 9's" to be accepted in the law enforcement market place. Part was due to its reliability and design, and a more significant reason was that it came into existence during a period where most LEAs were moving from revolvers to semi-autos, but were encountering the growing pains that accompanied that more-complex manual of arms with a DA/SA gun. The Glock hits the market with its same-pull-every-shot system and no manual safety, and the training necessities of using the gun fell dramatically over the Sig and S&W autos.

As for the S&W M&P, you're talking about a company who has had a massive law-enforcement presence and marketing group for nearly a century. Many agencies already had a relationship with S&W (first in revolvers, later in their DA/SA semi-autos) that created an better up-front comfort level when it was time to consider a new pistol. I have heard of a small series of growing pains with the M&P platform, yet (as you said) departments are starting to adopt the pistol.

Now think about Springfield Armory. How many departments had a pre-existing relationship with them prior to the introduction of the XD? This is an organization that has struggled with gaining a foothold in the LE market because of the limitations of their offerings. The XD was effectively the second non-1911 pistol they've offered, in addition to the fact that they don't own the design. It creates a situation where it is difficult for the LE sales group to convince agencies that their platform is the equal or superior to the alternatives.

From a pure design standpoint, I believe the XD is superior. It has a more-natural grip angle (All Hail John Moses Browning), better grip size for non-large hands, fully supported chamber, and rifling that isn't inclined to cause over-pressure with certain types of bullets. But the superiority that I perceive is the difference between outstanding and exceptional. Either is going to work for the average Joe who wants a reliable gun that he can trust his life to. Whatever differences there are are not significant enough to trump someone who simply likes the way a Glock shoots over an XD. That person would be stupid not to get the Glock.

And as I mentioned previously, I have sent A LOT of rounds down range with XDs. In the first 10,000 rounds of my first XD, I had exactly one failure to extract. I now have four XDs total, and I wouldn't give up any of them (for reference, I also have three Glocks...if you count the one that blew up recently). Granted, I don't put my weapons through the abuses that the military or law enforcement departments would, but I can absolutely say that the platform is not finicky, nor is it prone to problems.

[Gryff]

Exactly , that's the point . Call Springfield and ask them to sell any gun parts for any of their guns , they will not do it , very frustrating . I have two XD's 2 m1a's 2 1911's. No more XD's . I have and will by more Glocks as anyone can get a dvd about glocks and fix their pistol and get parts anywhere in the world , almost . Springfield makes me mad with that policy and I'm not inviting them to my birthday party.

Before the IDPA Nationals last year, they gave me two striker retainer pins (mine had broken), and also sold me an additional striker, loaded chamber indicator, and LCI spring.

They won't sell trigger bars, sears, etc., which is unfortunate, but they are amenable to providing the small pieces that have a higher likelihood of malfunctioning.

SA definitely isn't anywhere near perfect in their policies yet, but they are also not as uncooperative as some people make them out to be.

[Teletiger7]

Glocks are simple to work on maintain, modify and you can easily find any part you need for low cost. I have also shot the Xd and they felt fine as well. I don't mind the Glock grip angle, to some it is an issue. It depends on how picky you are about stuff. There is definitely more aftermarket support for the Glock. Probably a personal preference thing.

[Mike's Custom]

Gryff, your case for the XD is very well argued.
I respect the fact that you have good objective arguments on the merits of the XD rather abstract ideas of how it "feels" better.

However, I honestly don't think that marketing is a significant reason why the Glock has more popularity and better market share. Even though Glock got into the game earlier, the XD has been around for almost 7 years and (according to Springfield's figures) only 90 police departments in the US have adopted it into issue at one point or another. The Glock has countless hundreds and the M&P which has only been around for 2 years, already has more police contracts than the XD. Unless Springfield's marketing department is asleep at the wheel I don't understand why it wouldn't be a more popular working gun. I have no clue firsthand, but from what I have heard, reliability problems and inconsistent function (particularly relating to slide velocity) is why some places are hesitant to adopt them.

You are correct. For those that can remember back to when the Glocks came out, you couldn't give them away. They sold for around $200 and dealers were losing money or making very little. Glock couldn't get them into a police force in the USA on a bet. Marketing? Maybe you can call it it that. Glock GAVE some to police departments just to get them moving. Then they offered NEW glocks in a straight trade for a departments OLD guns. Lots of S&W revolvers were traded in for the new "Tupperware" guns, which is what people were calling them. The one thing that made it attractive was the 9mm held 17 rounds. Once Glock got a foot into the LE market the civilian market improved. Then other companies started making plastic guns and we are replacing metal guns with plastic.

[1BigPea]

Exactly , that's the point . Call Springfield and ask them to sell any gun parts for any of their guns , they will not do it , very frustrating . I have two XD's 2 m1a's 2 1911's. No more XD's . I have and will by more Glocks as anyone can get a dvd about glocks and fix their pistol and get parts anywhere in the world , almost . Springfield makes me mad with that policy and I'm not inviting them to my birthday party.

That hasn't been my experience at all but I have heard of them not selling certain parts. Most of these parts below are directly from Springfield. Disconnector, firing pin, misc. springs, Misc. pins, striker locking plate, etc.

You can also find a lot of Springfield factory parts from www.pistolgear.com as well.

[1BigPea]

They won't sell trigger bars, sears, etc., which is unfortunate, but they are amenable to providing the small pieces that have a higher likelihood of malfunctioning.

+1

You beat me to it.

[shawnyteee]

For plinking and fun = XD
To trust your life on = Block

[unashamedlaborer]

I own both and like both for different reasons...
The XD is IMO way mo' better out of the box, with metal 3dot sights metal guide rod and all the "gear", it also fits my hand better than the 3rd gen glocks.... but you can't beat a glock for the aftermarket parts and ease of customization.

I like them both but if I was on a budget id buy the XD

[windsheer]

Pistol gear sells mostly aftermarket springfield parts and some oem springfield acessories and replacement srpings ect. , which is fantastic . The door is opening more and more as more xd's get sold . Soon enough there wil be so many aftermarket parts , (hopefully the type of parts to fix heavyworn and broken guns) that sprinffiled themselves will want a piece of that pie.

I bought my two xds a couple years ago because the shot better and I felt safer with them. That was then. Now I shoot lots and can appreciate glocks for what they are. I still like xd's, the trigger on my 4 inch 9mm XD is factory perfect, almost too soft for a service pistol I would think. I called Springfield last week for a barrel and bushing for my trp bull barrelled TRP no such luck , The lady said they do not sell barrells. or bushings for 1911's. There price to install a fitted standared TRP barrell was only 170 so there you go . Great price but I prefer to do my own work or use a local guy for the fine tuning struff.

[devildog999]

XD all the way. Much better than the glock. All you that chose glocks are IDIOTS!!!

[devildog999]

For plinking and fun = XD
To trust your life on = Block

Me thinky someone made a typo