Springfield Armory XD Sub Compact .40 vs. Smith & Wesson M&P .40
Monday, 24 July 2006 | 60,661 readers so far
Author’s Note: In the nearly two years since I wrote this post, I have realized that I should never have compared these two weapons because one is a service model with 4″ barrel and one is a sub-compact with 3″ barrel. I will, in the near future, write a new entry comparing both models in a service revolver.
I wrote an entry a while back wondering whether people had any positive or negative experiences with the Springfield Armory XD Sub compact .40 S&W pistol. I got lots and lots of positive feedback and nothing negative. I wrote to Springfield Armory asking for some literature on the pistol, but never received a reply. Perhaps the marketing department isn’t interested in pro-gun bloggers…
Anyhow, I’ve just stumbled across the Smith & Wesson M&P .40. The two weapons appear very similar, and I’m wondering which weapon would be better for my primary carry pistol.
Let’s start with images of both:
On the left is the Springfield Armory XD 40 and on the right the S&W M&P 40.
And here’s a handy chart of specs I care about:
| Springfield Armory XD Sub Compact .40 | Smith & Wesson M&P .40 |
|
|---|---|---|
| Capacity |
9+1
|
15+1
|
| Barrel Length |
3.1″
|
4.25″
|
| Trigger Pull |
5.5-7.7 lbs
|
6.5 lbs
|
| Retail Price |
$536
|
$624
|
I would like to know my readers’ experiences with these two weapons. How do they stack up against each other, aside from the fact that they are both made of modern polymers and both manufactured by reputable companies? The SA XD 40 is smaller but has less magazine capacity. The M&P 40 weighs more and holds more ammo.
Which one is more accurate? Which one feels better in your hands? Which one would you rather stake your life on if your life depended on a single trigger pull?
I have been around guns for as long as I can remember and smith and wesson was the way to go. Today, smith and wesson aren’t what they use to be. I purchased a 45 XD 5in barrel, this is a awesome peice of work, never jambs, accurate and reliable. The downfall, hard to carry concealed unless you have a holster for the middle of your back. I’m thinking about getting a springfield 4in 40 caliber or a ruger 40 caliber. Ruger is also great gun, I bought my wife a ruger 9mm it is very accurate as well. Most of my friends on the police force really like their glocks, I was looking at a glock 40 today and I still dont like the feelof the glock. Stay away from Kel-tec for now because they have some jambing issues for what I have been told. Check out the Ruger if you want something with a hammer, safety and knockoff. The springfield is great if you want hammerless and less whistles.
Reply to S KennedyI’ve been looking to purchase my first handgun and this debate has been interesting. I have fired an XD45 and didn’t really like it, but I think that was mostly due to it being a 45. Some of the smaller versions do feel good in the hand, but I don’t like all the goofy safety features on it and wonder if that just makes for more parts to fail. I’ve been looking at the M&P 40cal and have been debating on the full size versus the compact. Sounds like there is not much difference in performance between the two from what has been posted. I have also come across the Beretta PX4 Storm that feels pretty good in my hand and I like the external safety that is not found on the M&P. Unfortunately I haven’t seen anyone talk much about it to compare with the M&P.
Reply to ChrisHey guys been grappling over the M&P S&W .40, PX4 Storm in the .40cal. by Beretta or The Stoeger CougarF .40..I’ve held the XD40SC Liked it but it was a little bulky for my small fat fingers..I know I might be throwing a monkey wrench into the conversation but I could use a little help deciding…Haven’t held a pistol in 30+ yrs I was a Combat Medic c The Marines…went & took my CHL in Texas qualified c a 9mm Ruger Shot Expert so I guess it’s like riding a bike but you have to get back on slowing…Bought my wife a Bersa 380 which she picked out for home protection aside from the Mossberg Defender Shotgun..Now it’s my turn to get mine but these are the only ones I’ve held…I like the safety features on the PX4 and Cougar..Need some input please..Robert
Reply to Robert A.[...] the Springfield XD 40 or the Smith and Wesson MP 40? here is a link I found with a comparison. http://willtoexist.com/2006/07/24/sp…-wesson-mp-40/ Both great guns I have the Springfield XD 45, right now it is at robar for some mods. Congrats. [...]
[...] not mine. Mine is the compact, and I’ll post photos probably tomorrow.) Today I commented over at Will to Exist on an old post where he was asking for comparisons of the Springfield and Smith & Wesson M&P. [...]
Ok Guy’s
You all have great input. I have had glocks and the full size .40XD. Today I shopped for a small compact 40 caliber for conceled carry. I held the compact XD Springfield, the Glock 27, and the compact M&P Smith Wesson .40 cal. The Glock is ok if you buy the finger extention, the Springfield felt very top heavy and blocky. I purchased the Smith Wesson M&P compact .40. I liked the balance of the gun, finish, craftsmanship looked good along with steel sights. My guys at the gun store wouldn’t lie to me. They said they haven’t had any problems with them. I got it home and had to throw a few rounds. It shot tight groups, recoil was good, and breakdown was a snap, just like the XD. I wanted to try something new, and glad I did! plus through April you get a $ 50.00 rebate and 2 extra mags from S&W!!!!That’s worth alot!!! You can check it out on S&W website under spring promotions. It looks like S&W is trying to get back in the game of quality firearms. All three are great guns, and your eyes will cross reading all the reviews on them. They are all in the same price range. What you don’t want to do is trust your life with a cheap gun!! I hope my two cents helps you guy’s,
Doug D.
