home protection.

[ace21]

I'm going to buy a handgun for the purpose of home protection.
I'm stuck between Glock 9mm or .40 cal full size
or
Springfield XD 9mm or .40 XD also full size.
both 5 inch barrels.

can I get some input from all you pro board members.

Thanks.

[D.T. Rouland]

Hit the range n shoot em all. I'm a Glock type of guy myself but the grip angles are different and yadda yadda. As far as reliability, both are excellent guns and you can't go wrong with either one. Fact is, you just gotta try them out to see which one you feel better with.

[bu-bye]

Glock for me. Mine has fed everything I have put in it for the past 6 years. Not one problem with it. I have also tested it by not cleaning or oiling it for thousands of rounds and she never missed a step.

There are a lot here who like the XD and word is it also is a tough gun (aside from the finish that can rust). I feel strongly about the glock because its what I know and have tested. I can't knock the XD40, it has been a nice shooter for me but I have to put my trust in Glock.

[socal57chevy]

Check out some ballistics reports on both calibers. I think you'll find that the .40 may suit you better for home defense if that will be it's purpose. The 9mm will be cheaper to shoot if you do a lot of range practice. I'm not personally familiar with either gun, but if you can easily swap barrels and a mag to change calibers on either one that might be a nice asset. Practice with 9mm then drop in the .40 barrel and mag to keep the home front secure.
Hit the range and try them on for size before you drop the cash.

[bu-bye]

Actually converting cals would mean you would need a whole new slide too.

Another point, you can use the normal cap glock mags you bought back in 99.....remember. Can't do that with the XD.

[maxicon]

Either one makes a great home defense gun in terms of quality and reliability.

When I'm deciding what to put in the nightstand, the most important things to me for that are that the trigger is heavy enough (no 1911s for home defense for me), that it be ready to use with no complications, and that it shoot where I'm pointing it, even if I'm not aiming.

It's the natural pointing part that makes me use a CZ75B, but I put thousands of rounds through a dozen guns to get to that point.

This is different for everybody, of course, but you never know how a gun's going to work for you until you've put some rounds down the tube. No matter what you get, you need to put a pile of ammo through it to make sure it's reliable for you, because all gun manufacturers make some lemons.

max

[socal57chevy]

Actually converting cals would mean you would need a whole new slide too.

Bummer.
That would be a nice selling point.

[TonyM]

Glock for me. Mine has fed everything I have put in it for the past 6 years. Not one problem with it. I have also tested it by not cleaning or oiling it for thousands of rounds and she never missed a step.

There are a lot here who like the XD and word is it also is a tough gun (aside from the finish that can rust). I feel strongly about the glock because its what I know and have tested. I can't knock the XD40, it has been a nice shooter for me but I have to put my trust in Glock.

+1

Going on 15 years since I bought my first Glock, a 23. It's still my bedside handgun and has never once failed me. It feeds any ammo I have purchased and is very accurate.

[saki302]

Glock for me too. I have no problem with using 9mm +P or +P+ rounds for defense. I don't care for std. vel. 9mm too much though.

I personally like .45 more than .40, but haven't found a .45 (ACP) Glock which feels good to me. The kimber and other .45's are too fancy to rattle around in a bedside drawer.

-Dave

[Ryan HBC]

When I compare an XD and Glock, the XD seems to be everything Glock is and more. From what I can see, the XD is basically a copy of the Glock design that is beefed up on the weak points. If the Glock can do it, the XD can do it better. Compare the two guns in person and you will see.

I would defintaely go .40 or .45acp for home defense. Of the two, I actually prefer the felt recoil of the .45acp. The recoil of the .45 is stronger, but seems to be more managable and less "snappy" than the .40. You'll have to shoot them both to see what I mean.

The 4" XD45acp is also on sale right now at Turners, and I don't think you will find a better home defense gun for the money.

[plastidip]

If you buy an XD in .40 you can buy a drop in barrel for .357 or 9mm... you don't need a new slide (not that you could buy one if you wanted to).

http://www.pistolgear.com/proddetail.php?prod=37EFA

-Liam

[socal57chevy]

If you buy an XD in .40 you can buy a drop in barrel for .357 or 9mm... you don't need a new slide (not that you could buy one if you wanted to).

http://www.pistolgear.com/proddetail.php?prod=37EFA

-Liam

You Rock!!!

[bassplayrr]

Don't want to throw a wrench in to the works, but you may want to check out the Sig SP2340 (non-rail) or SP2020 (rail) in .40 as well. I have the SP2340 in .40 and couldn't be happier with it. Its fit/finish is top notch and it eats anything you shoot through it. In the 300 rounds I've fired through it since I bought it about four months ago it has not experienced one malfunction with a range of cheap/expensive ball and jhp ammo. It's about the same price as the two you've listed as well.

-Chris

[TonyM]

If you buy an XD in .40 you can buy a drop in barrel for .357 or 9mm... you don't need a new slide (not that you could buy one if you wanted to).

http://www.pistolgear.com/proddetail.php?prod=37EFA

-Liam

Same with the Glocks. I have a .357 sig barrel for my old 23.

[asintado]

I'd go for the XD. The way I see it, it does the same thing a Glock can at a lesser price. Plus all come w/ light rails, the older gen Glocks don't.