I have not yet owned any polymer pistols, but am considering a new 9mm ,choosing between an M&P Pro, or a Springfield XD(M) competition model. I know this subforum may be biased, but would be interested in opinions.

btw, this would be strictly for range use (not serious competition), and I have long hands, large but not beefy, wear 2XL gloves. I know both pistols have interchangeable backstraps, but I haven't been able to get hold of samples of each at the same time, to compare.

If I were not on fixed income, I would buy both, and then re-sell the reject, but....

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Ed

The M&P well anything M&P9, 9C or 40,40C or the M&P 45 would all be good choices, I have three Smith and Wessons a M&P9 fullsize and a M&P40C and an older Model59.

Just went to the range today with three guns a Glock26 (subcompact 9mm) a Smith & Wesson M&P9 and a Smith &Wesson M&P40C. I put 100 rounds through the 40C and it is the first used gun I have purchased in years and I tend to shoot a little to the left but with this used gun the sights must have been adjusted to shoot that way thinking about having them adjusted to the way I shoot.

I love my M&P9 and am quite accurate with it right out of the box, well two years ago in June and the Glock fairly good with but still having problems with the 40 caliber which I hope is just sights needing alignment, heck I use the same sight picture as with the M&P9 so it should do the same but not really.

So to respond to your post get your self a M&P9 or M&P9C you will not regret the decision, and it is a very reliable weapon, which is why it has the Military and Police name to it, it simply must do its intended job and do it well, as mine do. No misfires FTF FTE with either of these weapons with over 3,000 rounds through my M&P9!

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59,M&P9,40,40C,357,(2)45,G26

I had fired both at our local range before making a purchase. I chose the M&P9 and haven't regretted it. It was reliable right out of the box, and I think it's the easiest handgun to shoot accurately that I own.

maybe a little i've looked at the XD pistols, they just don't fit into my hands as well as the M&Ps do, and i really don't care for a grip safety on any pistol (including 1911's).

also, it looks to me like the barrel sits lower on the M&P which might make for faster follow-up shots.

both are great pistols, really you can't go wrong with either one.

My biggest gripe with the XD family of pistols is how tall and heavy the slides are. You want the mass of the slide as low in your hand as possible when shooting pistols, and the XD design completely ignores that. This is most easily seen on their compact models:



See how ridiculous that looks?

New owners often say that the M&P "felt best" amongst the various pistols they tried. This is because S&W built good ergonomics and a low bore axis into the design. Between your two options, I would go with the M&P.

I own an XDM 9mm and love it. I've put maybe 1200 rds through it and have found only one factory load that had a few hangups. Have not had a single reload problem. I don't have a lot of shooting experience but it seems to be pretty accurate. I've been pleasantly surprised as to how well I can shoot it. Not sure how it would feel with a big hand, but feels great with the mid backstrap with my medium hand.

I also have large long fingered hands. Being my first auto I handled several brands including the XDM. I found the M&P FS to feel the best plus I shoot left handed so it was important to have a pistol that was ambidextrous. Since shooting the M&P40 I felt that I was letting my finger creep in to far on the trigger even with the large backstrap. I installed the Apex FSS trigger kit complete and ended up a 4.25 lb trigger pull and by eliminating the pre-travel I find it a lot easier to maintain proper trigger contact. I have since installed the Talon grips and that has also improved the feel. As a side effect I was finding it hard to reach the mag release that I had reversed for left thumb operation. I have sinced reversed it back to the traditional positional and now release it with my trigger finger. Nice having the option to custom fit a handgun to ones preference.
Probably a novice opinion but it's mine and I'm sticking to it...

For me, the M&P just feels better in my hand, but that is "my" hand. If you can, you should go to a range where you can rent and shoot both in the same session. I have shot XD's and I like the guns and feel they are very well made. I really don't prefer the aesthetics of the gun, but function should always be the first consideration when buying a pistol. I would also say that I generally make it a rule to tell people what not to buy based on quality (like say a Hi-Point) rather than what to buy based on personal preference. Because personal preference is exactly that: Personal.

