xdm vs. xd

XDM vs. XD, which would you prefer to buy?

  • XDM

    Votes: 43 63.2%
  • XD

    Votes: 25 36.8%

  • Total voters
    68
Status
Not open for further replies.

seed

Member
Joined
Jul 14, 2004
Messages
425
I did my search and could not find one single thread specifically about this topic, believe it or not. Anyway, I recently came across some related threads in which posters unsolicitely recommended going with the XD over the XDM. I would like to know why. Or explain why you think the XDM is worth the extra money compared to the original XD. You could include whatever variation of each variety in your explanation (compacts, 3.8, subcompacts, 5-inchers , etc.). I myself have an old pre-melonite XD-40 (which I got duracoated) and it is one of the very few guns I own which has never - not once ever failed. And it is accurate.

Thanks.
 
I own a 4" service model .45 ACP XD, that I purchased in
late December of '05. The only upgrade I have done to it,
was to add a set of TRU-GLO TFO's to it. Its an accurate
shooting weapon, that has NEVER had any type of
malfunction. I see no need in acquiring a .45 ACP XDM~! :scrutiny: ;) :D
 
Last edited:
I voted XDM if only for the size differences between the models. The 3 incher is a bit too small for my tastes, and the 4 is a tad to large for the standard XD. The XDM has the 3.8 inch one that fits right where I'd like, size-wise.
 
On the XDM they seem to have,,, made things a lil nicer,, I might say,, fix this and that,,

I have 2 of them,, they have been good guns,,

Jim M ammo
 
Ive owned both and shot a few other models of each. First let me say that I have yet to see one fail. I had one of the first XDs, a 4" .40 and a buddy had one in 9mm. We put everything we could find through them, not one problem. The only things we didnt like about the old XD's were the triggers. Ive had other friends shoot mine and more than one agreed with me. Ive shot the new (XDm) compact 9mm and a full size .45, trigger is much better on the XDms. If they would have put the XDm trigger in my old XD 40 I would have never gotten rid of it.
 
XD45 has a known problem of extracting/feeding SWC nose profile bullets due to a flat slide rib. XDm45 fixed this problem by modifying the slide rib.

So, if you want to shoot SWC, get a XDm.

Either way, very accurate pistols!
 
I've handled both. I like the shaved down / less squareness of the M.. the trigger out of the box felt way better on the M.. I've shot my nephew's XDm, 9.. it's very nice.
 
originally posted by: bds

"XD's have a known problem extracting/feeding SWC's"

Funny thing, I've never encountered that problem~! I use Magnus 200 grain
L-SWC's in all of my .45 ACP's. ;) :D If your OAL is correct, then extracting
or feeding should not be a problem. Guess I got a "good one", the first time
around~!

FWIW- My XD is not a primary carry gun; as I normally carry some sort'a 1911;
but, I do use the XD for instructional range use as well as for HD.
 
Last edited:
Voted XD only because I am looking for a subcompact and XDm isn't making one (yet?).
 
The primary differences between the two are:
XDm has a match barrel.
XDm has replaceable back straps to have a more custom fit to your hand.
XDm has some modifications done to help with feeding.
XDm looks slightly different
XDm has a slightly different trigger (supposedly better, I can't remember the how the trigger felt the last time I shot an XDm)
XDm has a higher capacity
XDm does not require you to pull the trigger on disassembly

Personally, I would have rather gotten the XDm over my XD .45 Tactical, but I DO NOT regret my purchase. I qualified with my XD .45 for work with a 470/500 with absolute ill regard for where shots where going. Personally, I'd go hold one, go shoot one, then decide, but no matter what you do, BUY ONE :)
 
I have both a XDm 9mm and a XD .45 5" tactical. They are both great guns, but I would have to day that the XDm is more......refined. Match barrel, interchangeable backstraps, yadda yadda, I am sure you know the info. I LOVE my 9mm, and I have also converted my BIL and SIL to XDm 3.8 and XDm 9mm respecitvely. I am going to use it to shoot USPSA this year also, as I just did my first intro course and match yesterday. I have upgraded the 9mm with a Powder River Precision trigger kit, which did away with almost all the trigger takeup and overtravel, while lowering the trigger pull to boot. Just a great shooting gun all around. I traded a guy for my XD45, and I have only about 50 rounds through it so far, fit, finish, and worksmanship is all there. Either on is going to be a good choice, but I voted XDm.