Reply to Dougi have just purchased the Sa XD .40. The reason behind this was mainly my wife. We have been to the range several times, and shot all of the above mentioned guns. The SMith and wesson had several FTF’s and as she said :hard to shoot”, the glock was fairly reliable but she did not like the sight picture. As for the XD once she picked it up she would not put it down. we put at least 500 rounds through all of the guns, but the Springfield was the best for both of us because of its reliability, and the ease in her being able to shoot it in a 40 caliber
Reply to andrewok lets be honest here, as a member of the armed forces i do have extensive experience with weapons. the XD had a few god feature to look at. (1) the loaded chamber indicators on the top adn rear of the gun. think of a dark alley, and you dont remember if you have one chambered it would be nice to know, and not waste a round trying to figure it out.
Reply to Whiteops(2) line of sight. if you stick your finger out and yell Bang! the bullet should go straight. with the m&P it is slanted upwards that can throw off and inexperienced gunman.
(3) the Xd comes with a 12 rd magazine so 12 +1.
(4) hot and cold barrel accuracy. unlike many handguns that shoot a good hot Zero, but not a cold. The barrel on the short XD remeins a constant even with the variance of rounds.
these are just some basic facts to consider.
I have a XD and have had NO problems with it after 800 rounds through it. My father also has one with 1100 round through it. No signs of wear on the finish (other than on the guide rod), and it eats anything you put through it (straight ball jackets, hallow-points, and also “Pow’r Balls”) This is also a very accurate gun for being polymer. M&P has a much more uncomfortable grip. Of course you can change them, however interchangeable grips do not hold the same amount of comfort in your hand. Going with the XD will leave you with no regrets. Springfield makes so of the best guns you can buy and this is one of them!
Reply to AnthonyCalled S&W customer service today. They’re sending me a UPS label to return my pistol.
I told Mark that I’d read on the internet that many people have had this problem and some have had to send it back three times.. He says that didn’t happen. They’ll fix it the first time.. Don’t believe everything you read on the net..
We’ll see..
Kevin
Reply to Kevin TrotterGreat info in these posts. I bought an M&P 40 Compact a month and a half ago. Mainly to carry concealed. I needed something lighter and smaller than my S&W 5906. I’ve fired about 175 rounds through it. Had one light primer strike and also the slide’s been locking open with one round in the mag. It seems to do it regularly with one mag (1 out of 3) and almost never with the other mag. (1 out of 30).
I haven’t contacted S&W yet but I was expecting more reliability since my 5906 has never jammed or failed to fire and I’ve been shooting it for about 20 years. Has anyone else heard of this?? I didn’t read about anything like that in the previous posts.
Kevin Trotter
Reply to Kevin TrotterI have an XD45 Compact 5″ and Compact 4″, not to mention an XD40 Tactical. The XD45C 4″ was going to be my carry gun but the width of it makes it a bit difficult to wear either !WB or OWB. No problems during cold weather when I can wear my SIG-TAC coat but St Louis summers tend to get hot.
I was going to get an XD40 Subcompact because the XD40 is enough narrower that it wears well in almost any method. Plus I know several people with both the 40 and 9mm Subcompact and they all agree they are very easy to conceal. I say ‘was going to get an XD40 Subcompact’ because today I held a S&W M&P Compact 40 for the first time. Overall I like the XD40 the better of the two but the M&P is just enough thinner that it will be even easier to conceal than the XD40SC.
The only thing that bothers me is the M&P is noticably lighter than the XD and I know how the XD40SC recoils with most loads. I have read a couple of reviews that say S&W has designed this gun so the hand and bore are more closely aligned than in other guns which allows the M&P to recoil backwards instead of upwards which helps reduce the felt recoil. I’ll find out this next weekend because I’m, hopefully, shoot an M&P Compact when I go to the range. Hopefully, is because I don’t know if they have one in the rental case.
Reply to MorrisI am considering a .4 pistol of the affordable sort that functions well, i.e. a Ruger P345, a S&W in .40, possibly the XD, possibly a used or a cheaper 1911 if I can find one. From what I have heard from people who have fired both the XD and M&P, both guns are pretty reliable. I have heard people say they had the XD jam on them. I have not heard anyone in these threads who has fired the M&P say that it jams. All these accounts of the M&P jamming are 3rd person and possibly based on the stigma of the Sigma. Anyway, since all but one say that M&P shoots more accurately than the XD, so I am leaning towards the Smith. That said I have handled the Ruger and it fits my hands well and have heard lots of good things about that gun’s reliability. So many choices! Definitely not the Glock. Heard too many bad things about that gun. And having shot it, I personally don’t shoot that accurately with the trigger such as it is (in 9mm). Maybe it was just a lack of practice, but that same day, I shot circles around it with a Walther PPK. The most accurate pistol I have shot is a worked Colt series 80. I can walk a can at 30′ to 50′ with it and the trigger was butter. But I don’t like that you cannot get your hands on a decent one for 600 bucks. The gun’s a legend and its good, but I won’t spend 1k on it when there are comparable weapons that will do the same thing practically speaking. I have also heard you have to work a 1911 to get it to cycle hollow points (i.e. not the ‘mil spec’ affordable ones). I guess I am leaning toward an M&P, but have not ruled out the Ruger. Concealed is not an issue since it would be used defensively if not just at the range (hopefully the latter).
