Lookign to buy my first Semi-Auto

Looking for suggestions mostly, planning on buying sometime this coming week. I went to Cabelas today looking for a 1911 and found it takes a few months to get one, so I handled a few other guns and really liked the Springfield XD's

http://www.chuckhawks.com/springfield_XD-M.jpg

Looking for something to take to the range a few times a month but mostly wanted something compact to keep at the house. Not sure what caliber to get, 9mm .40 and .45 seem to be the most common stocked sizes.

They also have a used Mossberg 500 for 200 bucks I was considering picking up for the bedroom :thumbsup

Anyways, any suggestions for pistols? Are these XD's any good? Anything I can get thats better in the 550ish price range?

IMO any of those calibers will do the trick for home protection. If you plan on going to the range alot 9mm ammo is the cheapest to shoot. I have a 9mm and a box of 50 round Reminton 9mm 115gr hollow point is $14.99 at Gander mountain.

Some people say that 9mm are not the strongest for shooting someone that is breaking in. .40 SW is reasonable to shoot and will do good on a home defense.

.45 Great for home defense but it may cost you at the range expecally when you a shooting off 300 rounds.

When buying a gun it all comes down to what feels good in your hand and what you want it to do.

The gun you are looking at is what I thought about getting when I bought my sig. It was my number two choice.

Another gun that you might be interested in is a F&N.

I plan on buying a .22 if I like going to the range. Whats the difference between ammo prices w/ .40 vs .45?

I dont really know the answer to that question seeing I only have a 9mm I tend to have tunnel vision when looking at Ammo to Purchase and tend to only really pay attention to the 9mm ammo prices.

I have 9mm, .40S&W, .45 ACP, and .50ae handguns. So far I've only ever bought ammo for plinking at the range (FMJ round or flat nose). Prices for the 9,40 and 45 are within a few bux. I wanna say I get 50 rounds of 9mm for $10-$11, 50 rounds of 40 for $13-$14, and 50 rounds of 45 ACP for $18-$19. Rounds for the 50 are ridiculous ($47.99 for 20!!), so I reload my own.

personally i like my 9mm over the 45 only because it holds 17 rounds in the mag and has a lazer.but as far as accuracy and stopping power hands down the 45acp smith i have is the only choice,but its a 8 round mag.
recently i purchased a judge 410/45 and right now with buckshot it is the one next to my bed.

Smith and wesson M&P is a comparable gun to the SA xd. I went to the range and shot them both before buying a xd in 9mm. I know fletchers in waukesha has xd's, xdm's and m&p's that you can try out before making a decision.

I've shot Glocks alot in 9mm and 40 and used to have one in .40. I've shot an XDm in .40 and like the Glock better. Haven't shot an M&P yet.

I like 9mm because you can buy 100rd WWB for $20 at walmart. Cheaper rounds=More practice=good thing, 9mm is as cheap as you can get for centerfire handgun rounds.

You cannot go wrong with an XD or a Glock. I have both in various calibers, very nice pistols. The XDM was NRA magazines "handgun of the year" last year I believe.

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Originally Posted by Reverend Cooper

personally i like my 9mm over the 45 only because it holds 17 rounds in the mag and has a lazer.but as far as accuracy and stopping power hands down the 45acp smith i have is the only choice,but its a 8 round mag.
recently i purchased a judge 410/45 and right now with buckshot it is the one next to my bed.

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my XD .45 holds 13 in the mag. Just depends what you go with.

You need to shoot some different models in different calibers, find out what feels good. What feels good to me is my Glock 23.:thumbsup

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Originally Posted by Coops Brother

You need to shoot some different models in different calibers, find out what feels good. What feels good to me is my Glock 23.:thumbsup

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What he said. Shooters Shop on 84th rents guns.