Convince Me Otherwise MP45c vs XDm45 3.8

DAdams

DAdams

Member
Joined
Nov 16, 2006
Messages
351
Reaction score
120
Location
East TN
I have no Springfields.
I have no .45.

I have a M&P 40c and a 9Pro (and a FS Walther 99AS in .40).

I'm thinking I would like at least one .45 to kind of flesh out my line-up.

I just can't get my mind off the Xdm 45 3.8. Why would I rather an M&P 45c over the Springfield?

This is kind of what got me fired up. Hickocks Review.

XDm 45 Compact - YouTube
 
Register to hide this ad
I personally am not fond of the ergos on the XD/m/s line. I've fired the .45 and though I didn't hate it, was eager to give it back and get back to shooting my M&P.
 
Get both I say, if you can. I think XDm-45's are great but I've seen M&Ps going for way cheaper. If you don't mind paying an extra $150-$200 then go for the XD and don't look back. Or buy the M&P and always wonder...;)
 
Since I haven't handled the xdm 3.8 (I will) that may be the deal breaker. Made in US is important as is same manual of arms. I must ponder some more. Thanks for the input.

Anyone think there is anything to the "match barrel" on the xdm?
 
I consistently group 10 rounds within a 2x2 square with my M&P45 4.5" at 10 yards. One group I shot on my 1st day out with it measured 2.25". I was not used to the gun yet and had not shot anything in .45ACP in over 10 years. So I was need less to say very impressed. It is by far my favorite gun I own. Comfortable, controllable, good balance, good capacity and accuracy. And despite what most will say I thing it has good trigger for a service/combat handgun. After all it is a striker fired gun, not a custom 1911.
 
I have XDm in .40 S&W. It is a more accurate firearm than what I can shoot. Many guys have asked to shoot it and only 1 was just OK with it. He was a FNH fan. He shot very well with it.

The Made in the USA is imporant to me too. I have a hard time fitting into autoloaders. The XDm and the SIG 250 are the only 2 that I found to fit my hand well (at that time, 3 yrs. ago). I went with the XDm because it fit me best, cost, and the Sig 250 was in 9mm and I did not want to order one in .40.
I may sell/trade my XDm and if I do it will say Made in USA.
For now, I am sticking to my S&W Revolvers.
Hope that helped.
 
I've owned both, and prefer the M&P line of pistols. The bore axis seems higher (and I believe it actually is) on the XD/XDm pistols, and they are not as comfortable for me as the M&Ps...especially with the back strap options. And last but not least, the M&PS are made in America...as others have noted, but I feel is worth repeating.

Both companies do have lifetime warranties and stand behind their pistols with good service...so, you can choose whichever one you prefer, and feel confident in your choice.
 
Xdm all the way. Accurate, high capacity, and reliability. Nothing against s&w but the xdm is fantastic.
 
I went thru the same decision process: M&P45c vs XDM45c. Long story short, I went with the M&P45c.

- Both guns are nearly identical in height and length

XDm Pros:
- XDm is a better looking gun (like comparing a Retro Camaro to a Prius)
- High capacity mags included

M&P Pros:
- The XDm line is thorny (slide stop sticks out too far)
- M&P made in the U.S.
- M&P is cheaper

I bought my M&P45c at Buds Police Supply. $442 delivered + $20 for the FL. No night sights. Buds Police looks like they never had the XDm45c, but Buds had it for $583. I could not justify the extra price of $141 for the XDm.

Even when I eventually spend extra money on the M&P full-size mags and extension, the M&P45c is still $100 cheaper. For me, price was a major factor. YMMV.
 
I have only fired the 9mm XD Compact, but did not care for the ergonomics although the trigger was light. In the end, its what you prefer. The two guys who have let me shoot their XDs swore up and down that they really liked the gun, but knowing them, I suspect it was because they each got them pretty cheap. I have the M&P full size and like it over the well-established Glock 21 because of ergonomics and concealability.
 
I have a full sized XDm 45 and while it's a fine gun--very well put together and accurate, I have to agree with pretty much all the pro comments above on the M&P. In particular, my M&P feels more natural in my hand, shoots well and is more reasonably priced. In some ways, my XDm feels like a larger, heavier, fancier Glock.

If I was so inclined, for less than the extra $$$ I paid for the XDm, I could get a competition barrel for my M&P, still have money left for my gunsmith to do trigger work and still have enough money left for a couple happy meals. Then what ever plus points the XDm might have would pretty much be eliminated and the better characteristics of the M&P would still outshine the XDm's.

Don't get me wrong--I like to buy American, but 'buying American' is more elusive than ever before. Case in point--which trucks sold in America have the most USA content? Toyota's. The Ford F150 actually has a lot less 'USA' parts.

Besides, on something as important regarding quality and reliability as a gun--I am going with the best product for the money, first and foremost--even if our govt. often allows foreign manufacturing and importation of the finished goods an unfair advantage over domestically produced goods. Our founding fathers were strong advocates of protective tarrifs and duties and against foreign entanglements, but we've drifted far.

Still, as far as I'm concerned, just like anybody else, S&W has to earn my business and as of late, they're doing a good job of it. If Kel-Tec, in south Florida, had a similar, better gun for the money, I'd have that.
 
