Post by mud on Sept 11, 2013 19:32:30 GMT -7
This was the thread I was prepping for when one of the guns had a malfunction....as well as the handler.
The purpose is to compare 4 different guns all chambered in .45ACP. They all have a different purpose which I will provide a brief summary. First up is the smallest, Springfield XDS 3.3 and the newest. There is also a 1911 Colt Recon, Springfield XD Tactical and the infamous Taurus PT145 PRO
This gun is surprisingly accurate and very comfortable. Those with larger hands will likely opt for a pinky extension as I did. Those with smaller hands and most female shooters will notice it feels and points very naturally. Though it is very light weight, even when loaded, the recoil is very smooth and manageable thanks to a well appointed dual recoil spring. Did I mention it is accurate? well it is and I shoot it the best and most consistent of the four.
Here is the XDS pictured with a Taurus PT145 pro.
Side by side of the four
and the top view
As you can see the 1911 is the thinner of the four but not the most concealable. That too falls to the XDS. If there is one thing it lacks it is capacity. You can order 7 round magazines but it makes the grip the same length as the 1911 and defeats the purpose of minimizing the gun's print while carrying.
Here is a photo of the magazines
left to right: XDS (5 rounds), 1911(8 rounds), PT145(10 rounds), XD Tactical(13 rounds)
Here are the four together, followed by each compared to the full size XD Tactical Pay attention to the condition of the guns, all are locked open but if you notice the Taurus has the loaded chamber indicator showing it is loaded even while open, It showed unloaded with the gun cocked and locked. In this very picture there was a round in the barrel as not 5 minutes after removing all the magazines from the area, I closed the slide and shot my TV. This issue has been corrected and the gun is once again safe to use.
1911 and xd
Taurus and XD
XDS and XD
All but the XD Tactical are considered 'carry' guns and with a proper holster, they all carry very well. The 1911 is my favorite for fall and winter carry due to the extra clothing to hide the grip print which shows even with the King Tuck IWB holster. For spring carry I like the Taurus. Summer carry is by far the XDS. It is light, thin and works very well with my combo pocket/waistband friction holster.
In Oklahoma we have open carry and when I plan to stay in state I always carry my full size XD in a level 2 retention paddle holster.
In short, whether you have 5+1 or 13+1 the 45ACP rules for self defense.
Springfield has recently put out a recall on the XDS in 45 and 9mm because of one guy who had his go full auto upon releasing the slide at a gun range. They are replacing parts that may be faulty. I have tried and failed to duplicate his misfortune with mine. I also have changed many of the parts with aftermarket replacements. Turnaround time is around 3 months for those of us that have customized our guns and about a month for stock guns. The failure is the trigger not resetting during a mag change causing the firing pin to rest in a firing position. Those who have experience with dirty SKS rifles or even 30carbines will understand the resulting slam fire. For those that do not know, slam fire occurs when the firing pin is protruding when the slide returns to battery or forward lock up, striking the primer of the chambered round causing it to discharge. This condition can also be caused by improperly assembling a firearm after cleaning.
That said, if you want a light, powerful and accurate carry gun, check out the XDS. For an all around "this gun is freakin awesome" choice, the 1911 is a no brainer. The Taurus, while not as accurate or smooth as the others provides great reliable fire power for close range defense and offers second strike capability (means if the round does not fire you can pull the trigger again and try to fire, it is a true double action/single action carry gun.
Since I started this report, I made some modifications to my full size XD and now shoot it better than any of the four. If you want information on the mods, just let me know I will post them on this thread. Thanks for looking~
The purpose is to compare 4 different guns all chambered in .45ACP. They all have a different purpose which I will provide a brief summary. First up is the smallest, Springfield XDS 3.3 and the newest. There is also a 1911 Colt Recon, Springfield XD Tactical and the infamous Taurus PT145 PRO
This gun is surprisingly accurate and very comfortable. Those with larger hands will likely opt for a pinky extension as I did. Those with smaller hands and most female shooters will notice it feels and points very naturally. Though it is very light weight, even when loaded, the recoil is very smooth and manageable thanks to a well appointed dual recoil spring. Did I mention it is accurate? well it is and I shoot it the best and most consistent of the four.
Here is the XDS pictured with a Taurus PT145 pro.
Side by side of the four
and the top view
As you can see the 1911 is the thinner of the four but not the most concealable. That too falls to the XDS. If there is one thing it lacks it is capacity. You can order 7 round magazines but it makes the grip the same length as the 1911 and defeats the purpose of minimizing the gun's print while carrying.
Here is a photo of the magazines
left to right: XDS (5 rounds), 1911(8 rounds), PT145(10 rounds), XD Tactical(13 rounds)
Here are the four together, followed by each compared to the full size XD Tactical Pay attention to the condition of the guns, all are locked open but if you notice the Taurus has the loaded chamber indicator showing it is loaded even while open, It showed unloaded with the gun cocked and locked. In this very picture there was a round in the barrel as not 5 minutes after removing all the magazines from the area, I closed the slide and shot my TV. This issue has been corrected and the gun is once again safe to use.
1911 and xd
Taurus and XD
XDS and XD
All but the XD Tactical are considered 'carry' guns and with a proper holster, they all carry very well. The 1911 is my favorite for fall and winter carry due to the extra clothing to hide the grip print which shows even with the King Tuck IWB holster. For spring carry I like the Taurus. Summer carry is by far the XDS. It is light, thin and works very well with my combo pocket/waistband friction holster.
In Oklahoma we have open carry and when I plan to stay in state I always carry my full size XD in a level 2 retention paddle holster.
In short, whether you have 5+1 or 13+1 the 45ACP rules for self defense.
Springfield has recently put out a recall on the XDS in 45 and 9mm because of one guy who had his go full auto upon releasing the slide at a gun range. They are replacing parts that may be faulty. I have tried and failed to duplicate his misfortune with mine. I also have changed many of the parts with aftermarket replacements. Turnaround time is around 3 months for those of us that have customized our guns and about a month for stock guns. The failure is the trigger not resetting during a mag change causing the firing pin to rest in a firing position. Those who have experience with dirty SKS rifles or even 30carbines will understand the resulting slam fire. For those that do not know, slam fire occurs when the firing pin is protruding when the slide returns to battery or forward lock up, striking the primer of the chambered round causing it to discharge. This condition can also be caused by improperly assembling a firearm after cleaning.
That said, if you want a light, powerful and accurate carry gun, check out the XDS. For an all around "this gun is freakin awesome" choice, the 1911 is a no brainer. The Taurus, while not as accurate or smooth as the others provides great reliable fire power for close range defense and offers second strike capability (means if the round does not fire you can pull the trigger again and try to fire, it is a true double action/single action carry gun.
Since I started this report, I made some modifications to my full size XD and now shoot it better than any of the four. If you want information on the mods, just let me know I will post them on this thread. Thanks for looking~