I think both are fine guns but for me the XD's never felt right in my hand. I love my M&P 9mm it is my favorite gun I own. You just need to try and shoot both and get the one that is best for you.

I have a 4.25" pro and I love it, I have shot an XD and didn't care for it. I also got rid of my last Glock after having my M&P for a few months.

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M&P .40, M&P 9c & Shield 45

Love my XD40 SC and my buddy has the XDM 40 3.8. I am a huge fan of the XD series but would love to have a M&P based on the feedback from those that own em. Check em out and see which one you like. I bought the XD for $300.00 from a friend that was replacing it with another XDM. If he was selling a M&P I would have been happy to buy it instead.

Check out the FN series of 45 and 9mm,they have a visible hammer and decent balance when loaded.I also like the sight picture on my FNP-45.They have a hand filling grip and interchangeable back straps.Their made in the US of A and from what I can tell are of the highest quality.Most importantly I have never had a jam of any kind out of some 1000 rounds fired,I did have some 50 year old plus ammo that failed to fire on several rounds so I thumbed the hammer back and most of the rounds fired on the 2nd hammer strike, can't do that without an external hammer. Never a problem with clean fresh ammo.
I feel a range gun begs for a manually cockable hammer, improves the SA trigger pull but you still have the DA option.
I also feel it's safer to be able to lower the hammer on a loaded chamber with a decocker lever or by hand.I understand this may not be 100% correct but it sure makes me feel better.
A gun just got to have a hammer you can thumb back.

Penmon AKA sore thumb

I have MP45 mid. My friend just bought a used XD 45(had 8 rounds fired threw it). After handling the XD I have to say I prefer my MP. My friend also owns an MP45 compact, he prefers the MP also.

What I really noticed was that the slide took more effert to rack on the XD, I did like the slide release on the XD, but not enough to switch guns.

I have an M&P 9 and an XDm 3.8 9mm. Both have the full size grip. The M&P fits my hand better but I shoot more accurately with the XDm. I added a Pachmayr grip sleeve to the XDm to improve the feel.

The last time out my M&P had two FTE with the same ammo I always use. The XDm has never had a malfunction of any kind.

You won't go wrong buying either one. They're both great guns.

I went with my girl when she said she wanted help picking a new 9mm compact to buy. I have to go gun shopping? Sure twist my arm... She rented several and the XDm was one of them. As soon as she picked it up you could see the negative look on her face. She said it just felt too heavy. I just found the feel in the hand too strange for my taste. When she tried the M&P9c, you could tell she liked it instantly from the look on her face. Inside the range only made her smile more. She bought it that day. Funny thing is that I pick up my 40c today. So while I don't mean to sound biased, we are both new M&P owners after just having rented a XDm. These were both compact models and feel in hand is very subjective, but take note of several reviews on this forum that say the M&P is very easy to shoot well while another just didn't feel as well in the hand.

To me, form has to be a real close second to function in a firearm and while the M&P is very pleasing to the eye the XD looks like it was designed by the same team that came up with the Pontiac Aztec. Just plain ugly IMO.

Something about "Made in Croatia" makes me like the MP.

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LIVE FROM THE DAWGHOUSE

Those Croatians have been very, very serious about making weapons for hundreds of years and the XD/XDM series was known as the HS2000 in Croatia, before Springfield picked it up around 2002. The 45 in particular has won a lot of awards.

I have the 45 caliber XDM w/ a 4.5 inch barrel (nice and quite accurate) and really regardless of size, the same size S&W M&P in that (or any load) category tends to feel lighter and more natural (ergonomic) in my hand. The XD series just feels bigger, heavier and blockier.

On the range, that's not necessarily a bad thing. Generally speaking, the physics of a heavier gun wiill translate into less muzzle flip and better groups on follow up shots. In particular, the competition XDM 45 with the 5.25 inch barrel and adjustable sights, is an exceptionally accurate gun. It's quite the 'range cannon', but it's just too big for most other things. If I have a wild boar coming at me at close range in the open field, I'd prefer to dispatch him using a smaller M&P in 45 caliber, with Hornady Critical defense ammo. Same goes for a 'bedside companion gun', using Glaser safety slugs, as I have neighbors.