Reply to Chris W.I look forward to trying the s&w. it is too new so I haven’t as of yet. I do own the subcompact xd and I am well pleased with it. Its a super accurate compact. With hydra shock bullets I was breaking 2×4’s holding up targets. it also holds a lot of rounds which is great for a concealed carry weapon. it also fits in a front pocket! i reccomend this for a cc weapon. lots of safeties and capacity and well uilt.
Reply to rob hayhurstThe two guns pictured are like apples and oranges. the XP-sub compact is exactly that …sub compact. easier to conceal, but with less barrel length it is harder to control follow up shots.
The smith shown is a service lenghth pistol, larger in almost every respect, but easier to control. pistols with longer barrels are also more accurate. however in close combat situations control is more important than accuracy.
As for magazine capacity, the XD comes with a full sized mag also which makes it a 13+ 1
I try to carry my XD-40 sub compact as often as possible, but even in an IWB holster it is hard to hide completely so I find myself carrying my girlfriends Kahr pm40, it’s so comfortable sometimes I forget I’m wearing it.
Reply to JoelI have been carrying the XD 40 sub compact as my main CCH for 7 months naw fired a couple thousand rounds and have had ZERO malfunctions. I did have to get used to the short sight radius but have no problems getting all 9 or 12 rounds in the 9 zone. I admit I keep my targets in the 15 yard or closer range because I carry for self defense and know that most situations should be at alot closer range than that, any farther and you risk bystanders. I do alpot of point fire because a two hand stand and aim will not happen a real life need to protect situation. The finish problem everyone complains about is in the past, I don’t even have wear marks from the polymer holister on the weapon. There is a shortage of aftermarket parts, but that may be due to the life time warranty and if anything goes wrong Springfield fixes or replaces. As for me the XD wins hands down.
Reply to RandySo I just bought this M&P 40. Standard black, 4.25 inch barrel. But the larger of the 3 grips on the back (eventhough I don’t have huge hands, it just feels more comfortable). My Boss that I work with has the XD 40 for himself (standard), and the XD 9 for his wife. We both went out to the indoor range here in Scottsdale. I must say, as I like the XD’s, the fact that the S&W model kept the same degree pitch in the grip as the SIGMA series. It was more accurate than the XD (in MY HANDS EVERYONE!). I’m sure if we could somehow vice grip the guns, the XD would have been more accurate. However, there is always that level of “shake” in everyone’s posture and this somehow is a determining factor in whether a gun will “stink” or not. Let me get to the point, the XD shot very well at 25 feet. I was able to put all rounds (both models BTW) in the “head” area of the target. I did the same with the M&P, but because of the heavier weighted barrel the gun was a bit steadier in my hand, especially since I put the largest grip on the firearm; This yielded a tighter grouping in the “head” area. We then moved the targets back @ 50 feet from the line and re-tested. The XD in my hands (both of them again) left a couple outside of the target area, but more than half inside the target area. THE M&P put all of them inside the target area. I am very very pleased now. We moved the targets back at the maximum distance for this indoor range (70 feet). XD 40 landed 4 rounds inside the target range, the XD 9 landed 6 rounds in the target range. The M&P landed 12 rounds in the target area (target area is still the head area of the silouette targets). In Conclusion here are the stats of everything used this day. 8 boxes of Winchester Ranger S&W ammunition. 3 boxes of CCI 9mm. 1 Springfield XD 40, 1 Springfield XD 9, 1 S&W M&P40, and a lot of frickin fun!!!!
Reply to chrisjust purchased xd 40 service model and ran 250 rounds thru it. no failures of any kind. i was consistantly shooting 2″ high and 2to 3 ” left@ 10 yds. I am confident it is me and will make adjustments next time out. was using winchester ammo from walmart as they are about the best price for range ammo.
Reply to jerry[...] Holsters Sponsored by: 511TacOutdoors.com/+FREE-SHIPPING/ [Found on Ads by Google] 5. the will to exist - Springfield Armory XD Sub Compact .40 vs … On the left is the Springfield Armory XD 40 and on the right the S&W M&P 40. ….. I use [...]
My favorite weapon to shoot is my full frame Unertl 1911, but I carry the Springfield XD Sub Compact in the .40. I would prefer to carry a Compact 1911, but finding a reliable, affordable Compact is tough. The XD is very accurate for a short barreled pistol, feeds reloads (a requirement for me) well, handles hot loads without issue, and is about half the price of a good Compact. Works every time. Drawbacks, well yeah. I hate the feel of the safety on the trigger. Irritates my finger (I know, “Wah! Wah!). My solution is when at the range, wear a thin pair of gloves. I figure if I ever have to pull it, the odds of me noticing the safety are about 0.0. I really like the combination of reliability, price, accuracy and hitting power.
A little bulky, but just a good solid pistol.
Reply to David BakerDwana on Tired of being nannied Ron Paul will defend America if she’s attacked? C’mon, Oliver! …Oliver on Tired of being nannied I don’t think Ron Paul doesn’t believe we have enemies but his po …suprdavon Springfield Armory XD Sub Compact .40 vs. Smith & Wesson M&P .40 I have been shooting all my life. I have gone over 15 years since …
I have been shooting all my life. I have gone over 15 years since I started buying guns again.
Reply to suprdavMy point is I would stake my LIFE on my xd40! I also own a glock21 Ditto!
Lady’s view:
I bought an XD-40 for my new carry gun after trying many weapons, and I’m thrilled with it. I shoot in the Women’s Handgun League, so there is no problem of my being “too delicate” to handle a .40 caliber handgun.
