Quick .40 subcompact question.

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DasFriek

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I have another thread hear on the .45/10mm and i have that idea under control now. But i decided to include the .40 to expand my choices.
I have these options:

G27 $499 Gen 3 id bet.
SA XD SC .40 $399
S&W M&P C .40 $499 with $50 MIR
Sig 250 SC .40 $519

Im buying either a .40 or .45 tomorrow and would like a plan before i go in the store and look like a fool staring at the wall because i cant decide.
So pls pick one of the .40's above to make my decision easier.

I ruled out Kahr CW/PM series here as i have the CW45 on my .45 list.
 
xd... but you can never know until you have held all the potential canidates... we look at the wall for a long time you wont look like a fool.
 
GLOCK... but you can never know until you have held all the potential canidates... we look at the wall for a long time you wont look like a fool.

Fixed.
 
though I have not read the 45/10mm thread (this may have been covered) I would just get a glock 30 SF... dont have mine yet, but soon
 
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M&P, without a doubt. No issues, light recoil, ergonomic, accurate, reliable. Skip the rebate $$$ and opt for the 2 extra magazines. Got mine in the mail today.
 
Just buy the one that gives you the fuzzies when you hold it.

It's not like it will be the last handgun you'll ever buy.

Les
 
Here is the .45/10mm thread:
http://www.thehighroad.org/showthread.php?t=523802
I prefer to keep the 2 separate as i see them both as separate animals. But since im limited in choice by my local shops of what .45/10mm are in stock i decided to include sub compact .40's into the equation. PLS keep any .45/10mm comments there so this thread keeps its reason for 2 threads.

Ive done a search and it seems the XD SC and the G27 are a toss up.
I think i have ruled the S&W and Sig out.

Shooting wise the XD and Glock may seem to shoot the same but i can see where the some of the extra cost comes from. The hexagon barrel is one. But yeh its just the way things are.

OK S&W back on the list, I can always use a spare mag as i keep one on me when i carry.
 
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If you want small and light, the Walther PPS comes in the fo-tay chambering.
That gun is light enough I've forgotten I had it on and received strange looks while getting the mail.
 
out of the choices you listed along with the prices you listed the xd hands down. i like them just as much as glocks and they're just as good (if not better )as anything you listed. sa has got a lifetime warranty although you'll probably never need it on an xd they are rugged dependable guns.
 
The Walther PPS is out of my budget, Its usually $650 new locally.
Ive owned a PPS9 which i sold to my mom for $400 and im still kicking myself on that one.

HKp2KSK is way above my budget for a part time gun, This is just mainly to use for summer carry since my full sized 1911 is a bit much in hot weather.

So far i the .40 offerings i like the XD offering, Now its gotta compete against the .45 offerings in my other thread.
Thanks for the answers and ill post back what i buy later today.
 
Those should all be reliable guns; handle all of them and pick what feels best in your hand.
Definitely my plan, I have one salesman who i always ask for specifically in this ULTRA busy shop as he has patience and thinks like i do.
He wouldn't mind setting 5 guns in front of me so i could compare them all side by side.

I like the XD over the Glock in the .40 especially due to price.
I am half tempted to make a $600 offer if they have a PM40 in stock due to its super small size. But for $200 over the XD it better be ALOT smaller.

Im in no way saying im buying a .40
I linked my other thread as my main and first choice is a .45/10mm but i threw the .40 in to the mix as if smaller and lighter is my main goal i may have to sacrifice caliber a bit.
But lets pls not discuss the .45/10mm here or compare it to the .40 i know all i need to know to make an informed choice in caliber, Its the guns i don't have the info on.
 
I haven't fired all three (glock, xd, s&w), yet, but have handled all three on multiple occasions. The S&W definitely feels the best in my hand by far. XD doesn't feel bad, but is a little top heavy. Glock feels awful in the hand.

No way around it, you've got to at least handle each one, if not fire it.
 
Those should all be reliable guns; handle all of them and pick what feels best in your hand.

+1 again, but I got my three cents . . .

I've fired the subcompact XD, M&P, and the Glock. For my personal preferences, which are looks, function, feel, blah, blah, blah, I like the Glock and XD the best in a virtual tie.

Even though the M&P is a sweet shooter, I just psychologically can't get past a trigger with two hinges :D , and needing to push that internal lever* for field stripping. :evil:

*Please, someone tell me why that lever is in there?
 
This info worth what you paid for it...

As an XDSC owner I'll toss my 2 cents in?

