I recently shot the .45acp Springfield XD at a tactical handgun class I took and I really enjoyed firing it that day. I was wondering if this gun is overall good for self defense and concealablity? I understand that Springfield does not sell replacement parts for this weapon since it has a lifetime warranty, but what about all the other aspects of the gun like the reliability, does it break eassily? Is it easy to clean, does it jam often?, etc...

What are your thoughts? Are there other .45acp handguns that are better?

The early models were prone to rusting and replacement parts are hard to come by..Other than that they're good guns.

The XD is excellent for self-defense, and is very concealable. Click this link for documented evidence of its superior reliability and extreme ruggedness:

http://springfield-armory.primediaoutdoors.com/SPstory11.php

They break down and clean easily. If you use quality factory ammo, jams are quite rare. Many XD owners report no jams whatsoever, even after thousands of rounds fired. With its proven track record and lifetime warranty, you simply can't go wrong buying an XD.

As to the question are there other handguns that are better, that's something that can't be proven either way over the internet. Talk to ten different gun owners and you'll get ten different answers, none of which can be proven. It's like the old Chevy vs. Ford argument, it'll never be settled.

One thing I can state without reservation, is that it is definitely one of the finest handguns in the world, and I have complete confidence that it will defend me quite capably if ever needed.

Google it and you'll find a lot of good things said about it. You can also run a search on it at Youtube, which will turn up hundreds of videos.

http://www.springfield-armory.com/xd.php?model=1

I checked this firearm out extensivley when my wife decided she liked it and wanted to change over from her current CCW pistol. I purchased one of the compact models in .45acp and went to town on it. I ran it thru my normal and very demanding routine. This includes quality control checks, accuracy, utter reliability (500 rounds minnimum), checking for wear, stress or metal fatigue etc. As well as safety, safety functions.
I can tell you that my wife is now carrying an XD compact .45acp as her primary CCW pistol. I think that says it all.
I'm not saying it is the only pistol that passes my testing, just that it did pass and that I found it reliable enough to trust her life too.