Springfield Armory XD Sub Compact .40 vs. Smith & Wesson M&P .40
Monday, 24 July 2006 | 70,440 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?
1 July 24th, 2006 at 2:21 pm
kitanis says:
When I was home on leave.. I got a chance to fire a XD-45. I liked the feel of the weapon, and the price was only ten dollars more than the list price of the XD Sub in .40 that you list. The feel was the same as the XD-9 and HS2000 that I have previously fired.
I did lift up the same model of Smith and Wesson that you list. It felt about the same. But there was something I did not care in te grip.. but never did get a chance to fire the weapon.
Each person is different when it comes to guns.. your miliage may vary.
2 July 24th, 2006 at 7:24 pm
Jim says:
I like the 15+1 round capacity of the S&W. But, I’m one of those folks who can’t hit much of anything with a pistol. Also, when the 15+1 rounds are fired off, the S&W weighs more, thus making it a better club.
I realize my comments reveal that I am not a pistol person. A sawed-off shotgun is more my idea of a close-in self defense weapon.
Okay. I’ll shut up now.
jim
3 July 24th, 2006 at 8:35 pm
Matt says:
Mr. Snyder, I’ve been reading your blog for a few weeks and have found it to be a valuable part of my daily news “download”. Thank you.
I’m sure you have heard of http://www.thehighroad.org and http://www.glocktalk.com. Both these sites are invaluable in their first-hand evaluations of certain firearms. I know that the XDvsSW debate has been hashed and rehashed on both sites but i know that there was a recent one on THR, probably on the autoloader or handgun forum that you’ll want to read before making a purchase. Someone on there mentioned the SW releasing both a .45 model to compete in the Army pistol trials (that hasn’t ever been fully aknowledged as a plan to replace the M9) as well as a compact version in the near future. That may affect your purchase timeline…it is affecting mine. Good luck to you, Sir.
4 July 25th, 2006 at 1:13 am
kitanis says:
Matt.
I had not heard of the SW being considered to replace the M9 in General Service. Although I understand that the Marines are wanting to bring on the SW for some of their troops.
But I will lay you money that a Pistol replacement will happen much faster than the battlerifle replacement!
5 July 25th, 2006 at 9:42 am
Trevor says:
Jim,
A sawed off shotgun works for crowd control issues. A pistol is, in my opinion, the weapon of choice for someone who needs to discriminate in hitting a human sized target at up to about 50 yards.
Matt,
Thanks for the tips. I will certainly go review whatever debate has taken place
6 July 26th, 2006 at 5:38 am
Matt says:
Trevor, good luck in your search. I realized that THR did not have the specific thread on their top pages. -Thought i’d save you the time: It can be found here: http://tinyurl.com/fkcrb
There is also a lot here: http://tinyurl.com/fto89 and http://tinyurl.com/s64hu
This gunsmith job seems like a testament to the craftsmanship of the S&W and its ‘tuned’ abilities: http://www.burwellgunsmithing.com/M&Ptriggerjob1.htm
7 July 26th, 2006 at 5:55 am
Matt says:
Kitanis, I don’t know that the S&W is in the running or not. I’m sure that every major pistol mfg in the world has submitted pistols prototypes to the Joint Combat Pistol Trials. I’m sure that the M&P was designed with a flexible chassis with this in mind, as was the XD, the Steyr M series, the new as yet unofficial HK P30/USP45, etc…The official RFP for this program can be found here:
http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/systems/ground/jcp.htm
Recall that back in the early 1980’s when the military decided that a higher capacity sidearm in a NATO cartidge was ‘the answer’, the original JCP requirements were so stringent that none of the guns passed the first tests…they then reduced the requirements and voila, the military ends up with the M9.
What role the new JCP will fulfill, I can’t be sure. It sounds to me to be a SOCOM specific weapons platform which can replace or supplement the M9 or MEUSOC 1911A1 in certain cases. It also seems to be poised to replace the HK Mk23 “offensive pistol” system in many cases since most complaints against the Mk23 are due to size and weight. It will most likely not be a planned replacement for the M9 purely for cost issues. Most of the after action reports from the Middle East in recent years seem to imply poor maintenance issues and broken magazines with the M9 rather than multiple reports of failures in the pistol itself.
The 9mm vs 45ACP will rage on forever but don’t think that broader entry requirements and a greater number of smaller stature military personnel and less money put towards firearms-specific training will point the military towards the “hard to manage recoil” (meh!) of the 45ACP for general issue…it just doesn’t especially since there have been no outstanding failures to necessitate a wholesale review and replacement strategy.
