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"A pistol is good for one thing........getting to your rifle."
....MissJ-I have to do a bit more reading on this to truly understand what peoples predictions are on all this, but is there any fear in staying in a populated area and bunkering down? I don't know how populated your rural area is. I'd figure there'd be alot more dangerous preditors in a populated are unfortunatly they are as smart and maybe as armed. I'm not sure how people would act with a mix of chaos and desperation. I'd rather face a cougar than man with a shotgun wanting my food, but I'm sure everyone will scurry to the woods and the cities will become empty wilderness. Maybe I should go to Alaska!
And a mention about SHTF handguns:
My stance is buy what you like, but I would never rely upon one like the XD, which have factory restricted spare parts availability.
I despise Glocks, but like the 1911, it has every spare under the sun available for it, and a trained chimp could detail strip one. Even S&W took note. The M&P has readily available spares for the asking too, down to the smallest pins and springs.
A serious SHTF sidearm is the one you have spare parts for before you desperately need them.
Thanks all!
Boats-so you wouldn't rely on the xd? When you say the s&w m&p do you mean the standard one? Or did they make one in the 1911 style?
What would be the recommended 9mm with at least 12 rd capacity in the $400-$600 range? Close to 400 is better but willing to spend the extra money if needed. Looking at the used market to extend my funds.
Dan
Recoil guides and springs are readily available for the XD pistols as are most of the small parts you mention though from all reports the only things that even have a possibility of breaking is the recoil guide. To each their own but I have no trouble betting my and my families life on a Springfield XDm. I've run over a thousand rounds through it so far without a single malfunction. I don't think the XD platforms reliability is very questionable- they work, every time you pull the trigger
For instance all those parts can be located here: PISTOLGEAR | YOUR ONE-STOP SHOP FOR ALL THINGS PISTOL
Ferfal did talk considerably about having a sidearm in the urban environment, noteing concealability and the ease of having it on you at all times. But long arms also have their place as he also discussed so don't think just having Ferfal's High Power with you is the solitary answer to the problem . . . . especially if you are in a rural area.
Recoil guides and springs are readily available for the XD pistols as are most of the small parts you mention though from all reports the only things that even have a possibility of breaking is the recoil guide. To each their own but I have no trouble betting my and my families life on a Springfield XDm. I've run over a thousand rounds through it so far without a single malfunction. I don't think the XD platforms reliability is very questionable- they work, every time you pull the trigger
For instance all those parts can be located here: PISTOLGEAR | YOUR ONE-STOP SHOP FOR ALL THINGS PISTOL
I wasn't advocating the OP never getting a rifle, only that we are talking about which firearm the OP would find more useful to buy next. Handguns are more useful daily than are rifles and it is true today, tomorrow, and in a SHTF situation. The service handgun purchase should be made next, not being limited in versatility with a combo of a 10/22 and a "real" rifle.
If the firearm's purpose is to put meat on the table then a rifle is the answer. If the firearm's purpose is self-defense, concealability and short range applications then perhaps the pistol is the better choice. Seems to me, though, that in the situation described in this thread a person could benefit from having both.
I am not saying the XD is unreliable. I am saying you can't readily get factory spares for them. Your link proves my point. It's all about aftermarket "upgrades," many of which specifically mention in their description CANNOT be used with the factory part or spring.
If you can't substantially rebuild your pistol from the frame, barrel, and slide up with a factory fresh influx of small parts and springs, you have a potential paperweight, not a SHTF ready sidearm. UPS ain't delivering in a crisis, and in any event, won't deliver you factory small parts for a pistol made in Croatia.
Call Springfield on Monday. Ask them what it would cost to get a sear. Or a locking block to put a new one in the frame. Call pistolgear and ask them at what price you can buy a new extractor.
The XD is a range gun, not a serious SHTF choice.
Nearly any spring or part short of a new frame (even then a receiver can be acquired for most at a price that might not be worth the expense and hassle), can be had for the following pistols:
1911A1
Most models of Glock
The S&W M&P
The Beretta 92 and PX4
Third Gen Smith Autos
The SIG P22x series
The BHP
Everything else is too factory support dependent to build up a good assortment of ready spares for, even some of my own favorite handguns. My personal "one handgun" in a crisis is a toss up between my SIG P226 Navy, a M&P9 and the PX-4 in 9mm. They all have armorer's parts kits available for the asking to the prepared buyer.
For instance, these are the parts that come included in a Beretta PX-4 armorer's kit.
2 Extractor Springs
2 Firing Pin Springs
2 Backstrap Retainer Springs
1 Hammer / Frame Pin
1 Hammer Pin Spring
1 Assembly Lever Pin
1 Sear
2 Sear Springs
1 Right Hammer Spring Guide
1 Left Hammer Spring Guide
2 Disassembly Latch Springs
1 Locking Block
2 Slide Stop Springs
2 Trigger Bar Springs
1 Firing Pin
1 Hammer Spring Cap Flush
1 Trigger Pin
2 Hammer Assembly Pins
2 Assembly Lever Springs
1 Hammer Spring Cap With Lanyard
2 Trigger Springs
2 Hammer Spring Cap Pins
1 Overmolded Trigger
1 Trigger Bar Assembly
1 Mag Floorplate Assembly
2 Recoil Guide Assembly
2 Magazine Release Springs
2 Hammer Springs
2 Extractor Springs
2 Sear Pins
2 Extractor Pins
4 Housing Pin O-Rings
Will Springfield offer you a kit like the above at any price?