The gun feels right in my hand, but the safety features and dual-sided magazine release sold me, as I am often hauling around my 2-year-old grandchild and will usually have this gun in a purse. It’s unlikely to get fired by catching something on the trigger because of the safety features. Also there is no hammer to catch, and the rear sights are low and not likely to snag on something. Women’s fashions give us more problems with concealed carry that for you guys.
I needed small and reliable with lots of punch. This gun has that. Any shooting I do with it will be within short distances when I absolutely cannot afford a misfire!
Thanks to those of you who remarked on the finish rubbing off. I am going to keep an eye on that, although I have not had that problem yet.
Reply to KathI have a Glock 27 (40 cal) good gun, I was just out in Las Vegas, and went shooting with a friend, who had just bought a Springfield Armory 40, sub compact, XD. I uesd it for the frist time, after shooting I NEED that gun. I shoot the best I have ever shoot with it feels good in my hands the trigger is very smooth,and the gun is very will balanced, I loved the gun. I am going to buy one.
Reply to Jack ZumwaltCmeansC: Where did you find one for under $400? WOW! I knew about the $50 rebate + 2 mags, but around here, the pistols are all around $500. I’d be HAPPY to hear from you.
Reply to MuleheadThe thread isn’t dead. People are still reading this at the rate of about 85 a day.
Reply to TrevorChristmas is coming, and I may be writing to a dead thread, but;
I’m married to a Glock, but the SW MP40 Compact seduced me with a holiday promo price (too hot to mention, but first digit was ‘3′, and includes a $50 rebate with the factory mailing you 2 xtra mags) and now I’m cheating on my G22 with the Smith.
As far as the apple/orange crowd goes, the Glock 27, XD40 subcompact and the MP40 compact, when laid on top of each other on the counter are identical on the X and Z axes, with the XD about .5 taller.
My new MP40 seems to be an indifferent eater, chomping 200 Win whitebox rounds, 200 Blazers, 200 Speer JHPs, and even 40 rounds of 2nd gen Fed HydraShock that I was too spooked to fire through my G22 (don’t want to start a kb! flame –suffice to say the paranoia is my personal ish) without flaw.
I’m with the CC commenters who point out PD encounters tend to happen fast, violent, and intimate, so my 3″ groups at 15, 21, and 50 feet (not yards) are more than sufficient accuracy to fulfill its job description. Yeah, it has that hinky trigger hinge, but this is so not a Sigma.
I like the MP40 compact for CC as much as I like my DDR Mak (now assigned to the curio-appropriate job of home backup) and the MP is much kinder on the hands.
Just a shepherd, here, not a SW endorser. If it hadn’t been for the 50% price diff, and the XD’s extra .5″ conceal profile (really tall slide), I’da bought the Springfield. I’ll be checking back to see what I can learn from replies.
- Shoot to end the threat, but only when all else fails.
Reply to CmeansCAll XD’s now come with the melonite finish which is the same thing as the tenifer finish on Glocks… so no more issues with finish wear or surface rust. I own the XD in 45acp Service and 40s&w.Sub-compact. Both are excellent weapons. As far as reliability….take a look at this torture test. http://springfield-armory.primediaoutdoors.com/SPstory11.php. This 9mm had 20,000 rounds put through it…..frozen in a block of ice…..buried in mud….thrown off a three story building….filled with sand…..and run over several times by a truck. The gun NEVER had a misfire….failure to load….extract…nothing…in 20,000 rounds! So when you read a statement from someone who says “I tried an XD and it jammed …was inaccurate…..blah blah blah”….you can pretty much bet that they have never fired the gun. Fact is, the XD has been around for awhile now and has more than proven itself to be just as tough and reliable as the legendary Glock. Accuracy is as good as you can hold it. Springfields lifetime warranty makes it a no brainer. XD all the way!! The M&P has had some documented reliability issues but as S&W refines the gun, those should go away….the M&P has a nice feel …but I would give S&W another year or two to “polish” the functionality of the gun. I think lots of people are skittish of any S&W polymer handgun after the overall “crappiness” of the Sigma.
Reply to Memphis SlimAs many have posted, you should compare the 40c to the XD 40Sub. I have owned and shot the S&W 40c and it was by far a great gun, however it is harder to conceal. I bought a new XD40 Sub today because it is easier to conceal IWB carry. I havent taken the XD to the range yet, so no remarks there. I can say that the 40c is a peppy little shooter but certainly manageable. My girlfriend shot it, loved it, and shot it very well. I shot it well enough to hit the target LOL!!
Reply to Bradwhy are the sub compact model and a service model being compared? these really are not the same pistol, but SA has a XD service model or a compact model with a 4″ barrel like the S&W. just wondering.
Reply to chrisGod, I think weve all read all the controversy between all the new age polymers. Ive shot most, but own only 1…The reason is my lifes too important not to be backed by the M&P .40. Love the gun, Now I shot The M&P.40compact, I hate the way the XD feels in my hand. A definate winner from S&W, can we all forget about the sigma now…..
Reply to Chris MeltonI own three xd models, the sub-compact 9, tactical 45 and the 9 . I am very pleased with these weapons and wouldnt take two m&p’s for either one of these weapons. I have not fired the compact 40 but with the accuracy and dependability of the compact 9 this is what i carry for my personal protection
Reply to Andy Quarlesi purchased the S&W M&P 40 right after i graduated basic 2 years ago. i shot thousands of rounds, both factory and personal loads, and have never had a misfire, jam, or feeding problem. i got to shoot the XD a few times, and find it to be as good as Wolf Ammo. non-reliable, and inaccurate. i know opinions are from everybody, but id deffinatly put y life on the M&P.
