[SKM&P9]

Hello all. In a bit of a quandry. I love the look and feel of the XD 45, especially the 5" Tactical model. But I keep seeing all the gorgeous 1911s, and now I'm torn. Do I go ahead and still pick up the XD, and save up for a nice 1911, or jump into one now ?? Also, does anyone have any experience with the Taurus 1911, or have preferences for a particular brand, model, etc. ?

[dmftoy1]

Well you don't say what you intend to use it for or whether you figure you'll ever buy another .45. If it was me and I was only going to own one .45 it would be a 1911 . . .

That being said my XD45 gets shot ALOT. If I ever was in a situation where I knew I needed a pistol for self defense I'd probably grab the XD as it's simpler to operate and holds more rounds. Of course if I was ever in a situation where I knew I needed a weapon for SD before I needed it I'd grab a rifle or a shotgun. :)

So I guess my advice is:

If you're going to only own one .45 acp then I'd save and buy a 1911 . .if you think you might own two then I'd buy the XD first and then the 1911. :) I view my 1911's as family heirlooms that will get handed down to my kids. My XD is purely a tool.

Have a good one,
Dave

[SKM&P9]

Thanks for the info Dave. I'm thinking CCW, and home defense. I have a 9mm M&P, and the idea of 14 rds of .45 ACP seems so much better than 7 or 8, and the fact that the XD feels almost the same in my hand as my M&P. It's just that the 1911's and their drilled and machined triggers look soooooo damn good !!!!! Leaning more toward the XD, and salting away the $$ for the 1911. Thanks again, Steve

[Gators]

FN P-45 cumming soon! Watch for it. 14 round mags! If you have shot the FN P-9 or 40 you would know why you should watch for it to come out.:D

PS
Every thing includding the slide is SS. Will not rust like the XD slide.

[Plink]

If you can rent or borrow them both, shoot them and see which you shoot best with. That's the one to buy. :)

I shoot best with a single action trigger, so my choice is almost always a 1911, though the XD really fits my hand well. If it's for carry, there's no safer design than the multiple safties, both active and passive, that are built into the 1911's.

[2bigfeet]

Have you ever shot a 1911? That might be your deciding factor. While I love the romance of them and the way they look too, I don't like the narrow feel or the long reach for the slide release... and I have large hands. I have an M&P9, an XD9 5" and I'm now looking at acquiring a couple of Glocks... a 17 and a 34. As you can tell I'm in plastic mode. I have a few guns for the price of one good 1911... YMMV.

[Dobe]

I too would shoot both first. I love the long thin build of th 1911. It conceals well, and handles great, and I have small hands. There are several autos out there that most people feel fits their hand regardless of the their hand size. The 1911 and the High Power are two.\

[possum]

PS
Every thing includding the slide is SS. Will not rust like the XD slide.

still haven't had any issues of rusting on either of my xd's yet. :D

[glocker1911]

Het Gators, you do realize Stainless steel is not rustproof, right? The new XDs, including all XD45s, have a Melomtie treaatment done to the slides, which is very similar to the teniifer process Glock uses, so rust should not be a deciding factor. I love 1911s, but the XD is a very nice package. Only you can decide which is best for you. And don't forget the option to ge both! Good luck.

[ugaarguy]

Steve,
For HD a light mounted on the pistol can be a nice addition. I'd say get the XD now and put a good light on it. After that save for the 1911. Thats hard for me to say too because I'm a diehard 1911 fan and love the great triggers and smooth operation of a good 1911.

Edit; See the seventh paragraph on this link http://www.durferrit.de/en/unternehmen/firmengeschichte.htm. The Melonite finish applied to all XD45s, and all other XDs impoted after Jan. 2006, is exactly the same as the more well known Tenifer that Glock uses. No need to worry about rust on the XD.

[Ala Dan]

as too what application either choice will be used for? If you haven't
saved enough cash to get the 1911 of YOUR choice [but you need to
make a purchase right away, based on YOUR circumstances], then the
Springfield XD .45 ACP would probably be a good choice. But OTOH, if
time permits save the necessary extra cash and get a very nice 1911.
At least that is my thoughts on the subject~!:scrutiny: :uhoh: ;)

[nwilliams]

I'd save up a little more and just go right for a nice 1911, but thats because the look and feel of the XD has never done anything for me. I don't have any experience on Taurus 1911's never used one, I'm a big fan of S&W's 1911's and Colt's and of course you can't go wrong with Kimber:D

[mrcpu]

Ditch the M&P (I'll take it. :)), Sell your oldest kid, and get one of each.

