SA XD's - How god are they really? - XDTalk Forums - Your HS2000/SA-XD Information Source!

jetdriver · 01-27-2005, 04:35 PM

Looking for an unbiased opinion (lol).

I know they're quality pistols, I mean they won Handgun Of The Year a couple times, right? For those of you who own multiple pistols, how how you realistically stack up the XD series pistols, to Glocks and HK's?

I know the finishes are not up to par, but that can be fixed. I'm more interested in accuracy, reliability.

I want to like them...

I'm not a huge fan of .40S&W, but that may be because the only 40 I had was a Glock 27, and frankly it was jsut too much recoil in that size package.
I need to get out and rent an XD40, and compare to a 9mm.

Pearl Mussin · 01-27-2005, 04:44 PM

I shot both the XD9 and Glock 19 (26 is too small, for me anyway) Both accurate and reliable. the Xd just fit a little better in my hand..

Jeremy

USN RM3 · 01-27-2005, 05:18 PM

XD's Great....and that's all I gots to say bout that.... :P

NiK · 01-27-2005, 05:33 PM

I like Glocks just fine, and would gladly own one, but this is why I chose the XD:

XD has a much better grip angle, although I think anyone can overcome that issue with training and familiarization.
XD has a grip safety.
XD is cheaper.

On the other hand:

I like the Glock trigger better (but you can have the XD trigger modified).
Some people have problems with the XD finish (although the great majority on this board have not).

I've never owned a USP, but I had a Sig 229 for several years. The quality is comparable. Keep in mind the XD has a polymer frame, so if plastic feels "cheap" to you, you may have the same sensation. The average Sig may shoot better groups from a bench rest than the average XD (I don't know), but I can shoot both equally well.

Verm · 01-27-2005, 05:35 PM

Carried guns for literally decades on duty and off. I would not hesitate to carry my XD as a duty weapon. Matter of fact, it would be my first pick followed by my 1911.

hummel · 01-27-2005, 06:17 PM

i have a sw99 40 cal 4in.....my xd holds better groupings than my sw99 my xd 9mm sub...that was at about 10 yds....the first 3 shots i fired i put side by side holes overlapping.....enough said for me....other than i would not trade it for a glock or anything else....

RonS · 01-27-2005, 06:34 PM

I shot a Glock full size for several years. When Ohio looked like it was going to pass CCH, I wanted to downsize and I went out to buy a G26. I tried one for size and didn't like the feel. It felt insecure in my hand. I looked at a Sig P239, a S&W SW9 and a Kahr that day at the gun show and when I picked up the XD-9 Sub Compact I was sold. It is bulkier than I like to carry, but it is great in the hand to shoot.

Features I like
The grip
The grip safety
The takedown system
The steel sights and the fact that they are dovetailed
The magazine is steel
The light rail, even though I am too cheap to pay $100 for an ittybitty flashlight. I like having the option.

I don't like
The overtravel in the trigger
The silly features like the cocked indicator and the loaded chamber indicator. More to break and I consider them worthless since I don't trust anything but a locked back slide to tell me a chamer is UNloaded.
The finish on the grip safety

If I were doing it over, I would probably use the $150 I saved by buying the XD instead of the Glock and order one thru a dealer in SS and with a custom trigger job to remove the overtravel without reducing the trigger pull weight. I may send it out yet for a refinish and trigger job.

It's a nice gun to have on top of the dresser at 3:00am.

retired · 01-27-2005, 06:39 PM

Like Verm, I carried guns of and on duty for decades. My dept. did not allow SA weapons, so since I couldn't find a small auto to carry within dept. guidelines, I carried a 5 shot S&W model 60 38 cal. Never felt comfortable with it.

Now that I'm retired, I of course can carry anything. I looked into the Glock subbies in 9mm, 40 and 45. The recoils didn't bother me as I have large hands, but what I didn't like was: 1. the grip was too wide or at least felt it. 2. the slide release "button" was way too small; I found it difficult to work it, it bent my thumb nail back and caused my thumb to bleed. 3. Perhaps most important, they don't have an ambidextrous mag release.

