Which ever one you shoot the best!
I currently have a Glock 23 (.40S&W), and my mom just bought an XD9 subcompact (go mom !
). We went to the range last week, so it was a good opportunity to compare the two back-to-back. I think everyone else has pretty much pointed out the primary differences between the two. However, the deciding factors should be:
1) which one
feels better, and shoots more accurately in your hand, and
2) which one you feel more comfortable trusting your life to if the SHTF.
If you can shoot your weapon accurately, and you feel confident carrying it and using it if/when necessary, nothing else really matters. Just get a frame size and caliber that fits your needs. Personally, the XD grip just feels too small for my hands--I have relatively large hands and long fingers--so for me the Glock was the logical choice. I shoot both weapons about equally as well (or bad, depending on how you look at it
), and I don't particularly care one way or the other about grip safeties, loaded-chamber indicators, etc. or the lack thereof.
One think I will say is that I detest the stock sights on the Glock. I would either replace them immediately or go the "cheap" route like I did--black out the bottom portion of the rear "U" sight to make your own 3-dot sight.
Although, the dot on the front Glock sight is a little bigger than the one on the XD, which for me makes it easier/faster to acquire my sight picture. Also, the trigger pull on the XD feels mushy to me compared to the Glock, and the trigger reset is at least twice as long. But I like the feel of the trigger itself better on the XD since it seems wider and more comfortable on my finger.
Bottom line: rent (or borrow) both, fondle and shoot them as much as you can, and
then make your decision. The price difference is relatively small, and for the money both are excellent handguns.
-Charles
