Glock 17 vs. Springfield XDM: Practical vs. Pleasurable

**JLBIII** · 04-09-2012, 10:55 PM

Originally Posted by Alohashirt

Thanks for the good insights. I guess the question I am asking is not Glock vs. Springfield.

It's more general: Since money is a concern, would you spend less and get something functional and widely available? Or would you spend more and wait weeks to get something you like better that's in short supply?

As far as short supply it may just be your area, every gun shop I went to in my area had a plentiful supply of Springfield Armory XD's in every model they make, I just had to find a shop where the price was the lowest.

Joe

**recon** · 04-16-2012, 12:20 AM

Glock 19 for my CCW. Also have a 34 model. Great pistols for the money.

**Clay** · 04-16-2012, 08:21 PM

I have an xdm 3.8 9mm. I have put I have put 10,000 plus rounds though it with out a single jam, and it is real easy to clean. When I was looking for my 9 I ruled out the xdm before I even held it (It was a little expensive for me). I was at the range trying various 9's, and just didn't like the way any of them felt. My friend harassed my to try the xdm until I broke, and I'm glad he did. It fit beautifully in my hand, and the xdm come with replaceable back straps (small, medium, and large) to custom fit different hand sizes. I love this gun and am currently saving for a 2nd one. I am a firm believer in try before you buy. If your firearm doesn't fit your hand properly and feels awkward when you shoot, you aren't going to want to used it. My recommendation is try them both and buy which ever one feels better, and if you have to wait an extra month or 2 to buy the one you want it will be worth the wait.

**5Pyd3Rm4N** · 04-17-2012, 03:19 PM

Hopefully answer your question. I would go for the gun I wanted or enjoyed shooting more, just from a practice/proficiency standpoint. Shooting the one that was "convenient" would grate on my nerves every time I "had to go to the range to practice" instead of going and shooting the one I enjoyed. As far as availability of parts etc., if that's really a concern for you, stockpile a "spare parts kit" now even if you have to wait on an order. Then you have the gun you want and available spare parts!

**Morgan101** · 06-04-2012, 05:34 PM

Alohashirt - not sure if you made your purchase already, as I am late to this post. I will try to make this as clear as mud, and be no help. Both choices, Glock and Springfield have their own advantages and disadvantages. I own a Springfield XDM in .40, and it was excellent right out of the box. I am surprised that availability was in issue. I have never heard of a shortage especially in 9mm. I do not own a Glock. Glock's always felt bulky to me. The Springfield seemed to be better balanced, and a more comfortable fit.

I wrestled with the cost dilemma for many years, as you are doing now. I wanted a Sig P220 so bad I could taste it, but I couldn't bring myself to pay twice as much for the Sig as a Ruger. I bought the Ruger (P90 I believe) mostly on the basis of cost. I was never disappointed. The Ruger was great right out of the box. I was able to get a Sig P220 a few years later, and I love that one too.

Bottom line they are two good choices. You may want to go less expensive now, and upgrade when you can better afford it.

**RICHFL** · 06-04-2012, 07:43 PM

I think everyone is getting ahead of them selves.

Question: Why are you buying a hand gun for?

A. Is it easy to carry, or that your job requires you to? Because if the only answer is because every one else has one around me then you need to rethink your position. Most people carry one so they can gain time to get to their assault rifle if they need to defend themselves.

If you think of using it for hunting; what is wrong with a.22 cal rifle or better 12 ga shotgun both which has greater range and better accuracy then a 9mm pistol?

I carry a GLOCK since it is what I carried for 10 years as a Deputy Sheriff. As noted there are a lot of them out there with plenty of parts around. But best is how little maintenance is needed to keep them in good shape. They come apart in 4 pieces (4). Look at how many parts are in the 1911A1 .45 Colt.

**Chris438** · 07-03-2012, 09:50 PM

I would tell you go with the Glock 17! I owned both firearms and still own the tried and true Glock. My XDM (40 S&W) may have been just a lemon; it had to go back to the shop several times.

The biggest issue I have with the XDM is that over-sized slide release. Because of the way I position my thumbs on a handgun, the slide would lock back 1 out of every 10 shots (on average). My thumbs would jerk up a little on recoil and hit the slide lock. After recognizing the issue, I would have to re-poisiton my thumbs to ensure proper feeding; but then I realized I didn't want to have to re-train my grip when all my other handguns were NEVER an issue. I certainly didn't want to have this gun (XDM) fail on me during a stressful situation so I got rid of it.

The Glock 17 (Gen 3) was my first and favorite handgun. I've fired literally thousands of rounds and maybe had 2 FTF's the entire time; I could tell you those FTF's were most likely from cheap ammo!

That's my 2 cents...my only advice is try the XDM before buying...maybe you'll like it...I can only tell you it wasn't the gun for me. I bet my life on the Glock17!

**Buggyout** · 07-05-2012, 09:03 PM

Shooters of Columbus, GA has XDs for $399 - .45 Cal for $499. The XDM is a variant of a Croation pistol HS2000, which in turn is a reversed-engineered Glock. Go Austrian!