The 45ACP fulfills a broad spectrum of mission specific goals and since the JCP specifies use of a supressor, its likely that the more subsonic nature of the 45ACP is more than ideal in this combo. Obviously, SOCOM operators have the talent and will take to the finest tools they can bring to bear…
Well, I’ve soaked up enough of Trevor’s bandwidth…have a good one y’all.
8 July 28th, 2006 at 7:02 pm
Brian says:
Ive had both. The xd is a great gun, but the finish on the S&W is much better. If you are going to get the Xd, get the bi-tone. The black rubs off very quickly. I stuck with the S&W becuase it felt better in my hand, and it also has interchangeable palm swells. I shoot the S&W much better also..in fact, ive got an H&K tactical 45 that i can shoot circles around with the S&W (not bad for half the price..literally). The only think i like better about the XD is the safety features..but im sticking with the S&W.
9 August 8th, 2006 at 8:03 pm
JohnMichael says:
Howdy, just picked up a SAXD sub-comp and I just wanted to let you know that it does come with an extended clip that allows for 15+1 rounds. Beautifully made gun with the SA name backing it.
Love the look, the feel, and the security features.
Rock on, fellow gunners.
10 August 17th, 2006 at 11:26 pm
Mike says:
I own a Xd 40 4″ model that has the black finish. I am definatly not happy with the finish, but the xd I own is extremely durable and is the only gun ive ever owned that has never misfired, failed to feed etc… not a hiccup… but the black finish rubs off and will rust IWB.
11 October 7th, 2006 at 9:20 pm
Kevin says:
I was recently in the market to purchase a new 40 cal to carry with me in a duty rig. I went on the net and saw the whole debate between glock, springfield, sig, hk, and beretta. But because of the whole Sigma controversey and shady reliability rating, i did not even give smith and wesson.
So I went to my local gun shop and set out to find the best one for me. Here is the break down. HK and sig, feel great in the hand, but i found that the first double action shot was hard to get off and keep accurate. Not to mention the fact that they are about 200 bucks more than the others.
Glock, well glock had a good weight distribution and the actions were smooth and the sights aligned easly. But there was one huge problem the grips fell on the wrong spots on my hand and after about 20 rounds the grips started tearning up my middle finger.
SA well i owned an xd-9 which i put about 1000 rnds through, with absolutely no probs. But i could not hit the broud side of a barn with it. So i decided against the SA becasue i figured it woudld not shoot too much different than the xd-9
So i was pretty dejected that i didnt find a suitable gun yet so, as a last ditch effort the salesman at my local gun shop slipped a M&P 40 in my hands with out telling me what it was. I fell in love!!!! It felt so great in my hands. The grips were perfect and the trigger was crisp and consistent. The sights aligned very easily. 15 rnd capacity in the mag. Oh i just cant put inot words how sweet this gun is. It is fully ambidexterious, which is huge for a lefty like me. On the range i am up to 500 rnds with no fte’s or jams. And accurate to boot. 9 and 10 ring only at 25 yards. If you are going through the same debate as me, hold them all and shoot as many as you can and go with what feels good, but dont make the mistake that i did not giving smith and wesson a chance, becasue this time the finally did the semi-auto right!!!
12 October 31st, 2006 at 8:19 am
ironwolf says:
if you are looking for concealed carry…. i would go with the smaller XD i believe statistics show round capacity for most self defense issues are well below 5 rounds anyhow.. and occur at less than 10 yrds ..and as far as i know its not illegal to carry magazines nonconcealed in any state so even if an extra mag carrier shows.. i don’t think you will have too much problem. but the smaller frame will conceal better..
as far as for a service type pistol i would always go for the longer barrel i have not fired the SW M&P but i have shot the mid sized XD in .45 ACP it handles good.. though i did not like the feel of the trigger pull…it seemed like it got stiff just before the trigger broke like it hit the wall before fireing… personally i own a glock model 35 with the 5.3 in barrel in .40 SW i love it…
in my state we are allowed to hunt with certain pistols during late muzzleloader season for deer.. and i killed a doe last year @ approx 80 to 85 yrds with it…
13 November 9th, 2006 at 12:31 pm
Scott says:
I own a XD-9 service model and love it, not a problem with it after putting about 1,000 rounds through it in a little over 4 months. However, the only question I have is why compare a subcompact to a service model pistol if you are wanting comparable results?
