tell me about 10mm in a revolver

[chaim]

I am a .357mag guy. Except in a J-frame snub I love it. In a J-frame I can deal with it but don't enjoy it (so I sold my Taurus 605).

I am thinking about something a bit more powerful for when I want/need more. However, I don't really enjoy shooting a .44mag so I am thinking about other alternatives.

I already have a thread up asking about the .41mag but it just occured to me to ask about 10mm in a revolver (the S&W 610 sounds like an interesting choice).

First, in a revolver does 10mm actually offer anything over a .357mag?

Second, how is the recoil, blast, versatility (esp. considering the ability to download in .40S&W), etc. v. a .41mag, hot loaded .357mag, .44mag and .45lc revolver?

Is this a viable choice in between .44mag and .357mag or is it only an interesting addition that serves the same niche as a .357?

 

[braindead0]

One nice thing about .10 (and .40) in a revolver, moon clips. Makes for easier and faster (in theory) reloads.

I'd like to get one just so I can pick up 6 empties at a time ;-)

 

[Wil Terry]

IT WORKS FINE ENOUGH IN A SIXGUN THAT I HAD

Hamilton Bowen build a custom Single Action revolver for me in 10MM AUTO.
It is well above a 357MAG in power, and of course pokes 40 caliber holes instead of 35 caliber holes.

 

[thisaway]

I'll attempt to answer your questions in the order in which you asked:

1) The 10mm offers more power than a .357 Mag, but not as much as a .44 Mag. It is roughly mid-way between the two in power. (The .41 Mag is in reality very close to the .44.)

The M610 also offers the full-moon-clip reloading advantage straight from the factory. And you can "download" it with .40 S&W, much as .38 Spl./.357 Mag, or .44 Spl./.44 Mag.

2) Subjectively , the recoil of my own M610 (4-inch bbl.) is noticeable, but not as much as my M686 when shooting full-house loads. The blast and noise are roughly comparable. My .41 Mag and .44 Mag revolvers have a lot more recoil, blast, and noise. On the other hand, my .45 Colts all have less recoil, blast, and noise...as they should, using a round which develops much less pressure than .357, 10mm, .41, or .44.

3) I believe the 10mm can be effectively used to bridge the gap between thwe .357 and .44. It is accurate and powerful, offers a variety of bullet styles and weights (135 gr. to 220 gr.) for handloaders, and is quite controllable from the heavy N-frame M610.

Plus, it's fun!

 

[JBP]

I have one with a 6 1/2" barrel and one with a 3" barrel. Would love to pick one up with a 4" barrel. They are both great shooters. Recoil is a somewhat less than a .41 Mag (I have a 657 and a Blackhawk) and ammo is a bit cheaper than the 41 mag (especially if you use 40S&W which I never have). You do best with both 10mm & 41 mag if you reload (which I don't). The 610 gives you a little more versatility because of being able to use 40S&W. Downside (for some, not me) is having to use moonclips. I'm always on the lookout for either caliber (Timonium show this weekend) especially the elusive Redhawk (I got to hold one last week that was already sold :banghead: )

 

[tex_n_cal]

I have a 10mm Delta Elite, which I just finished upgrading with a Bar-sto barrel. Great gun, but I've already proven to myself that you CAN load it too hot, and bulge cases Now I see why nobody still loads 10mm's the way Norma used to

The M610 is a bigger, heavier gun, and the casehead is better supported than in an autopistol.

I have thought of getting a M610, but the temptation to load it hotter would likely catch up with me - and I think it's a bad idea to have two guns around in the same caliber, with loads for one that will disassemble the other I also, really, really like the 10mm in a 1911

Of course, I could I suppose also load up 10mm revo loads with big honking Keith-like SWC bullets, that wouldn't possibly function in a 1911, to avoid shooting too hot a load in the Delta.

Hmmm...I think I just worked out this problem

 

[NordicG3K]

Now I see why nobody still loads 10mm's the way Norma used to.

Actually there's a few ammo manufacturers that load the 10mm to Norma levels, or even a little hotter. For example, Texas Ammo loads a Hornady 200gn XTP to 1250fps. Corbon, Georgia Arms, Proload and Triton all make stout 10mm loads.

 

[Robert inOregon]

Ten millimeter and .357 Magnum are ballistic equals. Only advantage is in THE (as in one!) gun. The 610 is an N frame which is built like a tank, utilizes moon clips and is one bad a** weapon.

 

[NordicG3K]

I disagree. The 10mm, in its original form, is more powerful than the .357 Magnum and is also capable of using heavier bullets. For example, a 4" .357 revolver will normally throw a .357" 158gn bullet in the 1250fps range while a 10mm of similar size can shoot a .400" 155gn bullet at 1350fps. Additionally you can load bullets as heavy as 220gns in a 10mm.

 

[Robert inOregon]

Actually, if you load 17.7 grains of H110 under a 158 grain XTP, it will give you 1387 FPS from a four inch .357 Magnum. Anyone with a reloading manual (Lyman 47th) can confirm those numbers. Thats a .357 Magnum original load!

If you're going to do apples, do apples. Don't start tossing oranges.

 

[NordicG3K]

If you want to do "apples to apples" comparisons then maybe you should stick with factory loadings. If you want to start handloading we can crank up the 10mm as well.

 

[Robert inOregon]

These are factory! And from a four inch barrel to boot.

http://www.corbon.com/357magnum.html

Commerial comparison

http://www.corbon.com/huntammo.html

 

[NordicG3K]

The page you're refering to lists a 180gn bullet and a 200gn bullet load for the .357 Mag. No 158gn load. If you go to this page:

http://www.corbon.com/huntammo.html

It lists both 180gn and 200gn loads for both the .357 Magnum and the 10mm. The info is listed as:

.357 Mag 180gn @ 1265fps/640ftlbs
10mm 180gn @ 1320fps/696ftlbs

.357 Mag 200gn @ 1200fps/640ftlbs
10mm 200gn @ 1200fps/640ftlbs

Triton lists a 10mm 155gn QuickShot load at 1400fps/674ftlbs.

http://triton-ammo.com/products/QuikShok.shtml

Texas Ammuntion Company also lists both 10mm and .357 Mag loads. They are as follows:

.357 Mag 125gn @ 1500fps/624ftlbs
.357 Mag 158gn @ 1300fps/593ftlbs

10mm 135gn @ 1450fps/630ftlbs
10mm 165gn @ 1350fps/668ftlbs
10mm 200gn @ 1250fps/694ftlbs

http://www.texas-ammo.com/ammun.htm

The .357 is a respectable cartridge, but with these loads the best it can do is 640ftlbs vs. up to 696ftlbs for the 10mm Auto. If you want to then introduce the S&W 610 revolver the bullets can be seated farther out giving you increased case capacity and these loads really start crankin'.