10mm for Self Defense: Is It Too Powerful?
- Thread starter Mike H.
- Start date
Condition1
Master Class
I have always liked the 10mm but I have no use for the 45acp. When the FBI was looking at a cartridge to replace the 9mm they looked at the ballistics of the 41 magnum but in an automatic platform. The 45acp had a bad habit of ricocheting off of windshields ( slant of the windshield and bullet ogive caused this) so the 45acp wasn’t considered. Norma came out with the 10mm 220gr Truncated Cone bullet at 1400fps which had 950 foot pounds of energy. That’s only 100 feet per second away from a 41 magnum full house load. 80% of the FBI could not qualify with this load and gun parts broke quite often. They tried a lighter bullet and lower velocities but the guys and gals still had problems with the larger grip frame. So that is where the 40 short & weak I mean S&W came in. It offered a bigger sectional density bullet that would work in a 9mm sized frame. Buffalo Bore nor Underwood Ammo offers the original 10mm Norma load. If you think the 10mm is a powerful cartridge add 20grs and 300fps on the hottest heaviest load out there.
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Condition1
Master Class
All auto rimless cartridges headspace’s on the case mouth if you put a very heavy tapered crimp on the cartridge you have no headspace. The 40 S&W case is healed in place by the extractor kinda ancting like a rimmed cartridge and when it is fired the case expands and seals the chamber. Do I shot 40 S&W out of my 10mm? Nope! Would I shot them if the situation (zombie horde) arose that the only gun I had was my 10mm and the only ammo I had was 40 short & weak would I shot it then yes I would.
I wish someone would replicate the "original" 170-grain Norma FFV loads. (1400 fps from a 5" barrel). 740.04 foot-pounds from a 5" Delta Elite would "settle someone's hash" in a hurry.
Annihilator
Hellion
All I know is back when Colts 10mm Delta Elite came out, Norma load was very hot,
Talyn
Emissary
Manufacturers didn't know how to build a 1911 to handle the 10mm early on. Same thinh happened with FN/Browning trying to make a BHP work with a 40 S&W.
After the Delta Elite they finally figured things out.
The "broken/frame hole" problem on the Delta Elite was cured by removing the "bridge of metal" between the slide stop hole and the frame. There were no ill effects when it was removed. My Dan Wesson rezorback was manufactured that way. (#84 of 150 bespoke for those who ordered the pistols directly from Dan Wesson in 2009). This pistol was built to my personal specifications. They had a "spec sheet", much the way you would order options on a car. It even has 4 magazines, serial-numbered to the gun.
Today, this pistol is worth a healthy $ 3,500-$4,000.
This is why it was built. My 6.5" barreled Model 610 is a real shooting machine. I have great 10mm pistols. One Glock Model 20 that I carried on duty as an Armed Security Officer. This pistol kept me safe. I outshot other officers who carried 9mm and .40 S&W pistols.
This pistol comforted me when I patrolled Portland, Oregon's "Skid Row" (among other scummy, crime-ridden districts)..
Condition1
Master Class
Underwood Ammo is close with there 180gr XTP load with it loaded with a velocity of 1300fps. I would like the 220gr load in a hollow point bullet would be awesome. But we won’t see that load. Most of the Ammo loaded now is 40 S&W loads except for BB and UA. 10mm is a great round but I would not carry it for grizzly protection. I love the 44 magnum cartridge but my choice for the big bruins would be the 454 Casull cartridge.
Jester560
Professional
my 454= 300gr XTP Magnum @ 1500fps. It showed zero pressure signs and still below book max charge. I stopped because it was lazer accurate and the SD & es #s were very good.
Condition1
Master Class
I cast my on bullets for my 10mm 44 mag and 45/70. I’ve pushed 315gr FNGC out of my Super Blackhawk to 1400fps. Primers were pancaked but not bad. That’s the cool thing about Ruger Super Blackhawk’s you can push loads hotter out of them with no ill effects. But the 454 will generate twice the muzzle energy of the hottest 44 magnum loads. And if I remember right there are bullets over 400grs for the 454. My arthritis in my hands couldn’t take very much of the 454 lol. I’ve always wanted a Freedom Arms SA in 454 but I’ve gotten to old to enjoy it.
10mm for Self Defense: Is It Too Powerful?
While I appreciate the areas the author covered, when I saw the headline, I was expecting different content. Instead of discussing "too powerful" from the perspective of controlling the gun, accuracy and ergonomics, I would have loved to see info about things like over penetration. Is 10mm "too powerful" to use in an apartment or house? What about bad guys on the street? Do we need to worry that it will over penetrate and hit something or someone behind them? I did appreciate the info on the different grain ammo, but I am not sure if the Q was really answered. Is 10mm too powerful for certain situations. Curious what others think....
While I appreciate the areas the author covered, when I saw the headline, I was expecting different content. Instead of discussing "too powerful" from the perspective of controlling the gun, accuracy and ergonomics, I would have loved to see info about things like over penetration. Is 10mm "too powerful" to use in an apartment or house? What about bad guys on the street? Do we need to worry that it will over penetrate and hit something or someone behind them? I did appreciate the info on the different grain ammo, but I am not sure if the Q was really answered. Is 10mm too powerful for certain situations. Curious what others think....
So.... I live and work in Grizzley country. (East Idaho) and I used to carry a GP in the .357. But the last 2 years I have gone to the XDM Elite in the 10. I always liked the GP but the XDM Elite is in reality much easier to carry in the chest holster, is easier to shoot and has 15 rounds instead of 6. My preferred ammo is the Underwood penetrator ammo. And using the wet newspaper test the Underwood gives much better penetration than any .357 round.
AF22Raptor
Alpha
It is odd to me that all the Self Defense Ammo that is talked about does not include any of the lighter weight projectile offerings from Underwood or Double Tap who offer a 135gr JHP at 1500 FPS and 768 Ft-Lbs of Energy which works GREAT as an Urban EDC Carry Load in weapons like a Glock 20, SIG P220 10mm Legion and SIG 1911 TacOps three of my personal carry 10mm Auto Concealed Carry pistols. I would have love to have a Springfield Armory 5 inch TRP 10mm but they were Discontinued before I was able to get my hands on one and they are very rare in the Secondary Market. I believe that the SIG P220 10mm Legion is by FAR the BEST Production 10mm Currently Available and I would love to see someone come out with a double stack DA/SA with a 5 inch Match barrel that has similar capabilities to the P220 all Steel Frame. The 220 loaded with the Underwood 135gr JHP is the perfect combination for any two legged issue and even many four legged ones.
UC_Guy 1971
Custom
I like my G20. I do carry Underwood 155 grain (Hornady XTP JHP). Absolutely not "too powerful". I only really carry it hunting and fishing though.
Now if I want to carry something that might be a war crime; I would go with this:
I think I want one
Now if I want to carry something that might be a war crime; I would go with this:
I think I want one
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