need some Xd advice please

[ThatFishGuy]

Hey everyone,
so finally i'll be turning 21 in about, i dont know, 32 days... (but whos counting ) I had my eye set on something in the SA XD family as they are within my budget. Would love an XDm, but alas they are not approved. That whole NRF thing hasnt kicked in has it? is there any other possible way to get one? i dont think they've been around long enough to get a ppt?
if thats just not going to work, i also really like the XD v10's in either 40SW or 9mm. Like the idea of .40 (never shot it) with less recoil, but i know 9mm is cheaper so i would shoot that more. But i also heard that a ported barrel will make little to no difference in felt recoil with 9mm? Thanks in advance for any help, i know thats alot of questions.
-Sam

ps. Donations are currently being accepted to fund Birthday presents

[walter]

i use to have an xd and hated it. the trigger was not for me and the gun was way too heavy for some reason. i bought a glock and the trigger isn't great either but it breaks further back and has better reset and it's LIGHT(weight). it has tons of aftermarket accessories and alot of people selling glock stuff.. I have 19C which is compensated but I havent shot it yet. I also have an advantage arms 22lr conversion. ill be shooting both tomorrow and will let you know how it goes.

other than the grip i dont really see any advantage XD has over glock except maybe the cocking indicator but glock makes up with that with the trigger position while xd trigger is always in the middle. grip safety to me is useless.

fit and finish is great though

[ThatFishGuy]

the trigger problem with the xd's was one of the reasons i liked the XDm's (though i've read up on a few easy fixes for factory xd triggers). supposedly they've fixed it, and the reviews seem to at least partially agree. I've only handled one glock, i dont even remember the model, but i didnt particularly like the way it fit my hand. i will still probably pick a few up at the local gun shops this weekend to make sure. Also, while its not important to function whatsoever, i really dont like the glocks aesthetics. stupid, i know....but it bugs...

[walter]

trust me, i use to feel the same way and though that the XD was the ultimate glock killer until I really though about it. for example if you wanted a holster for your xd how many choices do you have? I can buy a holster for my glock for $20 just because its so common. glocks are ugly yes, the grip sucks also, but mine is compensated with slots on top of the slide which adds to the cool factor

[ThatFishGuy]

haha all good points walter. I did already find the holster i want though, so thats not an issue ( though i understand the point you were making). The xd v10's are also compensated. and of course i havent shot one, but i heard the ported barrels on the glocks werent all that effective. the ones i've seen only had 2 ports, one on each side of the barrel (compared to the 10 ports on the xd's), so from a couple reviews it didnt help as much as it should have. either way, the cut out slots definitely look cool on either gun!

[3GunFunShooter]

The real question is what fits your hand the best. I have a Glock 35, great gun. Got a XD 9 Tactical and my scores in IDPA improved 50 %. They are both great guns. As far as the triggers go, both factory ones suck. Drop in kits are available for both. Got my Glock a grip reduction and still shoot it in USPSA.

[USMC Tanker]

My good friend has a ported XD .40 and I've shot it a lot...granted it is .40, it still has a very snappy recoil.

I much prefer the recoil of the XD .45.

The XD is a great gun with great features. I could never own a Glock, they just don't point right for me.

With ALL of that being said, the 1911 is your best bet

[jmramirez]

I have both an XD9 and XD40 and have shot an XD45. Of all 3 the .40 has the most felt recoil IMHO. I much prefer to shoot my 9 or even the 45. XDs are great guns if you can get used to the trigger. It's definitely not for everyone. Make sure you try out any gun you are thinking of buying before you do it. Especially to see how it fits in your hand and to understand the trigger.

[WokMaster1]

go to a gun range with rental & try out as many guns as you can. Don't make up your mind on something you haven't try or seen or hold in your hands. You are new to handguns & have never shot a 40 S&W. Now is the time to go find out. Be open minded, it might surprise yourself that you'll end up with a Sig or S&W M&P. You'll never know. Good luck.

[The SoCal Gunner]

I used to own an XD40 fullsize and also an XD9SC. Both were great guns but I sold them or traded them because they are easy to replace. Personally I like the .40S&W and the trigger has a smoother pull than a Glock. Reset is long though and size is larger than a comparable Glock 23, which I also have.

The XD40 was my first gun when I Turned 21 also.

[civilsnake]

If you're set on an XD (not a fan, personally), I would recommend the 9mm for the first pistol. You can just shoot more, and practice is worth more than anything at this point. Good 9mm cartridges are every bit as effective when it comes to demotivating people, and you can reacquire faster. Porting is frankly not necessary, and the argument has been made that it can compromise your night vision, so I wouldn't bother with that. If you reach the point where you feel good enough and feel compelled to get a heavier bullet, jump straight to .45. .40 is a compromise round.

Hold some different guns before you settle. I really don't like the feel of XDs and Glocks, but the SW M&P series feels more natural. And it's made in the US. 1911s still feel best, though.

[ThatFishGuy]

thanks for all the replies everyone, very good insights. I know i know i really do want a 1911 too, but the .45 is a little expensive for me to shoot. i mean i could still shoot it, just considerably less than say 9mm. sounds like the consensus is to get the 9mm then...
I am not new to handguns entirely, i just havent shot anything in .40sw.
I did read about the pored barrel possibly interfering with engaging targets at night, personal experience or is that just a known fact?
thanks again,
-Sam

[darksands]

I have a XD40 4" and I think it's a great gun. My buddy let a few buddies and I shoot his G22 and I let them shoot the XD40 and it was a 50/50 decision based on how it felt.

If 400-500 dollars is your budget then those are great choices and I would suggest you shoot the glock, XD, and also the S&W M&P.

If you have more of a budget then there are lots more choices out there. Also, what is the purpose of this gun? You planning to get serious into competition shooting?

[walter]

A ported pistol isn't going to be anyworse than a 357 mag

[ThatFishGuy]

walter- see now the .357 i've shot....just not at night so not sure what kind of flash we're talking about.

i forgot to say the purpose- i guess general use? i know thats vague, but i really will use it for everything; plinking, possibly home defense (have a shotgun though so not my primary use), and after some practice i would also like to get into some basic competition, mostly for fun. That price range is pretty set though, if i wish to be able to buy any needed accessories or ammo.