Reply to BrandonI have shot both but and the springfield was my choice. I bought the XD - 40 however mine came with two 12 round clips and only cost $487. This is the weapon I chose to protect myself with (conceal & carry).
Reply to robertJUST TO BE FAIR, YOU JUST MADE A MISTAKE COMPARING THE TWO GUNS. THE SPRINGFIELD XD .40 YOU GOT YOUR HAND INTO WAS THE SUB COMPACT MODEL. THE XD .40 COMES IN 4″ BARREL SERVICE MODEL (VERY COMFORTABLE). BE MINDFUL WHEN MAKING COMPARISONS. ANYWAY THE TWO OF THEM ARE GREAT HAND GUNS, I GO FOR THE XD.
Reply to joshua d diazThe Springfield XD (4” barrel), is superior to the S&W M&P (4.25” barrel), and the Glock 23 (4” barrel). !
I just tested them all out, side by side, at the gun range recently.
Put 50 rounds thru each of them.
Rotating turns, shooting 10 rounds each.
The XD,s trigger is what won it.
Allowing the XD to shoot more accurately, and faster-accurate, follow up shots.
The XD also has better safety features.
Good ergonomics, it points and shoots naturally.
So whether comparing compact or full size, the XD will always perform better.
The S&W M&P.
I expected that it would be the best of the three, but its trigger is too much of a spongier-longer-pull, heavier trigger, on every shot.
That is not what you would have expected from S&W, who is legendary for great triggers, like the XD has.
Other than the trigger, the M&P is a great gun.
Great ergonomics.
The replaceable grips, allow you to substitute a Crimson Trace laser-grip into it.
That would be cool.
I expect that S&W will change the trigger on future M&P models.
If they dont their crazy.
Then they will have a winner !
The Glock, like all Glocks, SUCKS !
Because the grip-angle is defective.
It doesnt point & shoot naturally.
Glocks were designed after the German Luger, which had too sharp of a grip-angle.
This makes the barrel point slightly up, off target.
So it takes a split second longer, to aim them.
Not a good thing for competition, or a gun-fight !
(Dont believe me, see for yourself.)
Grab a Glock in one hand, proper-grip, down at your side.
Now close your eyes, and bring it up in front of yourself, as if ready to fire.
Now open your eyes.
You will see that the Glocks barrel is pointing up, off target !
So now you have to waste time pointing it back down.
Then your wrist, is in a unnatural-weak position.
WHY THE HELL, WOULD YOU WANT TO WASTE MONEY, ON A GUN LIKE THAT !!!
Other than that, the Glock is okay.
The trigger is okay.
It shoots okay.
But it does have more recoil, than the XD, or M&P.
That said, I bought the Glock, a few months ago, now Im trying to get rid of it.
Reply to SidewinderWhich shouldnt be too hard, most people dont know Glocks are defective.
I learned the hard way.
Which would I rather carry concealed? Probably the XD. Which would I rather have if my life were in grave and immediate danger? No brainer: the gun with the longer barrel that packs the most rounds, as both guns, though they don’t have long track records, rate fairly high in user satisfaction. So, since one gun doesn’t have a decided dependability edge over the other, I’d be foolish to not go with the gun that offers more muzzle velocity and more rounds. The set up for this comparison seems a bit apples-and-oranges to me. Seems to me that a more meaningful comparison would be between the XD-40 Subcompact and the M&P Compact. Both conceal well and hold about the same or exactly the same number of rounds. In this comparison the M&P Compact wouldn’t have such an obvious advantage when it came to choosing which gun you’d want to have in a dire situation. But to answer the question again, since both guns work well, I’d rather have the one with the longer barrel and the most rounds. Who wouldn’t? Of course, if I only had experience XD-40, I’d want that one for obvious reasons.
Reply to Nelson FixTrevor, if you are interested in the best weapon to carry, and not the best sub-compact, then of the two I would go with the MP. The higher mag cap would make that call. I have heard many good things about both weapons, though a few bad as well. I myself own a Walther P99qa and I love it. Of all the pistols I have fired it is the most accurate weapon I think I have ever owned. It is a 40 S&W as well.
Reply to JeffGreat comments, grapplingwithguns. Thanks.
Reply to TrevorI have the Springfield service model (4 inch barrel) in 9mm and the M&P .40 compact (3.5 inch barrel and 10 rounds – 1 chambered 9 in the clip).
I love the M&P. The rails are metal both front and back whereas the back rails on the Springfield are polymer and part of the polymer frame. The tolerances on the M&P are much tighter, meaning that there is no extra movement to the slide. The Springfield will shift a little, changing the relationship of the barrel in the slide, if ever so slightly.
I’m accurate with both, but I feel more consistent with the M&P in .40 even though the barrel is shorter than the Springfield.
Personally, I’ve swapped out the medium size grip on the frame for the large on my M&P. I’ve got big hands and the larger grip puts my trigger finger in a position that is perfectly aligned with the trigger and I’m less likely to pull any shot because of it.
Lastly, in terms of carry, the slide on the Springfield is larger than on most 9’s. You can see in the pictures on your site that the height of the slide is greater on the Springfield. It’s got more weight than the slide on the M&P, so it’s a bit more nose heavy. The M&P sits nicely in the hand whether you’ve got a tight or loose grip on the gun.
The extractors are different. The Springfield has an internal extractor, making it more of a hassle to clean the slide when you’ve shot a lot. Carbon gets all over in the crevices. The M&P is a bit easier to scrub down after giving it a good workout.