14 November 17th, 2006 at 11:48 pm
Dan says:
How can you actually compare these two guns. One is a sub-compact and the orther is a larger frame gun. You should have compared the SW to the XD with the 4″ barrel not the sub. I am a police Officer and I have the sub 40 as a backup to my sig 226 40. I also own a glock 27 (compare that to the xd40 sub) and a glock 26. I prefer the xd40 sub because of the feel in hand and the safety features.
15 November 23rd, 2006 at 8:03 am
Pete Spano says:
I’m currently in the market for my first handgun. I’m going with the M&P .40. I shot it last week. Very solid gun. Shot a Glock .40 and I thought the M&P was a much better fit for me.
16 December 2nd, 2006 at 6:22 pm
Lance Hollingshead says:
I own the colt 1911, best handgun hands down. I also have the xd40 full size and the Sig 220 45 cal. The xd is an excellent weapon it carries nicely and is very accurate. I have handeled almost all of the above mentioned handguns and it really comes down to what you are comfortable firing with great confidence, should you have to draw your weapon to defend. Second what is comfortable to carry all day, and that you can draw with speed. Smaller is not always better, even though it may be lighter to carry all day. All of the above can be concealed quite well. I carry my 1911 everyday and when it comes down to it anything that starts with a 4 is the answer.\
Thanks and God Speed to all. A Right not Exercised is A Right Lost.
17 December 12th, 2006 at 1:15 am
Hank Myers says:
i have a m&p 40 with1200 rounds through it without a flaw. I also carry the m&p in a speed scabord from s&w that rides high and feels good. the m&p is highly accurate and after the 1200 rounds recoil is no factor. draw and put 5 in target asap.
18 January 15th, 2007 at 5:14 am
XTeacher says:
I bought a XD 40 sub-compact a little over a week ago for concealed carry, and I have put around 400 rounds through her so far. So far, I am extremely pleased with the weapon. The M&P is an awfully nice gun (the gun shop had one as well), but the XD is obviously superior for concealment due to its diminutive size. This is a no-brainer if your primary application is concealed carry. I use a Comp-Tac shirt tucker IWB holster with the XD, and it is an extremely comfortable rig.
I have a 1911 that I have relegated to home defense and for open-carry situations, and I am consistently more accurate with it than the XD so far, but not by much. I can shoot the XD almost as well, which is what I find surprising. I’m not really sensitive to recoil, but the XD doesn’t seem to be at all uncomfortable to shoot.
Bottom line: For concealed carry, I believe that a weapon should be a balance of the following factors — the largest caliber in the smallest package that is the most comfortable to shoot. The XD 40 sub-compact seems to satisfy these requirements. I was a heartbeat away from getting the Glock 30 because of my fondness of .45ACP, but I was sold on the XD largely because of the grip safety and for the fact that the XD feels better in my hand than does the Glock. I would say, though, that the subcompact Glocks are better weapons for comparison than the large M&P.
19 January 22nd, 2007 at 3:28 am
Sparks says:
I have an XD-9 Sub that I love, but I’ll probaly get the M&P .40 in the compact model because I heard that it will handle the recoil better than the XD-40.
20 January 23rd, 2007 at 6:45 am
Michael says:
I own an XD sub compact and 4″, both in 40 S&W. I have enjoyed both pistols very much. Have found both to be extremly reliable in terms of function and accuracy. As far as which do I prefer for concealed carry, the sub compact is hands down my choice. Concealability and stopping power all in one package. As someone has previously posted, most gun fights don’t last for more than a few seconds and very few rounds are fired. Having said that, the capacity of the sub compact is not really an issue for me. Two to the body and one to the head!
21 January 23rd, 2007 at 10:57 am
george T says:
i am thinking quite seriosly betwee the springfield supcompoct .4o the new smithh & weson mp compact 40. both look good on the paper but have not had one in my hand yet. if any one has handled and shot both i woukd be very interested in your opinion,
thanks- george tarelton email- gltarleton@man.com
22 January 29th, 2007 at 7:30 pm
Duke says:
I personally love most all of smith and wesson products including the knives. I test fired one and just loved the feel. It is a very accurate smooth opertating firearm. The recoil was minimal, and it tracked right back into place. Double taps are wonderful and easy to manage.
