Superman wrote: So which of these models are the best "multi-purpose", but primarily for competition?
Were you aware that SA has come out with a new "competition" XD(m) - the 5.25" barrel in 9mm, .40 and .45 calibers? The longer barrel gives a sight radius of slightly more than 7", has a fibre optic front sight as standard, is as light as a 4.5" of similar calibre due to a cut-out on the top dust cover, has a rail for mounting lights or laser (for the home defense role), and has the same high-capacity (19rounds in 9mm) magazines as all the other full-size XD(m)'s?
A lot of folks are using this as a basis for their competition guns (there are a few companies doing customizations of the gun - trigger jobs, magwells, etc.) but just right out of the box, folks are taking it and shooting it in competitions and go away just raving about it. Just drop by and read some of the reports on Brian Enos' forum
http://www.brianenos.com.
I use mine primarily as the range gun, since I have a light/laser on my Walther, but I can easily see that it would do a great job in a home-defense role. I hope to shoot my first Steel Challenge with it down in Waco next month. For competition, I've got a Comp-Tac kydex OWB that I'll be using for the games, but for CCW I've got the Comp-Tac MTAC IWB holster for it and it's wearable... probably about like a full-sized 1911, but I do prefer to wear my PPS on a daily basis.
As far as the wife goes - took my daughter-in-law to the range a few weeks ago, and she wants one, now. Between my and my son's guns, she said the 5.25" was the easiest to point - I guess the long barrel and long sight radius is what she's seeing. I know it makes me look good when I'm playing with it.
I know you were thinking of the 4.5" and or 3.8"'ers, but you might wanna handle the 5.25" before you decide.
Wayne