The XD doesn't have any of those problems; hence my reason for buying it. I had never heard about this weapon until someone on a police website I go to mentioned. it. I wasn't able to shoot the subbie at the range as they didn't have any available, but did shoot the 9mm and 40cal in the 4". Liked them. I bought the XD 9mm SC as the 40 wasn't on the market yet. Except for one of the sights being mismatched (which was replaced by SA at their expense) I have had no problems and love the gun. I carry it ccw with 1 extra mag. I would highly recommend buying one. I wished my dept. had carried the bigger model for on duty use instead of the Beretta 92f, but they didn't ask my opinion.

[TASF]Overkill · 01-27-2005, 06:39 PM

Quote:

The silly features like the cocked indicator and the loaded chamber indicator. More to break and I consider them worthless since I don't trust anything but a locked back slide to tell me a chamer is UNloaded.

Yeah, but if they break, everything still functions perfectly.

kraigster414 · 01-27-2005, 07:29 PM

I had a Glock 27 (notice past tense) and now a SA XD40 Service. The Glock's grip was too fat and too short for my hands and the recoil, while not super punishing, was quite robust. I much prefer my XD Service and would take it over the larger Glock 23 as well. I find the XD's grip much more comfortable than any of the Glocks including my slimmed down, single stack Glock 36. Yes, the SA finish is a bit of a negative but can be fixed. There are plenty of outfits that offer polymer coating - extremely rust resistant. $60 to do the slide at most places.

Get the XD. You won't be disappointed. IMHO one of the best bargains out there. I now have 400 rounds through mine and not one single failure.

01-27-2005, 04:35 PM	#1
jetdriver XDTalk 100 Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Posts: 177	SA XD's - How god are they really? Looking for an unbiased opinion (lol). I know they're quality pistols, I mean they won Handgun Of The Year a couple times, right? For those of you who own multiple pistols, how how you realistically stack up the XD series pistols, to Glocks and HK's? I know the finishes are not up to par, but that can be fixed. I'm more interested in accuracy, reliability. I want to like them... I'm not a huge fan of .40S&W, but that may be because the only 40 I had was a Glock 27, and frankly it was jsut too much recoil in that size package. I need to get out and rent an XD40, and compare to a 9mm. __________________ Yo homey...is that my briefcase? USMC ** SEMPER FI

01-27-2005, 05:18 PM	#3
USN RM3 XDTalk 100 Member Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: Illinois Posts: 443	XD's Great....and that's all I gots to say bout that.... :P __________________ No more XD\'s, I am still here because I Love you guys!

01-27-2005, 05:35 PM	#5
Verm XDTalk 500 Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Carson City NV. Posts: 814	Carried guns for literally decades on duty and off. I would not hesitate to carry my XD as a duty weapon. Matter of fact, it would be my first pick followed by my 1911. __________________ Enough firepower, the will and the guts to use it all.

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01-27-2005, 04:44 PM	#2
Pearl Mussin XDTalk Member Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Lima. OH Posts: 64	I shot both the XD9 and Glock 19 (26 is too small, for me anyway) Both accurate and reliable. the Xd just fit a little better in my hand.. Jeremy

01-27-2005, 05:33 PM	#4
NiK XDTalk 1K Member Join Date: Apr 2004 Location: Ft Benning, GA Posts: 1,345	I like Glocks just fine, and would gladly own one, but this is why I chose the XD: XD has a much better grip angle, although I think anyone can overcome that issue with training and familiarization. XD has a grip safety. XD is cheaper. On the other hand: I like the Glock trigger better (but you can have the XD trigger modified). Some people have problems with the XD finish (although the great majority on this board have not). I've never owned a USP, but I had a Sig 229 for several years. The quality is comparable. Keep in mind the XD has a polymer frame, so if plastic feels "cheap" to you, you may have the same sensation. The average Sig may shoot better groups from a bench rest than the average XD (I don't know), but I can shoot both equally well.

