Hey yall, new member here! Earlier this year, after drooling over a Hellcat for several months, I decided to purchase one as my new EDC. Previously I was carrying a M&P9 2.0 subcompact and before that a Glock 19. The Glock was sold off to finance the M&P, as I had owned one of the first gen M&Ps and enjoyed it. Although a good, reliable carry gun, I had to work my but off to shoot the thing to "my" standard. This was something I had never before experienced with any other handgun, although it was the smallest carry gun I had ever owned. Just so happens that my wife shoots better than almost any other gun I hand her, so with that I began my search for a new carry gun.
As I said before, I had drooled over the Hellcat months prior to purchasing one, and absolutely loved the sight setup. I have now owned one for approximately eight months. I have literally carried it everywhere in an awesome Tulster holster (my favorite carry holster yet; also carried the M&P subcompact in one). It carries amazingly well, as one would expect. I was a bit concerned about the recoil due to it being a smaller gun, but for whatever reason, felt recoil is the same as the larger M&P subcompact. To top it off, I shoot it just as well as my larger handguns. The trigger is phenomenal for a striker fired gun, with a good, crisp and short reset. Saying that I LOVE the Hellcat would be an understatement.
After such good experience with the Hellcat as well as a Springfield Mil-Spec 1911 I purchased last year, I decided to give the XD series a go. I have owned several Glocks, several M&Ps, and a Sig P320 over the past decade. I absolutely loved the Sig, but it would not reliably feed steel cased ammo (which Sig itself does not recommend with their firearms). The Glocks and M&Ps I had would run steel case no problemo. I set my eyes on the XDM Elite 3.8 9mm, which I have now owned for approximately six months. It is definitely one of the best striker fired handguns I have ever owned. The flat face trigger is crisp with a short reset like the Hellcat (maybe not quite as crisp but close). The controls are easy to manipulate and the factory magwell was a really nice touch. The gun has a very good, tough finish. XDM Elite magazines are some of the best factory mags I have ever seen. Lastly, the manufacturer (which I know is HS Produkt) actually marks the front and rear sight dovetails as a guide for lining replacement sights up perfectly. I have changed the sights out to Night Fision with a green/yellow front and blacked out tritium U notch rear....which mimics the Hellcat sights.
I now have approximately five hundred rounds through both the Hellcat and XDM Elite each with any issues. Both guns simply run and are easy to shoot well. Saying all this, I have yet another XDM Elite, this time a 4.5 9mm, now on the way to my FFL. I will do a full range report with all three guns after it arrives. I apologize in advance for the long post! Does anyone else enjoy their Hellcats/XDMs as much as I do?
