10mm Ammo comparison

[sgmdcw]

I took two 10mm handguns, a Kimber Camp Guard and a S&W M&P10mm, and seven different 10mm factory loads to the range today and compared them on a chronograph. The Blazer actually did better than I expected. The Sig V-crown 180 grain and the Underwood loads did well too.

 

[small town life]

Too bad the 10mm factory loads are underpowered and almost 40 loads. Handgun loads aren't like rifle loads. Rifle loads can be dangerous if the throat/chamber is short and cause over pressure. I can OP the living snot out of 10mil loads that near 45k or more. I've done the same with 357sig loads also. If you have a very heavy recoil spring it makes it easier to handle OP ammo. I need to chrono some for relevance.

 

[CDW4ME]

Blazer @ 1,188 recoil would be close (close enough) to the Sig V Crown @ 1,253 for practice ammo.

 

[sgmdcw]

The recoil on all of them was not bad. Much better than a 44 mag revolver.

 

[sparkyv]

My M610 can definitely handle nuclear loads, no with aplomb. These loads I keep away from my semi-autos! How do you know you're running near 45kpsi small town life?

Too bad the 10mm factory loads are underpowered and almost 40 loads. Handgun loads aren't like rifle loads. Rifle loads can be dangerous if the throat/chamber is short and cause over pressure. I can OP the living snot out of 10mil loads that near 45k or more. I've done the same with 357sig loads also. If you have a very heavy recoil spring it makes it easier to handle OP ammo. I need to chrono some for relevance.

 

[small town life]

My M610 can definitely handle nuclear loads, no with aplomb. These loads I keep away from my semi-autos! How do you know you're running near 45kpsi small town life?

Part guesstimate and part of QL tuning. Going off published load data and the 121% fill of blue dot and averaged of gained velocity and pressure needed puts me close. With 357sig max @ 40k (still unsure) as ql goes to 44k? With the brake/comp on it barely spit out the brass......with it off the slide was WAY fast. Surprised it chambered the next round. I need to check case volume (empty) and do more testing.

 

[2zulu1]

Too bad the 10mm factory loads are underpowered and almost 40 loads. Handgun loads aren't like rifle loads. Rifle loads can be dangerous if the throat/chamber is short and cause over pressure. I can OP the living snot out of 10mil loads that near 45k or more. I've done the same with 357sig loads also. If you have a very heavy recoil spring it makes it easier to handle OP ammo. I need to chrono some for relevance.

A major reason this is because most factory 10mm ammunition is loaded with JHP bullets designed for 40 S&W velocities instead of 10mm caliber capable velocities. An exception to this are the all copper JHPs, like the ones offered by Barnes. Double Tap's 125gr TAC-XPB at ~1600fps is reported to be an excellent performer, I like them.

Here are examples of 180gr XTP and 180gr Gold Dots loaded in the ~1300fps range;


Losing 3 petals and the GD would obviously tumble.



180gr Gold Dot backed off to 1267fps impact velocity routinely yielded symmetrical expansion and retained weight;



180gr XTP @1260fps impact velocity, 4 layer denim;



Mid-1200fps impact velocities are decent goals for handloading 180gr Nosler, Golden Saber, XTP and Gold Dot JHPs.

 

[small town life]

A major reason this is because most factory 10mm ammunition is loaded with JHP bullets designed for 40 S&W velocities instead of 10mm caliber capable velocities. An exception to this are the all copper JHPs, like the ones offered by Barnes. Double Tap's 125gr TAC-XPB at ~1600fps is reported to be an excellent performer, I like them.

Here are examples of 180gr XTP and 180gr Gold Dots loaded in the ~1300fps range;

View attachment 1175299
Losing 3 petals and the GD would obviously tumble.

View attachment 1175300

180gr Gold Dot backed off to 1267fps impact velocity routinely yielded symmetrical expansion and retained weight;

View attachment 1175301

180gr XTP @1260fps impact velocity, 4 layer denim;

View attachment 1175302

Mid-1200fps impact velocities are decent goals for handloading 180gr Nosler, Golden Saber, XTP and Gold Dot JHPs.

The only testing I've done was on steel. With 10mil hot loads they stayed together.....well until it hit the plates. Same thing with hot loads from the sig with way more velocity than +p+ 9.

 

[sparkyv]

Ain't Blue Dot grand in the 10mm?

the 121% fill of blue dot and

 

[cfullgraf]

The little bit that I have shot my S&W 610 revolver, factory ammunition is some what anemic from what I have been lead to believe. I have not begun reloading for 10mm yet.

I do not have a 10mm auto--yet. There is potential there,

 

[JDeere]

180 XTPs over 13.5gr of AA9 works well for my woods load in the XTen...The 180gr fmj Magtech ammo is not bad for range work but I also load 12.5 AA9 with 180gr coated for the range and it's not anemic like some of the factory fmj...

 

[flightsimmer]

I load my own.

 

[WisBorn]

@sgmdcw nice comparison

 

[LimaCharlie]

I stock Underwood 180 grain JHP, Buffalo Bore 180 grain JHP, and Winchester Silvertip 175 grain for my 10mm handguns.

 

[GooseGestapo]

I’ve been loading/shooting the 10mm since 1990. Started with a 1006. Loved it!

