XD40 or XD45? - XDTalk Forums - Your HS2000/SA-XD Information Source!

Catholic Damage · 03-11-2008, 09:17 AM

ive heard bad things about .40 cal ammo. my buddy called it the "red headed stepchild of handgun ammo" and is steering me towards a 45.
if the .45 much more expensive? reliable? pros cons?
i'd like to get a subcompact model, unless i can find a really nice case to conceal a 4in(like my HS2k) in business clothes(ie button down shirt, slacks, etc).
what are your feelings on the two guns? which one would get get and why?

OlsenG_360 · 03-11-2008, 11:51 AM

if you're set on getting a sub-compact, you won't be able to get a .45acp.

my advice is go somewhere that'll let you rent guns to try them out. i shot an xd45 against an xd40 and xd9. couple weeks later i purchased the xd45. it's all personal, some people don't like the snappier recoil of the faster calibers, some people are hard-headed when it comes to calibers. if shooting on the cheap is the main concern, i'd go with the xd40 and buy a 9mm barrel for it.

there's nothing wrong with any of them, nobody in their right mind will say "oh it's just a 9mm/.40/.357sig, go ahead & shoot me"

**PackerfanXD** · 03-11-2008, 11:54 AM

I like to stay with NATO type rounds; 9mm, .45.

rogerxd45 · 03-11-2008, 11:59 AM

i have a 40 and 45 and i carry the 40 most of the time. in my informal tests the 40 performed better.
one thing i did was i shot 9mm 40 and 45 at 1/8" steel plate and the 40 was the only one that could penetrate.
the 40 has problems in guns that doesnt have fully supported chambers but the xd doesnt have that problem and i havent heard of a kaboom with an xd40 with factory ammo

Barbarossa · 03-11-2008, 12:12 PM

I LOVE my .40 S&W Tactical!

Catholic Damage · 03-11-2008, 12:14 PM

ill see if the gun place next to my shop rents. i never heard of that, but ill see.
i basically already have an XD9(my HS2k), so i dont understand why i would want a 40 with a 9 barell?
anyway, ill shoot them side by side. my roomate has a 40, and i like it.
on the other hand, does anyone know of a good concealed holster for the 4"? i know the XD9/40/45 are fairly close in overall size for the 4".

OlsenG_360 · 03-11-2008, 12:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Catholic Damage

ill see if the gun place next to my shop rents. i never heard of that, but ill see.
i basically already have an XD9(my HS2k), so i dont understand why i would want a 40 with a 9 barell?
anyway, ill shoot them side by side. my roomate has a 40, and i like it.
on the other hand, does anyone know of a good concealed holster for the 4"? i know the XD9/40/45 are fairly close in overall size for the 4".

didn't realize you already had a 9mm (now i see it's in your signature, my bad), i just put that out there to say it's an option for cheaper practice ammo.

FrankRizzoXD40 · 03-11-2008, 12:22 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Catholic Damage

ive heard bad things about .40 cal ammo. my buddy called it the "red headed stepchild of handgun ammo" and is steering me towards a 45.

Your buddy is apparently ignoring the impressive ballistic test results of the .40SW cartridge. They are usually just as good as the .45ACP.

It all comes down to personal preference, but to say that the .40SW is a junk cartridge is not based on any facts.

Frank

MasLakas · 03-11-2008, 12:29 PM

The 40 is cheaper to shoot but if you reload, there is very little difference in the price to shoot 45 or 40. The 40 can be had in a much smaller package (sub-compact) but I carry a XD45 Service in an IWB holster and have no problems.

The best thing is to shoot both caliber if you can before you buy to get a personal feeling for the two. I have never shot the 40 but I do love my 45s.

dogboy · 03-12-2008, 09:41 AM

180gr. .40 and 230gr. .45 have virtually identical sectional densities (.161 and .162, respectively). They shoot darn near the same trajectory out to about 60 yards. The .45 has a slight edge in momentum and frontal area, both of which are good things. Also, according to a write-up I read recently, some testing was done back when the FBI went toward the .40 that indicated the best momentum values were between 22 and 28 ft-lb/s, of which all loadings of both the .40 and .45 meet, I believe. The .40 is going to be marginally cheaper to shoot, regardless of whether you go factory or reload, unless you can run across some bulk FMJ .45, which I don't recall seeing in a LOOOOONG time now. I really think the bottom line is going to come down to which one feels the best to you, or a subjective opinion of which would make you sleep better at night.

I'm currently going through the same debate myself, as I am really jonesin' for an XD, and already have enough 9mm. I have numerous reasons to go for the .45, not the least of which is back-up to others of that caliber. But I have to admit that at this point I just WANT a .40. And I REALLY can't find anything to steer me toward the .45 except exactly what I said above. That and the grip of the XD45C is all of 1/2 inch shorter than the grip of the XD40S. I personally am not interested in the XD40SC, but that's just me. I believe the grip would be a 2-finger proposition for me, even though my hands are far from large.

