Glock 26 vs. XD Sub-Compact 3"

[pawn]

I have firm plans to buy either a G26 or XD Sub-Compact 3" in 9mm with my hard earned $600 government check come May I intend to qualify for my TN HCP and regularly carry with whichever pistol I end up purchasing...

I'll rent both pistols and try'em out at the range over at Coal Creek Armory in Knoxville, TN. I would really appreciate any comments pro or con by forum members for either pistol.

Kind Regards,

-pawn

[Ed Ely]

pawn, I own both. The G-26 came before
the SA/XDsc 9mm however. I'm sold on
both of them, otherwise I would not own
both.

I will give the edge to the XDsc because of
good fit to the hand/grip, and a smidgen less
felt/perceived recoil. It is not, nor is the G-26,
a pant pocket holster gun. Frankly, I also feel
that they do not suit up very well for an all day
carry on the ankle either. IWB or OWB carry is
my choice.

Also suggest that you carry the smaller capacity
mag when CCing and have the larger capacity on
your person for more ammo. Reason: the butt of
the machine is what is so difficult to hide, thus if
you carry a higher capacity mag, you are going to
print or get gauged with the extended mag.

Since you are going to be making YOUR decision,
might I suggest that you shoot various weights
and sizes/brands of ammo through them both.
That will pay dividends to help you decide.

Watch you six.

Ed

[Rommelvon]

Both are excellant pistols, my pref for a ccw pistol is the Glock 23, although you can 't go wrong with any of them

[pawn]

ED, thanks for your comments Sir

Rom, I hear ya- part of me would like to go for a g27 in .40 s&w and who knows i might yet....

However i am leaning hard towards 9mm because i already have a sig p228 and 9mm is still a pretty good value for somebody like me who really enjoys shootin whenever i can....

[southernshooter]

Pawn I recommend the Glock, Mainly due to parts, Both stock and after market. You yourself can buy every replacement factory Glock part you would need to rebuild your gun. So if parts become hard to get or your gun breaks and you don't want to send it back to the company for 6-8 weeks you can buy the replacement parts. Springfield will not sell parts, Not even to gunsmith's They have a send it back and we will fix it attitude Also the Glocks are much easier to strip down to nothing and then put back together
Just my .02

[Vladimir]

My shopping so far has included most of the popular CCW. I've gone and tested; S&W M&P, Walther P99, H&K USP, Sig Sauer, Glock, and XD, even a 38 special revolver, 1911, etc.

Initially I was positive I was just doing lip-service and the Glock would be my choice, after all I hadn't shot often, but I had been shooting my dad's service Glock since I was 13. How wrong was I, the first shot out of the XD was like magic, 50 shots down range out of each and it was clear I was shooting the XD better than the Glock. Out of the other pistols I tried none compared to the Glock, let alone the XD.

I don't say this to try and sell you on the XD. But in the end, particularly with two guns that are so very similar, I am of the crowd that thinks it comes down entirely to which feels better for you. I had been shooting a Glock since I was 13, yet shot the XD better the first time I picked it up.

I know you mentioned you were going to rent them, so I may be preaching to the choir... But in the end for these two guns I think it comes down to whichever you personally prefer.

[Taurus_9mm]

IMO You really couldn't go wrong with either one. When I do get one however, it'll probably be the XD since I already own a .45 Tactical, love it, and want to add another XD to the collection.

[Gene Seward]

Well I did it yesterday. I bought an XD in .40 sub-compact. Man this thing is fantastic for a short gun. It hides really easy in my 511 Tactical Vest and shoots like a dream. Now to load it with Cor-Bon DPX and I will be set. I also picked up a Bersa .380 Thunder for my wife and will load it with the same type ammo. It is really fun to shoot too. Well I guess that makes me really easy in that I just love to shoot.

[Gene Seward]

BTW, I have both XD and Glock in 9mm service size pistols. Love them both.

[Ed Ely]

Glad you made a choice.

The XD40sc is a fine shooting
machine also. Since you are now
into two different calibers, how
about buying the 357SIG barrel
for the XD40sc and give that
round a whirl. Bet you would like
it!

Ed

[mrkirker]

pawn,
you might want to check and make sure that coal creek 'range' is open b-4 you drive over. with the price of go-juice, it'd be a shame to waste a trip. i mention this as i've been in there more than once lately only to find the range operation is shut down due to lack of mantenance and varioius other malfunctions.

[pawn]

Originally Posted by mrkirker

pawn,
you might want to check and make sure that coal creek 'range' is open b-4 you drive over. with the price of go-juice, it'd be a shame to waste a trip. i mention this as i've been in there more than once lately only to find the range operation is shut down due to lack of mantenance and varioius other malfunctions.

thanks, mrkirker I live about 60 miles away and I take your point. btw, what's up with their website- used to be pretty good, now its constantly a "work in progress"??? with basically no info that matters...

[UncleFudd]

I find the answers to your question very interestring indeed.

I have sold, shot and rented both of these and many other guns as well for the past 20 yrs. But as to the Glock v XD thing I have found that even long time glock users are more comfortable with and shoot better the XD series of firearms than even their own personal Glocks.