23 January 31st, 2007 at 10:51 pm
Jay says:
Check this out it should sway anyone towards the XD models. I use the subcompact XD as a concealed carry and the compact (4in) as home protection. I have shot thousands of rounds through these guns and have never had 1 problem. Not one single jam . Way better then GLOCK!
http://springfield-armory.primediaoutdoors.com/SPstory11.html
24 February 13th, 2007 at 5:58 am
Dan says:
I have both the XD Sub-compact in 40 S&W and the S&W M&P 40.
I also have the M&P in 9mm and the XD 4″ in 9mm.
I was amazed at how well the XD 40 Sub-compact shot. Fed everything I put in it (including my 165 grain, Berry’s Mfg. reloads using Winchester 231 powder). I was also amazed at how accurate it is, at least to 30 feet or so. As far as the M&P 40, I also was very happy to discover how accurate it shoots, and with the least felt recoil of any other 40 caliber pistol I have owned (and that has been a bunch). With the M&P I’ve had a couple of light primer strikes (CCI primers), but none with Winchester primers. The XD sub-compact also feeds fine all the brands of ammo I shoot, including my reloads of 165 grain bullets (Berry’s Mfg.). The M&P has a 4.25″ barrel, and the grip is a little large, since it holds 15-rounds of 40 caliber bullets, a little hard to conceal. The XD is bulkier, and short, but has a shorter grip (at least the small magazine is). The larger magazine for the XD feels much more comfortable, but of course makes it harder to conceal. Since the XD has only a 3″ barrel, compared to the M&P 40’s 4 1/4″ barrel, I feel that the XD is more concealable for concealed carry purposes. I would trust either gun in shoot-out or self defense situation.
25 February 13th, 2007 at 9:36 am
jt says:
the S&W 40 all the way. This is the best ballanced handgun i have ever fired. The grips come in 3 easy to change sizes and can there for comfortable fit most hands. I am at best a novice shot with a pistol and at 15 yards i can easly attain a 2 inch 5 shot shot grouping. The reaqusition time between shots is great as well because of the comparitavely low amount of kick. Without sounding like some one that works for S & W i have never been happier with a hand gun.
26 March 23rd, 2007 at 10:33 pm
Steve says:
I am bantering between the XD 9MM and the SW M&P 9MM. I know the best option for selection is test them both, however I don’t have that luxury. So from what I have been reading it appears the SW M&P may have a very “slight” edge. Thanks for the comments.
27 March 27th, 2007 at 4:18 am
Joe says:
I own a S&W compact 40 cal pistol. As a ret’d LEO, I was looking for a compact and somewhat light weapon for concealed carry. I tried the SIGS (I like SIGS very much and own 4 of them), and then came across Smith’s 40 cal. compact. Best piece I’ve ever carried concealed. Shot very well with no malfunctions, is extremely accurate, and is made and finished very well. The gun has a stainless steel slide and barrel, zytel(polymer frame) with the metal parts within being made of stainless steel. I can’t say enough about this gun. It’s simply the best, from workmanship, finish and fit to accuracy and function.
28 March 27th, 2007 at 4:23 am
Joe says:
I forgot to mention in the preceding post that this compact s&w compact is Smith’s new M&P variant. It has a 10+1 capacity. It is a very nice gun.
29 March 29th, 2007 at 12:45 am
Ron says:
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, http://www.gunblast.com/SW_MPCompact.htm . The review was for a 9mm, but you will still get a feel for how the gun handles.
Ron
30 April 7th, 2007 at 5:39 am
Steve G. says:
I 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???
31 April 17th, 2007 at 7:26 am
Nick says:
I 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…
32 April 17th, 2007 at 7:22 pm
Bobby says:
Nice 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.
33 April 18th, 2007 at 10:47 pm
Trevor says:
I 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?
34 April 22nd, 2007 at 12:58 am
Ben says:
For 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.
35 April 23rd, 2007 at 6:25 pm
andrew says:
if 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)
36 April 25th, 2007 at 12:50 am
Trevor says:
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.
37 May 1st, 2007 at 2:56 pm
Ralph De La Huerta says:
To Trevor,
I 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.
38 May 2nd, 2007 at 12:48 am
Joe S. says:
My 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?)
39 May 2nd, 2007 at 11:43 am
Trevor says:
Joe,
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.
40 May 4th, 2007 at 5:29 pm
taruj says:
hi,
u should compare a xd full size with the full size m&p. xd fullsize magazine holds more and has a 4inch barrel. hollar
41 May 4th, 2007 at 5:48 pm
Trevor says:
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?
