Some 10mm musings...

Ridgerunner665

Handloader
Oct 28, 2008
2,507
260
None of this will come as any surprise to most of you I'm sure, its just some things I've realized in the past week or so of my 10mm reading and research.

The 10mm just might be the most versatile semi auto round ever...purely as a result of its difficult beginnings. Had it not beat the crap out of the early pistols we wouldn't have the ammo variety we have today. As it happens though, we have what compares to 40 S&W for carry ammo, and that which compares to 357 and/or 41 mag for hunting.

Akin to 45 Colt...it can be, and is, loaded from mild to wild...safely. The 10mm is to the 40 what the 454 Casull is to the 45 Colt.

I've been very well served by the 45acp in a Glock 36 for a number of years...completely 100% satisfied with it. Now that I've discovered that a Glock 29 is just a Glock 27 that can do more...much more...I sorta wish I had gotten a 29 all those years ago.

I'm not changing from my trusted G36...just saying, if I had done my homework I would have gotten a 29 and carried it with the slightly watered down "10mm lite" ammo.
 
The 10mm is a very impressive round. From self defense to hunting it will handle most applications with ease


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
An apology to the mods here...

I just realized the one 4 letter word that was in that post...I originally wrote the post on Glock Talk, then later thought I'd copy and paste it here...never once thought about that word being in there.

My apologies, I did not do that intentionally.
 
I have had several 10mm handguns over the years. From race style double stack 1911 to glock 20. I'm probably going to have another glock one of these days. It's just too versatile of a handgun cartridge not to have one or two on hand.

From 125gr Barnes HP @ 1600fps to 230gr. Hard cast WFNGC @ 1100fps it will handle just about any situation you could face with a handgun.

I have used 165gr GD @ 1400fps on whitetails out to 50 yards and 200gr XTP for baited black bears. I usually carry 200gr CMJ Montana golden bullet @ 1200fps.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
While I am a big fan of the 40 S&W and the 41 Rem Mag, I have not played with the 10MM at all. Your musings have sparked my interest in the cartridge.

And while I am a big fan of the CZ and the Ruger Blackhawk, I have never been really interested in the Glock. (Just didn't care for how it fit and felt in my hand compared to the CZ with the rubber grips). I have had a CZ SP-01 Tactical in 40 on order for 4 1/2 years here in Canada with no success and may have to break down and import it out of the States at extra cost.

Can you tell me why you should have bought the Glock 29 instead of the 36?
On another thread here, I recall someone mentioning a difference in performance (recoil???) between a couple of different Glock's in the 10MM, but do not recall exact details at this moment.
To be honest, I have not researched the other firearm options in 10MM. What are other recommendations? And what are the options in bullets/ammo with heavier than 180 gr bullets? The 200 GE bullet was mentioned above. Intake it that these were handloads?

Thanks
 
My hand loads duplicate the buffalo bore loading. Either in 1911 or glock 20 or the new longslide glock 40. The short frame glocks maintain a more traditional ( read 1911ish ) grip angle.

Tangfolio witness is another one that really shines in 10mm. I'm not a great fan of the witness grip but it's a good option for those with smaller hands.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
My hand loads duplicate the buffalo bore loading. Either in 1911 or glock 20 or the new longslide glock 40. The short frame glocks maintain a more traditional ( read 1911ish ) grip angle.

Tangfolio witness is another one that really shines in 10mm. I'm not a great fan of the witness grip but it's a good option for those with smaller hands.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
Interesting...

The 10mm firing 200 grain bullets at 1,300 fps (which is possible with a 6" barrel) hits harder at 250 yards than a 45acp does at the muzzle with a standard 230 grain load (850 fps).
 
A few other things I've realized after much reading and research...

People say the 10mm case would be stronger if it used small pistol primers...at a glance, that would seem true, but the 10mm case was formed from the 30 Remington (a rimless 30-30 that hasn't been commercially loaded since the 80's). The 30 Remington had an operating pressure of 42,000 psi and used standard large rifle primers.

The 10mm operates at 37,500 psi...the case is plenty strong enough to support this pressure with a large primer. The 6.8 SPC, which is also made from 30 Remington brass, operates at 54,000 psi using large rifle primers, the 6.8 can be had with small primer brass...so can the 10mm, but it is unnecessary for both.

Magnum primers...some folks say they are needed, and they will work...but I don't think they are necessary. The 40 S&W uses small primers with only slightly less case capacity. The 10mm doesn't have enough capacity to need magnum primers, even with slow powders...the large pistol primer, in a case that small, is plenty.

And lastly...I thought it'd be bigger!
 
I run regular large pistol primers in my 10s. No issues from 80 degrees to 10 degrees thus far.
And I agree it's a great cartridge.
The Underwood ammo is really good stuff. I use it for carry rounds.
 
Got my G40 MOS out of layaway today...

Chrono data - stock 6" barrel.

200 grain XTP bullet
7 grains of Longshot
~1.26" oal
1,080 fps...ES was pretty bad (35 fps)

200 grain XTP
8 grains of Longshot
~1.26" oal
1,190 fps...ES was pretty good (6 fps)

In this case, Hodgdens online data seems pretty close...further testing has been delayed...shot the chrono...it was a 1 shot kill.

That was my 3rd chrono....lol...I may save up for a LabRadar this time.
 
I would think that if that chrony had survived after a direct hit at close range from the 10mm, that it must be one helluva chrony!!! LOL

I know the brand that the good Dr uses dies pretty quick from minor hits with brass specks left over in the case from chamfering! No wonder he got the new system!


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
The Glock 40 is a big pistol yet its not really heavy....but I was (pleasantly) disappointed in the recoil of the hot 10mm loads.

The big Glock is a cream puff to shoot, my wife even shoots it...the Glock 40 is a good bit easier to shoot than my Glock 36 with +P loads.

Mine has the factory 4.5 pound trigger...for a striker type trigger, it is really very good.

I have a Diamond D Custom Guides Choice chest holster on the way from Cabelas...I got it without the extra mag carrier, thought that mag carrier might interfere with a pack...and I really don't see me needing a quick reload for this pistol...if 16 rounds won't kill whatever I'm after (or is after me), I've picked the wrong tool for the job altogether and another 15 rounds wouldn't change that, lol.

This is one VERY accurate Glock...I'm not sure exactly how...but it hangs right in there with a Baer 1911, and is more accurate than my 357 mag by a good margin as well.
 
That was my 3rd chrono....lol...I may save up for a LabRadar this time.
I have also had a couple one shot chrono kills. They're just not very elusive. :grin:
 
I have settled on 12.6 grains of Accurate #9 for 1,216 fps (10 round average)...ES 11, SD 4.

Thats a good stout load that isn't so pressurized as to be worrisome...650+ ft. lbs. of energy and plenty of penetration with the XTP.
 
I've dispatched two Shooting Chronys and winged an Oehler 35. Haven't shot my Lab Radar ... yet.
 
Fun facts...

4 inch 44 mag, 240 grain JHP bullets, standard loads...........................................1,165 fps, 723 ft. lbs.
4 inch 44 mag, 310 grain Garrett Defender, premium ammo...................................1,020 fps, 716 ft. lbs.

6 inch 10mm, 200 grain JHP bullets, full power 10mm load...................................1,280 fps, 726 ft. lbs.


I know they make much heavier loads for the 44...but the guns that can use them get pretty big and heavy...the above is just a comparison of similarly sized handguns.

A long slide 10mm and a 4" 44 mag are very similar in length at around 9.5" or so....and it would appear they are very similar in power as well.
 
Back
Top