M&P and XD - Strength Comparison

5904 Views 14 Replies 10 Participants Last post by Kazman, Apr 14, 2007

mcone

Discussion Starter · Jul 3, 2006

Comparison between M&P and XD

I'm a real XD fan. I still carry my XD 40, as I am very used to handling that pistol. About six months ago I found a pistol that could challenge the XD from my perspective: the M&P40. So I purchased it for my daughter as a graduation gift. She is going into LEO work eventually. This affected my choice for her.

Here are my impressions after owning both pistols for a while:

BOTH Strengths:

Both pistols feel good in my hands. The grip on the XD is awesome. But the M&P still has the edge - because it is adjustable-awesome.

M&P Strengths:

It is more durable (if that is possible) (The XD is tough enough!)
The slide will not rust (My XD slide will if not cared for carefully.)
The chasis system is very good. (XD has rail tabs that are polymer in the back. Don't know if that's a problem. Some guys swear that it is not.)
The slide is through hardened. (XD? Case or Through?)
Interchangeable palmswells!
The trigger is very nice (like it better than the XD)
The magazine release button is the most comfortable I have ever felt. Easy to use too.
15 rounds versus 12 on the XD.
No failure to feed issues. (On the XD, I had issues with FTF, sent back to factory, they fixed it. Has been OK since. Many others have experienced FTF initially on the XD 40.)
The slide stop is impossible to activate accidentally.
- The XD Strengths:
  - Loaded chamber indicator that pops up
  - The XD grip safety has saved me from potential shirt-tail holstering trigger pulls. The M&P will not be so forgiving in this regard. But if the choice is interchangeable palmswells OR grip safety, but not both, then I will take the interchangeable palmswells.
  - The XD can dry fire without a magazine.
  - The slide stop is much easier to operate. But this can be a problem too, if my thumb presses it accidently (before the mag is empty).
  - Serrations on the front of the slide for gripping the front cycling the slide. (Don't try this on an M&P - you will burn your fingers!)
  - XD support and resources. S&W is really good about support, but their customer service doesn't even have a part list yet! The XD has been around a while, and there a lot of vendors that sell product for this pistol. The M&P is still too new in this regard. And S&W needs to get more aggressive in supporting the M&P with accessories (just my opinion)
  - The existence of the XD 45 ACP model. I wonder if S&W will try this in the M&P?
    - The M&P strengths seem to be much more significant to me than the XD strengths. Overall, I think the M&P will be a more durable gun. Either gun is good. But the M&P, I think, is a superior firearm.
      
      When S&W and other vendors start beefing up the accessory part of the business relative to the M&P, then this will be one superior package from nearly every perspective. But, even without the support network built up, I still heavily recommend the M&P.
      
      So, after having purchased the M&P, I still think that it was a wise purchase - compared to purchasing another XD. This is one pistol that will seriously challenge the XD, Glock, and other polymers.
      
      -Mike

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Jester

· #2 · Jul 3, 2006

I was in your boat earily this year.. had 4 XD's and got rid of them all for 1 M&P, that is how strongly I felt about it.

3 - I can dry fire without a magazine.

check the post on how to eleminate this.

5 - Serrations on the front of the slide for gripping the front cycling the slide. (Don't try this on an M&P - you will burn your fingers!)

never cared for this method anyway as to you'll usually flag the line.

6 - XD support and resources. S&W is really good about support, but their customer service doesn't even have a part list yet! The XD has been around a while, and there a lot of vendors that sell product for this pistol. The M&P is still too new in this regard. And S&W needs to get more aggressive in supporting the M&P with accessories (just my opinion)

I have ran into the fact that XD's don't sell repair parts,

, I have asked for parts from smith and more often than not they send them out free.

7 - The existence of the XD 45 ACP model. I wonder if S&W will try this in the M&P?

Soon young jedi, soon.

One more thing: after firing about 2k rounds in one day the XD will wear in your hand where the upper part of the palm swell is, Being that the M&P is more fitted, I managed to hold 3k rounds in one day and still be ready for more.

I've also found that the XD has more felt recoil than the M&P, and is smoother in operation(with the same rounds. I even installed the 24 lb spring on the XD and it helped but not as much as the M&P.

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