I myself only own one weapon, a Ruger .22, but I'm planning on getting a handgun as a concealed carry piece. Right now, though, I'm torn between two choices; a Glock or a Springfield Armories XD. I don't even know what caliber I'm gonna get it in; I've already heard from some experienced shooters that you should go 9mm if you're a good shot, and something higher if not. The thing is, I find the next most practical caliber, the .40, a little harder to get follow up shots with than I'm comfortable with, and my personal favorite handgun caliber, the .357, is far more expensive than both .40 and 9mm, aside from producing a lot of recoil, being a magnum round. I'm planning on going to an indoor range, where they let you rent out guns and test them out for yourself, so I'll probably rent out four different guns; Glocks in 9mm and .40, and XDs in 9mm and .40 to see which setup feels best. Still, it never hurts to ask people here about their opinions on the two weapons. So far from what I've heard, here's the advantages each weapon has over the other. I've also heard that I should get a sub compact instead, but I've held one, and no thanks. My hands are big as it is, it feels like one of those things would fly out of my hand if I tried to shoot it.
Glock
Has a shorter profile, giving it slightly less recoil in practice.
Larger magazine capacity.
Lighter by an ounce or two.
Companies make interchangeable barrels for the Glock, so if I get a Glock in .40, I could simply get another barrel to convert it into a 9mm.
XD
Safeties greatly reduce the risk of fire out of battery, although, as with any weapon, it's still possible.
Grip safety. This is mostly a mental thing, because if I'm concealed carrying a weapon, I'll need a holster that covers the trigger well in any case. However, I'd likely carry my weapon +1; a round in the chamber. So a grip safety would come in handy as another means of keeping me from shooting myself inadvertently, although admittedly this should be a non-issue.
Ergonomic grip. Most shooters much prefer the 1911 style grip of the XD to that of the Glock.
Chambered round and slide cocked indicators. This'll let me know if there's a round in the tube, ready to fire, without having to rack the slide and look inside.
The reduction of magazine capacity results in a slimmer/shorter grip, making the weapon easier to conceal.
That's just what I've heard. If anyone here could give their own experience I would appreciate it.
Edit: Whoops, forgot that the Glock also has a flaw that prohibits the use of +p ammo in it, unlike the XD. This is only an issue if I go 9mm, because they don't make +p .40 ammo.
