Stick to my guns, or "upgrade"?

[Auto-X Fil]

I bought an M&P 40c and XD-M 40 when they first came out. The XD sits next to my bed as a HD gun, and the M&P rides my hip. I shoot both OK. I own a ton of magazines (15? 20?) for each gun, have outfitted each with Trijicon sights, have a couple holsters for each, and have hundreds of rounds of Speer .40 LE ammo for them.

I know the XD isn't loved around here, but I love the capacity, can shoot it better than most handguns, and like .40 in a gun of that size and weight. I have no reason to sell it. But I shot a VP-9 recently. Dangit, but that's the best plastic gun ever made. I should probably stick with the XD since it works great and I'm heavily invested though, right?

The M&P I get rusty on real quick. If I don't shoot it often, I end up low and left. It's also pretty heavy and bulky for only 10+1. I have put about 100 rounds through a PPS, and it's REALLY nice. I don't like the mag release at all, and the grip panel safety is BS, but I shot it dead-nuts 100% of the time, from round 1. It's also nice and compact on the hip, even with 8+1 round. The flat grip works really well for me; and it's more controllable than the heavier M&P, even with 9mm +P.

There's a much better case to upgrade the M&P - it's a platform with a better track record (if the M4C.net opinion is to be believed), but going from 10+1 of .40 that I have trouble staying in-form with to 8+1 of 9mm that's more comfortable to carry and I shoot aces with... not so bad. I'd actually not need to put any cash into it now since I'm sure I could eBay my mag stash for 50-70% of what I paid for them, although I'd still be way out on the $1k+ I have into the gun, mags, sights, etc. At least I can just get new Kydex for my Comp-Tac.

Of course, once I leave .40 on the carry gun... the VP9 calls me.

So, should I stop thinking and just shoot the totally capable platforms that I'm so invested in? Or get a new gun or two?

My brother-in-law, owner of the PPS and VP9 (and darn near every other handgun made these days, it seems) says to just keep them and buy the VP9/PPS anyway. I guess that's an option.

[BillBond]

If you can afford it, now is the time to buy the best you can with prices so low I can't believe it.

[Rekkr870]

Well, here is my opinion (which doesn't mean much).

1. Keep the XD. You like shooting it and you claim that you shoot it well. There is no reason to ditch a pistol that you can have fun with and shoot accurately.

2. Ditch the M&P. You sound like you don't like the M&P anyway. Im with you, I don't think they are worth the praise that some people give them. My impressions are less than stellar with the M&P. (Shit trigger, terrible accuracy). S&W didn't capitalize on the opportunity that they were given.

3. Buy a VP9. I got rid of mine, however, I can tell you that it's a great pistol.

[Auto-X Fil]

Good points, which made me think of a couple more things:

1) I justified a recent SBR build by saying I'd sell my Bushmaster 16" carbine. Then I realized it is worth $600 with optic, and might jump to $1k by, say, election time. Might as well hang onto it. Probably the same with the XD, not so much the M&P.

2) If I get the PPS, it would make some sense to get the VP9 to have more common controls. It's just a mag release, but like most people I don't practice nearly enough.

Speaking of mag swap practice, we have a fun new variation on the dueling tree - each guy gets to load the other guy's mags with 2-10 rounds each (must still load xx rounds total in all the mags combined). That way you can't count rounds, and a tactical reload might be a huge mistake. It makes you VERY attentive to the slide being back.

[Talon167]

You can sell the XD now and replace it with a VP9 (they make a VP40 as well). Hang on to the XD mags and sell them off during the next panic to maximize their worth, especially since you have so many.

[opngrnd]

I'd say keep what you have but buy what you want. Then sell what you don't want when to time is right. Once my M&P no longer worked for me, I sold it for a Glock 19. The 19 fills the compact 9mm role I wanted filled, so I ended up with what I wanted. In my case, thee M&P wasn't doing anything for me (bigger than I want a 9mm for carry, not as good a range gun as my beretta brig) so it was a win win. The extra mags are cash when the time is right.

[bigghoss]

I say standardize on one platform. Wouldn't be a bad idea to switch over to 9mm either since it's cheaper to shoot.

As fas as the XD goes, I think the general consensus is not to buy one but if you already have one and it works then keep it.