Generally speaking, with guns, there's a 'right tool for every job'. The S&W M&P 40c and the Glock 23 are to me like Swiss Army knives, in that they are reasonably good for a large number of tasks and conceal fairly well.

No doubt, the XD/XDM line is a popular, well built firearm but so is the MP. If given a choice over two equal products at a similar price, I'll take the "Made in U.S.A." one every time. That's all I'm saying and would think most everyone here would agree.

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LIVE FROM THE DAWGHOUSE

Of course my S&W M&P (and my other S&W's as well) was/were made in the USA. My Glocks were made in Smyrna, Georgia USA, but of course the parent company is in Austria. The lines of origin can be different shades of gray--as the standard sidearm for the US Army (and used by a lot of US police forces) is a Beretta 92, made in the USA, but Beretta, the oldest gun maker on earth, has a USA head quarters, but is an Italian company essentially. S&W is making inroads into these markets--recently the Los Angeles police moved to the S&W M&P. I am sure Glock's watching intently. Beretta's US Army contract will be running out and the decision making process on the new standard gun/s should be interesting.

For a long time now, the Honda Accord and Toyota Camry have been built in the USA, but of course the parent companies are in Japan. Even what we see as American mainstays, like the Ford F150 pick up truck, a lot of other USA brand vehicles, including Harley Davidson Motorcycles and many more products, have a significant number/percentage of parts made overseas.

The US Govt's 'guidelines' as to determining if a product can claim 'Made in the USA' cover 40 some pages.

Anybody remember when you went into a Wal-Mart and there were signs all over saying 'We sell 'Made in the USA products'? I think if Sam Walton were alive today, he'd be rather upset. Even US Flags are typically made in China today. The US Army's elite, first strike Rangers almost had a rebellion when their hard earned berets were briefly outsourced to Chinese manufacture.

S&W is the USA distributer for Walther (backs them with a paltry one year warranty too) and Walther is sort of hard to pin down as to where there guns are 'realy made' versus were they are finally test fired and stamped as their final assembly point.

To compound complications, companies may put individual parts out to bid and a parts origin and the percentage from any given country can vary from time to time. If one country's currency is particularly attractive against the dollar, we may outsource from there for that time period.

Chances are that many parts of the computer you're using right now will vary in origin from week to week, as they 'job shop' for the cheapest hard drives, DVD player/burners and many other components.

Sadly, gun manufacturers today are little different in this global oriented economy.

Glocks are assembled and distributed in Georgia however the parts are still made overseas if I am not mistaken. I have heard that they are building a plant in Smyrna to start building the parts. Next time I am up that way I need to ride by and see if that is true.

I Love my glocks. Probably not the best thing to say on the smith site. I don't think anyone makes a better wheel gun than smith and wesson, but as far as polymer automatics, glocks are hard to beat. IMHO

I think if the S&W M&Ps prove as durable as the Glocks (and that includes not having their second party front sights flying off), they will be recognized as the better gun, but only time will tell. Given both guns to shoot, I think most people (myself included) would prefer the 'feel' of the M&P. But if you told me I could take one hand gun on a several month salt water ship journey or into the jungle for a few months. I'd have to reach for my trusty, but never rusty, Glock 17.

While it's great that they're making inroads in the semi-auto area, what's sort of sad is that a lot of the older S&W revolvers are better quality than most of the newer S&W ones.

Oh, No Doubt. I absolutely love the older pinned and recessed revolvers. I really don't have much of a desire to own the newer ones. I do have a 340pd, and while it is a nice gun, it is not anywhere near the quality of the older ones. My pride and joy revolver is a 629 no dash which i just recently purchased. I could have gotten a brand new 629 for what I paid, but I really expect the 30+ year old no dash to outlast a new one.