I think gun-owners have it pretty good these days as far as modern designs are concerned. I truly believe that when you only consider accuracy and reliability, most of the major brands put out a product that is as close to 100% as can be expected (the occasional glitch can be corrected, but I believe the general designs are basically well done). People prefer their Glock, M&P, XD, FN, Ruger, Taurus, etc. for many other reasons, but I feel you are well served with just about any of these plus a few other brands as far as these 2 most important factors are concerned.

Which one do YOU like the looks of best? (Sorry, guys, but this DOES count as far as I'm concerned.)

Which one feels best TO YOU in YOUR hand?

If you can get the opportunity to shoot any of them, which do you shoot better?

If you're going to carry it, does one or the other "fit" you better?
 
I know the M&Ps fit, having two others 9Pro and 40c with standard and XGrip.

Probably will go with the known quantity. Need to find a store with both.

The S&W price is better.

What do you think of the mid sized 4 inch vs the compact? can you run the magazines interchaneably on the compact? Is there an XGrip for the compact that would add the two or three rounds?

Time to search the net.

Appears to be the case.

http://www.midwayusa.com/product/18...e-to-fit-m-and-p-compact-45-acp-polymer-black

Think that's a check positive for the C, then.

Apparently 8, 10 round will work and I see even a 14 round magazine. Imagine that must look a little funky in a compact.
 
Last edited:
Rangel said:
Don't get me wrong--I like to buy American, but 'buying American' is more elusive than ever before. Case in point--which trucks sold in America have the most USA content? Toyota's. The Ford F150 actually has a lot less 'USA' parts.
Click to expand...

Yes, it is...but to be advertised as "Made in America" a certain percentage of parts, labor, etc has to actually be American. The FTC defines "Made in America" as:

"For a product to be called Made in USA, or claimed to be of domestic origin without qualifications or limits on the claim, the product must be "all or virtually all" made in the U.S. The term "United States," as referred to in the Enforcement Policy Statement, includes the 50 states, the District of Columbia, and the U.S. territories and possessions."

The definition goes on further to define "all or virtually all" as meaning "no or negligible foreign content." Some products can claim limited or qualified status, that is "60% made in USA" for example; many products don't have to claim any country or status of origin.

In the case of the XD/XDm products, however, they are clearly marked as "Made in Croatia" (one of the things I dislike about them.) I don't even like dealer stickers or emblems on my vehicles...I don't mind the Ford emblem, but I don't want to see anything else, unless I put it there.

However, one of the things I like best about my Ruger SR1911 is that it clearly and proudly says "Made in America" on the slide.

That's just me...YMMV.
 
Yeah, I'm a dinosaur. I just can't get used to the triggers on the new guns after carrying a good 1911 for over 50 years. However I did get a ParaOrdPDA with the LDA trigger for pocket carry and love it. I bought an M&P 45 and even had a custom trigger put in. I sold it after shooting it twice. It's a quality gun, good price and accurate but frankly, I've fired the XDs and like them better than the M&P or the much overblown Glocks. In fact I think if the XD had come out first there would be no Glock today.

The main point for you is that you are already used to and apparently like the M&P 40. That being the case, you would have no transition to make when you went back and forth. Go for the M&P, but be prepared to upgrade the trigger if you want a much better gun. (That isn't necessary on the XD, so there really is no price difference if you want an equally "shootable gun.)
 
GKC said:
Yes, it is...but to be advertised as "Made in America" a certain percentage of parts, labor, etc has to actually be American. The FTC defines "Made in America" as:

"For a product to be called Made in USA, or claimed to be of domestic origin without qualifications or limits on the claim, the product must be "all or virtually all" made in the U.S. The term "United States," as referred to in the Enforcement Policy Statement, includes the 50 states, the District of Columbia, and the U.S. territories and possessions."

The definition goes on further to define "all or virtually all" as meaning "no or negligible foreign content." Some products can claim limited or qualified status, that is "60% made in USA" for example; many products don't have to claim any country or status of origin.

In the case of the XD/XDm products, however, they are clearly marked as "Made in Croatia" (one of the things I dislike about them.) I don't even like dealer stickers or emblems on my vehicles...I don't mind the Ford emblem, but I don't want to see anything else, unless I put it there.

However, one of the things I like best about my Ruger SR1911 is that it clearly and proudly says "Made in America" on the slide.

That's just me...YMMV.
Click to expand...

The same idiots who write the federal tax codes, write what it takes to for a product to be called 'made in the USA' and it's a very long and complicated book they wrote-there are a lot of parts that are vague and hard to interpret as to where they really stand and then when you get to foreign parts assembled in the USA, it's very complicated there too--with ratios and percentages, etc.

Those Croatians who make the Springfield XD--XDm -- the gun was originally called the HS2000--have been busy trying to figure out the most efficient ways to kill each other for a very long time, and the HS2000 was a big success.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Similar threads

Smakmauz
  • Locked
Goodbye Smith and Wesson!! You don't get my business anymore.
2 3 4
Replies
73
Views
3K
STORMINORMAN
S
R
Smith and Wesson MP Shield EZ 9mm
Replies
14
Views
2K
Cary
C
M
Smith & Wesson M&P 45 M2.0
Replies
1
Views
414
tenexv
T
S
23 round Smith & Wesson magazine spring failure
Replies
5
Views
575
whiteowl369
W
N
Smith & Wesson Bodyguard 2 rear sight modification
Replies
4
Views
579
agksimon
agksimon

Latest posts

Back
Top