SC Trooper - Another one

[Danno]

I don't know if you would call this an encounter, but it was a good conversation...

I had a flat tire this morning, so I'm at Goodyear, and a SC Trooper was there also for service. He sat down, and I asked if he minded me asking him a couple of questions - he said sure. I told him that I was going to be getting my CWP soon, and was thinking about getting the XD sub compact for a carry piece. He said that he preferred Glocks himself - just because he didn't like all the extra safeties - the trigger is enough of a safety for me, he said, just like a revolver. Also, the durability of the Glock. It can take a total beating, and still come out shooting.

He said that the SC Troopers went to the Glocks in the early 90's, and they did a test of dropping a Glock out of a hellicopter from 300 feet up - though a tin roof, and onto a concrete floor - and it still shot, although scuffed up pretty bad. He said for the money, I could get a Glock (~$700), although not quite as accurate as others. He liked his previous duty piece for accuracy - a Sig. He liked the XD, but both his duty and carry guns are glocks.

I asked him about Kel Tec or Skyy as a carry gun - he said absolutely not - he said they are just not reliable enough. The Greenville County Sheriff's office as ban'ed their officers from carrying Kel-tec's - on or off duty. Again, he swore by his Glock.

It was a good conversation, and he really was genuine with his advice. We talked a bit more about handguns, and then my car was ready. I bid him a good day, and went to work!

I still really like the XD, and I hope to save up the $ for one soon. I just really like the extra safety - just like my 1911. Guess it's what you get used to... but I completely see his point on the trigger safety - I've never seen a revolver with a safety...

 

[HK4U]

I agree about the safety. I have 6 auto's. Besides my little "Tomcat" only one has a safety. I just don't see the need on a DBL action for one. If you have your firearm taken in a fight by a BG a safety might save your bacon if he does not know how to use it but other than that a safety is just something to go wrong under stress. Just my 2 cents worth.

 

[PascalFleischman]

If you've never had the privelage of shooting a Sig, it would be WELL worth your time. If you're expecting to spend in the neighbohood of $700, look at a Sig P229. My buddy lent me an XD40 and a 229 one day to shoot. I hefted the XD, and immediately didn't like it. The way I bring a gun to bear, the XD's sight picture was too low. Grabbed the Sig, and it was right on target, every time. I just wish I could afford one....

www.Gunbroker.com has them all over the place. Some are used, but "Factory certified." They're a little bit more affordable.

 

[HK4U]

Sigs

If you've never had the privelage of shooting a Sig, it would be WELL worth your time. If you're expecting to spend in the neighbohood of $700, look at a Sig P229. My buddy lent me an XD40 and a 229 one day to shoot. I hefted the XD, and immediately didn't like it. The way I bring a gun to bear, the XD's sight picture was too low. Grabbed the Sig, and it was right on target, every time. I just wish I could afford one....

www.Gunbroker.com has them all over the place. Some are used, but "Factory certified." They're a little bit more affordable.

Sigs are fine weapons. That is what the state troopers carry in Texas. I have a 225 Sig that was the first auto I bought. I don't think Sig makes that one any more.

 

[GeneticsDave]

Don't listen to all that Glock Torture Test crap, a guy did the same thing with an XD: http://springfield-armory.primediaoutdoors.com/SPstory11.php

When the XD was designed, the team at Springfield looked at the popular Glock and said, "OK, what's wrong here and how can we make our product better?" I mean, come on, the whole name XD stands for Xtreme Duty - meant to be a duty weapon in extreme circumstances. Glocks are overpriced to the public so the company can under-price them to law enforcement - I don't agree with that mentality. If a company wants to sell in bulk at a discount to law enforcement that's fine, but don't jack up the price for the public.

Springfield XDs are proven reliable, and the extra safeties are passive - you don't have to do anything but hold the weapon correctly for it to fire. And I hate it when Glock lovers say that they don't need more safety mechanisms. Come on, the Glock already has multiple internal safeties: drop safety, trigger safety, and firing pin safety. So, don't tell me they are 'simpler' and just like a revolver - that's just not true.

[/Glock Rant]

As for the SIGs, they are fine weapons. I have shot a couple that kept throwing brass every which way - including into my face - so I have lost my interest in them, but they are very well made and if you can afford one, they are nice guns.

But, you will not regret buying an XD. At under $500 they are a steal and performance wise - they stand with the best.

