No love for the 10mm?

[Swatdude1]

I just purchased a KKM 10mm drop in barrel for my Glock 21 and a 20 lb recoil spring from Glockmeister. The 10mm doesn't even make the list for "Best Choices of Self Defense Ammo" and there is very little info I can find on Ballistic Gel tests for this caliber.

Can anyone recommend a full power 10mm load for hunting and one for SD? I know Doubletap has some but I have heard they fudge their numbers a bit and I haven't heard good or bad about their quality. It looks like the big ammo manufacturers only have a limited offering and most of them appear to be loaded at .40sw velocities.

[DocGKR]

How many agencies currently issue 10mm?

For duty/CCW, the Federal 10mm XM1003A 190 gr bonded JHP offers very good terminal performance as does the Federal 10mm LE10T1 180 gr JHP. Winchester made a 200 gr Talon load that worked well, but I have not seen it in a while.

[RyanB]

Doc, I have an interest in keeping my Glock 20 hunting handgun in my car (hard mounted). I would stay with the 200-220gr hard cast bullets at 1200-1300 fps. I know that they will dramatically overpenetrate human bodies, but how would they do through intermediate barriers like other cars?

[BullittBoy]

Ryan I have several choices that have worked well for me over the years:

1. Purely home defense I used 135 gr. Nosler or Sierra loaded HP ammo.
CorBon loads it, Double Tap loads it and now a new company "Underwood" loads it hot. This load is freaking phenominal in soft targets and is extrememly accurate, but it is not a "barrier" load, but great in home defense scenario.
2. Gold dot in 155,165,180 grain is a great barrier load. It is loaded by Georgia Arms in 155 @1,375fps and this load is awesome on about anything you could want to shoot it at. Double Tap used to load the 165 and 180, Buffalo Bore loads the 180.
3. Hunting load-175 gr. Silvertip, or 180-200 gr. Hornady XTP.
These loads have all been around for a long time and are accurate and expand well. Barnes makes a 125,140 and 155 "X" bullet loaded by Corbon and Double Tap.
For plinking I use 200 gr. Blazers and 180 grain FMJ from Georgia Arms.
The 10mm is a great "do it all" round and can be used for home defense, hunting and is a geat long range round that shoots very flat out to 100 yards. You can load it .40 S&W all the way to .41 Mag velocities and use 125-220 grain loads I have seen.

[packinaglock]

I use DT 200g. hard cast "Bear Tooth" for hogs and they work great.

[0reo]

I reload 180gn gold dots at 1250fps with Longshot. Thats as much as anyone needs for a home defense round unless you live in brown bear country.

I've been contemplating a custom mold to cast my own 200gn hollow points but thats an expensive mold so its gonna be a while.

[BuckskinJoe]

Ryan I have several choices that have worked well for me over the years:

1. Purely home defense I used 135 gr. Nosler or Sierra loaded HP ammo.
CorBon loads it, Double Tap loads it and now a new company "Underwood" loads it hot. This load is freaking phenominal in soft targets and is extrememly accurate, but it is not a "barrier" load, but great in home defense scenario.
2. Gold dot in 155,165,180 grain is a great barrier load. It is loaded by Georgia Arms in 155 @1,375fps and this load is awesome on about anything you could want to shoot it at. Double Tap used to load the 165 and 180, Buffalo Bore loads the 180.
3. Hunting load-175 gr. Silvertip, or 180-200 gr. Hornady XTP.
These loads have all been around for a long time and are accurate and expand well. Barnes makes a 125,140 and 155 "X" bullet loaded by Corbon and Double Tap.
For plinking I use 200 gr. Blazers and 180 grain FMJ from Georgia Arms.
The 10mm is a great "do it all" round and can be used for home defense, hunting and is a geat long range round that shoots very flat out to 100 yards. You can load it .40 S&W all the way to .41 Mag velocities and use 125-220 grain loads I have seen.

I have bolded statements that interest me.
How did you determine in #! above that the load(s) indentified is(are) great in home defense? You say it has worked well for you. How often do you deploy that load in defense of your home?

In #2 above, you state that 155, 165, and 180 grain Gold Dots are "great barrier loads." Would you be so kind as to share the testing done to determine that? Again, stating that it has worked well for you, perhaps, you can share what you did to come to that conclusion.

[Swatdude1]

How many agencies currently issue 10mm?

For duty/CCW, the Federal 10mm XM1003A 190 gr bonded JHP offers very good terminal performance as does the Federal 10mm LE10T1 180 gr JHP. Winchester made a 200 gr Talon load that worked well, but I have not seen it in a while.

Doc, a google search doesn't turn up much on either of these two rounds. Do you know if Federal still produces them?

[KhanRad]

The 10mm really doesn't have much support from the mainstream manufacturers anymore. It's too weak to serve as a decent hunting or large predator defensive caliber, and it is a bit too heafty for a self defense caliber. I guess it can be considered a jack of all trades, but master of none. In a defensive situation against a determined attacker who may be incorporating some tactics other than walking straight at me like a dumb s**t, I'd rather use .40S&W with 180gr HSTs. In grizzly country I'd rather be using a .44magnum(or larger) with 300gr Hornady XTPs. So, from my end I don't really have a purpose for the 10mm.

[Swatdude1]

The 10mm really doesn't have much support from the mainstream manufacturers anymore. It's too weak to serve as a decent hunting or large predator defensive caliber, and it is a bit too heafty for a self defense caliber. I guess it can be considered a jack of all trades, but master of none. In a defensive situation against a determined attacker who may be incorporating some tactics other than walking straight at me like a dumb s**t, I'd rather use .40S&W with 180gr HSTs. In grizzly country I'd rather be using a .44magnum(or larger) with 300gr Hornady XTPs. So, from my end I don't really have a purpose for the 10mm.

The drop-in barrel was $165 making it not too much for the price of admission. I go camping in cougar and bear country a few times a year and wanted a little more oomph to my Glock 21. I know there are some 44mag rounds that are well over 1000 ft/lbs but they have significant recoil and only hold 5 or 6 rounds. Comparing the Corbon loadings, 165 gr JHP offerings in both 10mm and 44mag are very close.

Looking at the Hornady 300 gr XTP data, keep in mind the data is for a 7.5 inch barrel. Hornady's 10mm seems to be loaded to .40sw velocities so it is not very impressive, but again, Doubletap and Buffalo Bore seem to give the 44mag Hornady XTP a run for the money and we are talking a 14 round mag.

Also, the Buffalo Bore 220 grain Hardcast moves out about 1200 fps. You don't think this would be a suitable hunting round? I failed to mention I have the 6 inch barrel.