Opinion on these Handguns
 

I am in the market for a new Handgun. What do you think of one of these 3:

Springfield XD
Smith and Wesson M&P 9mm
Glock 17

Re: Opinion on these Handguns
 

depends on what you want to do with it but all of them are fine guns

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Those are some big boys. I live the S&W MP, but I would almost always go with the Glock. I hate the Springfield safety mechanism!

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so you're anti-grip and trigger safety? can i ask why

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Glock all day

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I used to say that until about 6 mos. ago when I was one of the test guinea pigs for the S&W M&P for our department, now with all things equal I love the M&P. I loved my glock because it went bang every time, clean, dirty, wet, dry it didn't matter the thing always worked.

Well I have put a few thousand rounds through my M&P and it functions every bit as good as the Glock, the big upside of the M&P is that it is just a sexy gun, the lines are alot better than the Glock and the interchangeable back strap is great (although the Glock Gen 4 has them now). The big thing is the angle of the grip, I was always fighting to find the front sight of my Glock but not with the M&P I pull up and my front sight is right in line with the rear no more canting the front sight down to get a good sight picture, the grip on the M&P is more like a 1911. anyways my .02

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I carry the M&P .40cal subcompact. Feels great. Shoots great. Great gun.

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Depends on your shooting stance. Test fire each (or at least hold and aim) before coming to a conclusion. It won't be much benefit to you to hear it from a bunch of people with different opinions. You've already settled on 3 great platforms.

Glock will obviously be the benchmark to beat, but neither the XD or the M&P are slouches.

As someone noted, the grip safety on the XD is a huge annoyance. One that would prevent me from owning it. Trigger safeties aren't that big of a deal imho.

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Say what you will about grip safeties but they do come in handy now and then. I.E. http://acidcow.com/pics/18523-worn-l...ccidental.html

I would say all three are comparable. Best shoot them and see which shoots and feels best to you. Dont forget to consider all the other things like holsters, spare mags and and sight changes you would want when looking into price.

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I have 2 XD's one 45 and one 40 and love them both. Have never had a problem with either one.

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I personally hate the glock frame more than life itself. They were not meant to be held by the human hand.

The best thing to do though is either shoot each of them or at least go to a gun shop and decided which fits your hands best.

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I am not a fan or any of the pin fired guns, I want to see a hammer and appreciate the old school mechanics involved.

But, if I had to chose one of your three it would be Glock (but I would go with the 19).

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I grew up firing Glocks. It's what I know and love. Havent shot myself yet! I would go with a compact model as well. Glock 19. The G17 is a beast. Go with the G19 (9mm) or the G23 (.40).

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I agree...Personally, not a very comfortable grip. The S & W has three interchangeable grips you can choose from, if I'm not mistaken. I bought the S&W M&P .40 and I love it.

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This poll is invalid without the "All of the above" choice :)

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Depends on which one fits your hand and operates in a way that feels comfortable to you. Even though I am not an M&P fan they are all good quality but the one that fits me may not fit you so my preference does not matter.

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Had an m&p, prefer the glock

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Gen 4 glocks have the interchangeable grips

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I love my Glock's. I will say though, that I have a S&W M&P 9mm and it is phenomenal. Just as good as my Glock.

Rent both at a local range and see which one suits you better :tu

Re: Opinion on these Handguns
 

I was issued the Glock almost 12 years ago and then, I thought this was one of the better semi-auto's out there.....BUT, we Detroit Police Dept, changed over to the S&W MP40 and I love it. I have shot expert with the Glock since I was issued it back in 1997, usually scoring no less than 237 out of 250.

Since changing to the M&P, my highest score was 249 out of 250. I love the interchangable hand grips and my groups are more consistence.

I vote for the S&W MP all day. Just my :2

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See Justin, we are smarter than you :noon J/K Bro.

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the most important thing is how the gun feels in YOUR hand. the best way to make this decision is to actually fire each weapon. holding each will give a good idea but nothing beats a live fire to determine which weapon is the best fit for you

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I voted for the M&P. This line is very reliable and it's what I have experience using so I may be partial to them. I have an M&P40 and the gun has operated absolutely flawlessly. Probably over 1,000 rounds through it and not a single jam or FTF. To me if your using it as a carry weapon reliability is what you want as top priority. I couldn't imagine anything worse than finally needing that weapon as your first line of defense and having it fail to go boom. Glocks are reliable too but I have no first hand experience with them.

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:tpd: try to get some range time with each, sometimes putting holes in paper tells way more about how a gun fits how you shoot than anything else

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I'm getting a handgun soon and have been between the S&W and the Spring XD for a while. Almost positive I'm going with the S&W

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Here are the two I carry, just to push you over the edge!!!

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Are you planning on carrying any of these big guns? I can't imagine it on me.

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Very nice. Full Size and Compact!:tu

Re: Opinion on these Handguns
 

GLOCK all the way...

I have the Glock 30 & 36 both 45 cal.

Glock 30: Sub-compact, making it ideal for concealed carry
Glock 36: A slim-down version of the 30 & single-stack magazine

Both are kick A$$ handguns.... :tu

Re: Opinion on these Handguns
 

All are made in a compact model which are very concealable, not as good as my S&W Airweight .38 which I can carry in a pocket but still are easy to carry and conceal, my M&P compact is a little over 4.5" long, just a hair longer than the Glock 26.

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Well he mentioned full size models.

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Gotcha, yeah full size are a bit hard to carry.

