10mm platform, which and why?

[beeenbag]

So looking over my handgun inventory, I am missing anything in 10mm. I know that want is enough reason for buying a gun you desire, but in my mind, I have to come up with a role for it to serve, sometimes its just cool factor, but I think the utility of the 10mm round, deserves a functioning role.

So here are the "job descriptions" of what I would be using the 10mm for, using these discussion points, what handgun would you utilize?

1. Replacing my heavy 686+ for woods side arm when bow hunting (black bear territory)

2. Exploring/toying with heavy handloads

3. Smile factor with boutique type hot ammo

4. Small chance of maybe taking a deer with it, considering I'm confident enough in how I shoot it.

5. Open carry, primary firearm when mushroom hunting, or scouting.

I keep bouncing back and forth between the SR1911 and the G20 for various reasons regarding those roles.

 

[tommy.duncan]

I have both the SR1911 and G20. Both shoot great but are very different.
Do you like the feel of 1911s or Glocks better? Have you looked into other 10mm pistols?
Sig makes an amazing 10mm in the P220. The Sig 1911s are really good shooters too. If you like polymer pistols the XDm and EAA have good 10mm choices too.

The SR1911 has lower capacity, but, a fully supported barrel. If you want to shoot the nuclear level 10mm rounds you MUST have a fully supported barrel.
Springfield Armory makes a 10mm 1911 with a fully supported barrel, but it's a lot more expensive then the Ruger. The Colt Deltas are fun to shoot but the barrel
is not supported so you can only get a little spicy on the ammo before there are problems.

I carry my G20 and G29 when hiking in bear country, but I really like the SR1911.
We haven't even gone into 10mm revolvers!!

Make sure you check out the other options before you limit yourself to Glock vs. Ruger

 

[crestoncowboy]

I have a few 10mms. I'd take the 220 or glock 20 over any other design if you intend to handload and shoot a lot. If you never see high round counts then any of the current offerings will do. For a casual plinker/ woods gun I'm sure any of them would be fine.

The 220 is a hell of a shooter and I believe is strong enough in it's current offering but it's not really a proven thing yet. The ergonomics are IMO about as good as can be had. Triggers are always great in SA. Good in DA (and sometimes really good but hit or miss) IME. The ability to have a defensive DA or a nice SA is a plus. Capacity isn't great by any stretch and mags are pretty high

The Glock 20 is far and away the most proven and has been used longer, uninterrupted, and in far greater amounts than all other 10mms combined. Even glock haters tend to soften up when the 20 is mentioned. They are big, fat, and not terribly ergonomic to most. My local PD carried the 21 and even some of the bigger guys preferred the 9mm/40 gun. (Although most were denied even though females or smaller guys could be issued the G22). I personally like the 20 but it certainly isnt the best feeling gun IMO. Capacity is great at 15 rds. The trigger on Glocks from gen 3 up are consistent IME. They are good/bad whatever you believe but they tend to all be the same. A 3.5 lb connector makes them pretty nice but still a long way from a single action. The Glock is also the most used (and other than the Smith, maybe the only) by LE or military.

The 1911s I have (an older kimber and 2 colts) are great shooters but I dont feel like they would handle a fraction of the use the Glock would. I do have a newer stainless delta that has had a few K through it but with heavier recoil spring and recoil buffers in place and almost entirely 2000s era light 10mm loads from BVAC or Georgia arms.

 

[Corpral_Agarn]

Weight being first listed factor and outdoors being part of it, I think you are looking for a Glock 20.

I'm not a Glock guy, but can't deny they are well suited to carrying and the outdoors.

 

[Dibbs]

I like the old school. I got lucky, found an old S&W 1066, all the things I like in a GenIII, none of the things I don't, all in the handy FBI carry size.
Bit of a collector's item, too, less than 5200 total, made. Finding mags was a bit of a free-for-all, tho.

