[kawika]

I'd say the M&P is the best polymer framed pistol in its price range now. It's trigger needs work for competition type use, but for duty use its fine as is. I recommend it to everyone who asks me what type of pistol they should buy for personal use. They have a good LE discount, should be able to get them for around low 400's.

It's striker fired and in the 9/40 doesn't have a thumb safety, one can be had on the 45 version though. I have one of the 45's and the trigger pull was pretty long. Don't remember what I gauged it as but it was around 8-10 I beileve.

The thing that sets it apart for me at least its its bore axis. It is extremely quick on follow up shots. The bore is pretty much in line with your hand. As such, muzzle flip is drastically reduced compared to the H&K or SIG. I also have an H&K fullsize 40 and with the jetfunnel mag system its nice as it has a round count of 16. The new XDm however also has the same round count and its in a newer designed weapon so obviously theres some nice traits to be had.

The H&K is an excellent design and 100% reliable. I'm at 6000+ rounds with mine and no problems whatsoever. However of the guns you mentioned it is the oldest. That's not necessarily bad obviously but in the realm of polymer framed pistols, theres been significant advances in the past couple years. Magazine technology and the realization of a correct bore axis is one of them.

If it was me and I had to chose in a LE setting what my department was going to I'd without a doubt choose the M&P. At a $400 price point it shouldn't be hard to convince the bean crunchers either. It don't know what your department specifics are for what the pistol has to have from a legal standpoint. It is DAO, and has an internal locking saftey-can't fire if theres not a magazine in the chamber. If you don't require this, it is very easy to take off. I personally find the safety being only on the trigger (ala glock dao type firing systems) to be a huge plus. One less failure point. Ergonmics are great and there is 3 different sized backstraps.

I'd say either would be great for LE use. Do you have a price point you have to meet? And do you need the additional external safteys that the XD provides. Either is a winner. I just prefer the shorter reset and bore axis of the M&P. The trigger is worse in the beginning while it is still gritty. Either smooth it out yourself(extremely easy for you or your armorer to do as it involves simply buffing the parts prematurely) or just shoot around 500-1000 rounds and the triggers are pretty much the same.