Oh, one other thing in regards to the previous post. THe XDM does not require you to pull the trigger for slide removal. THAT BEING SAID, if you drop the slide release with the takedown lever in the up position, it will allow you to shoot your slide across the garage onto the floor bouncing and shedding spring and barrel as it goes........as me how I know. And one other thing, not a mark on that bad boy after the fact.
 
Ala Dan said:
bds said:
XD's have a known problem extracting/feeding SWC's

Funny thing, I've never encountered that problem~! I use Magnus 200 grain
L-SWC's in all of my .45 ACP's. If your OAL is correct, then extracting
or feeding should not be a problem. Guess I got a "good one", the first time
around~!

Here's a lengthy discussion of XD45 jamming with SWC at XD Talk forum - http://www.xdtalk.com/forums/xd-45acp-discussion-room/58545-45-swc-jamming.html

XDm45 do not have this problem as the slide rib was modified to push down on top of the round in the magazine while the extracting case base rim clears the SWC shoulder.
 
I voted XDm. I have the .45 and love it. Was unaware of the SWC issue when I bought my XDm so the ability to shoot them is just a bonus. I also shoot 200 gr. RNFPs and they are very accurate.;)
 
XDm. I've had both the all-black and the stainless slide. I prefer the all-black from a maintenance standpoint. Both of mine were tack drivers and of the roughly 1,000 rounds I put through them - I had ZERO malfunctions. For me, the 4.5 felt like it was more balanced than the 3.8. Both were in 9mm.
 
I have both and like my XD better.

So far you seem to be in the minority, but hardly alone. Others have said similar and voted likewise, yet none (or virtually none) have gone into great depth about why they feel the way they do on the subject...especially compared to the XDM people. Could you XD-types elaborate a little bit like the XDM crowd has?
 
Last edited:
I'd have to agree with regard to feed problems with the SWC profile and the XD. Same problem in 9mm XD too. SOme SWC profiles have a more rounded shoulder than others and don't jam. Some are more squared off and will amost always jam. The rim of the fired case hooks on the shoulder of the SWC and you get a jam. Personally seen it.

Of course some guns, even 1911s, do not like SWCs either. Since I normally use ball profile I don't bother worrying.
 
I have a 4" XD45. I'd *like* to get an XDM because it's newer but can't really justify the cost. My XD:

* Fits my hand perfectly.
* Is way more accurate than I am.
* Has a perfectly acceptable trigger.
* Is completely reliable.
 
verdun59 said:
What's so hard about pulling the trigger for slide removal ? I see this creep up repeatedly and I just don't get it.

Absolutely nothing is hard about it, but some people don't like having to do that to disassemble due to the safe gun handling rules or fear that their 10000 checks to make sure it's unloaded where indeed correct. I personally don't have any issues with it, although it is one more thing to do while disassembling, it's not a huge hassle.

I just wish you could hold the trigger down with the slide back and have it come off when let forward, rather than have to put it back to slide forward position, then pull the trigger to release the firing pin and then pull it apart.

As the French say, C'est la vie!
 
Of those two, the XDm, for the larger capacity and better chosen barrel lengths.

Looking more broadly however, neither one. I've put a lot of trigger time behind the original XD, the M&P9c, the Glock (17, 19, 22), the Steyr M9, and various DA/SA pistols, and I would really choose the Glock ahead of any of the other striker-fired pistols. Which is really funny as it's the last type I bought and I had a strong anti-Glock bias for a long time (thinking, wrongly, "they're dangerous, they blow up, it's just fanboyism, the grip angle is wrong" etc. etc.), but a friend had a Glock for years and funny thing, I always shot better than he did with it, AND I shot better with it than with any pistols I owned. So eventually I broke down, bought a Glock and really changed my views.

I'm not trying to impose one brand on anyone, just speaking as someone who's put a lot of rounds through the three major competitors in that category.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top