I trust both for personal carry. I’ve had very few jams with the Springfield and none with the M&P. I love both, and they are both fun to shoot.
Reply to grapplingwithgunsI bought the S&W M&P 40 about two weeks ago. I really like the gun. It was my very first handgun so my groupings are still pretty crappy on the range. I’ve also heard good things about the XD’s. I can tell you that the M&P will be more accurate than the compact XD mostly because the barrel is much longer. By the way, S&W makes a compact version of the m&p if you really want a compact gun. I’m probably a little biased towards the S&W’s because I think they look better and I happen to own one!
Reply to ThomasI’ve test and evaluated Glocks, Sigs, Walthers, H&Ks, Springfields and S&Ws all in 40 cal over several years for departmental purposes. We had Glock 23s which are great guns but there were a few aspects of the weapon that after 10 years of service were no longer desireable. H&K USP great gun! Walther P99QA probably the best in our replacement test. Springfield XD40 great gun. SIG PRO - malfuntioned on the first shot fired - it was just that one gun but I wasn’t going to take a chance. We settled on the SIG 229 DAK - accurate, safe and ultra dependable. The Smith M&P wasn’t out at the time. Had it been we’d be carrying it in our holsters as is by far the best PolyPistol on the market. It’s reasonably priced and its made HERE IN THE USA! Not to mention is accurate, the trigger is great, it’s dependable and you get 15+1 of 40 cal. What the heck else do you want. And oh by the way, the compacts shoot just as good with less felt recoil than any other PolyPistol I’ve ever shot.
My suggestion shoot what you can and form your own opinion. Note: After Testing and Evaluating the M&P I bought one the next day for off duty carry. When the SIGS get a few years older I wouldn’t hestitate trading them in on M&PS.
And NO I DON”T WORK FOR S&W!
Reply to 25YR INSTRUCTORI have no experience with the S&W other than holding it. I have reasonable experience with several different models of XD.
I’d take the M&P in a second over the XD. I feel it offer superior ergonomics. The M&P is the first worthy auto S&W in my opinion.
Reply to FFLThomas, you are correct, sir. In the future, I will compare apples to apples. Look for a review of the M&P 4″ vs. the SA 4″ before the end of the year at this site. It will contain a lot more detail than this blog entry, because I will own both weapons at that point, and I’ll give you my detailed thoughts and comparisons as well as video of both weapons being fired side by side.
Reply to TrevorBTW, that was the SA xd 40 cal subcompact
Reply to Steve G.I’m comparing the S&W M&P compact 40 cal to the SA Subcompact 40 cal. I already own the SA xd 4″ in 9mm.
Reply to Steve G.I like that you’re comparing the HK M&P to the SA-XD….
BUT… wouldn’t it be more applicable to compare 2 guns of the same size?? You’re basically comparing a full size pistol to a SUB COMPACT one… that doesn’t make sense to me. There are 4-5″ full size .40’s out there in the xd model.
Reply to ThomasThanks for all the info and opinions. I got into this thread back in April. I see lot’s of new info. The consensus for me while looking at the compact version of the xd or the M&P is to go with the M&P. Plus they have a deal right now for two additional mags direct from S&W. This will be my primary ccw and I’ll keep the SA xd 9mm 4″ in the house.
Thanks again for all the feedback…..
Reply to Steve G.Hello, me again. Does anyone know of info; accuracy, reliablity, and saftey in regards to the compact m&p .40?
Reply to MikeI read some where up top that the SA has more saftey fetures than the S&W, what are these extra saftey fetures.
Thanks
Reply to Mike[...] (Springfield XD) Sponsored by: http://www.LaserAimingSystems.com/ [Found on Ads by Google] 4. Springfield Armory XD Sub Compact .40 vs. Smith & Wesson M&P .40 … I wrote an entry a while back wondering whether people had any positive or negative experiences [...]
I went with the xd-40 sub compact. It is small enough to fit in my pocket without printing (depending on my pants). I have a small holster, more like cloth cover, over the xd to help protect it from scratching.
My accuracy needs work. I have a friend that was able to shoot a nice group with it at 50 yards, which, of course is not what a conceal gun is made for.
Reply to DanIt’s definitely a case of “Your Milage May Vary”.
I’ve fired both the guns Execprotect is refering to (Action Outfitters is my range as well) as well as my father’s S&W Sigma. The M&P and XD are both significant improvements over the Sigma, but between the two the differences are slight, and personal preference plays a large role.
Personally I purchased the XD because I liked the safeties on it better, and the grip was more comfortable and natural. While I’ve only put 200 rounds through mine, I did put more 500 rounds through each of the range’s rentals with only one incident - 1 failure to feed on the M&P, which appeared to be attributed to a prior user dropping the mag.
Reply to WillDave H,
I’m glad you’re enjoying the service SA XD 40! I have both that model and the Glock 23. We’re going to be shooting them both tomorrow. I will let you know which is more accurate, in my opinion. Maybe even some video if things work out.
Reply to TrevorI took the TN handgun carry class yesterday! I had bought a .40 XD with a 4″ barrel, two-tone (stainless top) . I hadn’t fired a gun in about 10 yrs and then very little. Man, I love this gun! 43 of 48 shots were within the first two circles and bulls. …”focus on the front sights..” Back then I had the small GLOck .40, 23 I believe. I also loved it but I think I love this more. It does fit my smaller hand perfectly. I do agree that racking the slide back is stiff but I’m also not too familiar with firearms in general. I think its top of the line and at a great price.
