Smith M&P 45 ACP or XD 45 ACP???

[gt40]

I'm looking to get a new automatic in 45 ACP. I have been looking at the Springfield Arms XDs and the Smith & Wesson M&Ps. If anyone has exterience with them I sure would like to hear about your likes and dislikes.

I would like the one I buy to be accurate enough for me to hit what I aim at. I have a Makarov .380 that holds 12+1 which is very accurate for me at least. I really like that small one, but would like to step up to a high capacity 45 ACP. My wallet will only let me spend no more than $600.

Hope you guys can help me make the right decision.

gt40

[blhof]

You might also look at the H&K 45, if you're also considering used as new is a little above your price limit.  The H&K is light and is very accurate with high cap mags available.  Mine has been very accurate with a fairly wide range of ammo from factory to cast from 180 to 240 gr loads.

[Lloyd Smale]

out of the two id take a M&P hands down. the few xds i shot were finiky with handloads and ive allways thought they were blocky ugly guns. the M&P feels like it belongs in your hand and the ones ive had the pleasure to shoot were a 100 percent reliable. Im no fan of black guns but wouldnt mind a .40 myself.

[Savage]

Agree with Lloyd. Of the two,  I would buy the M&P.
Savage

[John R.]

I have the XD 45, as do  both my brothers and father. The guns have been 100% reliable with all ammo put through them, including reloads. It was voted gun of the year for good reason. A lot of shooters at our IPSC club also use XD's in various calibers, and I haven't seen any of them malfunction. I have read good reports on the M&P, but have not personally shot one. I would suggest handling both and shooting both if possible. I suspect that they would both serve you well. Anyway, go get one of them and have fun.

[ihuntbucks]

I'd go with the M & P 45.I own one and have never had any problems with it whatsoever.I can stay in a 6" circle at 25 yrds.Good enough for me.You probably do better yourself.LOL.Mine is my carry gun,so I have a lot of faith in it.10 + 1,if I can't stop it in 11,I wasn't going to stop it any way........Rick

[gt40]

Well I just got back from the range. I shot my buddies Colt 1911 45 ACP truck gun. At 15 yards it would shoot less than 3" 5 shot groups most of the time. I was comparing it to a used Springfield Arms M&P 45 ACP.

I had a little trouble with the M&P at first because the sights were not adjustable and the trigger was kind of spongy. After I settled in with the M&P I started to shoot pretty darn good and I have never been very good with a pistol.

The 1911 was using reloads of semi wad cutters. They really shot good in that one, but in the M&P I couldn't get it to group very well at all.

The cheap ball ammo that I was using in the M&P shot pretty good though.

The target was 3/4s of the way to the 25 yard range where the light shined on the target. Most of the 5 shot groups that I shot with the ball ammo were 5" and a few 4 shots were 3" or less With the M&P.

Over all the M&P felt good in my hand and shot pretty good I thought. The trigger still bothered me even more so as I shot more because I was trying to shoot as small a group as I could.

The 1911 had a trigger job on it so it was much better than the M&P. It also shot smaller groups, but not a lot smaller. The 1911 really feels good in my hand, but I think I like the M&P feel better.

Both the 1911 and the M&P functioned flawlessly.

Well I am still not sure which pistol I will buy, but the M&P is still on my list.

How do you experienced pistoleros think about the groups that I shot?

"Aim small miss small ",   

gt40

[John R.]

The M&P is made by Smith & Wesson. So were you shooting a Springfield XD or a Smith & Wesson M&P?

[gt40]

I was shooting a USED M&P. I still have not shot an XD yet. I believe that the XDs come with stainless steel magazines, but the M&Ps do not.

The M&P did LOOK used, but the clip LOOKED new. Why was there a new clip in it I do not know, but something has been mentioned about this may cause a problem???

gt40

[Lloyd Smale]

Ive never seen a springfield refered to as a m&p but i could be mistaken. the M&P is a smith and the xd is a sprinfield. Id add one more thing to this post in defense of the xd shooters. Ive only had three of them at the range and they were all early models. They didnt impress me as a matter of fact two of them made a trip back to the factory. One of them is on its third trip there. Im not a springfield fan. Ive owned quite a few of there 1911s and have yet to have a good one. I may be more critical when it comes to a 1911 then most but i pesonaly think there quality control SUCKS. It has soured me toward sprinfield guns and it probably carries over to my opinion on xds. Before another sprindfield comes home with me it would have to be about free.

[John R.]

Lloyd, I'm sorry to hear about your experiences with Springfield. My Springfield Govt. model is one of the most reliable handguns I own. I've probably shot more rounds downrange with this gun than any other I own. When I was shooting IPSC almost every weekend, there's no telling how many thousands of rounds went through this gun. Of course, this gun has been fully tricked out to shoot limited class. I put a new bbl. in it and had the frame bobtailed. I now use it as a carry gun and shoot others at the matches. The Springfields I've shot or seen at the matches were all good performers, but anybody can put out a bad one. I will say that most all of these guns had been tricked out by my favorite gunsmith. (Tim Thompson @ Bill's Custom Automatics in Shelby MS. 662-398-5001). The XD's I've seen, especially the XD45's have been 100% reliable.

[gt40]

Sorry guys I messed up about what I was  shooting. Must of been shell shocked.

I shot a Smith & Wesson M&P 45 ACP and a friends Colt 1911 45 ACP.

I have not shot a Springfield Arms XD 45 ACP yet. I'd like to shoot the XD so I can make a good compareson.

Thanks for any comments.

gt40