[bossmikeXD45C]

how much velocity an energy is lost between the 4" barrel an the 5"? in 45 acp

 

[Wired]

I believe it depends on the round that you are firing.

 

[Tard]

Almost none.

The longer barrel gives you a longer sighting radius which makes it easier to shoot accurately -- much more so than I would have though.

5" is pretty long for a carry gun but perfect for a range/ competition gun.

 

[Bellevue_Dude]

The 5" will produce better ballistics, but not significant IMHO to warrant a purchase. That is to say that the 4" and 5" are both capable of getting the job done with good self defence ammo.

I'd focus on what's better for carry. For you. that's what counts.

To me, there's little difference and I carry both a 4" Service and full size Tactical as well as 1911's. When I carry my 4" Service with a SureFire x300, there's about a 1" gap where the light is longer than the barrel. So in this case, I'd rather carry the 5".

So my advice is to get the one you'll carry most often and then practice as much as you can.

 

[HB of CJ]

All great answers sooss nothing to add except you personal choice. All things considered, I choose the 5". About the only other thing is be sure what model you want...the mag capacity MAY vary. Good luck. HB of CJ

 

[kitsapcharly]

When considering an XD-45c for carry I thought about this a lot and finally went for 4". The 5" gives a little more power but not very much... real loss is in shorter barrels like 3" though this will vary with different powder loads from different sources. Shorter sighting range is a little harder to shoot accurately but only a little.
Big issue for civilians like me is that concealed absolutely has to STAY concealed. We can't always carry in The favorite gun leather sort of holsters much favored by police. If someone in a store screams he's got a gun he can show a badge and calm things...I sure can't.
The 4" barrel I settled on gives more carry options with different clothing and will hide nicely in a SmartCarry inside of even cut-off jeans. The 5" barrel would be pushing it at best and might be just too much.
Of course, if you want one for open carry or range use 5" is just the ticket.

 

[rmlarsen]

I went witht he 4" Compact. I looked at the 5" as well but really wanted a carry gun. The 5" just was too long for my tastes. Also, at handgun ranges, the difference in ballistics at either length is insignificant.

But, as is always the case, go with what suits you. with this gun you can't go wrong with either length.

 

[Wizard1500]

I agree that you should get the barrel length that suits you best. I have always seemed to do better with short barrel guns.....my current carry is a Kahr...it replace my SP101 w/2" barrel. When I got my GP100 to shot competition with, I chose the 4". I just like shorter barrel guns....

 

[rgeliske]

There difference is about 50fps between a 4" and a 5" barrel using the same powder charge and bullet. The length of the grip makes a significant difference is how easy the gun is to conceal with shorter being better. However the length of the slide may make a difference in comfort depending on where you carry the gun. For example if you use an appendix carry the longer barrel will often hit your thigh when seated. In general longer barrels tend to cause more problems when seated. As a rule I do not like guns with longer than a 4" barrel if I intend to carry it at all.

 

[Tard]

These are all great answers and why we own so many different guns.

 

[Bellevue_Dude]

What did you decide to go with? 4" or 5"?

 

[sldghmr]

I had a XD45 SC & a XD 45 Tac. I traded the SC for a 1911 SA LW Operator w/4" barrel. I don't like a double stack gun for CCW.

For my frame a 1911 is a better CCW for me, & the XD 45 Tac is my go to gun when the **** hits the fan. I love it, just sent it to Springer Precision to get the Combat Trigger Job, can't wait to get it back. Happy Birthday too me!

 

[tdyoung58]

I believe it depends on the round that you are firing.

depends on bullet weight and powder used

 

[xcpd69]

Then again, should you use a horizontal positioned shoulder holster, the concealment issue switches from butt length to barrel length. There's where my Colt Defender Plus comes in.

3 inch barrel but full length grip. 8+1 rounds of 185 gr Golden Saber +P, at around 1000 fps, even out of the short barrel, should adequately ruin a goblin's day. With no chance of printing.

But at home, the XD Tactical gives me 150 fps more velocity and five more rounds. With no worries about printing, either. :lol:

 

[amcalpine]

I love the 5"! NO CAPTIVE RECOIL SPRING!!!! I love that, it's simple and has tons of available modifications for different loads. If you want a captive recoil spring (two different stage springs also) Welcome to EFKFireDragon.com has one for sale. Plus the 5" has a heavier slide, this is a great thing for high test loads. It's my favorite.

 

[jpainter187]

Just out of curiosity, what holster do you use with your 4" w/ Surefire X300?

I may be hired on for a job that requires me to carry. I currently have a XD 9mm Tactical and was wondering whether or not I should trade it for a 4". But I do like the looks of the Tactical better than the service when it comes to accommodating it with a X300.

The 5" will produce better ballistics, but not significant IMHO to warrant a purchase. That is to say that the 4" and 5" are both capable of getting the job done with good self defence ammo.

I'd focus on what's better for carry. For you. that's what counts.

To me, there's little difference and I carry both a 4" Service and full size Tactical as well as 1911's. When I carry my 4" Service with a SureFire x300, there's about a 1" gap where the light is longer than the barrel. So in this case, I'd rather carry the 5".

So my advice is to get the one you'll carry most often and then practice as much as you can.

 

[Bellevue_Dude]

Just out of curiosity, what holster do you use with your 4" w/ Surefire X300?

I use Blade-Tech. The Tactical Light Holster w/Sting Ray Loop. You can see more on it here: Tactical Light Holster w/Sting Ray Loop :: Holsters w/Tactical Light :: Holsters :: Blade-Tech Industries

I have nothing but praise for it. Solid, comfortable, stable and fast on the draw.

AND... the funny thing is that my Wilson Combat 1911 rides very nicely in it too, with the X300 so it's really one holster for 3 guns (for me)

 

[bossmikeXD45C]

i have a glock 27 an a 30 an a xd 45c an love them all, im so confused:???:

 

[jon45xdtac]

I have a XD 45 Tactical. I primarily wanted the longer sight radius for range shooting. I don't find the 5" barrel to difficult to conceal with the right setup. Don't get me wrong, this is not pocket gun, but not impossible either.

I use a Don Hume open top holster that I purchased from pistsolgear.com. Great holster. With a light jacket the gun completely disappears. I've also worn an un-tucked button up shirt, which also works well.

My main purpose was for home defense and range shooting, so I went with the longer 5" barrel.

You'll be happy with either gun. XD's are a great line of pistols.

 

[enviroman22]

It depends of course on what you are going to use it for. SA told me when I bought my 45 Compact, definitely the right choice for me, that either will guarantee the same accuracy. THEY WERE RIGHT, it's the most accurate pistol I have ever shot! If the 5" is different it can't be significant. You won't lose anything in accuracy with the 4" as the factory promised when I bought mine. Incredible accuracy, my friend.

P.S. Don Hume is the best holster manufacturer imo.