Which to buy S&W M&P or Springfield XD?

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ChasMack

ChasMack

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I am in the market for either a S&W M&P or Springfield XDm and was wondering what everyone's thought were. I have been trying to research this but have found little objective thoughts. Each have forums so naturally you will get skewed thoughts there. As far as other forums I have not found a whole lot,although what I did find seemed to be for getting a S&W M&P. I am interested in either the 4" type or maybe the compacts. Any ideas much appreciated!
 
I like the M&P's due to it fitting my hand a little better and the bore axis is a little lower.
 
Ultimately it's a personal choice. I haven't shot the M&P so I can't say for sure but it would probably be my choice. You didn't specify what your plans for then gun... mine would be carry and the Springfields are heavier than their contemporaries. The bore axis does look high but it hasn't affected accuracy when I've shot them. They're a bit blocky and tend to print a bit more under tee shirts than my SR9.

I have handled the Shield and if the ergos of the M&P are similar and I can shoot it well, the lighter better feel would win out for me.
 
I think the Springfield XD is the finest pistol in it's class (under $500). I own an XDm 4.5" and a XD subcompact 3". Both are egronomic, accurate out of the box, and reliable. I've owned an M&P and many Glocks since I started shooting. I'm not going back, as the XD is that much better.

Don't hesitate on the XD. It's a winner.
 
If you get the APEX trigger kit or get a Pro model, the M&P is very good. There is a lot good about both if you're in that price range.

If you do not want to get the trigger kit or the more expensive models, get the XD. The stock M&P trigger is that bad.
 
I shot both and they are both excellent pistols...I have missed buying an XDs in 9mm by *that* much preferring the Glock 26. Shot Smith's M&P's right along side the Glocks, Springfield XD's, and several others and really liked the Glock because of it's inherent accuracy right out of the box in my hands, the lower bore axis (less felt recoil) and the extra couple rounds.

But I still lust for an XDs because it is just that teeny bit slimmer, reliable and just ergonomically a very nice gun. The M&P's are great guns but simply don't "talk" to me the way they do to others. Just not my kind of pistol. I'd buy the XD but that's just me.

VooDoo
 
At least hold both, if not shoot both. What "fits" or feels best to you is likely what you will shoot best and enjoy most. (FWIW, I have 5 M&P pistols.)
 
Both are good pistols. I find the lower bore axis of the m&p superior on quick follow up shots. Having said that if competitive shooting isn't all that important to ya, you likely won't notice any advantage in paper punching or real life use. So head to lgs and hold both and then you'll know which is right for you. The rest of the nit picking of details from us won't matter all that much.

Btw I'm the rare person who doesn't find the m&p stock trigger to be all that bad.....but I have yet to find a trigger I can't handle.
 
"Grip safety" makes XD a no go for me.

On top of that, the Croatians made a stupid decision to lock the slide when it is not pressed in full.
 
I prefer the XD & XDm, but my buddy loved his .45 M&P so much he got one in 9MM as well. If there is anyway you can handle both I would advise it. Shooting both would be even better.
 
Definitely a personal preference. For my part I chose the M&P because it felt better in the hand than any XD I've handled. The big minus of the M&P for me was the stock trigger. Very weird pivot in the middle of the darn thing. Makes it feel mushy. The Apex trigger kit fixed that wonderfully, though.
 
M&P for me. Not saying the XD is a bad choice but I prefer the Smith. I like how it feels in my hand, and believe it or not I prefer the trigger over the XD trigger.
 
Both are great guns with good reputations, in this case it's gotta come down to you. Best bet is to go to the range and test them, or at the very least handle them both at a gunstore.

The only "issue" with the XD/XDm is the grip safety, which you may or may not like. Personally, I don't mind the grip safety. I carried a XD40SC for a few years, it was a great little gun.
 
I prefer the grip safety as it allows for you to reholster assured a discharge won't happen if you simply use the pad of your thumb to push it in.
 
