[ad5zt]

The 40 is a great round for self defense but works at very high pressure compared to 45 ACP. That high pressure causes muzzle blast and high perceived recoil. The 9mm is easier to control and a lot more fun to shoot. A magazine full of 9mm rounds will resolve 99.9 percent of the conflicts in which a civilian might find himself.

Having said all of that I shoot 1911s in 45 ACP for pure fun and self defense.

[canebrake]

.45 acp

[Cnynrat]

Originally Posted by Kage0113

I thought alot about .22 and 9mm, but want a better protection caliber. That's why I was thinkg .45. I also just love the XDm, and it would be nice if they made a .45, and I thought about the XD45, and I'm just more into the Xdm. So really it is just between an XD45 and an XDM40.

I know others here may disagree, but I think 9mm is fine as a self defense caliber. When you look at the real world studies that have been done you see that it's really all about shot placement, not bullet size. It's even possible you may find you have better shot placement with the 9mm due to slightly less recoil and the possibility you may practice more since the ammo is a little cheaper.

That said, we have .40's in our house for self defense. My wife shoots a .40 and she shoots pretty well and has no problem with the recoil.

I love my Sig P226, and would recommend you give that option some consideration. As an all metal gun it's a little heavier than the plastic frame guns, and as a result the recoil is easier to deal with. Assuming you aren't going to be carrying it around with you all day the extra weight is no problem.

You could buy a P226 in .40, and get the .22 upper end for it so you can practice with really cheap ammo using your primary self defense weapon. You can also get a 9mm barrel and magazines so you have the option of shooting multiple heavy calibers out of the same gun, That could be useful to deal with potential future ammo availability in one caliber vs. another.

It's not clear from your post whether you've shot any of the guns you're thinking about. I recommend you find a local range that rents a nice variety of pistols and go try some out before you buy anything.

[Cnynrat]

.40 S&W

(With apologies to Cane )

[feedsasquatch]

I haven't shot Springfields, but I have shot both a Glock 23 (.40 S&W, which I own) and a Glock 30 (.45 ACP). I discovered that I personally prefer the feel of the .45 "recoil" to the .40 S&W. The .40 has a LOT of muzzle flip, whereas as the .45 just "pushes" back into your hand. I can control the .45 better, fire it more accurately, and fire it faster than the .40. Just my 2 cents...

[markhk]

In hand gun training class I shot an XDcompact in 9 mm and then shot the same version in .45 with my bother. I loved the 9, but felt comfortable with the .45 so that is what I bought. Later my son rented a .40 Glock (G27?) and we switched between his and my XD and any difference didn't seem to bother me. We only shot 50 rounds in each and I suspect that is not enough to make a decision. My 37 year old son was shooting for only the second time in his life and liked the .40 better, but I don't know if he was comfortable with either. I also am quite new to shooting. The point of this rambling is that there are a lot of variables to account for so I guess trying as many handguns as you can afford is the best policy. I couldn't wait to order my new XD so I suppose you should be a grown up when you try. Wonder what that's like.

[Kage0113]

Originally Posted by Cnynrat

It's not clear from your post whether you've shot any of the guns you're thinking about. I recommend you find a local range that rents a nice variety of pistols and go try some out before you buy anything.

I haven't, which really sucks a lot. No gun range in town rents, which is really stupid, and a little frustrating. The guy has a used XDM40 in his shop, but whether or not it's there for me to try out is the question. He's selling it for 100 less than the original price and thinks it wont be around for me to try in a couple weeks. If it is, I'll try it out. I shot my buddy's 1911 and it kicked like a b****. And I hear the kick on a polymer frame may be a bit worse due to the weight of the gun, which is why i was gonna opt for the .40. I am only going to buy a polymer frame, which may make a difference in recoil.

[orangello]

Originally Posted by Kage0113

I shot my buddy's 1911 and it kicked like a b****. And I hear the kick on a polymer frame may be a bit worse due to the weight of the gun, which is why i was gonna opt for the .40. I am only going to buy a polymer frame, which may make a difference in recoil.

I've heard the bit about metal-framed pistols having lower recoil due to weight, and that makes a lot of sense. One thing that i don't usually hear is about the weight of the ammo in the magazine in a 1911 vs. that in a polymer gun. My XD holds 13 in the mag while most 1911's are in the single digits, as far as i know (not a 1911 expert by any stretch). So, i wonder how much weight difference there would be when compared loaded. Maybe they would be more even for the first half dozen shots.

[diggsbakes]

I shot about 300 rounds out of my XD 40 Tactical today and was very pleased. This is the 3rd time I took it out and by far the best. I was shooting 3-4 inch groups at 30 ft with pretty rapid fire and mixing up head shots randomly and got nothing but hits. Since 95-97% of gun fights occur with in this distance I am very satisified.

I also shot my Dad's H&K 40 and it did not produce as good of results. I questioned the XD at first, but after it starts to loosen up and your proficiency increases. This gun rocks. After about 500-600 rounds, not a single misfire.

We also shot a Kimber 1911 4" barrel and the last round kept jamming. Pops was pissed, but when functioning properly that gun shoots sweet and accurate. No recoil at all. Kinda boring if you ask me I like the power and speed of a nice .40, plus they have more capacity... 40 all the way for me

[utf59]

I've shot XDs in 9mm, .40 and .45. The previous comments about the difference in recoil between .40 and .45 are consistent with my own experience — the .40 is "snappy," and the .45 is more of a push. I would add that the muzzle flip in a .40 becomes far more pronounced in guns with shorter barrels. Since you mentioned the XDm, which is a full-sized gun, I think the muzzle flip will be less of a problem than with a compact or subcompact.

I also don't think you should dismiss the 9mm. It's a perfectly viable self-defense round, it gives you greater capacity and more control than either the .40 or .45, and the ammo is cheaper.

Also, if you are new to shooting, a .22 is usually the best platform to learn on. The ammunition is cheap, and it's an easy way to learn the fundamentals. I've been shooting for years, and I still keep a .22 for inexpensive trigger time. It helps practice the sight picture and trigger control fundamentals, but it doesn't cost as much to shoot. At a typical range session, I'll end up shooting 30 – 50 rounds each of 9mm and .45, and 50 – 100 rounds of .22.

But if you can only afford one gun, at least for the time being, I'd think about a 9mm. It's a good defense round, it's easy to learn to shoot with, and the ammo is cheaper than any of the other calibers that most people consider viable for self-defense.

In case you're wondering, I do carry in .45. It isn't because I'm macho or because I consider a smaller round to be ineffective. I just shoot better groups with it.