 

[beeenbag]

I have both the SR1911 and G20. Both shoot great but are very different.
Do you like the feel of 1911s or Glocks better? Have you looked into other 10mm pistols?
Sig makes an amazing 10mm in the P220. The Sig 1911s are really good shooters too. If you like polymer pistols the XDm and EAA have good 10mm choices too.

The SR1911 has lower capacity, but, a fully supported barrel. If you want to shoot the nuclear level 10mm rounds you MUST have a fully supported barrel.
Springfield Armory makes a 10mm 1911 with a fully supported barrel, but it's a lot more expensive then the Ruger. The Colt Deltas are fun to shoot but the barrel
is not supported so you can only get a little spicy on the ammo before there are problems.

I carry my G20 and G29 when hiking in bear country, but I really like the SR1911.
We haven't even gone into 10mm revolvers!!

Make sure you check out the other options before you limit yourself to Glock vs. Ruger

Not limiting any options. That’s why I made the post.

 

[JeeperCreeper]

I'm a fan of the EAA Witness line, especially the higher end versions like the Witness Pro or Witness Match.

I have them added in my cart indefinitely... Just haven't hit "buy now" yet.

 

[LoonWulf]

The only 10 I've got is a RockIsland Ultra 6". It's a blast to shoot, but isn't a light gun, 3.25lbs or something fully loaded. I also now know I LIKE 1911s....they just gotta be double stack.
On the flip side I built up a XD.45 tactical to shoot 230s @ 1200fps.
That gun was sweet to carry (even being longer), but comped and all, it squirmed around something awful. Loaded with 200s @ 1200, it was quite pleasant to
shoot.
From THAT experience I want to try the XDm10 5.25

 

[Obturation]

So looking over my handgun inventory, I am missing anything in 10mm. I know that want is enough reason for buying a gun you desire, but in my mind, I have to come up with a role for it to serve, sometimes its just cool factor, but I think the utility of the 10mm round, deserves a functioning role.

So here are the "job descriptions" of what I would be using the 10mm for, using these discussion points, what handgun would you utilize?

1. Replacing my heavy 686+ for woods side arm when bow hunting (black bear territory)

2. Exploring/toying with heavy handloads

3. Smile factor with boutique type hot ammo

4. Small chance of maybe taking a deer with it, considering I'm confident enough in how I shoot it.

5. Open carry, primary firearm when mushroom hunting, or scouting.

I keep bouncing back and forth between the SR1911 and the G20 for various reasons regarding those roles.

G20 for me.
1- similar performance to the 357 mag with more than double the capacity and much less weight.
2- g20 is good for heavy loads but a lot of guys like a barrel upgrade and a stronger recoil spring, mine is completely stock and haven't had any issues using double tap , Underwood or buffalo bore ammo. I don't reload 10mm , so if the cases are buldged I haven't noticed and don't care- do long as they hold together.
3-any 10mm will get you smiling
4-any 10mm will take deer
5-g20 is ideal for carry due to the carefree finish, simple operation and reasonable price. I worry about bumping around the woods with pretty guns, others feel different.

I think you should get a 10mm with good capacity, so the lower capacity, greater weight and more finicky/complex design of a 1911 based 10mms don't make any sense to me unless it's just a going to be a range toy.

 

[needmorecowbell]

If weight and capacity are high on the list it has to be a G20 or G29, unless you just absolutely hate Glocks

 

[jmr40]

When I first started shooting 10mm the 1911 versions had major issues. Every single person I knew who tired the EAA had problems and Sig wasn't an option. That meant either a Smith 1006 series or Glock were the only 2 real options. And Smith had recently discontinued the 1006 so it was a G20 for me by default. I understand some of the 1911 issues have been solved, some brands I'm not so sure about. I don't hear a lot about the EAA's anymore.

I used the G20 for years, but added a G29 a few years back and it is now my go-to 10mm. It is a little easier to carry, I shoot it every bit as well as the bigger gun and it will take either 10 or 15 round mags as the situation dictates. I use mine as my outdoors hiking/camping pistols when in bear country. Having a more compact lighter pistol is a plus and with the 15 round ammo capacity the Glocks are versatile enough for everyday SD roles.

