View Full Version : Opinions on Glock20
I'm thinking about buying a glock 20 10mm. I've had 21's, 22's, currently own two 19's one of which is for daily carry. THe other 19 is my wife's. I don't really have a need for the 10mm, but I don't own any magnum handgun anymore and I've read that the 10mm, with full power loads approaches 41mag performance. If you own one how do you like it?
I cannot explain why, but among my many Glocks, the one that shoot the best is the Glock 20.
I'm thinking about buying a glock 20 10mm. I've had 21's, 22's, currently own two 19's one of which is for daily carry. THe other 19 is my wife's. I don't really have a need for the 10mm, but I don't own any magnum handgun anymore and I've read that the 10mm, with full power loads approaches 41mag performance. If you own one how do you like it?
Excellent deerslayer and back-country gun.
The 6" barrel is useful.
The G20SF will be welcome.
A large western Sheriff's Department bought the Glock 20 when first introduced in the late 80s. As of a year ago, they were still shooting/issuing the same pistols from that initial purchase.
They are just about unanimous, that no other pistol will do for them.
Need smeed....... :D
I've had a Glock 20 since forever, if it fits your hand you're in business. I'm sure you know the 10mm is expensive to feed, reloading is the way to go for practice ammo.
I shot IPSC for years with a stock G20. Loads that make "major" from a 10mm get a yawn from the Glock. No beating the hell out of the gun since it's built for much higher pressures.
It's the most versatile auto cartridge out there.
I wish Glock would come out with a 10mm carbine......
......I've read that the 10mm, with full power loads approaches 41mag performance.
The 10mm isn't in the same ballpark as the .41magnum. When it comes to overall power capabilities, the 10mm is right in between the .40S&W and .41magnum.
Buffalo Bore Ammuntion:
.40S&W 180gr+P JHP: 1100fps/484ft-lbs
10mm 180gr JHP: 1350fps/782ft-lbs
10mm 200gr JHP: 1200fps/639ft-lbs
.41mag 170gr JHP: 1650fps/1028ft-lbs
.41mag 230gr JHP: 1450fps/1074ft-lbs
That being said, it makes for a good "hybrid" between service calibers and magnum hunting calibers. A little better for protection from large dangerous game than service calibers......but not as powerful as magnum calibers. A little better for protection from 2-legged varmits than magnum calibers.......but usually not as user friendly as the common service calibers.
I'm not a big fan of the G20/G21. I find the grip to be too large when I wear gloves and with a woods gun with dangerous game, cold weather will often be present. My single stack Kimber 10mm is much better in this regard. I shot a black bear several years ago in Montana at about -15 degrees and the gloves did not inhibit my shooting performance. I suppose if you are comfortable shooting your G21 with gloves on, shooting singled handed strong/weak hand, and don't have trouble with wet/cold hands with the fat grip in a timed course of fire.....then it is a good choice for a "hybrid" pistol. Remember, if the G20 10mm compromises your accuracy or followup shot speed to much then you are putting yourself at an incremental disadvantage in a confrontation with another armed human. The real question to ask youself is, do you regularly venture into the woods where you have a high probability of encountering dangerous game? If not, then in my personal opinion you are better off sticking with your G22 against 2-legged varmits.
I've considered a G20 off and on over the years to carry while trout fishing. I like the idea of something corrosion resistant and relatively lightweight, but always end up deciding to go with a .44 magnum.
Marcus - as for the Kimber 10mm, I suppose a standard .45 could be converted to 10mm? I have an old Kimber SS Custom Carry - it never occured to me to convert it to 10mm. I suppose heavy Buffalo Bore loads would be hard on that pistol?
Maybe I'll just stick with a SS .44 mag revolver...
(I didn't mean to drift the thread.)
Thanks.
Those 41 mag velocities are surely not from a 4.5" barrel.
Those 41 mag velocities are surely not from a 4.5" barrel.
5" revolver which loses a considerable amount of gas in cylinder/barrel gap. Out of a 5" Thompson Contender, the .41magnum gains approximately 100fps over a 5" revolver. If the .41magnum were used in an auto pistol it would be on par with the Thompson. The much larger case capacity of the .41magnum gives it a significant edge over the 10mm.
Unfortunately, I don't have a picture of the 10mm Auto compared to the .41magnum, but here is the 10mm Auto compared to the 10mm Magnum. The .41mag has a .01-.02 longer overall length than the 10mm Magnum making the 10mm Auto closer to the .40S&W in capacity:
http://i480.photobucket.com/albums/rr169/sgalbra76/10mm_mag_comparrison.jpg
Marcus - as for the Kimber 10mm, I suppose a standard .45 could be converted to 10mm? I have an old Kimber SS Custom Carry - it never occured to me to convert it to 10mm. I suppose heavy Buffalo Bore loads would be hard on that pistol?
Most modern 10mms are catered around the higher power 10mm loads of today. I'm not sure if you can convert your Kimber .45 to 10mm, but email them and maybe they can help.
sweet guns.
not really that hard to double tap with either.
even the G29 isn't all that harsh in my opinion. it's on my list.