42 May 6th, 2007 at 11:46 am
smith and wesson m&p 45 - Web - WebCrawler says:
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43 May 10th, 2007 at 3:14 pm
Another interesting weapon - Beretta CX4 Storm at the will to exist says:
[...] - 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 [...]
44 May 21st, 2007 at 8:31 pm
Rick says:
I 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.
45 May 23rd, 2007 at 5:25 pm
Trevor says:
Thanks 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.
46 May 23rd, 2007 at 9:03 pm
Execprotect says:
My 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!!!
47 May 27th, 2007 at 3:50 pm
dave h says:
I 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.
48 May 27th, 2007 at 6:17 pm
Trevor says:
Dave 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.
49 June 4th, 2007 at 1:19 pm
Will says:
It’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.
50 June 7th, 2007 at 7:08 am
Dan says:
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.
51 June 8th, 2007 at 6:21 am
Springfield Armory Xd 40 - Web - WebCrawler says:
[...] (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 [...]
52 June 8th, 2007 at 5:42 pm
Mike says:
I read some where up top that the SA has more saftey fetures than the S&W, what are these extra saftey fetures.
Thanks
53 June 11th, 2007 at 5:06 pm
Mike says:
Hello, me again. Does anyone know of info; accuracy, reliablity, and saftey in regards to the compact m&p .40?
54 June 11th, 2007 at 8:31 pm
Steve G. says:
Thanks 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…..
55 June 13th, 2007 at 2:54 pm
Thomas says:
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.
56 June 13th, 2007 at 8:35 pm
Steve G. says:
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.
57 June 13th, 2007 at 8:36 pm
Steve G. says:
BTW, that was the SA xd 40 cal subcompact
58 June 14th, 2007 at 7:11 am
Trevor says:
Thomas, 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.
59 June 20th, 2007 at 3:27 am
FFL says:
I 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.
60 June 20th, 2007 at 1:37 pm
25YR INSTRUCTOR says:
I’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!
61 June 21st, 2007 at 5:29 pm
Thomas says:
I 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!
62 June 27th, 2007 at 8:51 am
grapplingwithguns says:
I 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.
63 June 27th, 2007 at 10:32 am
Trevor says:
Great comments, grapplingwithguns. Thanks.
64 July 22nd, 2007 at 1:24 pm
Jeff says:
Trevor, 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.
65 August 4th, 2007 at 6:44 pm
Nelson Fix says:
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.
66 August 25th, 2007 at 1:41 pm
Sidewinder says:
The 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.
Which shouldnt be too hard, most people dont know Glocks are defective.
I learned the hard way.
67 September 1st, 2007 at 5:37 pm
joshua d diaz says:
JUST 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.
68 September 2nd, 2007 at 12:49 am
robert says:
I 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).
69 September 17th, 2007 at 1:48 am
Brandon says:
i 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.
70 October 4th, 2007 at 12:33 pm
Andy Quarles says:
I 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
71 October 12th, 2007 at 2:43 am
Chris Melton says:
God, 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…..
72 October 30th, 2007 at 5:55 pm
chris says:
why 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.
73 November 3rd, 2007 at 2:23 am
Brad says:
As 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!!
74 November 11th, 2007 at 4:16 am
Memphis Slim says:
All 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.
75 November 15th, 2007 at 8:11 pm
CmeansC says:
Christmas 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.
76 November 16th, 2007 at 9:25 am
Trevor says:
The thread isn’t dead. People are still reading this at the rate of about 85 a day.
77 November 20th, 2007 at 2:53 am
Mulehead says:
CmeansC: 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.
78 November 21st, 2007 at 12:59 pm
Jack Zumwalt says:
I 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.
79 November 24th, 2007 at 3:45 pm
Kath says:
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.
80 December 7th, 2007 at 9:23 pm
suprdav says:
I have been shooting all my life. I have gone over 15 years since I started buying guns again.
My point is I would stake my LIFE on my xd40! I also own a glock21 Ditto!
81 December 18th, 2007 at 9:50 pm
the will to exist - a deist transhumanist libertarian minarchist citizen soldier’s blog says:
Dwana 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 …
82 December 19th, 2007 at 5:19 pm
David Baker says:
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.
83 December 22nd, 2007 at 2:12 am
IWB Holster For S&W M&P - Dogpile Web Search says:
[...] 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 [...]
84 January 1st, 2008 at 11:48 am
jerry says:
just 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.
85 January 6th, 2008 at 6:13 pm
chris says:
So 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 Bo