03-11-2008, 09:17 AM	#1
Catholic Damage XDTalk 100 Member Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: In a van, down by the river. Posts: 435	XD40 or XD45? ive heard bad things about .40 cal ammo. my buddy called it the "red headed stepchild of handgun ammo" and is steering me towards a 45. if the .45 much more expensive? reliable? pros cons? i'd like to get a subcompact model, unless i can find a really nice case to conceal a 4in(like my HS2k) in business clothes(ie button down shirt, slacks, etc). what are your feelings on the two guns? which one would get get and why? __________________ HS2000 9mm Pretty Blue-Metallic Slide Remington 870 Express w/ Modified Barrel Blasting Clay, Bird, or whatever else gets in its way. Stevens .22LR 13 rd. Tube Fed Little Furry Animal's worst nightmare Mosin Nagant M44 Carbine 7.62x54 Killing Deer, Hog, and Nazi's Since 1891

03-11-2008, 11:54 AM	#3
PackerfanXD XDTalk 5K Member Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Ground zero of the invasion Posts: 7,408 Blog Entries: 1	I like to stay with NATO type rounds; 9mm, .45. __________________ I am currently traveling space and time. I will be returning last week. The wealthiest nation in the world with the mightiest army man has ever assembled could not stop them. http://www.break.com/usercontent/200...00-358890.html

03-11-2008, 12:14 PM	#6
Catholic Damage XDTalk 100 Member Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: In a van, down by the river. Posts: 435	ill see if the gun place next to my shop rents. i never heard of that, but ill see. i basically already have an XD9(my HS2k), so i dont understand why i would want a 40 with a 9 barell? anyway, ill shoot them side by side. my roomate has a 40, and i like it. on the other hand, does anyone know of a good concealed holster for the 4"? i know the XD9/40/45 are fairly close in overall size for the 4". __________________ HS2000 9mm Pretty Blue-Metallic Slide Remington 870 Express w/ Modified Barrel Blasting Clay, Bird, or whatever else gets in its way. Stevens .22LR 13 rd. Tube Fed Little Furry Animal's worst nightmare Mosin Nagant M44 Carbine 7.62x54 Killing Deer, Hog, and Nazi's Since 1891

03-11-2008, 12:29 PM	#9
MasLakas XDTalk 2K Member Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Cache Valley, Utah Posts: 2,835	The 40 is cheaper to shoot but if you reload, there is very little difference in the price to shoot 45 or 40. The 40 can be had in a much smaller package (sub-compact) but I carry a XD45 Service in an IWB holster and have no problems. The best thing is to shoot both caliber if you can before you buy to get a personal feeling for the two. I have never shot the 40 but I do love my 45s. __________________ I speak softly and carry a .45. UtahConcealedCarry.Org

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03-11-2008, 11:51 AM	#2
OlsenG_360 XDTalk Member Join Date: Jan 2008 Posts: 30	if you're set on getting a sub-compact, you won't be able to get a .45acp. my advice is go somewhere that'll let you rent guns to try them out. i shot an xd45 against an xd40 and xd9. couple weeks later i purchased the xd45. it's all personal, some people don't like the snappier recoil of the faster calibers, some people are hard-headed when it comes to calibers. if shooting on the cheap is the main concern, i'd go with the xd40 and buy a 9mm barrel for it. there's nothing wrong with any of them, nobody in their right mind will say "oh it's just a 9mm/.40/.357sig, go ahead & shoot me"

03-11-2008, 11:59 AM	#4
rogerxd45 XDTalk 3K Member Join Date: May 2007 Location: boise ID (its boy-see, not boy-z) Posts: 3,592	i have a 40 and 45 and i carry the 40 most of the time. in my informal tests the 40 performed better. one thing i did was i shot 9mm 40 and 45 at 1/8" steel plate and the 40 was the only one that could penetrate. the 40 has problems in guns that doesnt have fully supported chambers but the xd doesnt have that problem and i havent heard of a kaboom with an xd40 with factory ammo

03-11-2008, 12:12 PM	#5
Barbarossa XDTalk 500 Member Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: 55 Electoral Votes. Posts: 548	I LOVE my .40 S&W Tactical!

03-12-2008, 09:41 AM	#10
dogboy XDTalk 100 Member Join Date: Mar 2008 Posts: 164	180gr. .40 and 230gr. .45 have virtually identical sectional densities (.161 and .162, respectively). They shoot darn near the same trajectory out to about 60 yards. The .45 has a slight edge in momentum and frontal area, both of which are good things. Also, according to a write-up I read recently, some testing was done back when the FBI went toward the .40 that indicated the best momentum values were between 22 and 28 ft-lb/s, of which all loadings of both the .40 and .45 meet, I believe. The .40 is going to be marginally cheaper to shoot, regardless of whether you go factory or reload, unless you can run across some bulk FMJ .45, which I don't recall seeing in a LOOOOONG time now. I really think the bottom line is going to come down to which one feels the best to you, or a subjective opinion of which would make you sleep better at night. I'm currently going through the same debate myself, as I am really jonesin' for an XD, and already have enough 9mm. I have numerous reasons to go for the .45, not the least of which is back-up to others of that caliber. But I have to admit that at this point I just WANT a .40. And I REALLY can't find anything to steer me toward the .45 except exactly what I said above. That and the grip of the XD45C is all of 1/2 inch shorter than the grip of the XD40S. I personally am not interested in the XD40SC, but that's just me. I believe the grip would be a 2-finger proposition for me, even though my hands are far from large.