Reply to dave hMy local range (Action Outfitters, Melbourne FL) has the S&W M&P.40 as well as the Springfield XD .40 available as rental guns on their range. I was looking for a Highcap .40 for a new carry. So I rented them both and ran 100 rnds thru each.
Both weapons are very nicely made, similar in specs and cycle rounds like there is no tomorrow. However, I decided on the S&W. Reason?? Feel and pointability are great and at 20yds, 2nd mag of 5 rnds all hit in the “8″ (not bad on a unfamiliar weapon) 3rd and 4th mags in the 9’s…Period!!!!
As for they guy wanting to know what is best..all specs similar..take the one that FEELS good to you. A shooter shooting a comfortable weapon will be more accurate.
I have carried Sigs for years. If you want an INCREDIBLE 9mm, get your hands on a Sig225. I also carry a 239.40 which is very nice. Both are awesome as is anything off the sig farm.
The M&P though doesnt feel as “solid” as a Sig, but it is very well made, accurate, reliable and possible the start of BIG things to come from S&W. Take a look at their warranty on the M&P line! They are definately standing behind their product!
The only other point I can make is the safety set up on the M&P. The gun has great features, but for novice shooters, you may want to go towards a setup with a more conventional safety system. The M&P is a awesome LE/Mil weapon.
Next in the vault may have to be the M&P 45!!!
Reply to ExecprotectThanks for your comment Rick. I am going to be testing my SA XD40 service pistol with 4″ barrel in conjunction with the Viridian SXD in July, and I’m really looking forward to it. I hope to purchase an M&P 40 in the future and perhaps test it with a green laser as well. My Glock 23 is a sub-compact model without rails, so I can’t mount lights or lasers on it.
Reply to TrevorI own Glock and XD40 and shoot both about the same with no hiccups from either. The Xd40 grip is more ergonomic for me ,but I don’t think it balances as well. Recently fired the M&P at a range and was pleasantly surprised by the balance,accuracy and ergonomics. Can’t say much about relability, although I had no malfunctions.
Reply to Rick[...] - complete scam, complete rip-offSpringfield Armory XD Sub Compact .40 vs. Smith & Wesson M&P .40Winter Nantahala camping trip ends in no deaths, no lost toesWhy let them stifle you?Pulling out [...]
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I was comparing the two weapons that caught my eye. I prefer a pistol that’s fairly easy to concealed carry. Is there are comparable M&P in a short barrel?
Reply to Trevorhi,
u should compare a xd full size with the full size m&p. xd fullsize magazine holds more and has a 4inch barrel. hollar
Reply to taruj4 in 40 xd holds less than the m&p40. both feel great. more bullets more weight. i know i have an xd 45 that i love but holding 14 rds. thank GOD that i’m a big guy.
Reply to BRENTJoe,
I have a Glock 23 (no C) and I love it. I can’t wait to compare it with the XD. Some great tips in your post. Thanks for sharing.
Reply to TrevorMy wife and I decided to move up from 9mm, so I bought my wife a .40 Glock 23C for our anniversary (her choice!), and she bought me a .40 Springfield Armory XD with the 4″ barrel a week later for my birthday. As I’m a southpaw, the right-handed “XD Gear” holster didn’t suit me, so I got the left-handed Speed Scabbard made for the XD (which, btw, is a GREAT holster!).
I’ve fired her Glock (which was purchased used, with a ghost-ring sight setup that really sucked for us, and which we had replaced with standard sights!), and I feel that the XD fits my hand better. The porting on the G23C didn’t impress me, either, but I think that the porting, plus the silly ghost-ring sights, also put off the original owner to the point that the pistol got traded in - the price was much lower than my new XD.
We fired both 165-gr. Winchester “white-box” JFN ammo and Speer Lawman 180-gr. JHP through the pistols without hiccups; the heavier stuff tended to print lower from the XD than the Winchester, but not enough to miss a bad guy by.
The grip on the XD fits my hand like it was made for it. The G23C feels nice, and its trigger MIGHT be a very slight bit better right now, but as mentioned, the XD was brand new, and the G23C was used — I expect the XD trigger to improve just a little as it gets broken in, and then it will be perfect IMO. The XD carries snugly in the Speed Scabbard, yet comes out readily. Draw practice (UNLOADED — no magazine & triple-checked!) will make this work even better.
I’ll agree that the XD mainspring is stiff — if it doesn’t get much better as I break in the piece, I’ll consider a set of replacement springs from Wolff Gunsprings. The G23C’s slide is nowhere near as difficult to cycle, yet it also functions flawlessly, so maybe the XD’s don’t need to be so stiff? I won’t mess with it for a while — see how it works out.
Both pistols hit what they’re aimed at if we do our parts. My wife hits with her new .40 G23C much better already than she has done with her old standby 9mm S&W. We’re going from DA/SA-style actions to what amounts to single-action pistols (yeah, I know that Glock calls their action a form of double-action-only, but calling a tail a leg don’t make it so!), so we’re going to have to learn how to best manage our new pistols.
More range time coming up! (Honey, how’s the ammo budget holding up?)
Reply to Joe S.To Trevor,
Reply to Ralph De La HuertaI own both M&P 40 and M&P 40C (the compact). I carry the 40C except when climate and clothing calls for something more concealable. I have only handled the
XD and I like it. I might add one to my collection in the near future.
I have shot both of my M&P pistols and find them to be excellent to shoot and control. The recoil is minimal.