I cannot explain why, but among my many Glocks, the one that shoot the best is the Glock 20.
Same here. And it loves full-power loads from DoubleTap.:D
10mm magnum??? Where have I been? I don't recall reading about a 10mm magnum.
What handguns is it designed for?
10mm magnum??? Where have I been? I don't recall reading about a 10mm magnum.
What handguns is it designed for?
It came out in the 1980s as a suped up auto pistol cartridge. There's only a few pistols that shoot it like the AMT Automag IV:
http://www.gunbroker.com/auction/ViewItem.asp?Item=125425761
It was really way too long of a cartridge to be stuffed into an auto pistol grip, and with the .41magnum available for revolvers.......it died quickly. As you can see, there are still a few guns floating around in this caliber.
It came out in the 1980s as a suped up auto pistol cartridge. There's only a few pistols that shoot it like the AMT Automag IV:
http://www.gunbroker.com/auction/ViewItem.asp?Item=125425761
It was really way too long of a cartridge to be stuffed into an auto pistol grip, and with the .41magnum available for revolvers.......it died quickly. As you can see, there are still a few guns floating around in this caliber.
Ah - okay, I do remember it in that context. Thought I was getting too senior for a moment...
Thanks for all the replies guys, good info.
I'm teaching a class next month in which half the students will be from an agency that issues G20s. It will be very interesting to see how the guns (and LEOs) handle 1,200-1,500 rounds of 10mm in two days. :cool:
Without their permission, I can't say. My guess is they wouldn't care, and I'll try to remember to ask when I'm out there.
I'm teaching a class next month in which half the students will be from an agency that issues G20s. It will be very interesting to see how the guns (and LEOs) handle 1,200-1,500 rounds of 10mm in two days. :cool:
Please give us a report on this. Also, be sure and get the specs on the ammunition that they use. It doesn't give us much of a 10mm/.40S&W comparison if they are using underpowered loads that duplicate .40S&W velocities.
Without their permission, I can't say. My guess is they wouldn't care, and I'll try to remember to ask when I'm out there.
Todd...no biggie...just curious...since I carry a G20 SF off duty and train with it weekly. :)
Heavy Metal
04-19-09, 10:35
I'm teaching a class next month in which half the students will be from an agency that issues G20s. It will be very interesting to see how the guns (and LEOs) handle 1,200-1,500 rounds of 10mm in two days. :cool:
Please give us an AAR.
And pick their brains about the performance history of the pistol.
I am considering one of these for a backcountry gun as well.
John_Wayne777
04-19-09, 11:16
Without their permission, I can't say. My guess is they wouldn't care, and I'll try to remember to ask when I'm out there.
They will probably be keenly interested in recoil management techniques....
I'm curious, will the standard G20 recoil spring allow reliable feeding with .40S&W level loads all the way to the hotter 10mm loads?
I'm curious, will the standard G20 recoil spring allow reliable feeding with .40S&W level loads all the way to the hotter 10mm loads?
I had a G20 a couple of years ago. As I remember the stock recoil spring worked fine with the factory standard Pee-Wee Herman type loads all the way up to the more satisfactory Winchester 175 gr ST. I had some nose-dive feeding issues with the hot DT 200 gr XTP loads. the DT fiied cases had a pronounced bulge from the part of the chamber that is cut-away for the feed ramp.
The 10mm isn't bad, but I was un-impressed with the factory ballistics so I traded it in on a .44 mag revolver before I bothered to experiment with a heavier recoil spring. The 44 magnum revolver can be loaded a lot hotter than any 10mm auto . It's also easier to keep track of empty cases for reloading with a magnum revolver than a 10mm auto.
I know a guy with a G20 who also has barrels chambered in .40 and .357Sig. The 20 makes a nice gun platform for all of these rounds, using the stock recoil spring.
The fails to feed noted above does not surprise me. Same mechanism at work in the G22s that have feed issues.
I'm curious, will the standard G20 recoil spring allow reliable feeding with .40S&W level loads all the way to the hotter 10mm loads?
I use a 19# spring with solid, non captured recoil rod for 10mm loads. It seems to smooth things out.
I also have a .40 barrel for it and use the standard spring for shooting .40. They just trickle out of the ejection port.
Thanks for the replies.
They just trickle out of the ejection port.
:)
Love my G20. Big Grip fits my hand fine, but I just ordered a SF to check it out.
My feeling with this gun is that just as the G17, designed around 9mm acheived "perfection", the G20 designed around 10mm is as close to "perfection" as a factory pistol can be. Note that both when the G17 and the G20 were redesigned around 40 and 45 to make the G22 and G21 respectively,problems ensued.
With the Lone Wolf .40 SW conversion Barrel low power 40SW rounds run reliably even with weak ejection, but with the right powder(longshot) you can load them up over 600 fpe. Not bad for the little .40SW.
The G20 is also super smooth shooting with the big grip and polymer frame. Real easy to control, even with heavier loads.
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