 

[kejam]

Compare

Ive got to agree I carry an XD45 Compact daily, Ive put just over 1,ooo rounds through it, cheap practice ammo, not one glitch. Glocks are a fine piece, I chose an XD because it fits me,Glocks dont, its simple to work, its the right price and most importantly it goes bang EVERYTIME I pull the trigger. Go check em all out dont take the word of any one person, its like a car test drive before you buy. Everyone has a favorite, go find yours - just dont buy a specific piece because its fasionable.

 

[Red Hat]

II asked him about Kel Tec or Skyy as a carry gun - he said absolutely not - he said they are just not reliable enough. The Greenville County Sheriff's office as ban'ed their officers from carrying Kel-tec's - on or off duty. Again, he swore by his Glock.

I wouldn't put too much in what he had to say. Sounds like he's a Glock purest and they have a tendency to condemned any weapon other than a Glock. I've talked to several Greenville Sheriffs officers at gun shows and most of them liked Kel-Tek and carried one as a bug. Never did they say they couldn't carry one. I have a Glock 33 that has been worked over by a Glock gun smith and I've never been able to fire hollow points. So every weapon out there can have bugs. As far as the XD goes I have an XD Standard and I hate the feel of it. I fired a few rounds and put it up, one weapon I won't be using. Even though I gave you my opinion you have to take all opinions about weapons with a grain of salt. People have a tendency to support their favorite manufacture/weapon. You also have to remember that all troopers are not gun nuts. Most of them have only fired their service weapon and only do it when required. That's the reason the survival rate is so good for a BG in a fire fight with LE. Bottom line is look around find a weapon you like and buy it. Take it apart fire it a lot and get familiar with the working and quirks of it. Then you will have a weapon you can trust and it will become an extension of yourself. Carry it and be Proud!

 

[DrDavidM]

I have an XD40 service and my wife has an XD9 subcompact. We love them both. Never had any sort of issue with either. To me, much more comfortable than a Glock. As was previously said the safeties are passive. How can it be a disadvantage to have a safety that is in the grip. You have to hold the grip to fire it anyway. Sure it could fail, but what are the chances. But again as said earlier. There are many good handguns out there. Not everyone is going to like the same one. Find one you like.

 

[whiptrackercracker]

If I had to go between the XD and a Glock on first time CCW, I would go for the XD. Honestly I've shot both and they both have their problems, but we are also talking about ccw here and not duty carry or house gun. The glock is a wonderfully fun gun and great to carry too. However, there are also a million reports of people who think they are proficient enough to carry one and then shoot themselves in the thigh while trying to tuck it back into their holster. The XD has a 1911 like grip safety, which adds a margin of safety without slowing you down. Although I think with proper training a manual safety dissapears in your draw. I've drawn both the Glock and the XD and both hit just as fast with no reccollection of having to flip a safety or that a safety exists. The XD has been proven to be just as reliable and bombproof or even more such as the glock. The big test should be how they fit your hand and how they both feel shooting to you. See if you can't get both models your looking at out on the range and shoot. Also talk to the guys at the gun stores and ranges who CCW, they'll end up with a larger selection of carry guns they like. Police tend to be fairly fixed in requirements of what they have to carry.

 

[Glock Fan]

There are lots of great points that folks have brought up. I've fired many different firearms including Sig, Beretta, XD, S&W, FN and Glock. I liked both the XD and the Glock. Many folks talk about accuracy, safety, etc. Many of these problems are corrected with practice and training. I would carry either firearm for duty as well as CCW. There are two factors that helped me with my decision. First was simplicity. I don't like having to remember to disengage a safety should I ever need to fire my firearm in the line of duty. As most tactical shooters know, "fine motor skills" are the first to go in a stressful situation. With proper training, this problem is an easy one to overcome, however I sometimes carry a revolver for hunting and competition purposes. I find it a lot easier to train with two firearms with similar operations. The second factor was the interchangeable parts. There are minimal parts to the Glock, to begin with, and if I need parts, they are easy to acquire.

Bottom line is that if you ask 10 folks what their favorite gun is, you'll get 10 different answers. Ultimately the shooter has to determine what's best for them. It would be best to try as many guns as possible to help in the decision making process.


gf

 

[Big Bubba]

My Avatar says pretty much what I favor. The Springfield Armory semi-auto is one heck of a weapon. I have had my XD-9mm subcompact for a couple of years, and would not want to part with it.

 

[CLAYBROOK]

I carry the xd9 subcompact and absolutely love it. Easy to conceal, and the grip safety gives me cofort when I reholster. My buddy bought a Glock the same time I bought mine. He said if wishes he had bought the XD. I agree with everyone. Both are good guns though.