However, to the full sized 40, to help in handling, I installed the medium back strap and a Hogue full sized hand all slip on.
This improved the feel and handling by 100%, however, as someone said, each shooter and shooter’s hands are different and likes and dislikes are as individual as our personalities.
Good luck and good shooting in which ever pistol you chose. Whatever choice you make, it will be the correct one for you.
Live well, Shoot well and be a survivor.
Andrew,
I tend to agree, and I have been thinking I would like to ask the folks at SA for a test unit. This blog entry is by far one of the most visited on my site - it gets about 1,000 unique visitors a week, so there are clearly people interested in both of the pistols.
I wouldn’t mind a chance at actual live fire with either of them so I could post a review here.
Reply to Trevorif i have to choose between xd or S & W I take xd all the way better gun. more safety, own an xd sub, ( and yes I can hit the target well pass 25 yard center mass)
Reply to andrewFor it to be the gun’s fault that it can’t hit a 10 x 15 foot piece of plywood at 15 yards, it’d have to be visibly BENT. If it’s not bent, it’s more than likely the shooter. I have personally watched a guy shooting an M9 that was shooting about five feet low at 25 yards. His buddies were telling him the gun was shooting low, and to aim higher! I checked the gun, as the thing had to be bent for it to be the gun’s fault. It was fine. Turns out that he was lunging so hard when he pulled the trigger that he was pulling the thing low, hitting the ground in front of the target. I took one normal shot, hit about 1/2 inch below the center, then gave him a quick lesson on sight picture, concentration, and such. At least, then he could hit the paper.
As for shooting the XD and MP, I’m looking also, leaning toward the subcompact XD (9mm for my wife, either a 40 or 45 for me). I haven’t fired either, though. I just couldn’t keep quiet about blaming the gun for not hitting a 10 x 15 foot target at 15 yards. Sorry.
Reply to BenI just got a chance to put my hands on a store model of the XD 40 for the first time. Man, it sure had a stiff slide mechanism. Felt really nice and balanced though. I guess I need to get serious about making a purchase of one of these two weapons soon.
Nick, as far as not being able to hit a 10×15 piece of plywood at 25 yards, I would have to wonder if that was something you were doing wrong?
Reply to TrevorNice Thread! For the most part no one is hammering either, that is refreshing. Here is my two cents worth. I own the M&P 40 full size. This gun has around 1500 rounds thru it with everything from the cheapest dirtiest import ammo to the highest end premium ammo. This gun has never failed to go bang. I have two shooting buddies that both own XD’s, a 9MM compact, a 45 full size (4″), and my favorite the 45 Tactical (5″) compact. This one to me is a real winner. When it comes to concealability the Grip is where most of the imprinting occurs and with the 10 round mag the problem is solved. When higher capacity is needed just pop in the 13 round mag. When it comes to accuracy it is hard to beat the 5″ barrel. I still like the trigger pull and the interchangeability of the palmswell grips on the M&P, but the 45 in a concealable package is sure a big Plus. I am waiting for the new M&P 45 to become available before I pick my next one. On the XD’s above I do not know the total number of rounds thru each but I do know there has not been one malfunction. An earlier post mentioned the S&W reliability with regards to the Sigma. I too had a Sigma that was unreliable. Instead of complaining about it I sent it back to S&W, when it came back it was totally reliable, but I could not get past the overly stiff trigger so I traded it for the M&P. I also have a Springfield Micro compact 1911 (3″), these are probably the most finicky guns around, this one was so unreliable that there was no way I would carry it. It took two trips back to Springfield to get it right, but right it is. The moral here is both companies have excellent warranty repair centers and great customer service/satisfaction departments. Don’t be afraid to choose either, pick the one that points the most natural and fits the hand and you will not go wrong. BTW out of all of the handguns I own I conceal carry the M&P more than any other.
Reply to BobbyI actually fired my friend’s XD40 quite a few times and I can honestly say I just don’t like the gun. I hate the feel and I just don’t like the safety features… It felt like it had a little too much… snap… to it. I also shot it numerous times and couldn’t even hit a 10×15 foot piece of plywood at 25 yards with it. I thought it was just me not being able to hit anything but nobody I know that has fired it was able to even hit the board at 25 yards…. or even 15 yards… As far as reliability goes it has never had any issues at all and is extremely easy to field strip but… just not a gun I see myself owning. I am very interested in the M&P .40 though and I can see this as my concealed carry gun in the near future.
Besides… isn’t the S&W American made? Haha kinda makes me feel unpatriotic to carry a Croatian made gun with a US company stamp on it… The 226 is still on my mind though… so I am still not quite sure on S&W or Sig…
Reply to NickI own the springfield XD9 4 inch model. It shoots great, very little recoil. Pretty accurate at the range at 10-15 yards. I am looking to buy a new sub-compact and confused whether to go with the .40 cal springfield xd or the new S&W M&P compact .40. They are just about the same size, both feel great in my handsize (not too big/not too small) but I haven’t had the luxury of shooting anything in .40 cal other than the glock 27 for comparative purposes.
Any suggestions???
Reply to Steve G.Hi Trevor, I would suggest that you take a look at the new M&P .40 Compact. It is more of a match for the XD Sub Compact. It holds 10+1 and feel awesome in my hand!! I traded in my Glock G27 for it and I am not regretting it at all. It is a great shooter with less felt recoil than just about anything else out there. Pick one up and handle it. I think you will be sold.
Some good info about the M&P pistols can be found here, http://mp-pistol.com/boards/index.php
A good review here,