Best of both worlds then.

[Walkalong]

I love 1911's, but to a new shooter I would recommend the XD. Simple, Reliable, Accurate, Easy To Shoot Well. etc. etc. BUT...... he would need a nice 1911 one day.:)

ROLL TIDE

We have a coach now - Watch out.:)

I know AlaDan - He has a poor record against the VOLS

[KINGMAX]

Shoot them gun's, just don't look at them. You will never know how they shot, until you shot them. Try it, you might like it. JOMHO

[Archer1945]

Used to have a Colt Series 70 1911 which was fantastic weapon. Have recently shot a Sig P220, which felt even better than the Colt and I haven't shot anything heavier than a 44Sp in the last 25 years. Yesterday shot an XD-45 Service and today put a deposit on an XD-45 Compact Tactical. I decided having 14 rounds in a gun no bigger than a 1911 is a decided advantage if I ever have to use it for some thing other than playing. Plus the 10 round mag will make it a bit easier to conceal if I get a CCW. Btw, I still might end up with a 1911, of some variety, but I just might have to come up with the money for a gun for my wife first if/when she finds out about this one.

[10-Ring]

I'm not a XD fan & I truely truely like the feel & function of a properly tuned 1911...so, my vote is to go w/ the 1911 ;)

[ta4]

I bought the XD 45acp. I rent the 1911s at the range, tho. I like to shoot the 1911s, but I do not want to own one. Get the XD-don't bother waiting for the Glock 21sf if you were possibly thinking that direction.

[ozarkhillbilly]

If the choice is between a XD tac and a 1911 and its for CCW, then get the 1911. I have a both and it would be hard to CCW the XD tac IMO then again a full sized 1911 is not the easiest to CCW.
However if you are not getting it for CCW, I would get the XD. If I new I was going to have to use a handgun I would grab the XD, ok if I new I was going to have to use a handgun I would grab a rifle.

[dlcrouch]

The XD is a dependable and reasonably priced weapon that will not let you down.
The 1911 is, well, a 1911. You have to own one (or 2 or 3 or 6) to understand.

[Mat, not doormat]

I've got 3 1911s, and my best friend just bought the XD45 Tactical. I would suggest the 1911, for carry purposes. It's a lot slimmer, and the grip is slightly shorter, i think. 9 rds of .45 isn't the most capacity around, but it's nothing to sneeze at, either. The XD isn't a bad gun by any means, though. My only real gripe with it is that even though the trigger feels like a single action with a heck of a lot of take up, it still has to travel all the way forward to reset. Being used to a 1911, or an SAA, this has got to be one of the stranger things to adapt to, in shooting the XD.

Also, as far as the Taurus goes, one of my 1911s is a PT1911. I really like it in a lot of ways. I also have a few issues with it. I'd say that the first issue is that the checkering is SHARP. It tore the everliving heck out of the liner of my jacket, in just a short time carrying it. The other issue is that it's not presently on my hip, because it's at the gunsmith. I managed to break it at about 1800 rds. Up till then, it ran flawlessly. I think the breakage was my fault, though, for shooting some seriously hot cor-bon ammo on the stock recoil spring. It broke a leg off the ejector, and somehow damaged the lock in the hammer, rendering the gun locked all the time. I.e., it doesn't go bang, anymore. But, $75 and I'll be back in business.

Short reviews of other my other two 1911s:

Old pre 70 series GI spec Colt, Nickled: Nickle is slippery, sights are rediculously small. Unthroated barrel doesn't like anything but hardball ammo. Upshot: Hard to shoot, but accurate, and never failed with ball. Never run on anything else.

Springfield Defender, fullsize. Close to mil-spec, but just enough doodads and geegaws to make it shoot a lot easier than the colt. Sights I can see, texturing on front strap, so I can hold on, beveled magwell, throated chamber, a few other niceties. Trigger would make a good sponge.

Note, some folks gripe about hammer bite with spur hammers and low grip safteties, but I've never been bit. YMMV.

~~~Mat

[AlaskaErik]

I shot the 1911 in the Corps and I hated it. I have an XD-45 and I love it. With two spare mags you have 40 rounds of brute strength.