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My first gun was a G17 and it was a bit ridiculous to try and carry it. :r

Re: Opinion on these Handguns
 

I have three Glocks in all three frame sizes; the little 26 in 9mm, the mid sized 23 in .40, and the full sized 21 in .45 ACP. I have all three of my pistols set up with Meprolight sights, and the factory 5 lb. connector. I can grab any one of them, and the sight picture / trigger pull is almost identical (save for sight radius). I have shot the crap out of these pistols, and really like them. Having said that.....
This hits the nail on the head. There is a sort of "zen" that you and a handgun have to have, if you are to function as a reliable team. While Glocks and my hands get along very well, there is no substitute for renting each of them at the local range and putting some lead downrange. After doing that, I think the choice for you will be obvious.

Quality wise, I would venture that they are all probably on par with each other. Shoot them all, then you tell us.

Or, just buy a Glock and be done with it........:cool:

Cheers - N.F.H.

Edited to add - I have to say out of all of them, for carry, the mid sized 23 in .40 would be my choice. .40 is a pretty darn hot round, and the 23 brings 13+1 of them to the table. YMMV, etc......

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I don't hate them, I just won't buy one. I agree, the Glock is about as ergonomic as a cinderblock, but that's my personal opinion. I'm a 1911 man myself, Kimber to be more specific. As the others have said, you have to find what you like.

If you plan on carrying, that too is a big thing to consider. A lot of people go out and get compact Glocks and other short-barrel double-stack handguns. I prefer the single-stack 1911 because it is thin and easy to carry with an inside the waistband (IWB) holster. Many of the double-stack weapons are not so easy to carry that way. I prefer an IWB for concealed carry, so the 1911 works well for me. If you prefer middle of the back, cross-draw, shoulder, or many other holsters, your options will vary accordingly.

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Here is my street enforcement arsenal.

http://i1080.photobucket.com/albums/.../myhumi002.jpg

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This.

Go to a gun shop/range where you can shoot a bunch and see what works for you best.

I have carried a Glock 17 on duty for almost 20 years because it is our mandatory issue gun. I don't even think about carrying it off duty, so that tells you what I think of that gun (for me, of course).

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Before I carried, I had a 357 Magnum for home defense.

Once I started carrying, it wasn't practical to carry such a large gun and being a revolver fan, the Smith and Wesson 642 Airweight 38 was a perfect fit for my small frame body.

I know it's only 5 shots, but if I need more, I am in a prolonged gunfight and nothing will probably help.

There is no comparing the reliability

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+2 Go find out what works best for you. Most indoor ranges rent or find buddies to let you try theirs.

Then go buy a 1911. :noon

Re: Opinion on these Handguns
 

I agree to shoot some and find out what one you like, but I can't advocate the use of a 1911 as a self defense weapon, yes they are sexy and lots of fun to shoot, but I have seen far to many of them goes toes up on the range under optimal conditions, I still don't know why some of my co-workers choose to carry those things. My .02

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Very true Pete, I like to carry my SW airweight off duty...its light weight and easy to carry in your pocket.....agreed, if it takes more than 5 shots, then your Fu**ed...

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Agreed. Anything more than a few shots and you'd better have the AK or AR nearby because it's going to be a battle. :r

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The US government issued them as the standard sidearm for all branches of the military for 75 years (1911-1985).

Infact, the 1911 was put through rigorous testing before it was selected:

IMO there is nothing wrong with the 1911 design. There have been improvements to them over the past century, but the basic design is still the same.

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Yeah, they have a great history and don't get me wrong I really like 1911's. My hang up is that some are very finicky i.e some like to be dry, some very oiled, some clean, some dirty. Awesome gun to shoot and have fun with, just that I have seen way to many go bang once and then stop working and have to be fiddled with to get back into action, I would save my 1911's for the range on the weekends and go M&P or Glock for everyday carry.

And remember military contracts usually go to the lowest bidder :r

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P.S the Browning 1911 is now Utah's official state gun.

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You're not the only LEO I have heard make this statement and carry a 38 off duty.

My brother in Jersey is a Leuitenant, and feels that they are the best choice.

I spend most of my time in cargo shorts and find it perfect in my front pocket in a Desantis Nemesis holster.

I added Crimson trace laser grips not long after buying it so a relatively inexpensive handgun became not so inexpensive.

I had a Kel Tec P11 for a short time but found it to be the biggest piece of junk, although many LEO carry it due to it's compact frame.

It all boils down to personal preference, but after a lot of trial and error, a 38 in the pocket and a Mossberg in the house has me feeling somewhat secure.

The Smith and Wesson scanduim 357 360 model caught my eye, but shooting 357s in a small frame left my hand throbbing to the point that I would never practice, and I feel a 38 plus p round has plenty of stopping power with 4 behind it to be certain.

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Glock, I owned an XD, well actually the XDm. I didnt like it all. I own 2 Glocks. 19 and 23 Gen4

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The only real downside to 1911's as far as concealed carry is that they are a bit heavy.

Other than that a GOOD 1911 won't fail. I still personally would cycle 500-700 rounds through it to break it in real good before carrying it as a defense weapon.

I've never shot better with any other pistol, the 1911 is perfect.

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+1 I have a S&W Airweight .38, I am a cargo shorts guy and hate tightening my belt enough to carry on my hip or inside the waist, throw that little sucker in a pocket and good to go.

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I'm with you 100%. A lot of the negative feedback people post about 1911s is when they are brand new. People buy them, walk directly to the range (inside the shop they bought it at) and shoot. Expect some issues. You should clean and oil all new guns before shooting them. Some manufacturers ship relatively dry, others with packing grease (little or a lot), others with an average amount of oil. That kind of variance will affect your first impression big time. I know Kimber ships bone-dry. Don't shoot them out of the box, you have to clean and oil them first.

That said, I love my BIL Kimber Pro-Carry. It's 25 oz, 4.25 inch barrel, with an aluminum alloy frame stainless slide, and tritum 3-dot night-sights. That's 13 oz less than my full size all stainless Custom II, all with the same full size grip.