Anyone CCW a 4" or 5" XD 45? How concealable is the 5"?

[Juna]

So I'm looking to get an XD .45 ACP in the near future. I primarily want it for HD, which makes me think 5" barrel. However, I may want to carry it eventually, which makes me think 4" barrel and compact version (10+1 short grip & 13+1 full grip).

What do you guys think? Anyone CCW a 5" XD 45? How much recoil difference is there between a 4" and a 5" for a female shooter?

I know there's a compact (10+1 short grip, 13+1 full grip) 5", too, but I'm not sure how easily I could CCW a 5" .45 ACP double stack. Anyone do this currently?

 

[KaliS-Pugilist]

i carry the compact XD45 4" on a daily basis and it conceals nicely for me. it rides in a comp-tac mtac holster that makes me forget that it is on. basically it blends right into my fat...

with regards to how it conceals, that may depend more on your style of dress and body type. im a big guy who wears a lot of loose fitting clothing...so for me it basically disappears. i would definitely go IWB with this gun.

barrel length is not the biggest issue with regards to concealed carry, this is because the barrel is generally going down the length of ones leg (although i prefer 4.5" to 4"). the more important thing is the grip size and the width of the gun. the XD45 is large, but still packaged well enough to conceal well, even with the extended mag of 13rds.

try this, got to the gun store. ask if you can put in on your hip (without a holster), IWB style. basically putting it inside your waistband without a holster and at your desired position (3 or 4 o'clock, up to you). if it feels ok then...it will only be better with a proper fitting IWB holster.

 

[chuckusaret]

I carry a S&W M&P 40 compact or a Springfield XD40 sub compact. I use a IWB with both under a Tommy Bahama style shirt with the tail out. Normal dress here in Florida. Hard to hide something 6" X 4" when you only have a 34" waist but I do it.

 

[Kansan]

I carry the XD45 4" compact too and have found it easy to carry. I'm 6' tall and weigh around 180, if that's any help, and I also have the CompTac mtac (based on the recommendation of a lot of folks over at xdtalk.com). It conceals fine with a button down shirt untucked, sweater, etc.

The few times when it has been difficult to conceal have been 1. when wearing dress pants with a thin dress belt (I usually go with a J-frame .38 ankle holster in this case)
2. When mountain biking, it tends to print due to leaning over the handle bars

Ditto to the post by KaliS... the barrel length won't effect the visibility of a CCW to an outside observer as much as grip length. Depending on your height and where you carry, I suppose a longer barrel could potentially make it uncomfortable to sit.

For HD, I feel like caliber and round capacity are more important than barrel length anyway. You would probably not be shooting further than 5 yards and wouldn't need the increased accuracy... but you might want a big caliber (.45 - check) and high capacity (13+1 - very reasonable for a .45). I carry with my 10 round mag but usually have my 13 round mag in the car with me... and I swap the 13 round mag when at home (when I think of it).

Best bet is try try out both and see what you think. I'm very happy with the 4" barrel on mine though and I don't think you would go wrong with it.

 

[kitsapcharly]

I have an XD-45c 4" and carry it in a SmartCarry when I can. It's my favorite gun. Most times I settle for a Kel-Tec 380 because it hides better than anything. Life is compromise. The shorter grip of the "c" version is generally considered more important than barrel length but the shorter barrel gives up very little in in any way.

 

[ar10]

Just about any gun can be concealed. The 5" is a PITA to carry IWB. I've done it and it pinches the crap out of my right butt cheek when I drive..
The rest 4" to 3" you can conceal all day. I use a Blade-Tech holster and it allows for canting the holster foward. When I work the shooting range I have a DeSantis leather OWB I wear.

 

[PAPACHUCK]

I have a 5" XD45, it is big and it is heavy. Can I CCW it? Sure. I wear it in a Galco "Concealable" OWB holster with a loose cover shirt. I just don't wear it for long periods of time.

 

[ar10]

I have a 5" XD45, it is big and it is heavy. Can I CCW it? Sure. I wear it in a Galco "Concealable" OWB holster with a loose cover shirt. I just don't wear it for long periods of time.

I carry my 5" .45 GAP OWB when working the range. It does get heavy at the end of the day. The other issue that hasn't been mentioned is the belt. I ended up buying a heavy duty web belt because all the leather belts started to sag. The more I tighten them the more they stretched.

 

[rmarcustrucker]

smart carry

 

[1911 guy]

Very similar in size to a 1911.

It is a bit heavier, though, because of the extra ammo. I'd suggest a IWB holster or a pancake style OWB coupled with a synthetic belt like the Wilderness Instructor belt. I got my Dad an .45acp XD a couple years ago and he carries it in a Safariland OWB pancake with a stiff belt and seems to do alright with loose shirts.

 

[ojibweindian]

I carry a XD45 Tactical in an OWB Uncle Mike's. Conceals well when wearing a sports coat or loose fitting untucked shirt.

 

[1911 guy]

Holsters for women

Juna, it will help you greatly to go to www.corneredcat.com to read what former moderator Pax has written there. She's off tending to family and such, in case you wonder about the "former" part. Many women find wearing a holster made for a man to be unbearable due to body dimensions and shape. There are a few makers who dabble in gunleather for you ladies and are, from what I hear, quite good at it.

 

[ar10]

So I'm looking to get an XD .45 ACP in the near future. I primarily want it for HD, which makes me think 5" barrel. However, I may want to carry it eventually, which makes me think 4" barrel and compact version (10+1 short grip & 13+1 full grip).

Our approach, (range I work at), is somewhat different than most. We try to have an all female class, The women are not required to have a gun, we furnish them, (unless they have already bought one). The calibers range from .22 to .45APC, with different types of holsters. The main reason for this approach is to eliminate the husband, boy/girl friend, gun store sales person, and any other possible influence a female shooter may have.
The suggestion here is don't jump into buying any gun until you try it out and your comfortable with it.

 

[bigmike45]

I have been carrying the XD45 Service Model (4") for a couple of years now, IWB, in a Brommeland Max Con V and have had no problems concealing it. I took a couple of pictures a year ago to show how well it can be concealed, even under my t-shirt. Please forgive how dirty it is, I had just come in from plowing the field and had to work on my tractor.





Here is the holster and mag holster made by Gary Brommeland!

 

[1911shooter]

My dad carries a full size XD 45 and he hides it very well, then again he is 6'3" tall and his weight is in the neiborhood of 260. but i crried it a few times and it will go by by very well.

 

[SoCalShooter]

I have a 5" 45 and I tried to use a IWB don hume and honestly its a little difficult to sit down because its so long but I can make it work.