Are M+P's and XD's here to stay?

[Jim PHL]

Lately I've been contemplating a "plastic" 9mm. Haven't gotten so far as to decide between service size, mid-size or sub-compact yet. (probably lean towards the smaller ones because I like all my guns to be "concealed carryable"). I know there are quite a few brands like H+K USP series, Walther P99, Sig "pro" series, etc., but the "big three" right now seem to be Glocks, S+W M+P's and Springfield XD's.

I don't think anyone would question that Glocks are the leader, in volume if nothing else. They've been around longer than the other two, have more aftermarket accessory and holster options and have pretty well permeated both the civilian and Law Enforcement markets. A lot of people who know little, if anything, about guns know a glock when they see one.

Does anyone think the M+P or XD can or will become as popular?
Does anyone think the M+P or XD won't "make it" over the long haul and end-up either discontinued or just lack corporate support the way S+W still offers the Sigma series and "Walther/SW99" but still 'pushes' the M+P?

 

[BrennanKG]

I don't have any experience with the M&P, other than handling one at a store and noting the good ergonomics but VERY gritty trigger.

The XD on the other hand, I've shot a handful of them and have been fairly impressed. Not only do they seem to be nice handguns overall, but they also seem to offer a lot of features for the pricepoint. While they are not to my tastes, I admit they seem to be a popular choice.

I see a lot of new shooters going with the XD, and if what I've witnessed constitutes a general trend, I'd say the XD will be around for a goodly while.

While my choice for a polmer framed 9mm would most likely be an HK USP, I do appreciate the more bargain-priced options.

Cheers,
B.

 

[Walkalong]

The XD is here to stay. Too many people like it. It's a great gun for the beginner as well as the more experienced shooter..

 

[tinygnat219]

Yup. Both companies have a lot riding on these pistols, S&W has their reputation and has put a lot of money,time and features into their new pistol. The XD series is just a darn good pistol.

 

[fastbolt]

Yes, I'd cautiously suspect the polymer-framed pistols are going to be with us for quite a while.

Granted, the XD did take a while to catch on, finally being picked up by Springfield for importation after not doing very well as the HS2000, and some little problems along the way have surfaced and seem to have been addressed. It's a bit bulky for its size, but it has some good features ...

The M&P resulted from S&W finally examining things and starting with a fresh sheet of paper, and it incorporates some further improvements in the field of polymer-framed pistols. It also had some minor teething pains after release, but S&W was very fast in addressing them and taking care of the owners.

What's interesting is that the M&P seems to have been catching on with LE customers much faster than the XD during its introduction period. Might be a good sign ...

S&W has a huge manufacturing base & support system in place. Their customer service is an industry standard. This certainly isn't going to hurt them when it comes to supporting their new pistol line.

As far as the P99, SW99/990L & Sigma?

Well, S&W is still importing the P99 series under their Walther America company, but they've finally made the decision to stop sales of their licensed SW990L, which was the successor of the SW99. They'll continue to support the public and LE customers who own and use the SW99/990L's, of course. They're going to shift their focus to their wholly owned M&P series, which is understandable.

The Sigma? This is a strong seller for S&W, despite its detractors. I may not like the long and heavy trigger, but its excellent ergonomics and affordable pricing seem to make it a consistent seller.

I've handled and shot the various growing selection of polymer-framed pistols, and watched even more of them on the range. I've been trained as an armorer for a few polymer-pistols (Sigma, P99/SW99, Glock & Sig Sauer). They all have their strong and 'less strong' features. They seem to be here to stay. I own 4 polymer framed pistols.

I own more metal-framed pistols.

 

[possum]

i have no experience with the m&p but i can say with out a doubt that the xd is definetly here to stay. the xd has already came a long way and really popular, and i can't imagine that with the high volumes of people that own xd's and not only that but there are several people that own more than one like myself, and with there reputation and being great weapons i am many others will continue to purchase xd's for a long long time.
i see the xd going no where but foward they are commig out with more and more models to meet the demands of the shooting market. they are the right track and continue to improve over and over. this is what i am excited to see, where the xd how advanced it will be and possibly surpassing the glock and other polymer pistols. will it? maybe not but it is a big competitor. when the xd has been on the market as long as the glock they will be a close tie IMHO!

 

[tbreed725]

the xd no question about it will be here for a looooooooonnnnnggggg time the smith maybe you can never tell about smith i myself dont care much for the m&p line but i do read and hear quite a few good things about them

 

[Omaha-BeenGlockin]

The M&P will probably replace the Glock over time as the top dog. Get the price of the magazine down and sales will skyrocket.

The Sigma--despite its drawbacks--has evolved into a decent gun---at that price point there is nothing better currently offered by anyone---a poor mans Glock if you will. If they can continue to keep the price down--they'll keep on selling like hotcakes. There's no reason you can't get a decent gun if you don't have any money------I bought one on impulse and have been pleasantly surprised.

 

[OH25shooter]

My latest purchase was the XD over the M&P. I think a lot of handguns are sold with good marketing and lots of money. Non-gun owners flock to Glock because it is seen on just about every television/movie viewed. Certainly it's a quality firearm, but so is Walther, Beretta, Springfield, Ruger, etc. Since LE has found a happy marriage with S&W of late and the M&P model, it will be around. The SA XD isn't a flash in the pants. It's a fine handgun, in fact it has a wider variety of usages compared to many of the others mentioned; from the small concealable 3" model to the 5" Tactical competition model.