I own and carry a SR-9 that has been sent back to the factory and had the trigger upgrade done to it. It is one fine shooting gun in all aspectsfor me. I have shot the XD's and I agree the 45acp might be a better all around defense load if they are accurate, but some are not. The other thing that comes to mind is your hand size the Ruger is narrower and lighterthan the XD's or the older Ruger P-89's. If you have smaller hands the Ruger SR-9 maybe be a better choice for you. Honesly either one is a fine example of workmanship. Good luck.