As for having to rerbuild or replace parts. That may happen with either one, but it is hard to imagine anything other than your mags having to be replaced.

I have had the XDs in the rental counter since about 96 and the Glocks since 91 and I have NEVER had to replace a part on a single one of them. May not sound like much but the first two XDs were not on a "rental agreement" with SA. I heard about them and ordered two of them in the medium frame size in 9 and 40 and they stayed in the counter over 4.5 years and never broke. They both had over 250,000 rounds through them and the only thing we replaced is the mags. I am now on a rental program and they go back just over a year and still have in excess of 100,000 rounds and we have not broken one.

Same goes for the Glock as most of them will have in excess of 150,000 to 200,000 rounds in the time we have them. We did split a barrel on one of the G19s two years ago and had to get a replacement barrel for it at about 1/2 life.

Your plan to try before you buy is absolutely the best thing you could do as I feel the same as some of the others who have answered and that is they are both excellent guns and you should never have a problem in your lifetime with either.
I doubt if anyone shoots as much in a lifetime as one of the guns in my rental counter is fired in 1 yr and we can't break em so I don't think you will either.

I am not sure why someone believes you cannot get parts for the XDs, we are still getting them for our gunsmith and I am not aware of any problem in doing so. I will ask though and if it is or has become a problem I will let everyone know later.

Good luck on your selection and for your shooting in the future.

UF

[mrkirker]

Pawn,
RE: What's with Coal Creek?
Sorry I didn't respond earlier: (No computer at home.)
I had very high hopes when the original owners finally sold the range, having endured 6 years of their mismanagement, and had high hopes that since our city needs this type of operation, an infusion of 'new blood' and 'new cash' would bring the range and the sales area into this century. Alas, the new owners just seem to be running the business as a 'hobby' rather than as a business. (Closing on Sunday's was a real blow.) Maintenance (when performed), is only to keep the range isles running:

The auto alert in front of the shooting lanes has been outta commission for several months, now.

The safety / instruction for new members is conducted in the sales area, rather than on the lanes. You can tell the new shooters are bewildered by all the fast talking 'instructors' by the way they fumble around when on the lanes and the questions they ask experienced members.

Once, when I mentioned to an attendant that several of the bench lights were 'out', I was told that "They burn out all the time because of the vibrations (concussions?) it's no big deal". No big deal unless it's so dark that a new shooter feels compelled to load BEHIND the line, in order to see what they are doing.

Have you noticed how seldom the air filteration is actually working? You'd think that would be a no-brainer for an indoor range. I used to bring 'dates' to the range, till I noticed how dirty and run-down things had gotten.

The client 'bubba factor' has been gradually increasing, too. Mind you, I'm not writing of how they look, it's how they behave, on and behind the line.

The real eye-opener happened during the summer while visiting an indoor range in Hickory, NC. It was a small six-lane enterprise. It was clean, well lighted, well-monitored, and was operated by a fellow that seemed really interested in runing a business, not just maintaining a 'hobby'.

In light of the issues mentioned above, that the web-site is so sub-par comes as no surprise.

Whoa! I kinda got off on a tanget, here. Bottom line, I don't really know what's going on there, but after nine years, I let my membership expire this month when they raised the cost to $250 per year. I can shoot at Norris Watershead for $25/year, and although it's outdoors, the covered bench areas, being outdoors, the 250 Yard lane, the handgun lanes, and the frequent checks by the safety department make it a value. Since I live in North Knoxville, Norris is a pleasant 15 minute drive through the country, rather than a 45 minute ordeal through I-40/75/81 traffic. In comparison, I'd have to grade Coal Creek a solid D!
Dirty!
Dark!
Dangerous!
p.s. I love the .40 S&W for both a target round and a defense round. I've a 4006 and a Colt/Caspian 'blend' in this round, and it's become one of my favorite calibres.

[pawn]

mrkirker,

I appreciate your comments on CCA, didn't not realize the situation as I live in Crossville....

[pawn]

MrKirker,

Have you checked out Gunny's in Maryville?

http://www.thegunny.com/indoorGunRange.html

Seems worth a look to me....

[noslolo]

If you want a 9mm you might want to check out the Walther PPS. I just tried one out and it was fantastic! Great for CC and it fits my small girlie hands to a tee, now I just have to figure out how I'm going to pay for it.

[DWARREN123]

I only own a 27 which is a good carry pistol. The mag extensions are needed for my big hands.
Visit www.tngunowners.com if you haven't already pawn.

[patrol]

I like them both and both are similar in size, also the M&P sw needs to be thrown in there also,they make a model they call a compact but its really a subcompact with same dimensions as G26 and XDsub..If you are looking for something similar but even thinner and easier or IWB Holster look at that new Walther PPS or any Kahr.

[Taurus_9mm]

Interesting that the final tally was 4 votes apiece for each.

[new308handloader]

Originally Posted by pawn

MrKirker,

Have you checked out Gunny's in Maryville?

http://www.thegunny.com/indoorGunRange.html

Seems worth a look to me....

CCA has gone way down hill...and never had much of an inventory. Gunny's is about two years new and co-owned by David Perry, a really good guy. Follow Pellisippi past Alcoa Hwy until it ends, turn right and go 1.5 miles and your there.