Springfield x d ?

[j1]

Has anyone any experience with the Springfield X D ? I am currently carrying a Glock and read about Glock Leg Syndrome and did not like what I read. The Springfield has a grip safety which seems like a good idea.

[Hellrazor]

I have 2 of them. a XD 45 and XDM 40. Grip safeties are the way to go IMO.

[versifier]

I have carried Glocks for over twenty years. Safely. So have many millions of others. Any fool, civilian, military or LEO, who can't keep his trigger finger out of the trigger guard until he/she is ready to shoot shouldn't be carrying a loaded handgun. (Or should be carrying in an IWB holster so he shoots off his ability to reproduce and removes those "stupid genes" from the common gene pool. Then they should take his carry permit away so no one else gets injured.) And the same thing happens with a grip safety if the trigger finger doesn't stay out of the trigger guard when drawing and reholstering. It's not the tool but rather the fool that is the potential danger.

That said, the XD's are decent pistols, well made and accurate. I have happily shot them in several sizes and chamberings and the smaller ones especially make excellent carry guns, but personally I like Glocks better. Simpler design, fewer parts to break, no controls to confuse under stress (like a revolver), etc. I have nothing against grip safeties per se, I just don't see any real need for them. They do not irk me in principle like the built-in locks on pistols and revolvers, I just think they are unnecessary. I do like 1911's, especially ACCURATE ones, and if I had to carry a pistol with a grip safety I think a tack driver like my dad's Kimber would be my choice. They make 1911's in 9mm too if you prefer. I do like .45's and I liked the XD in .45 too. My full sized G21 holds 13 rounds plus one up the pipe, is weather resistant, feeds and fires anything, and it is simple to care for, clean, and maintain. It is what I am used to and have trained and practiced with it. Well over 5000 rounds through it and it still looks and shoots like new. Most of the time I have a S&W.38spec revolver either in my front pocket or in a shoulder holster though, especially in warmer weather as it is wise to be discrete when carrying. Now that the leaves are turning, garden is history for another year, and there is a decided nip in the air the G21 will be on my hip more often. I really should get a decent cross draw rig for it - easier access while in the car.

[Hellrazor]

To each their own.

I carry in a lot of places where it isn't your fingers that will be the issue. I always carry when I am walking, posting, looking for trespassers during hunting season, etc. 50% of those areas are thick with blueberry, tea berry, laurels, jack pines, scrub oak, etc. Never found a branch that could depress the grip safety and pull the trigger.

I did find a branch that fired my hunting rifle a bit early in thick laurels. Safety off, swinging on a moving deer and a branch helped itself to a miss.

[versifier]

I hear that, but "Glock Leg" is caused by plain stupidity when drawing or holstering. And like I said, a grip safety won't cure that kind of stupid, only natural selection.

But you do have a good point. I hunt where the puckerbrush is really thick too. Except we don't have any of those damned greenbriars this far north like you do, just blackberries (which are bad enough). I have never had a surprise like that one, though I could see it happening. I don't think anyone makes a rifle or shotgun with a grip safety - but it's really not a bad idea at all for hunting in heavy brush. The only AD I've ever had in the field was with my caplock, like an idiot I engaged the set trigger while sitting on stand and went to take up the slack swinging on a buck that walked into range. No slack. BOOM. Trail of smoke right next to him. No buck for me. He ran right towards my buddy who dropped him about a minute later. I stopped to reload and got there as he was cleaning it and helped him drag it out. Life.

[j1]

V I read about Glock Leg Syndrome and it seems to be caused most often while holstering the pistol by clothing getting in the trigger guard and pulling the trigger. I have shot a friends Sig and the single and double action seems great. The heavier double action seems to make holstering safer. Unfortunately his pistol costs about $1200 which is far more than I care to spend. I do not know the model number but the magazine holds 20 rounds and the pistol came with four. That is awesome firepower. He wanted it for defense against home invasion. I think that he made a good choice.

[danptobin]

XDs are nice but my favorite plastic gun is the M&P from Smith and Wesson. Glock leg syndrome simply comes from being careless. If you need to rush to reholster your gun then you are probably doing something wrong. When holstered correctly it dont go boom!

[versifier]

I put night sights on a 9mm M&P for my neighbor. It was very well made, but be careful of the spring loaded small parts under the rear sight if you have to remove it. (They replace them free but it takes a week.) ;) I shot the .22lr version that my nephew bought and had nothing to complain about that one either. The 9mm is a good little carry gun, but for its size class (compact) in a side by side comparison I much prefer the Ruger SR9C, which I bought after shooting both. The Ruger is thinner, notably more accurate in the hands of three different shooters - especially out at 50yds and beyond, is less expensive and it comes with both 10 and 17rd mags. It fits my hand a lot better than either the M&P's or the XP's, but that is subjective. The only downside to the Ruger right now is the lack of much choice in holsters for it, but that is slowly changing too. I don't carry it much as I expect my daughter will be wanting it as soon as she turns 21. By then I may just decide to buy her one of her own....

[j1]

So many guns so little time. The only way I feel safe is by removing the holster from my belt, holstering the pistol and then placing the holstered pistol back on my belt. Awkward at the range. Slow but safe.