[Kain]

I am going to be the wild card here, I wouldn't sell either, at least not at the moment. Unless you need to. or you are selling them to me;) lol. Reason being, unless you just cannot shoot the gun, they may still have use, if you have invested in parts, mags, ect, you can still service them, and the market to sell at the moment sucks giant donkey balls, so why lose money?
I you are looking at another platform, VP9 for example, then go for it, guns are cheap at the moment compared to what they were not that long ago, and parts and mags are in plenty. Diversify now, and consolidate when you can profit, or are in a position to gain something, or get something you want more.

[FlyingHunter]

Consolidate caliber 1st. Second, shoot as many versions of that caliber you can and when you find a winner buy two of them with the "upgrade" then you have spare parts, a range double if one fails, etc...

[Gunfixr]

The gun you should have is the one you can hit best with.

You will not win the encounter by missing, no matter how much or fast you miss.

The gun that is a natural fit is always better than the one you have to work at keeping up its fit.

At least my opinion, worth it's cost.

Sent from my C6916 using Tapatalk

[Auto-X Fil]

Did some shooting yesterday. Results:

The PPS is very natural for me - I can't help but shoot well with it. The mag release is growing on me. 9mm single-stacks don't really lend themselves to fast reloads, though! But really... I'm normally going to carry 7+1 or 8+1 with no spare anyway.

I can shoot the M&P, and it's a darned good gun when I'm on. But, it takes work on my part, for whatever reason. I doubt I'll sell it right now, but I will be picking up a PPS to replace it.

The XD will stay, although I'm going to sort-of replace it with an AR. I am trying out a ShotLock AR Solo-Vault to keep the gun away from kids, but still ready to access. Where I live, a threat is likely going to result in me heading outside with a gun anyway. And 99.9999% of the time, it's a predator after my wife's chickens. A suppressed AR is a much better tool for dealing with that sort of issue than a handgun.

[Auto-X Fil]

Reason being, unless you just cannot shoot the gun, they may still have use, if you have invested in parts, mags, ect, you can still service them, and the market to sell at the moment sucks giant donkey balls, so why lose money?

Yeah, that's what I'm thinking now. Thanks! I've already dropped the value on the M&P as low as it will get, so why sell now, in a flooded market?

Luckily I discovered that a bunch of my mags for that gun are unopened, so resale is quite a bit better on them, when the time comes. I also found 15 unopened PMAGs that might be worth something once Hillary looks imminent and starts stumping nationally on gun-control.

[ritepath]

Keep the 40's, spread out a little and go 9mm in VP9 and a p320 in 45.


I never could stay accurate with my 9c unless I shot somewhat often. It would always take me a mag or so before I returned to shooting form. Don't have the same problem with my Shield however.com one week or one month and I can hit where I want when I want...

[civiliansheepdog]

I say ditch all 40s in favor of the VP9. If you can shoot a 40 well, you will shoot 9 better. Make the change while things are quiet and affordable. Life is short. Invest in what you shoot best.

[HCM]

It sounds like you aren't crazy about the M&P so I would dump it. Either get a VP-9 or a VP-40.

Re the XD - they are nice shooting guns and easy to shoot well. I wouldn't mind an XDM 5" as a range toy. HOWEVER I would not rely on an XD or XDM for defensive use. The have some durability / reliability issues and the grip safety locking up the slide when not depressed is a deal breaker for me on a serious use handgun. The grip safety on the XDS , the latest version in the XD series does not lock the slide.

[Auto-X Fil]

So, my LGS ordered me a PPS in 9mm. They dropped in price recently - $395+tax, plus $5 for the background check and transfer. Not bad!

Midway is shipping me an extra 8rd mag, 200rd of Hornady 135gr Critcal Duty +P, and an MTAC. Darned order was half as much as the gun, but that's how it goes.

VP9 will go on the wishlist, since I don't ever carry a full-size, and my ShotLock shows up tomorrow. BCM is also shipping me a Surefire mount to help prep the SBR for HD use. I still have the XD, a couple mags, and another Surefire in a nightstand quick-access safe, but the AR should be just as easy to access.

[JusticeM4]

Upgrade to a Glock.



just kidding ;)
Your current pistols are perfectly fine. Keep them since you are invested in mags/ammo. If you have the funds, add the VP9 (or 40). I'm not familiar at all with that pistol, but how much more better is it really? A Glock is probably just as good.

[click boom]

You say you shoot the xd better, but carry the m&p. Why would you not carry what you're best with? Neither are single stacks so size is close enough. Sounds like with the poor accuracy, etc, the m&p should get pulled from rotation and possibly sold

Of all the modern striker fired guns, thr m&p is my least favorite. Glock,
vp9, xd/m/s, ppq, p320, etc are all better guns than the m&p.