Gun Tests Review Of SCs - XD .40 SC HC Best of 5

[hacker15]

The January issue of Gun Tests ran tests on five sub compact pistols:

Glock 30 - .45 ACP - "Buy It" rating
Glock 39 - .45 GAP - "Conditional Buy"
S&W CS45 - .45 ACP - "Conditional Buy"
XD SC HC - .40 S&W - "OUR PICK"
Taurus PT145 - .45 ACP - "Best Buy"

Great reading and a good source of information. Pick up a copy, if these pistols are your thing. I prefer full size pistols, but have a Taurus PT111 Pro 9 mm as my BUG.

[jnclement]

I used to subscibe to Gun Tests, but I'm letting it expire. They always do something bizarre in their tests to make their results questionable, like ignore obvious guns to add to a comparison. Or to have a bunch of 45s compared to a 40. I love my XD 40 sub, but it's an invalid test, especially since Glock, Taurus and S&W all make comparable guns in a 40. Rule #1 of a test - compare apples to apples.

[hacker15]

Originally Posted by jnclement

I used to subscibe to Gun Tests, but I'm letting it expire. They always do something bizarre in their tests to make their results questionable, like ignore obvious guns to add to a comparison. Or to have a bunch of 45s compared to a 40. I love my XD 40 sub, but it's an invalid test, especially since Glock, Taurus and S&W all make comparable guns in a 40. Rule #1 of a test - compare apples to apples.

Would agree with you on this, but the XD SC doesn't come in .45 yet and they were testing small carry guns. What they're testing involved ergonomics, general performance under conditions appropriate to the use of the weapons, and reliability of the various makes and models. Will a .40 be more accurate than a .45 at 15 yrds? Not sure, but I don't believe it will be. Will a .45 misfeed more than a .40? Again, not in my experience, unless there's a problem with the individual weapon or a basic design flaw.

The overall point of their test was that the XD SC HC was the best of the lot tested, with the Taurus being a second choice (and the Taurus first choice if you were intent on a .45 over a .40).

[slugger6]

Hacker - How do you like the Taurus PT111? I have been thinking about getting one and so far I have been impressed by what I've read...and the price.

[dhanson1123]

Originally Posted by slugger6

Hacker - How do you like the Taurus PT111? I have been thinking about getting one and so far I have been impressed by what I've read...and the price.

Slugger6, my two cents on the Taurus PT111 after owning one a few years ago was that it was a great feeling gun in the hand and also the size was great for concealed carry but mine jammed quite a bit to where I finally got rid of it as I could not trust my life to it so I bought the XD 40SC and absolutely love it, even more then the Glock 26 I sold to get it.
I want to like Taurus but my experience was the same after owning the PT111 and later a PT911.

[hacker15]

Originally Posted by slugger6

Hacker - How do you like the Taurus PT111? I have been thinking about getting one and so far I have been impressed by what I've read...and the price.

Have had mine now for about 2 years. Bought it used. Nice pistol, easy on the hand and great to concel. Got the mag extenstions (didn't effect the concelability at all). Sight picture was a little small for these old eyes, with the 3 dots on the combat sights small and dim. Enhanced them with SightBrite sight paint and made the dot a smig bigger with a small drill bit. Much better now.

The accuracy sucks beyond 15 yards - but from a 3" barrel, you really can't expect much more. Based on the anticipated use of the weapon (BUG and home defence) any conceivable use of it will be at or inside this distance. Have fed both hardball and JHP through it - never had a failure to feed or misfire. Did polish the feedramp with a Drimal and polishing paste and make sure the entire weapon is cleaned after every use (about once a month I shoot 35 - 50 rounds through it to keep in practice).

Muzzle flip is there - but again, I'm dealing with a 9 mm and a 3" barrel, so I can't expect it to be as solid as a service (4") or tactical (5"). Recoil is managable - but I added a Hogue Handall and that helped quite a bit.

One additional piece of advise - make sure you get the PRO model - the original PT111 was a DOG when it comes to trigger pull - from what I've heard/read, it was like dragging a piano over gravel....

I recommend this gun highly and, in the PT145, it's got to be a real charmer for the money. 10+1 of .45 ACP and a cheap price? How can you go wrong? IMO, until SA brings out the XD SC in .45 ACP, it's got to be the best thing out there for the cash you'll invest.

[vafish]

I filled out one of those "Free Issue" cards for Gun Tests magazine several years ago.

Got the free issue, wasn't that impressed. Got the second issue, was even less impressed. Sent them a letter saying cancel my subscription.

Never got another issue.

About 4 months later I get a letter from a collection agency demanding payment for the full value of the subscription.

I wrote a letter to the collection agency and told them to pound sand, I never received a years subscription and I wasn't going to pay for it. Never heard anything back from them.

Besides the idiot articles and amature tests, what type of morons turn you over to a collection agency for 2 magazine issues, one of which was supposed to be free?

I think Gun Tests is run by a bunch of morons at some gun club that are trying to fund their shooting habit.

[slugger6]

Guys, thanks for the feedback on the PT111. Based upon your different opinions I still haven't made up my mind. I certainly don't want to have to rely on a gun that jams, but I do like the look, feel, and concealability.

[hacker15]

Originally Posted by vafish

I filled out one of those "Free Issue" cards for Gun Tests magazine several years ago.

Got the free issue, wasn't that impressed. Got the second issue, was even less impressed. Sent them a letter saying cancel my subscription.

Never got another issue.

About 4 months later I get a letter from a collection agency demanding payment for the full value of the subscription.

I wrote a letter to the collection agency and told them to pound sand, I never received a years subscription and I wasn't going to pay for it. Never heard anything back from them.

Besides the idiot articles and amature tests, what type of morons turn you over to a collection agency for 2 magazine issues, one of which was supposed to be free?

I think Gun Tests is run by a bunch of morons at some gun club that are trying to fund their shooting habit.

Sorry it doesn't work for you. I've picked up a couple of pistols they've recommended and haven't been disappointed with the results.

As far as the tests - well, IMO they seem to do a pretty good job of getting the basic results right. Anyway, I like the mag and will continue to read it as it arrives. They seem to get it right a lot more often than the major gun mags do. Some of these are funded by ads for the same guns they tell you are great and then you find out, after the fact, that there are some pretty serious handicaps on them.

[stickman483]

I agree that Gun Tests has a better record of identifying a decent firearm more than the other gun magazines.