I think I had better wangle an invitation from an S&W owner and an XDM owner so that I can shoot both on the same day.
All things being equal I will buy American (whatever that means these days), but I have found that things are very rarely equal. Browning probably means 'American' to most, but good luck on being made in America. If you can show me a .22 rifle at the same price that matches the value and quality of my CZ (Made in Czech Republic) rifles, I will consider buying
(and yes, I do have a couple of Savages and a Ruger)...so I will not hold Croatian origins against the XDM...at least not very much.

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Ed

Not a big fan of Buds, but they've got a lot of the old police mainstay, the Model 10 38sp revolver, for $269 (used) delivered. If it had barrel shorter than 4 inches, I might bite--not even sure if they made a 10 w/ a shorter barrel. Off thread topic I know, but perhaps someone might be interested. 'They've 'only' made six million of the Model 10--since 1899!

I currently have a m&p and a glock. Both are fine weapons but if I could only have one I believe I would choose the m&p.

Look at my signature all my guns are polymer except for a Smith And Wesson Model 59 which is a steel gun and an old one at that but shoots just fine and the feel is great as well as the trigger which is almost a hair trigger compared to my other pistols...

I have currently two M&P's a nine and a 40 but am getting a M&P45 within the next month when finances are better, now my biggest problem is having to buy a new holster and also new ammunition for my third M&P and fourth S&W semi pistol!

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59,M&P9,40,40C,357,(2)45,G26

My first semi purchase was the XDm in 40 caliber and before making that choice I shot every polymer on the rental wall at a local range. The two finalists were the XDm and the M&P. Chose the XDm because it pointed a bit better for me and that allowed me to shoot it a bit more accurately. However, the M&P was a very close second. About the only thing I didn't like was that silly flippy trigger, if you have skinny fingers and aren't paying attention you'll find the trigger locked because your not on the flipper.

IMO the smartest approach is to do what I did. Rent both and shoot them side by side. Then pick whatever you find works best for you. Simple truth is they are both very good pistols and you really can't go wrong with either.

BTW, I may be a rare bird but I actually like the grip safety on Springfield's XD series. If you thumb the pistol into a holster on the back of the slide it'll completely prevent "glock leg". As for it interfering with shooting, I have never had any problem with activating the grip safety when I wanted to.

If you have the cash, H&K is the way to go.

XDM 5.25 would be my choice but M&P are also good guns.

I own an M&P 9 FS and an XD (not XDm) .40 Service model. I love 'em both.

Hmm.....My most comfortable gun, the one I'm most likely to carry day to day and shoot quite a bit at the range, is an M&P. That says a LOT.

My most accurate pistol though is the XDM.

Then, the one I'd take if I was going into severe conditions for a long time (weather/dirt) and don't want to worry too much about breaking down and cleaning, would be a Glock (gen. 3), preferrably with the slide and barrel nickel boron coated.

I am also thinking about getting an M&P's slide and barrel done in nickel boron by EXO or WMS. It's a lot harder than S&W's melonite or Glock's tenifer, and dust, dirt, grime, residue etc is much less a problem with the nickel boron. If you don't like the goldish--beige color that nickel boron naturally comes in, that can be changed.

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Re:

>>If you have the cash, H&K is the way to go.<<

H&Ks and Sig Sauers are fine pistols no doubt--but do you see many of them in competitions? The answer is "NO". Why? They tend to shoot a bit high (something some folks can over come) and they tend to have greater muzzle flip, (rise) taking longer to fire off multiple rounds accurately. The first shot's typically quite good, but emptying a magazine quickly and getting small groups is more of a challenge.

I too have long fingers and have had trouble with pistol fit in the past. I am very happy with my M&P 9c, and with my M&P 45. That said, I tried a full size XDm at the range, and thought I missed on the second shot, because the bullet went through the same hole. So I think you have narrowed it down to a fine selection--good luck with your final choice!

Long fingers, eh? I have long fingers--can palm hold a basketball, etc. The trigger pull on my little S&W BG380 is so long, that by the time it fires, I'm just about scratching my nose!!

I had a real crack shot ace put my XDm through it's paces and it really is a hell of an accurate gun. It doesn't have the smoothness--the finesse of some Sigs, H&K's or FNH's pistols, but barrel length being equal, I don't think many of those guns are as accurate.

