annade
10-06-2012, 07:53 PM
This is more of a comparison review of the two and not a review on one, hopefully the forums overlords aren't mad at me :rant:
Anyway, I acquired a Springfield Armory XD 40 sub compact about a month ago. First gun I used as a carry gun. I absolutely love the gun. I think the trigger is great, contrary to what many feel. I had the break and reset learned quickly, so much to the point I surprised myself how fast I could fire. The recoil is completely manageable because it is so chunky. The extended mags are actually contoured to the grip perfectly (unlike Glock) so there is no pinching issue and allows a comfortable 3 finger grip. The mags have great capacity (9 and 12) for a small pistol. Best of all, I became very accurate. It is a gun that just feels like it is made to be a 3" 40 semi auto pistol (unlike the Glock 27 I tried to love and hate every time I pick one up).
For the record, I am not Glock bashing. I think they are great, reliable guns and everyone should probably own one. The Glock 27 was just what I had originally set out to get, but hated it and stumbled on the XD.
So for everything the XD40SC is good at, made it terrible to conceal. I spent $70 on one IWB holster that wasn't comfortable because I felt like I had a brick in my belt. Bought 4 holsters from a large outdoor store, and returned each one. Everything that made the 40 caliber fun to shoot in this gun, made it horrible to carry. Fat grip, heavy/square slide and the fact that there is no external safety (don't tell me a grip safety is a safety).
Yesterday I went out with my dad to either get a comfortable holster or new carry gun. I looked at Kahr's, Sig's, Ruger's, Kimber, XDS, etc. He wanted me to get an LCP like him, but I find the trigger so horrible I don't like to shoot it at all and would probably never practice with it. If all I had to shoot at the range was an LCP, I would rather stay home and cut the grass. I want a CC that I enjoy shooting enough to be proficient with. I had been researching a little and was really liking the M&P Shield. It was smaller, thinner and not so boxy as my XD. I couldn't find one anywhere yesterday, and ended up finding an OWB holster that made the XD very comfortable to carry compared to an IWB brick. I even forget it was there a few times early today as I wore it for the first time, but it still stabbed me in the car and stuck out from my body to much for me. Since you can't bend leather at 90 degrees, trying to make a thin, fitted holster for a brick results in something even bulkier feeling than the brick. I could definitely comfortably carry on occasion OWB with the new holster, but would be annoyed day in and day out.
Today I go to the indoor range because it was too cold to shoot at the outdoor one and I had some time to myself, which I usually spend shooting targets. Low and behold when I walk in, they have a M&P Shield 9!!! I had held the larger M&Ps before and really liked the grip/feel. The Shield was almost as heavenly, but thinner. Thinner is what I wanted most of all, and a little smaller and rounded. They had just received them and they were literally selling one every 45 minutes. I had to wait to even hold it. I pondered it over and realized it felt like everything I was looking for. Little smaller, thinner, rounded and big enough that it didn't feel like that cheap plastic LCP my dad loves. I really liked the idea of carrying 40S&W, but had considered getting a 9mm for two reasons when I decided I would look for a more suitable CC. First, there is no point in two 40 subcompacts. I hated the G27. It was smaller than the XD and recoil was harsh so I new any smaller in a 40 would be worse. Second, if there is ever an ammo shortage, I would rather have two subcompacts in different calibers. I bought the M&P, ran home to get my own ammo and shot it.
My thoughts comparing the two...
The XDSC fells like better quality. Breaking them down, everything is thicker (metal, slide, etc) and seems to move smoother (it does have 900 rounds through it). It is hard to explain but it is like shutting a Chevy Cobalt car door, or Cadillac CTS. They both shut and latch, but you can tell the Cadillac is in a level above. There was more to "grab" on the XD. The XD also has stainless mags, the Shield's look galvanized. The XD has striker and chambered indicators, the Shield has a little hole in the top you can see brass if chambered. I got to shoot as long as I wanted, and I would routinely pick up the XD just because I love to shoot that thing.
The Shield is not lacking, but a different gun. It is built to be a CC and it shows. It is as thin as you can be without feeling uncomfortable. The safety is small and not easily engaged/disengaged, but located just right to be easily disengaged by sweeping your thumb as you unholster and grip (even one handed). I feel that the Shield in a 40 would defeat the purpose (for me) because the recoil would be harsh and harder to control, not something you want if you ever had to use it in a life & death situation. The Shield 9 recoil feels very similar to the XD40SC. The Shield trigger surprised me at first. It is not similiar to the XD trigger at all. The Shield is smooth with a hard break and solid "click" reset. I still have to get use to it some more, but it is what I wanted in a CC (not the 1.5 mile pull of the LCP, can you tell I hate that gun yet?). I don't know how to explain it, other than it was nice to pick up a sub $500 gun that feels completely purpose built from every aspect to perform a specific function.
While debating to purchase, I considered selling my XD40SC to pay for this one. I had purchased the XD for CC, so having two didn't seem to serve a purpose. Now that I shot both, they perform very different functions for me. One is a great CC piece I really look forward to improving my skill with, and the other is a hard hitting, small striker fired gun that keeps me sharp.
