[newb101]

Hello , I'm obviously new to these boards and somewhat new to the handgun world. I've had a Walther P22 for about 6 months now and was looking into getting something larger in caliber as I will be getting my carry license in the near future.

With quality, price and being a lefty in mind, I'm almost dead-set on getting a springfield XD , but open to any suggestions for something else under $500.

Anyway, I had a few questions for anyone familiar with that line of handguns, or even not.

1. I was considering the sub-compact, with one extended mag for target shooting, and a regular -compact mag for carry purposes. I've held the sub-compact a few times and it feels great. Is this a decent gun for carry purposes?

2. Also , I prefer the blued look, but I've heard stainless is much easier to maintain ... if they cost the exact same, would I be sacrificing much by not getting the stainless?

3. Last but not least, I've shot a 9mm a few times and a .357 magnum also ..
I've never shot a .45acp (or gap for that matter) or a .40 S&W .. would a 9mm with a specific type of round suffice or should I look into a larger caliber? And if I did go with a 9mm and was going to carry more expensive rounds (Not too familiar with 9mm rounds or pricing) should I only shoot those rounds at the range , or find a type that shoots well then use a less expensive 'regular' round when firing many rounds at the range .


Thanks a lot in advance, I think you all are great and appreciate any advice!

 

[BattleRifleG3]

Welcome to Gunandgame!

9mm is ok for CCW if you use hydrashok, or other personal defense hollowpoint bullets. But up to a 45 ACP, bigger is better. 40 S&W offers a good middle ground and is perfectly sufficient for CCW. 45 ACP is of course the best, but its dramatically different size rules out many desireable mid sized and compact pistols.

I highly recommend the Steyr M40, also available in 9mm (M9). It's every bit as good as the Springfield XD and costs less ($300 wholesale, tack on $50-75 for fees). If the Spring XD is your cup of tea it will serve you well for what it is.

 

[newb101]

Thanks

I read up a bit on the M9 , it seems great. I think I will go with the XD though, I can get one for just over $410 (I'm not sure where I can get the extended mag seperate, they have been hard to locate .. I believe they were only sold in a 'combo' with a holster and that was months ago)

Any info in regards to ammo .. are hydra's more expensive than standard rounds? If there is a significant price difference is it more practical to use std at the range?

I'm still debating between the 40 and 9mm .. I'm not sure if the compact is available in the .45gap , I don't think so though. I believe it's 12+1 (40) and 15+1 (9) in the compact with ext mag. Anyone have a rough idea on price difference between 9mm and .40 for a box?

 

[Oxford]

I bought a new blued Springfield XD SubCompact in 9mm about six months ago specifically for a CCW piece because of it's size and light weight. Having fired several boxes of rounds through it I'm very pleased with it's performance. It's the right gun for me.

FYI...today I'm heading to my local gun shop to buy the rail attached red dot laser attachment for the same gun. It'll cost somewhere close to $100...but I want all the bells and whistles for this beauty.

Ox

 

[newb101]

Is the laser specific to the XD , if not , what type of laser is it? I was interested in getting one myself .. they have the XML lights for around $50 if you get it with the gun , but I didn't see any lasers.

Hopefully I'll pick up my XD next weekend, so I have awhile to decide which one I'm going to get. Anyone know where to find the extended magazine seperate for this handgun? Is it practical to have a ccw with a full-size grip but short barrel?

Sorry for all the questions!!

 

[Oxford]

Oops! Just returned from my local gun store where I had every intention of buying a laser attachment for my 9mm subcompact springfield XD. Walked in, told the salesman what I wanted and he started looking for one but soon discovered that red dot laser was not yet on the market. But... the "flashlight attachment", which I wasn't interested in, was available to be attached to the rail. He said that due to customer requests he expected Springfield to get on the market soon for the Spfld XD Sub Compact, probably within the year.

So...I was disappointed and will spend my cash reserve on some other gun purchase, possibly a new rifle.

 

[BattleRifleG3]

Steyr also has the S9 compact. Regarding hydrashock ammo, yes it costs a bit more. I only shot it to make sure it would feed. The rest has been the cheapest variety, which the Steyr feeds and fires perfectly. I believe the XD's rail is the universal kind. While some accessories are made to fit the profile of the trigger guards, they are generally universal.

 

[Oxford]

BR3...do you think there's possibly a laser attachment from another manufacturer besides Springfield which would fit on my sub compact?