With the hotter loads it'll do anything 357 or 41 mag will do with barrels 4" or less and comes closer to 44 mag than most people realize. If looking for a hunting specific handgun the magnum revolver rounds from longer barrels put them in a league the 10mm can't match. But for close range SD from either human or 4 legged predators a 10mm is a viable option.

Size comparison with my G29 beside my 4" Smith 629.



Bedtime camping in bear country. Having the ability to use a light is comforting

 

[gunlaw]

I have a 1076 and a Kimber TLEII. One 1911 platform. The 1076 is a 3rd gen Smith and just cooler than heck.

 

[ms6852]

I just received my 10mm yesterday a Springfield TRP with 6'' barrel. I only went with this model because I love 1911's and there is not much of a difference in weight for me from the full size 45 I carry or the .357. I have no experience with 10mm but I bought it simply because I always wanted a long slide 1911 and could not find one in .45 acp so I went with the 10mm. You already have a fine revolver in .357 as I carry the same model with the 3" barrel. Go to an LGS or a gunshow and handle both models or other models and see what feels right in your hand, that is how I mostly decide on purchasing a firearm, sometimes if the gun speaks to me in a sultry sensuous voice I buy it on impulse.

 

[Koroner]

For "mushroom hunting"?

Wow, mushrooms in your neck of the woods take a hell of a lot of killing!

I have a G20, a Banshee, a 1006 and a 610 but have never even shot a shiitake.

Might be useful in bear country though,..

 

[Lennyjoe]

10MM’s in my past include S&W 1006, G20, Witness Poly, and now a RI 1911.

Loved the 1006 and it was built like a tank. Heavy on the hip. Carried it out in the field a few times but it got too heavy on the hip.

G20 was my favorite after I replaced the factory barrel with a Storm Lake stainless barrel. Ran a lot of heavy 200 gr loads through that and pushed 800X well past it’s listed max and found a thumper of a load with a 200 gr XTP.

Just couldn’t get any acceptable accuracy out of the Witness so I sold it. Was comfortable in my hand but man I was not happy with its performance with different loads.

The Rock Island 1911 is pretty heavy and new to the arsenal. Haven’t even taken it to the range yet. Plan on working with it to see how it handles heavy loads.

I considered the XD line of 10MM’s and may one day add one to give it a try.

For field use I’d go with the G20 and if your fine with factory loads then the stock barrel will be fine. I carried mine all over Arizona when out in the bush and it rode well with little discomfort, even up and down mountains elk hunting.

 

[Buzznrose]

I recently bought my first 10MM, a G20 Gen 4. I bought the G20 because I had a G21 and the interchangeability with holsters was my main reason, but now I’m thinking I should have gone with a G29 Gen 4.

The G20 is a great shooter, just may be a bit larger than I’d prefer...

 

[Zaydok Allen]

For woods walking my preference is this.
View media item 1078
Nice DA/SA trigger. The heft takes the recoil. It shoots straight. And it holds 9 rounds. It makes my 357s pretty irrelevant. But I’m not selling them.

This one’s nice too if you want a SAO. The ergos are actually a bit better for me than a full size 1911, and I’ve done a 300 round session with them before.

6B615887-1DB7-43E5-9527-23B3BB4FDEA4

• Zaydok Allen
• Feb 27, 2019

P220, 10mm Auto SAO

They aren’t light though.

 

[gunlaw]

10MM’s in my past include S&W 1006, G20, Witness Poly, and now a RI 1911.

Loved the 1006 and it was built like a tank. Heavy on the hip. Carried it out in the field a few times but it got too heavy on the hip.

G20 was my favorite after I replaced the factory barrel with a Storm Lake stainless barrel. Ran a lot of heavy 200 gr loads through that and pushed 800X well past it’s listed max and found a thumper of a load with a 200 gr XTP.

Just couldn’t get any acceptable accuracy out of the Witness so I sold it. Was comfortable in my hand but man I was not happy with its performance with different loads.