This all obviously my opinion. Hopefully it helps someone else if they are considering either one.
Anyway, I acquired a Springfield Armory XD 40 sub compact about a month ago. First gun I used as a carry gun. I absolutely love the gun. I think the trigger is great, contrary to what many feel. I had the break and reset learned quickly, so much to the point I surprised myself how fast I could fire. The recoil is completely manageable because it is so chunky. The extended mags are actually contoured to the grip perfectly (unlike Glock) so there is no pinching issue and allows a comfortable 3 finger grip. The mags have great capacity (9 and 12) for a small pistol. Best of all, I became very accurate. It is a gun that just feels like it is made to be a 3" 40 semi auto pistol (unlike the Glock 27 I tried to love and hate every time I pick one up).
For the record, I am not Glock bashing. I think they are great, reliable guns and everyone should probably own one. The Glock 27 was just what I had originally set out to get, but hated it and stumbled on the XD.
So for everything the XD40SC is good at, made it terrible to conceal. I spent $70 on one IWB holster that wasn't comfortable because I felt like I had a brick in my belt. Bought 4 holsters from a large outdoor store, and returned each one. Everything that made the 40 caliber fun to shoot in this gun, made it horrible to carry. Fat grip, heavy/square slide and the fact that there is no external safety (don't tell me a grip safety is a safety).
Yesterday I went out with my dad to either get a comfortable holster or new carry gun. I looked at Kahr's, Sig's, Ruger's, Kimber, XDS, etc. He wanted me to get an LCP like him, but I find the trigger so horrible I don't like to shoot it at all and would probably never practice with it. If all I had to shoot at the range was an LCP, I would rather stay home and cut the grass. I want a CC that I enjoy shooting enough to be proficient with. I had been researching a little and was really liking the M&P Shield. It was smaller, thinner and not so boxy as my XD. I couldn't find one anywhere yesterday, and ended up finding an OWB holster that made the XD very comfortable to carry compared to an IWB brick. I even forget it was there a few times early today as I wore it for the first time, but it still stabbed me in the car and stuck out from my body to much for me. Since you can't bend leather at 90 degrees, trying to make a thin, fitted holster for a brick results in something even bulkier feeling than the brick. I could definitely comfortably carry on occasion OWB with the new holster, but would be annoyed day in and day out.
Today I go to the indoor range because it was too cold to shoot at the outdoor one and I had some time to myself, which I usually spend shooting targets. Low and behold when I walk in, they have a M&P Shield 9!!! I had held the larger M&Ps before and really liked the grip/feel. The Shield was almost as heavenly, but thinner. Thinner is what I wanted most of all, and a little smaller and rounded. They had just received them and they were literally selling one every 45 minutes. I had to wait to even hold it. I pondered it over and realized it felt like everything I was looking for. Little smaller, thinner, rounded and big enough that it didn't feel like that cheap plastic LCP my dad loves. I really liked the idea of carrying 40S&W, but had considered getting a 9mm for two reasons when I decided I would look for a more suitable CC. First, there is no point in two 40 subcompacts. I hated the G27. It was smaller than the XD and recoil was harsh so I new any smaller in a 40 would be worse. Second, if there is ever an ammo shortage, I would rather have two subcompacts in different calibers. I bought the M&P, ran home to get my own ammo and shot it.
My thoughts comparing the two...
The XDSC fells like better quality. Breaking them down, everything is thicker (metal, slide, etc) and seems to move smoother (it does have 900 rounds through it). It is hard to explain but it is like shutting a Chevy Cobalt car door, or Cadillac CTS. They both shut and latch, but you can tell the Cadillac is in a level above. There was more to "grab" on the XD. The XD also has stainless mags, the Shield's look galvanized. The XD has striker and chambered indicators, the Shield has a little hole in the top you can see brass if chambered. I got to shoot as long as I wanted, and I would routinely pick up the XD just because I love to shoot that thing.
The Shield is not lacking, but a different gun. It is built to be a CC and it shows. It is as thin as you can be without feeling uncomfortable. The safety is small and not easily engaged/disengaged, but located just right to be easily disengaged by sweeping your thumb as you unholster and grip (even one handed). I feel that the Shield in a 40 would defeat the purpose (for me) because the recoil would be harsh and harder to control, not something you want if you ever had to use it in a life & death situation. The Shield 9 recoil feels very similar to the XD40SC. The Shield trigger surprised me at first. It is not similiar to the XD trigger at all. The Shield is smooth with a hard break and solid "click" reset. I still have to get use to it some more, but it is what I wanted in a CC (not the 1.5 mile pull of the LCP, can you tell I hate that gun yet?). I don't know how to explain it, other than it was nice to pick up a sub $500 gun that feels completely purpose built from every aspect to perform a specific function.
While debating to purchase, I considered selling my XD40SC to pay for this one. I had purchased the XD for CC, so having two didn't seem to serve a purpose. Now that I shot both, they perform very different functions for me. One is a great CC piece I really look forward to improving my skill with, and the other is a hard hitting, small striker fired gun that keeps me sharp.
This all obviously my opinion. Hopefully it helps someone else if they are considering either one.