I'd like to shoot an M&P pro version a few times, side by side with the XDm just to see how they compare.

Really? My Gen4 G17 is a pain in the ***. Recoil spring, ejector, extractor...fail. Don't shoot the thing without good eye protection.

Glock is living off its past success and a good aftermarket.

I have posted here several times that I wouldn't buy a gen. 4 Glock, because even though they will change out the spring for free, they still have issues. I absolutely cannot believe what a botch job Glock did with the gen. 4.

Glock had such massive market share that simply adding on backstraps that you could swap out was probably the maximum they should have done, although some might argue that an 'accurized' barrel version for competition, beyond say, the 17L or 24C, might have been a good move--I know a number of people besides myself who've done some modifications on their Glocks.

What Glock did with gen. 4 is a PERFECT example of trying to fix something that isn't remotely broken and messing it all up in the process.

My CCW is a XDM 3.8 40 cal. and have shot both the M & P and the Springfield, I perfer the XDM. I like the grip and trigger saftey and for a carry weapon I think it is the superior set up. I also like the trigger way better than the M & P. Don't get me wrong I love Smith revolvers(yes it's a bad addition) but have never been impressed with Smith autos. It's all about your personal preference, feel and how well you shhoot them. Both are good and will serve you good.

XDMs are nice but a bit overpriced. Had more muzzle flip than I like.

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Anybody shoot the PPQ? Or the FN Tacticool?

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I handled many pistols before purchasing. I was sold on a Beretta 92FS. Felt the best in my hands, best balance. Went to the range and tried Glock, S&W, Beretta, and Sig. Ended up getting Sig P250 for $425 w/night sights. Have to get used to the DAO trigger, but its a great gun. This will be my carry gun once I get a revolver for home defense.

Enjoy your search,

Just got back from the range and shot the XDm 5.25 for a while. The trigger, besides being lighter, was very, very smooth. The trigger on my 40c is about the best you're likely to find on a stock M&P 40c, but I can see where they put the extra money you spend on the XDm, 5.25--on the trigger action, among other things.

I just wonder why they didn't add tritium to their fiber optic front site--other than that, it's quite a package and unless it's a night time shoot, the red fiber optic, combined with the beautifully adjustable rear site is quite nice.

A few months ago I decided to finally buy my first polymer pistol. I had decided to buy an M&P based on the fact that it felt so much better in my hand than a Glock or an XD. Nevertheless, I came across a Glock 17 at a price that I couldn't refuse, despite the fact that it's ugly as homemade sin and its grip was slightly less ergonomic than a 2x4.

Much to my chagrin, I learned that for some strange reason the thing just *works* for me. Before long I found myself owning a 19 and a 26 as well.

I don't *love* them, and I don't think I ever will. I do, however, respect the heck out of them.

Bad camera angle. This image looks freaking bad ***



According to Genitron.com, the FS M&P 40 has a recoil of 7.810 ft-lbs. XDM 40 w/3.8" barrel has a recoil of 7.627 ft=lbs.

If we can believe the Genitron recoil values, then the XDM has less kick than the FS M&P... regardless of the taller slide. I shot a buddy's XDM 45 w/3.8" barrel, and his XD 45 compact. In both cases, I had better control of each of the SA guns compared to the M&P FS 45.

Naturally, the M&P9c I own feels vastly superior to either of the SAs, and superior to the FS M&P line, for me.

-T

There are alot of good pistols out there, I would go to a few gun shops, handle and maybe shoot the pistols your interested in and pick the one you like best......

mathematical numbers on recoil don't tell the whole story. It's where and how that recoil is directed that makes the difference. The XD experiences more muzzle flip due to it's high bore center. My son shot his XD9 quite well, but the first time he shot my M&P he traded off the XD for an M&P.

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Proud USAF Dad

I was interested in this subject... read elsewhere that actual measurements, not looking at photos, showed the bore distance was essentially the same with poly guns. Specifically, the XD guns were in line with the others. Again, I'm interested in the answer, and can't find it quickly now. Hoping you might have read something.
Thanks,