The Rock Island 1911 is pretty heavy and new to the arsenal. Haven’t even taken it to the range yet. Plan on working with it to see how it handles heavy loads.

I considered the XD line of 10MM’s and may one day add one to give it a try.

For field use I’d go with the G20 and if your fine with factory loads then the stock barrel will be fine. I carried mine all over Arizona when out in the bush and it rode well with little discomfort, even up and down mountains elk hunting.

Yep the 1006 and 1076 are built like tanks. Unfortunately they carry like a tank.

 

[bannockburn]

beeenbag

I'm kind of in the same boat as I don't have a 10mm. but I would like to add one to my handgun collection. Haven't met a 1911 yet that I don't like so an SR1911 would be a logical choice for me, but I would be using it primarily as a range gun and for load development. Just maybe a little too heavy to be toting around in the backwoods for any extended length of time.

For everything else I think I would go with a Glock 29. Not a Glock fan by any means but the Glock 29 is a good fit for me as the Glock 20 is just a little too big for my hand size. It's a decent size and weight, has a 10 round mag (with the option of carrying an extra 15 round mag), and not something that I'm going to worry about if it gets knocked around a little bit in the woods.

 

[Zaydok Allen]

beeenbag

I'm kind of in the same boat as I don't have a 10mm. but I would like to add one to my handgun collection. Haven't met a 1911 yet that I don't like so an SR1911 would be a logical choice for me, but I would be using it primarily as a range gun and for load development. Just maybe a little too heavy to be toting around in the backwoods for any extended length of time.

For everything else I think I would go with a Glock 29. Not a Glock fan by any means but the Glock 29 is a good fit for me as the Glock 20 is just a little too big for my hand size. It's a decent size and weight, has a 10 round mag (with the option of carrying an extra 15 round mag), and not something that I'm going to worry about if it gets knocked around a little bit in the woods.

I’m waiting to see if SA comes out with a G29 sized 10mm to go with their XDm 10mms. If they do, I’m definitely getting one. Glocks don’t suit me, but the G39 is the one that I do have an interest in.

 

[sequins]

I just bought a Glock 20 and it rules. I like the glock 21 too and have no issues with the grip size. It's very light for what it is, very good ergonomics imo.

 

[Meeks36]

Colt Delta elite. Built like a tank and it is beautiful. It's a 10mm 1911 if your not familiar with it.

 

[Zaydok Allen]

I keep bouncing back and forth between the SR1911 and the G20 for various reasons regarding those roles.

There's a few things to keep in mind with 10mm also.

Lead hardcasts may be an issue in a Glock due to polygonal rifling. I've heard tales of "No it's a real issue I experienced." and other tales of "If you use a lead remover it's not a problem with limited use. I recommend you do some Googling to see what info you can find.

Chamber support is a real issue with some 10mms, and as noted above, it's very important for shooting truly hot 10mm loads. I believe it's pretty important in general though, as I have read one too many 10mm threads on various forums that talk about the "smile" meaning a case bulge. 10mm brass isn't cheap, and one of the real plusses about 10mm is the fun of loading it with a very wide range of load data. It get's annoying when you lose brass. It'd be even more annoying if your gun just ruined the brass outright.

That really only matters if you load your own. So if you don't, I also recommend you think about loading your own. It makes 10mm affordable to shoot and you can load real 10mm ammo, and not shoot the horse manure watered down factory ammo you see on the shelves.

 

[ATLDave]

I think the Tanfoglios (EAA imported) are the best 10mm platforms around (more capacity than a 1911, better trigger and usually better accuracy than a Glock, good ergos, plenty of steel between you and the case if you do blow up a cartridge), but they are heavy. That's a benefit at shooting time, but if you're concerned about the weight of lugging it around, the Glock is undeniably lighter. I personally don't mind the weight of my Elite Match as a woods carry gun, but some people would.

 

[FL-NC]

The only thing I would use a 10mm for is a hunting sidearm. For what is in the woods here, my old LE turn-in Glock 23 is sufficient. If I did get a 10mm, it would be a Glock 20.