YouMightBeWRONG is correct! The high bore axis is a bunch of BS from Glock fanboys who don't even know that their Glock doesn't have a relieved ejection port. The only difference between an XD/XDm and Glock bore axis is due to the much heavier and stronger slide rails in the XD/XDm frame vs. Glock and the M&P and I have experience with all 3. My shooting partner sold his M&P 45C because of mag. issues. S&W sent replacement springs but it did not make the pistol 100% reliable in his opinion. He bought an XDm 3.8 Compact in 9mm based on his like of my XDm 4.5 in .45 ACP and how well it's made.
OP, I have the exact pistol you're looking at except mine is all black. It is an excellent shooter and I shoot as many 200 gr. SWCs as I do JHPs, all of them are my handloads including some that are +P level. The XDm is a pussycat as far as recoil is concerned. I have a PRP trigger kit in mine so the trigger break is very crisp and around 4 lbs. I also have a Don's solid stainless steel guide rod that helps a little with recoil but it's not really necessary. My pistol is VERY accurate. Besides the pistol, I have another $125 invested in mine for parts.
I recently bought a Ruger SR9 so I'm gonna throw you a curve ball and say before you spend the $643 I spent when the XDm .45 version was introduced, take a hard look at the new Ruger SR 45. It has some things in common with the XDm like the solid steel locking block (incorporating the forward slide rails) that's under the barrel's chamber. In the case of both pistols the chamber is completely surrounded by steel and that is not the case for the Glock or M&P. There are custom parts available for the SR 45 to turn a very good factory trigger into a great one like my XDm's except that XD/XDm triggers are purely single-action whereas the Ruger uses a pre-cock system like Glock and Walther's Quick-Action pistols. The Ruger's trigger is shorter and crisper than the Glock's, IMO.
Prices have come down on the XDm since I bought mine, but with the buying craze we've been in since the Abomination's reelection, you might have to pay as much or more than I did. The SR 45 just recently hit the market and may be easier to find. I also like the sights on the Ruger a great deal. The dot on the front sight is twice as large as the rears and that's a big aid for my older eyes which unfortunately are not bad enough to require prescription lenses. I do have to wear reading glasses for things up close but I get a very good sight picture with the SR9 and the SR 45 has the same sights. They're adjustable for elevation and for windage you loosen a set screw and lightly drift them to whichever side is necessary. They're some of the best sights I've seen and I'm a big fan of the excellent Novak's that my shooting partner has on his 1911s. There is currently a review thread here on the SR 45 you might want to read. It appears that the 4.5" barrel is very accurate. Choose the one you like, but I just wanted to let you know about the SR 45. You will not go wrong with either pistol. I better point out though that the magazine capacity for the SR 45 is 10 rounds whereas the XDm's is 13. The SR 45 also has a manual safety that might provide a measure of comfort for you just starting out and you probably already know that the XDm has the grip safety.