Compared to the original factory Norma ammo, yes! The 10mm is down loaded a bit, but that isn’t bad. As noted above, most of the JHP’s are intended for ~1,250fps of the .40’s. This is simply physics… It’s what works.
I for one never Pooh Poohed the .40. Loved it when I carried one, still do. My hand loads for it match most of the current crop of factory loads of the 10mm.
Thank the FBI and Glock for this.

My carry load at the moment is a NOE Round Flat Nose cast of 203gr at 1,220fps from my 5” Armscor/Taylor’s&Co M1911. It’s controllable, and accurate, and feeds like tap water. It’s a published max load of LongShot.
I’m leaving next week going to Wyoming to hunt elk, ect. for a month…but not with the 10… a couple of “7’s” will also make the trip…

 

[CDW4ME]

@2zulu1 good example of how pushing a HP too fast can result in fragmenting, whereas the bullet held together by reducing velocity a bit.

 

[Buckeye63]

When my 10mm are carried.. they’re always stoked with Underwood Ammo

 

[TTv2]

A major reason this is because most factory 10mm ammunition is loaded with JHP bullets designed for 40 S&W velocities instead of 10mm caliber capable velocities. An exception to this are the all copper JHPs, like the ones offered by Barnes. Double Tap's 125gr TAC-XPB at ~1600fps is reported to be an excellent performer, I like them.

Here are examples of 180gr XTP and 180gr Gold Dots loaded in the ~1300fps range;

View attachment 1175299
Losing 3 petals and the GD would obviously tumble.

View attachment 1175300

180gr Gold Dot backed off to 1267fps impact velocity routinely yielded symmetrical expansion and retained weight;

View attachment 1175301

180gr XTP @1260fps impact velocity, 4 layer denim;

View attachment 1175302

Mid-1200fps impact velocities are decent goals for handloading 180gr Nosler, Golden Saber, XTP and Gold Dot JHPs.

I'm finding 200gr hollow points to be built for 10mm velocities. I like that and I like that given the weight of the projectile that it will leave an exit wound. This is good for use in rural areas or combat as it makes things that bleed, bleed faster.

165gr and 180gr 10mm would be better for conceal carry with a short barrel, but I've never thought of 10mm as being a good choice for that role. Give me 9 or .45 instead.

 

[ChiefTJS]

My favorite loading is a 200gr bullet (any) at just a tick over 1000fps. Seems to be a real sweet spot in the 10mm for accuracy.

 

[Anchorite]

I'm finding 200gr hollow points to be built for 10mm velocities. I like that and I like that given the weight of the projectile that it will leave an exit wound. This is good for use in rural areas or combat as it makes things that bleed, bleed faster.

165gr and 180gr 10mm would be better for conceal carry with a short barrel, but I've never thought of 10mm as being a good choice for that role. Give me 9 or .45 instead.

I don’t know that there are that many guns that will handle a load heavier than 180 at ~ 1000fpsMV are there? Buddy of mine has a G20 and we’ve never been able to get his pistol to operate reliably and consistently when trying to push anything in the 180-200gr up to 1100 fps. Maybe it’s a Glock thing, IDK. Bulged cases, flattened primers, mis-feeds are all par for the course when trying to get a 10mm up to 1000fps + with 200 grain loads.

And if you can’t push a 180gr 10mm at ~1100+fps, I can’t see the utility of a 10mm as a dangerous critter protection tool. YMMV.

 

[BreechFace]

@Anchorite

There are several 10mm commercial loadings that are pushing 180’s to 1275fps (Federal Trophy Bonded Bear Claw) and 200’s to 1,200fps (Federal Bonded Soft Point)





That’s not even getting into the Buffalo Bore, Double Tap, or Underwood loadings.

 

[WisBorn]

The Underwood loads that I have been using in my Glock 20 gen5 & XDM 3.8 are rated at 1250 for both the 200 & 180 grain.
That is one of the advantages that I feel with Underwood Range Supply target ammo. The 180 FMJs are rated at the same velocity as their 180 JHPs 1250.

 

[Anchorite]

The Underwood loads that I have been using in my Glock 20 gen5 & XDM 3.8 are rated at 1250 for both the 200 & 180 grain.
That is one of the advantages that I feel with Underwood Range Supply target ammo. The 180 FMJs are rated at the same velocity as their 180 JHPs 1250.

My shooting buddies G20 is not a gen5. Maybe that’s the issue with his not reliably functioning with heavier bullets. Could just be a reloading issue as well.
He’s burning Unique and 231, but I don’t know the loads.

 

[WisBorn]

My shooting buddies G20 is not a gen5. Maybe that’s the issue with his not reliably functioning with heavier bullets. Could just be a reloading issue as well.
He’s burning Unique and 231, but I don’t know the loads.

I do know that they changed the type of barrel they use in the gen5.

 

[TTv2]

I don’t know that there are that many guns that will handle a load heavier than 180 at ~ 1000fpsMV are there? Buddy of mine has a G20 and we’ve never been able to get his pistol to operate reliably and consistently when trying to push anything in the 180-200gr up to 1100 fps. Maybe it’s a Glock thing, IDK. Bulged cases, flattened primers, mis-feeds are all par for the course when trying to get a 10mm up to 1000fps + with 200 grain loads.

And if you can’t push a 180gr 10mm at ~1100+fps, I can’t see the utility of a 10mm as a dangerous critter protection tool. YMMV.

Using 8.8gr of Blue Dot I get 1125 w/ 200gr Berry's in my Glock 40. I believe I've done 9gr and gotten around 1160, but I don't have that in my notes, just my cortex.