Getting into 10mm Auto?

One Adiga Armory reader recently contacted me with some questions about getting into a new 10mm Auto pistol. He had some great questions about 10mm guns, ammo, and accessories, and I thought it would be worth sharing with others who might be considering a 10mm in the future.

Hello,

First, I want to say that I really appreciate the time you put into your reviews on brasstard.com. ; I just found your website today while searching the internet, and I’ve been reading ever since.  Specifically, I’ve been looking at information on the Glock 20 10mm because I am in the process of purchasing one.  I was quite excited when I noticed that it seems to be one of your favorite guns.  I know there are people that have extreme feelings on both ends of the spectrum concerning the 10mm, but I am definitely a fan.

I’ll be using it to take into the backcountry where I’ll be seeing mostly wolves, coyotes, bear, and the occasional cat.  I’m curious as to what type of ammo you recommend for this use.  I’m going to get a few different types from DoubleTap, but I wanted to hear more about your experiences before I purchase from them.  I’d also like to hear any recommendations for home defense as well as everyday range use ammo as well.  I liked your idea about shooting the less expensive .40 S&W cartridge so I’ll probably look at getting that barrel also.  Everything in your review basically confirmed the feelings I had on the G20 from doing my own research so I’m glad I read it.

I’ve got so many more questions, but I just wanted to get in touch with you about ammo for the time being, and let you know I appreciate your work.

Thanks again for your reviews and for your help!

T.W.

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Hi There,

 

Thanks for the kind words of support. I’m glad you are enjoying the site. I think you will be very happy with the G20 and the 10mm cartridge. The G20 will eat pretty much anything you feed it. I have not found it to be picky about ammo types at all. For woods defense, I would go with heavy FMJ or hardcast lead flat points. 200g at 1100-1200 fps will do the trick. Those will penetrate about 4 feet into a charging beast. 😉

 

For home defense and CCW, I would go with more moderate loadings. I really like the Winchester 175g Silvertip factory load. It is potent, accurate and reliable without being excessive. DoubleTap, Buffalo Bore, and Corbon also make some great defensive ammo in 10mm, but they tend to be loaded hotter. For human predators, you can do just fine with a middle-of-the-road loading. Going too hot will slow down your follow ups and produce a lot of muzzle flash in the dark. I would stick with modern 165-180g JHP loads in the range of 1300-1200 fps (respectively) for self defense against bad people.

 

I would really recommend you look into reloading for the 10mm. It is a very easy cartridge to reload (being a straight-walled pistol cartridge), and it gives you lots of options. Even if you don’t do it at first, you may want to save your brass just incase you decide to later. 10mm brass is pretty rare to scrounge at the range, so don’t throw away the goods. Also, the .40 conversion barrels are a great way to shoot more and spend less. Plus, you can use your 10mm mags to shoot .40, and use the 10mm reloading dies to load .40 as well.

 

Best of luck, and have fun with it.

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Brasstard,

Hello again, I’ve been looking at a few local places to buy everything I’m looking to get, but I was curious if you know of any reputable businesses online where I can buy most everything I need?  Gun, ammo, barrel, recoil spring, etc.?

Also, any thoughts on the G20 vs the G29?  I like the idea of the smaller size of the G29, but I’m not sure if that small size will negatively impact my accuracy on follow up shots.  My main use will be taking it backpacking and hiking in the woods, and I see you do the same with yours so I’m still leaning toward the G20.  I’ll also have it at home, but the my consideration for the small size was in reference to carrying while on foot.  I figured I’d ask just to be sure before I buy.

Finally, do you have a newsletter or any monthly email updates?

Keep up the great reviews!

T.W.

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TW,

 

For the stated purposes, such as woods carry and home defense, I would go with the full-size G20 or G20SF. It is still much easier to carry than the big-bore, steel-frame revolvers that many of us carried for years. Plus, it helps make the hotter loadings easier to handle. If you plan to use it for a daily CCW piece, you may consider the G29. The recoil is not bad by any means, but it is a bit more stout than the G20 with the hot-rod loads, and there is a slight loss in muzzle velocity due to the shorter barrel.

 

As for buying the gun, I would recommend you first find a reputable, local FFL dealer. You will need one if you order the gun online, and they may be able to get the gun you want direct from their own distributor. You can also check out Gunbroker.com to find new and used guns… just buy from sellers with good ratings. As for ammo, you can get good 10mm factory loads from many online sources. However, I would recommend you seriously consider reloading for 10mm and maybe even .40 S&W if you get a conversion barrel. It will pay for itself quickly, and you can tailor your loads to your liking.

 

You can get your conversion barrel direct from Lone Wolf, or you can try to find a 3rd party dealer to get a slightly better price. There are other brands who offer conversions as well, but the prices tend to be higher than LW. You can get the 22# recoil spring and steel or tungsten guide rod from places like Glockstore.com, Glockmiester.com, etc…

 

Beyond that, I would recommend you check out TheHighRoad.org. It is a great gun forum that has helped me out a lot over the years. There is a lot of good info there… just remember to try the search feature before posting new topics. Most folks’ questions have been covered at some point in the past. As for updates from Brasstard.com, you can sign up for an RSS feed at the upper right corner of the site.

 

Best of luck,