 

[newb101]

BRG3 ,

You seem to really like Steyr handguns, I'm not at all familiar with them, other than the few minutes of research I did on them earlier ... and I can't recall seeing them in any of my local gunshops, could that be, are they hard to find?Or I wonder if it's just because I didn't know what I was looking for or never paid much attention. You seem to swear by them, so I'd like to check one out and see how it feels

 

[BattleRifleG3]

Check cdnninvestments.com for Steyr handgun inventory. Your local dealer can order from there and mark up accordingly, or you can arrange to have it sent to the dealer and he'll charge a fee for his paperwork and handling.

Definitely try it for feel if you can find one locally. It fits me perfectly. Action is super smooth and has thus far been 100% reliable. Sites are trapezoidal, which may take getting used to, but they work perfectly for me. Barrel axis is lower than anything on the market, which means less muzzle flip. Has great features like an easy to operate manual safety and loaded chamber indicator. Trigger is pretty nice too. Spring XDs have no manual safety, in case that matters to you.

I have nothing but respect for the Spring XDs, but I think the Steyrs are better for the money.

 

[gunssb]

I'm not a big fan of plastic guns but I've heard that Steyrs are underrated. You cannot have them in CA since they're not CA approved.

 

[Oxford]

Springfield XD's do have a safety device. It's on the trigger. You must pull the trigger back a certain distance before the additional trigger safety device is released, allowing it to fire.

 

[BattleRifleG3]

Right, I said they have no MANUAL safety. This matters to some people, and some don't care. Just something of note. XDs also have a grip safety that the Steyrs don't.

 

[SilverRun]

I have the 4" XD-40. I love mine. I don't have any experience with the compact model. If the 9mm and the .40 are the same physical size, the .40 is the better option. I would avoid the 45 GAP for now – it is still relatively new. I haven’t checked, but I figure ammo is kinda expensive.

 

[NorCalAshnjikov]

Right, I said they have no MANUAL safety. This matters to some people, and some don't care. Just something of note. XDs also have a grip safety that the Steyrs don't.

Um, yes they do. The grip and trigger safety are both manual

 

[Oxford]

It sure isn't remote or electronic, etc. so it must be a manual safety device. At least that's what my operator's manual says. :nod:

 

[newb101]

I think I am going to go with the .40 cal , but I can't decide on which .. the 3" or 4" . The subcompact I believe has 8 rounds .. service model has 12. The dealer I've bought from before is about an hour away (has wholesale prices though) so I haven't had a chance to check out the "combo" he has left. I believe it's $451 , It comes with 3 Magazines and a paddle holster , is that a decent price? I had a similar holster for my P22 and it wasn't very gentle on the finish, so I took it back.. I've yet to see this type but he described exactly like my previous holster .. So I don't know if I want to pay the extra $40 if it's just for a third magazine. But back to my original question .. does anyone personally use the 4" for ccw purposes or have any thoughts about that?

 

[BattleRifleG3]

The Package price sounds fair if the unpackage price was $410.

Regarding subcompact accessories, it would depend on the dimensions, but the rail is universal. The worst something might do is stick out.

 

[newb101]

I found a Steyr M40 today, used at a large outdoor retail store.. $359 . It felt nice, the angle was different but comfortable. The sights were a bit different than I've ever seen also , but I kinda liked them. Felt like a solid pistol to me , if it was $59 less I might have gotten it, but I'd rather not buy a used gun if I can avoid it.

Anyone recommend a specific 9mm round for both target shooting and self defense in a springfield xd? I thought I read something about certain rounds cracking/damaging polymer pistols.

 

[NorCalAshnjikov]

I found a Steyr M40 today, used at a large outdoor retail store.. $359 . It felt nice, the angle was different but comfortable. The sights were a bit different than I've ever seen also , but I kinda liked them. Felt like a solid pistol to me , if it was $59 less I might have gotten it, but I'd rather not buy a used gun if I can avoid it.

Anyone recommend a specific 9mm round for both target shooting and self defense in a springfield xd? I thought I read something about certain rounds cracking/damaging polymer pistols.

IIRC, that was due to bad reloads, in particular of steel, not brass.


You can see what owners/fans have to say at
http://www.gunsandammomag.com/ga_handguns/springfield_armory_xd_series/
http://www.hs2000talk.com/
http://www.xd-hs2000.com/