Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Handguns 9mm - M&P Pro, Springfield XDM or...?

As a range gun would you settle on one load and shoot it all the time or do you like to play with different weights and styles? If the latter that would tend to point to adjustable sights, at least IMO.

The XDm 5.25 Competition has a long sight radius and fully adjustable sights. The vast majority of pistols nowadays have fixed sights that are drift adjustable for windage only of the three I've tried, they are a bear to adjust. You really have to whack'em to move'em. I know Springfield will give you (free) a different height rear sight but again, it takes a real effort and judicious use of big hammer to get the old one out.

The Browning Hi-Power can be had with a fully adjustable sight as does the Kimber Target models but you're talking over $900 for the Hi-Power and at least that for a stainless Kimber and well north of $800 for the blued one.

Beretta makes a "billenium" rear sight for the 92 which I bought, it's kind of neat. If replaces the stock rear sight (again - you need a big hammer) and has three interchangeable leaves of different heights for some elevation adjustment, they are held in the rear sight body by opposing set screws so windage adjustments are easy even if somewhat a by guess and by golly affair. But I had no trouble dialing mine in yesterday morning.

No real recommendations here, just playing analyst and offering up food for thought.

LOL, now I'm leaning toward the XDm (again!)

Maybe I should get my Dillon press first and then come back to the 9mm question.

I would get the Gun First! This year is Election Year and firearm prices are going up. Dillion presses will not go up in price as much as firearms. Food for thought.

Get a Square Deal B in 9mm and an XDm competition model and you'll be set. I've handled the XDm competition models in all three calibers and the 9mm feels the trimmest and fastest.

I'm getting a 650.
I'm not even asking for opinions on that. It's written in stone.

Whatever the SDB can do, the 650 can do better I wouldn't mind having one myself.

I need to be able to reload .223 so that takes me out of square deal land. Although, we it comes time to pull the trigger on a Dillon, I'm going to give Brian Enos a chance to talk me into a 550b. If he does, then he does!

The only drawback to the 650 is the time it takes to change calibers. However, if you're only going to change calibers between large batches of ammo that changeover time becomes less of a concern. For pure production, it is hard to beat an auto-indexing machine.

Haven't run an M&P, but would take the XD any day over the Glock. They simply fit/feel better in the hand, and are so easy to shoot well that even a novice can be good with them.

The Glock feels like a brick.