New Toy!! (gun porn inside)

[Jarvicious]

So, after a gruelling 2.5 days of deliberation (around about 2 of which was nothing but nonsensical justification) I pulled the trigger (zing!!) on my first hand gun. 



It started off as a normal peruse through a local pawn shop and ended with a salesman's pep talk into me buying yet another expensive toy.  A friend actually just got a glock 9mm compact (we can conceal and carry here in Mo) which I really liked, but the barrel was both too fat and too short at the same time.  The guy totally sold me on the Springfield.  It's a standard Springfield Armory XD with a 4 inch barrel, but the reason I really liked it over the standard was because of the ported barrel and the safety system.  Not only is it loud as balls, but it sounds and looks downright mean.  It's kind of disconcerting though trying to keep a good eye on a target through all that upper muzzle flash.



When I started shopping around for handguns I intially wanted to get a lefty, or at least a gun from someone who made a lefty slide/barrel conversion.  After fiddling around with this one though, it's not hard to navigate the various controls with the wrong hand.  I've gotten my palm pinched between the slide and the barrel a couple of times (I tell you, it feels GREAT) but other than that everything's totally doable from my left side.  I thought about switching over to the dark side, but my right hand is absolutely retarded. 

So far I'm pretty thrilled with it.  Not having shot a handgun bigger than a little baby .38 revolver and growing up on .22s and 12guages, this thing is definitely a different kind of beast.  Despite the muzzle flash, I really like the look and sound of the barrel.  One thing I might change though is the trigger.  A guy down the range from me last night had an XD match grade edition, which is pretty much the same gun, but with a match grade steel barrel and a short/light pull trigger and the trigger had a feather light feel to it.  I know it looks like every tactical weapon ever made (at least to the untrained eye), but if the gun fits......

[OverCaffeinated]

Nice!

I have an XD also. A 45gap with a 5in barrel. You get the power of the 45acp in a compact frame, for my little carnie hands. I got it for home security, definitely not a gun for long range accuracy.

[Rev. Millertime]

Springfield here as well.

XD .45

gotta love the grip size on a double stack .45acp!   

[OverCaffeinated]

I bought mine about 3 or 4 years ago, right before there acp version came out, which I'd prefer. The gap rounds are expensive and not everybody even stocks them.

[That Nice Guy Beck!]

thats a nice looking gun I must say
post some vids

[Rameses]

Here's mine.

Smaller but with a little more bite.

I need to get a 9mm barrel for it to save some money at the range though.

[hbliam]

I carry one (4" XD .45) on duty, I like the grip but have problems with the magazines not dropping out on their own. The moment my agency approves single action I am going right back to a 1911.

[NvrSummer]

I have an XD9, which I love, but I'm looking to sell it in favor of the XD45.  Anyone interested??  

[toaster]

I have an XD9, which I love, but I'm looking to sell it in favor of the XD45.  Anyone interested??  

is it the subcompact? 

ive been shopping for a gun for a while and so far the xd is the one that fits my hands the best, but i really like the way the subcompact feels, even though the main reason i liked the xd is because it isnt narrow like every glock ive ever used.  it seems like everyone i know has the xd and they havent told me anything bad about them yet so its my top choice so far, but my best friends sister has a cz that i wanna try out before i buy anything.

[Jarvicious]

I never shot the glock, but I really didn't like the way the grip felt (reread my post, I originally put "barrel").  Not only was the barrel really fat feeling in my hand, but it was so short I couldn't find a good point to wrap my strong hand around.  My pinky kept slipping off the bottom, even with the extended mag in place.  I prefer the size and look of the sub compact, it just didn't fit my needs.

HBliam, what did you mean by the clips not dropping out on their own?  I've only put a handful of rounds through mine (far from broken in) but the mag has a tendency to eject out of the grip.  I've never had a problem getting it out.  With the spring tension on the new mags though, getting it in takes a bit more force than I'm used to. 

Are the 9mm and .45 barrels interchangable, just so long as you get the model right?  That sounds like an interesting upgrade I may do in the future.  The 9's are just too cheap to give up, at least for just plinking around.  Does anyone reload their own pistol rounds?

[hbliam]

HBliam, what did you mean by the clips not dropping out on their own?  I've only put a handful of rounds through mine (far from broken in) but the mag has a tendency to eject out of the grip.  I've never had a problem getting it out.  With the spring tension on the new mags though, getting it in takes a bit more force than I'm used to. 

On a tactical reload I press the mag release button and the mag drops a bit and then stops. I have to pull it out with my hand. Enough of a reason to get rid of the gun right there. Now that you have me thinking about it I think I may go buy a new gun today.

[NvrSummer]

is it the subcompact? 

ive been shopping for a gun for a while and so far the xd is the one that fits my hands the best, but i really like the way the subcompact feels, even though the main reason i liked the xd is because it isnt narrow like every glock ive ever used.  it seems like everyone i know has the xd and they havent told me anything bad about them yet so its my top choice so far, but my best friends sister has a cz that i wanna try out before i buy anything.

Nope, it's the Service model so 4" barrel.  Those CZ's are a fun guns and pack quite a punch!  Ammo is tough to find in that caliber though.

[Rameses]

Are the 9mm and .45 barrels interchangable, just so long as you get the model right?  That sounds like an interesting upgrade I may do in the future.  The 9's are just too cheap to give up, at least for just plinking around.  Does anyone reload their own pistol rounds?

When I bought mine, it was the only one with interchangeable barrels.  I don't know if that's still the case or not.

It's a .40 and they make 9mm and .357 barrels for it.  With them you can still use the same mags.

[ZLTFUL]

I never shot the glock, but I really didn't like the way the grip felt (reread my post, I originally put "barrel").  Not only was the barrel really fat feeling in my hand, but it was so short I couldn't find a good point to wrap my strong hand around.  My pinky kept slipping off the bottom, even with the extended mag in place.  I prefer the size and look of the sub compact, it just didn't fit my needs.

HBliam, what did you mean by the clips not dropping out on their own?  I've only put a handful of rounds through mine (far from broken in) but the mag has a tendency to eject out of the grip.  I've never had a problem getting it out.  With the spring tension on the new mags though, getting it in takes a bit more force than I'm used to. 

Are the 9mm and .45 barrels interchangable, just so long as you get the model right?  That sounds like an interesting upgrade I may do in the future.  The 9's are just too cheap to give up, at least for just plinking around.  Does anyone reload their own pistol rounds?

Takes a certain hand to feel comfortable with the Glock's grip I love my brother's friend but he is always pregnant doging about the grip feel. Unfortunately, I can't get myself to part with my Taurus .40 to trade him.

[Jarvicious]

We're going out this Saturday so I'll probably put a couple of clips through his compact just to compare it. 

As far as the interchangeable barrels go, the guy who run the local range here KNOWS HIS SHIT so I'll have to run it by him.  I just bought the damn thing so i'm not looking to "pimp" it just yet with the exception of the lefty holster.

hbliam, have you thought about just modifying the mag a little bit?  I took a look at both of my mags after I read your post and there's definitely a wear line where the release pin in the handle rubs on the mag just above the latch hole.  I'd imagine a little bit of modification/lube on the latch would facilitate things.  Then again, if you're just looking for an excuse to pick up a new piece far be it from me to try and talk you out of it  .