The xds has a shorter grip and a longer barrel. The differences are small but those are two primary dimensions for a ccw. The xds is definitely heavier and blockier than the shield. The fit and finish on my xds is great. It shoots like a larger gun. Very smooth action. Decent trigger. The back strap requires very little pressure or movement to deactivate. I was not a fan of it originally but it's pretty hard to grip the gun in any way without deactivating it. The shield does feel a bit more ergonomic in my hand but I didn't like the thumb safety (now optional) and there's something very slightly reassuring about the extra barrel length of the xds. I also like the stiff mag release of the xds as I have popped a few mags loose by accident.

Assuming you want a 9mm the choice is a toss up. If you're considering something larger the xds is a no brainer. I used an xds 45 for the first time last week and was highly impressed. 5+1 .45 in a pistol that size is quite a bit of medicine. Much easier to shoot than expected.
 
FireInCairo said:
I prefer the grip safety as it allows for you to reholster assured a discharge won't happen if you simply use the pad of your thumb to push it in.
Click to expand...


I'm in the same boat. I like the grip safety. I own 4 XD Guns, having traded in at Glock at some point to make room.
 
S&W vs XD

I have shot an XD 45 years ago and it was quite accurate at the 15 yds I was shooting it at. I like the grip safety, they do seem a little bulkier than a Smith. I need to get a hold of an M&P for sure and hopefully the LGS will also have a XD. I do remember when I was shooting the XD that it seemed like it had a longer grip than I expected. But again, that was many years ago so I really need to hold a new one. Thanks for the input, it helps narrow my focus to choose one!
 
FWIW, I own both, along with other polymer pistols. Of the 2, I personally would have to pick the XD. They just fit me better.

However, each does have their strong points. It is hard to beat Smiths warranty program, if ever needed. My advice would be to find a range that rents both or if any friends have them, ask to try them out. Pick what suits you best.
 
XD. I have three XD/M guns and have been very happy with them. They are very accurate,reliable and fun to shoot.
 
I have owned two M&P's a 9mm compact and a pro series. I traded both as I did not like the trigger on either. I currently own 3 XDM's, 2 XD's, and an XDS. I would choose the XDM as IMO it has a better trigger, offers great capacity, is accurate, reliable, and easy to maintain. The XD 45 compact is my nightstand gun and the XD9sc and XDS 4.0 9mm I sometimes carry. I have experienced zero problems with any of my Springfield pistols. That said, it is a personal choice as they are both good firearms. Go to a range and rent both and see which you prefer.
 
I own an XDm chambered in .40 caliber. I have fired both the XDm and M&P (full size and compact).

Size - The XDm Compact is smaller than the M&P.

Grip - The M&P offers a full four finger grip. While I am able to keep my pinky on my XDm grip, I would like to have about another 1/4 inch of real estate and I don't like the angled aftermarket pinky extension. Wish someone made a flat +1 magazine extension for the XDm.

Grip Safety - XDm has one, M&P doesn't, I like the safety.

Take Down - Safety and simplicity goes to the XDm. You can field strip the XDm without pulling the trigger. I like that.

Ambidextrous Operation - M&P wins this category as you can lock the slide back from either side. If your strong hand goes down in a fight and you have to lock the slide back on the XDm using just your support hand, good luck. Is this a big deal? Nope, at least not until you need to do it.

Magazines - Personal preference but I like the Springfield magazines better. They have never bound or hung up on me, very slick.

So it is going to come down to the features, benefits, and compromises you are willing to accept. All firearms require some form of compromise.
 
XD has better fit and finish and trigger and is an all around better gun imo and I have two M&P's. I prefer the standard XD over the XDm.
 
I don't think you can go wrong with either.
My opinion? I have 3 M&P's. I just like the feel better. I just shoot them well.
As far as I concerned, they both need trigger work.
 
XD = Junk in my honest opinion.
Had three and they all gave trouble.
Bought a S&W MP Pro Series with the 4.25 barrel (I think that's the right length)
And could not be happier.
 
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