As noted below, I decided, after much research, to go with the Springfield XD. Although my decision to go with the XD wasn't based solely on info from any single source, Springfield's 20,000-round XD Torture Test (see below) was pretty damned convincing.

My critical item is reliability. Accuracy is important, of course, but accuracy isn't really in question for any of the major handgun models. Variations in accuracy show up for highly skilled shooters shooting from sandbag rests. For most shooters, though, shooting from a standing position, the biggest variable in hitting the target is going to be the shooter rather than the gun. When and if I'm capable of shooting 2" groups from a standing position, I'll start worrying about whether my handgun can keep up. Now, none of this is to infer that the XD isn't accurate. From everything I've read, it's equal to or better than most of its competitors on that score. For me personally, though, discussion of handgun accuracy is largely academic. Now, about that XD Torture Test:

The Ice Test. We filled a tub with water, dropped in the XD with a magazine and put it in the freezer for a week. Breaking it free by dropping the "gunsicle" onto concrete, we let it thaw out on the way to the Oak Tree Gun Club, our favorite outdoor handgun range. Upon arrival, we inserted a fresh magazine into the XD and fired. We fired about 150 rounds before wiping it down and lubricating it. Result: zero malfunctions.

The Dirt Test. Following the lead of the Glock tests, the XD was "caked, covered and buried alive in soils of varying consistencies." We used everything from dust and ash to moist dirt and sand. We fired 100 rounds after subjecting the XD to each of the five kinds of dirt, for a total of 500 rounds. Predictably, sand proved the most challenging to its mechanism. After burying the gun in sand, then stepping on it to grind it in, we took it out to shoot. The slide cycled noticeably slower, but the gun never jammed. Result: zero malfunctions.

The Mud Test. The XD was covered with thick, gritty mud. After a quick shaking off, it was fired 100 times. Mud went everywhere from the recoil, mostly on the shooters, some on bystanders--it was amazing how much sprayed off the gun. Still, the gun kept working. Result: zero malfunctions.

And then there was the Water Test, the Degreaser Test, the Tire Test, the "Throw it off a Mountain" Test, etc., etc. On top of this, there was the little matter of 20,000 rounds pumped through the gun along the way. Through all this abuse, the weapon never skipped a beat.

The manufacturer has also demonstrated a plugged barrel firing test (yikes!), and another torture test involving a 48-hour saltwater test, a sand test and a truck and bulldozer test, all with no malfunctions.




I understand most Glocks are able to withstand the same or similar torture tests. The Glocks are the weapons I've seen most commonly compared to the Springfield XDs. I probably would've been just fine with a Glock--though I found a number of reviewers who never liked the Glocks but love the XDs.

I headed over to the local gun show today still undecided between the XD40 and the XD45acp. I've never bought into the idea that caliber is critical. Everyone's heard the anecdotes about PCP-crazed psychos who can take on 50 rounds of 9mm and just keep coming, but the truth is that 99.9% of mortal humans hit in the middle of the chest at close range with a 9mm hollowpoint are going down PDQ--no ifs ands or buts. On the other hand, you can blow someone's arm off with an elephant gun and still fail to incapacitate him.

My prior semi-auto pistols have all been 9mm, because of magazine capacity and ammo expense as much as anything else. These days, magazine capacity is not as much of an issue. The XD-45acp magazine holds 13 rounds, vs. 16 for the XD9 and 12 for the XD40. My interest in the .40 or the 45 as compared to the 9mm had more to do with variety than anything else. In any event, I was planning to go with the 5" Tactical model either way. After having a look at the guns being offered at the various booths, I decided on an XD-45acp Service model (4") in black:



For my money, I think the Tactical model is a better-looking unit (image HERE), but it's also bigger, heavier and more expensive. After considering that this gun's going to spend most of its life stashed in my glove compartment, compact practicality won out over cool looks.

If there's any question as to whether the Springfield XD was the right option, Jawa Report commenter "LC Guido Cabrone" shared the following for consideration:

Our rentals have been through more abuse and more rounds fired than any personally owned weapons ever will. (Well, with one exception I can think of, but most of us can't afford to dump 45,000 rounds downrange in a month and a half... (Yes, that guy is a serious shooter and was getting ready for a competition.))

We have had four total malfunctions with our XD rentals. Our four inch nine lost it's cocking indicator, (the little silver pin that sticks out of the back of the slide), and the four inch forty lost a cocking indicator, (no biggie, it's more of a convenience than anything else), broke the tip off of the ejector, (dunno when it happened, it just started tossing the brass back over the shooter's shoulder, again, no biggie), and, finally, broke a locking block at about 25,000 rounds. That tied it up, but, since Springfield told us it was one of the first ones built, and had been to half the gun mags in the country before we got it, there was no telling how many rounds were fired beforehand.

And Springfield didn't quibble about any of the repairs.

And I don't want to start any flame wars here, but we don't tend to keep Sig or HK for rentals.

They break too much. (Yes, that includes the MP-5...)