01-27-2005, 06:17 PM	#6
hummel XDTalk 100 Member Join Date: Aug 2004 Location: st. louis Posts: 156	i have a sw99 40 cal 4in.....my xd holds better groupings than my sw99 my xd 9mm sub...that was at about 10 yds....the first 3 shots i fired i put side by side holes overlapping.....enough said for me....other than i would not trade it for a glock or anything else....

01-27-2005, 06:34 PM	#7
RonS XDTalk 100 Member Join Date: May 2004 Posts: 179	I shot a Glock full size for several years. When Ohio looked like it was going to pass CCH, I wanted to downsize and I went out to buy a G26. I tried one for size and didn't like the feel. It felt insecure in my hand. I looked at a Sig P239, a S&W SW9 and a Kahr that day at the gun show and when I picked up the XD-9 Sub Compact I was sold. It is bulkier than I like to carry, but it is great in the hand to shoot. Features I like The grip The grip safety The takedown system The steel sights and the fact that they are dovetailed The magazine is steel The light rail, even though I am too cheap to pay $100 for an ittybitty flashlight. I like having the option. I don't like The overtravel in the trigger The silly features like the cocked indicator and the loaded chamber indicator. More to break and I consider them worthless since I don't trust anything but a locked back slide to tell me a chamer is UNloaded. The finish on the grip safety If I were doing it over, I would probably use the $150 I saved by buying the XD instead of the Glock and order one thru a dealer in SS and with a custom trigger job to remove the overtravel without reducing the trigger pull weight. I may send it out yet for a refinish and trigger job. It's a nice gun to have on top of the dresser at 3:00am.

01-27-2005, 06:39 PM	#8
retired XDTalk 5K Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: S. Calif. Posts: 5,308	Like Verm, I carried guns of and on duty for decades. My dept. did not allow SA weapons, so since I couldn't find a small auto to carry within dept. guidelines, I carried a 5 shot S&W model 60 38 cal. Never felt comfortable with it. Now that I'm retired, I of course can carry anything. I looked into the Glock subbies in 9mm, 40 and 45. The recoils didn't bother me as I have large hands, but what I didn't like was: 1. the grip was too wide or at least felt it. 2. the slide release "button" was way too small; I found it difficult to work it, it bent my thumb nail back and caused my thumb to bleed. 3. Perhaps most important, they don't have an ambidextrous mag release. The XD doesn't have any of those problems; hence my reason for buying it. I had never heard about this weapon until someone on a police website I go to mentioned. it. I wasn't able to shoot the subbie at the range as they didn't have any available, but did shoot the 9mm and 40cal in the 4". Liked them. I bought the XD 9mm SC as the 40 wasn't on the market yet. Except for one of the sights being mismatched (which was replaced by SA at their expense) I have had no problems and love the gun. I carry it ccw with 1 extra mag. I would highly recommend buying one. I wished my dept. had carried the bigger model for on duty use instead of the Beretta 92f, but they didn't ask my opinion.

01-27-2005, 07:29 PM	#10
kraigster414 XDTalk 1K Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Upper Himalayas Posts: 1,438	I had a Glock 27 (notice past tense) and now a SA XD40 Service. The Glock's grip was too fat and too short for my hands and the recoil, while not super punishing, was quite robust. I much prefer my XD Service and would take it over the larger Glock 23 as well. I find the XD's grip much more comfortable than any of the Glocks including my slimmed down, single stack Glock 36. Yes, the SA finish is a bit of a negative but can be fixed. There are plenty of outfits that offer polymer coating - extremely rust resistant. $60 to do the slide at most places. Get the XD. You won't be disappointed. IMHO one of the best bargains out there. I now have 400 rounds through mine and not one single failure.