You know, I can't remember the last time I've fired a 9mm. I've always stuck to .40 or .45. The recoil on the 45 I have is VERY manageable. I had a .40 Taurus before I owned my XD. First of all it was a POS, but I found the recoil to be much worse than it is on the .45.

I find the longer the barrel the less the recoil is. That's one reason I chose the 4 inch service edition XD. Well, that and I get 13+1 of .45 hollowpoint.

But realistically, it doesn't matter what I experience. You should go play around with each model, see what YOU like. It's different for everyone. Check out the 9mm, 40, and 45. See which one you like the most. Talk to the sales rep. Tell him you aren't sure of the one you want to buy. Maybe he will let you shoot all three for a discounted rate if he knows you will buy from him. That's what I'd ask for.

 

Interesting. Thanks for the input. I'm going to give the Glock 22 (.40S&W) a whirl.

Any thoughts/opinions on "safe action pistols" (i.e. glocks) vs. pistols with actual safeties on them?

Glock touts having "3 levels of internal safety" on the gun to prevent a misfire...but you pull the trigger with a round chambered and it is going to go off. I'm not sure how I feel about that.

Where as a gun with a traditional safety seems a little more fail-safe to me.

 

The Glock safety has an advantage because in the heat of the moment you may forget to take the safety off of a conventional single action. With the Glock it breaks it down very simple... chamber a round, aim, pull the trigger. My HK has a thumb safety like the 1911 (single action) or it can be left double action (a longer trigger pull) - with the thumb safety you always have to remember to sweep your thumb down to take the safety off. HK also has a good LEM trigger that is kind of like the glock in that it is simple to operate.

I haven't had a problem with either weapon. If you keep your Glock chambered just keep your hands off it (or anyone else's hands) until you're ready to use it. If you mind the rules of gun handling you'll be fine. Many LE agencies and CCW types carry Glocks and many others... they are fine as long as the operator isn't stupid.

 

Note: I use the word "Charged" as a word to replace c.o.c.k. APC bans us from using that word (even though in this situation is has nothing to do with that kind of you know what). haha.

Personally I'm not a fan of having safety mechanisms on my primary carry weapon. My Beretta has a latch you have to move down (traditional style safety) before you can charge and fire the weapon. My XD-45 which goes everywhere with me in the front of my pants, held in an inner waist holster, does have a few internal safety mechanisms. I prefer this over anything else. Look at this picture:



1. Look at the back of the grip. You see that wedge that pops out? That's a grip safety. If that isn't held in flush (which will only happen if you are holding the gun in the proper position) it won't fire.

2. Look at the trigger. It's got a small "wedge" in the middle of the trigger. If that isn't flush with the rest of the trigger, it won't fire. Meaning, if you stick it in your pants, or something and your clothing catches the trigger, it won't fire unless the whole trigger is pulled.

Now, BOTH of these things conditions have to be met before the gun is fired. You can push the grip safety in and pull the trigger all day long but it won't fire unless you grip the trigger properly and pull the whole thing back (including the trigger safety), and vice-versa.

This is designed so that if I am holstering the gun and I pull the trigger by accident it won't go off, or if a kid gets a hold of it, it won't go off. You have to grip the gun properly and pull the trigger as it's meant to be pulled for the thing to work. In a life and death situation, you won't have to worry about anything except pointing and shooting.

Now to continue:

3. Look at the top of the gun, you'll see a little "shark fin" as I call it about halfway down, pretty much above the trigger on top of the weapon. This alerts the user that there is a round in the chamber. If it is flush against the gun, the chamber is clear. If it's popped up like it is now, it's loaded with one in the pipe.

4. Look at the very back of the gun on the slide, above the grip safety. You'll see a little pin that's popped out. Kinda difficult to see in this pic. It's right in the center of the slide on the very rear. This pin pops out when the gun is charged and ready to fire. The pin can be popped out even if there isn't a round in the chamber, but when it's flush, you can pull the trigger all day (even with a round in the chamber) and it won't fire because it's not charged.

For me, I love the shark fin and the pin. I can look at the weapon (or feel the top of the gun where the pin is if it's in my holster) and deem whether it is in condition one status (meaning ready to fire).

I ALWAYS carry this gun loaded, charged and ready to fire. I also carry it in the front of my pants in an inner waist holster, meaning the barrel is pointing right down at, ahem.... junior. I'm so confident and comfortable with this gun, that I know nothing will ever happen with it if I'm careful, and it doesn't bother my one iota. For me, if I get into a situation where I need to use it, I want to make sure the gun is ready to be pulled from the holster, aimed and fired. Taking extra time to charge the weapon could mean life or death. I don't believe there is any point to carrying a gun if it's not in condition one.

lol, sorry for all my rambling. Hope this helped somewhat.

 

Very great help, Ryan and Irish. Thanks.

I like the addition of the grip safety on the XD. Just finished checking Springfields website to read a little more about it and see what calibers it comes in.

I'll also give the XD40 a try. I'm capping myself at about $500 total unless something really amazing is found. A local pro-shop sells the XD40 with 4" barrel for $479.00, which is inline with the Glocks I've been looking at.

Going to the range tomorrow, I'll report back with my findings!

 

Once again I not going to bash glocks as they are great guns, however if you are going to carry concealed. I like having a traditional safety and first shot double action. Alot of law enforcement have shoot their foot with glocks when holstering. Look at the beretta. They have a traditional safety, and the metal frame s&w.

 

Yeah see AZ - it's all about personal preference, and that's why the world is round. I feel confident enough in the XD's safety systems (particularly the grip safety.... I love that) that I do leave it charged and loaded and I take it in and out of my IWB (inner waist band) holster in the front of my pants several times a day.

I mean, granted I'm very careful about it as I mentioned earlier, due to the close proximity of "junior" but I feel so comfortable with the gun it doesn't bother me.

But - it all depends on your comfort level. Definitely report your findings back to us! I'm curious as to how your range trip will go!

 

Anyone have or know much about the S&W Sigma pistols? They're inexpensive and have a nice rebate going on now, so I was thinking of picking one up in the 9 or .40 version for an inexpensive addition to the household.

 

Man, you and my dad would get along great. Similar tastes.

He's got 5 Mosin Nagants. From the shortened Cossack carbine, a sniper version with original scope and bolt, to the standard infantry versions. It's funny, whenever he mentions the sniper model to somebody, the automatic question is "how much for the bolt/scope?"

He's also got the SKS's with spike and bayonet, along with the version with the detachable magazine, I remember when we was acquiring those in the 80's for some reason the cleaning kits in the stock could be be hit or miss whether they were intact of not.

He also has a Tokarev SVT 40, cool gun along with the TT33 pistol. Full series of both Chicom and Russian AK47's.

He bought me an Enfield when I was in junior high, my brother got the shortened Jungle Carbine.

My dad also has an RPK. I'm not a big guy at all, but with the lengthened barrel, loading up the 75 round drum and trying to shoot it standing up is not easy.

 

Personally, I don't like them.

You'd be better served IMO with the H&K or Glock pilot discounts, even if it costs slightly more money. Hard to beat a new G23 for $400...