1. As others have stated, handle 'em-the Glock grip angle never worked for me (it may for you).
2. One in the plus column (for me) was the XD grip safety-an extra measure of safety when reholstering (and ?), but passive so you never have to worry 'bout thumbing a safety off etc (not that 1911 style safeties ever bothered me).
3. You sound like you've decided on the 40, but why not the 9? I orignally carried an early XDSC40, but when the 9mm magazines were redesigned for more capacity, I switched to an XDSC9 (caliber vs. capacity carries weight in most of my choices). When I bought my 40, the 9mm would only hold 1 more round-after mag redesign, 9mm holds 4 rounds more than the 40.
4. I thought the XDSC40 had a bit of muzzle flip-the recoil didn't bother me, but with less muzzle flip the 9 may be faster for double taps etc?
5. I have tended to move down in caliber as SD ammo has improved over the years-I CC a 40 and 357 SIG, but mainly a 9mm.
6. If you do decide (or this may make a difference when handling at the shop) on an XDSC, if the dangling pinky bothers you (it drives me nuts) see if you can't handle one with a Pearce Grip Extension. I have one on both of mine and it goes from dangling pinkly to really feeling like it's "locked in" to your grip.
 
Well the gun is purchased, taken down and inspected and cleaned.
What i buy? The XDSC .40 after looking at about 6 or more guns in hand.

At this point i think its ok to discuss the .45 option from my other thread since i did choose a .40 over it. But that was due to costs and convenience more than anything.
The were sold out of the Glock 30 but had a G36 and to be honest it didn't seem thin enough to justify just 6 rounds.
The G27 felt ok, And a price of $499 wasn't bad.
The Kahr CW 45 felt thin but it also felt too long in the grip, Which imo is the worst place hide on a ccw.
They had a Used SW99 SC .40 which i thought was an awesome gun and it looked unfired. But i have reservations about buying a gun no longer in production.
I looked at a well broken in used Kahr PM9 but was over priced at $629.
Next was the Sig 250 SC .40 and it looked like a train wreck from behind where the half exposed hammer is. But the main issue was it just felt like it was bloated and fat.
I also looked at the M&P C .40 and it felt too large over all and just kinda weird.
It came down to the XD and the Smith 99 and i felt the XD offered more at a lower price. Then we hit a snag, The one on sale for $399 was sold out and was the "Essentials" package that just had a spare mag and that was it.
But they had the full "Accessory package" deal for $529 and the salesman sold it to me for $429.

I also picked up the Pierce pinky extension and another IWB holster and some SD ammo and target ammo. The extension really does make the gun feel alot better. The shop knows that also as they keep a mag with one installed for people to try when they look at the XD SC line.

Overall im pretty happy. The gun is a little thicker than i prefer, But i gain 3 rounds over any single stack. Id prefer a 10mm or .45 but a .40 is more than adequate and its very easy to find even during the past ammo drought and its relatively cheap and close to 9mm price.
Recoil can not even come close to as bad as my previous PT745 SC .45 i owned, That thing i nick named "MR Blasty" as it felt like a cannon recoil wise when it went off and im no small guy.

I find most of the XD accessories useless except the loading tool. But the bigger spare mag makes it nice. And i may try the OWB holster they include when i can were a jacket.

Sure i want a mouse gun that can hold 9 rounds of .45 but that not gonna happen so my only complaint so far is the gun is a bit thick, But its par for the course of guns of its type.

One last comment, I kinda went in almost set on buying the XD after several reviews i read about how well it shoots and handles and great reliability.
 
Im trying to already despite it being 12:45 am as i decided to load the mags and break the springs in and wear it in the holster IWB and see how comfy it is and if i have any concealment issues.
Its alot more comfy than my 1911 worn IWB at 3:30 but the pinky extension can poke out a bit in a tight t-shirt. But ill keep it on until i see it becomes an issue.
It isnt like ill be needing to pull the gun and wish i had a pinky extension. So ill go without it for carry but use it at the range.
 
In this months issue of American Rifleman they compare the XDm 3.8 in 40 to the new XDm in 45. I know the guns are different but what struck my interest is the ammo comparisons. The 40 ammo delivered over 400 ft. lbs. of energy. That stat is a killer for SD.

You made a good choice.
 
I don't think i will regret it either.
I wore it for a few hours last night in the same spot i wear my 1911 and i could tell a huge difference in size and weight.
The jury is is still out on the pinky extension as i did find it to stick out about 1" more and extend the hardest part of the gun to hide being the grip.
As stated above i think i will try and use it, But if i find it poking out it has to come off.
The way i see it the extension is a comfort item while shooting and is useless until then.
Conceal-ability is more important as i may never have to ever pull the gun and if i do who gives a crap if my pinky comfortable.
But it does make the gun easier to hold. So i may buy an extra mag just for it and that way i can use it when ever i feel it wont be a liability.

Im being picky there when i say its sticking out, The gun really disappears well on my large frame and feels no thicker than my 1911.
Im heading to the range in an hour as i cant carry it until i put at least 100 rounds threw it and a mag of the carry ammo for reliability reasons. I know its alot less than what most "say" they test for reliability with, But $21 a box SD ammo is no joke to a person on a budget like me.

BTW the carry ammo is Hornady Tap 180gr, I wanted Hornady Critical Defense but none was to be had. Ill keep looking,
 
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