10mm coming back in style?

nope, 10s about the most oomph you can get into a common regular-sized bottom feeder. Nearly every manufacturer makes a 10 now, and almost everyone I personally know has, or has had, a 10 in the last few years.
That started bout 5-6 years ago out here, not sure about the mainland.

I actually only got mine 2 years ago or so, but I've wanted one since senior year....so....2000/2001

Several large manufacturer's started offering it and it started to take off. Round was all but dead. Due to this ammo was expensive as the more they make of something the cheaper they can make it. Before this latest great panic it finally got to where you could buy the ammo by the case and not cry
As to why? It has great potential. Many will of course bad mouth it to the end but who cares. I have one carbine that uses it that is a GREAT house gun. When this latest panic is over I really want another one.

Driftertank said:

So, I've noticed in the last year or two, a lot more interest and factory ammo availability (well, up until the last 6 months when everything disappeared) in the 10mm Auto. Seems like more guns in production and more people looking for them.

So is this just a fluke in my perception, or is this round actually experiencing a resurgence in popularity lately? If so, what factors would you folks say are driving it?

I know it was the new hotness back in the 80s when the FBI started using it, before they realised that the extra oomph just made it harder for the average agent to use effectively, leading to a toned-down version, leading to the .40 S&W that duplicated the ballistics of the "mild ten" and fit better in smaller, lighter guns. And recently, it seems that the FBI has decided that, in the real world, caliber arguments don't play out to show that any of the common issue calibers has more inherent ability to stop the fight than any other, and so since shot placement is more important than caliber, then more capacity means better odds of a critical hit, and seems to be moving back to 9mm's.

Meantime, I've heard and read of more people looking for 10mm guns and ammo in the last couple years than i have in the previous 20. I have a friend that just bought a 10mm Glock for a "woods gun" (seemed an odd choice, but far be it from me to urinate in his whole-grain cereal).

Is it me? Or is some factor pushing the old 10 back out in the limelight again?

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I don't understand why the gun enthusiast world depends on the FBI's opinion for what makes a good or bad caliber. They had their own reasons for moving away from 10mm, mainly due to the population demographics of their agents and their ability to handle the firearms chambered in it.. Had nothing to do with my own opinion of the caliber, and I've owned a 10mm handgun since 1992.
Calibers come and go in popularity; where 10mm was going by the wayside and is now experiencing a resurgence, .40S&W seems to be doing what 10mm did, some companies even pulled their production of certain .40's due to low sales numbers. It'll come back, too, just give it time. Even revolvers are experiencing a recent surge in popularity; you know, those old guns that only hold 6 shots that you see in '40s Bogart movies? Once autoloaders got their foot in the door back in the '70s (and this is excepting the old standby's like 1911's and BHP's), you could hardly give a revolver away, and PD's were dropping them like hot rocks in order to re-arm with the latest and greatest magazine-fed gun. With the proliferation of semiauto's over the last 40 years, especially since polymer framed models started appearing, revolvers had a difficult time in the market except with those shooters who already had them and liked them.

I like 10mm a lot, it's by far my favorite autoloading cartridge, followed by its runt little brother the .40S&W. I look at the pair as a modern version .38 Spl/.357 Magnum, of which I also own a few. My gun safe has changed a bit in the last few years; I now own only two polymer-framed guns (one of which is a .40S&W), the rest are all steel or alloy 1911's and revolvers.

They are enjoying a resurgence. I have fired them and don't care for them, due to recoil and ammo costs, and anything I need to shoot with a handgun will be well served with 9/40/45 ACP. If I felt I needed more handgun for some type of critter, I would get a 10mm Glock. I'm really not much of a revolver fan.

Absolutely a wonderful round .. when loaded to its full potential....
Underwood loads’em right

Never knew they were out of style. I had a G20 for close to 30 years. I did sell it recently when downsizing, but only because I find I like the smaller G29 a little better. It is just as accurate in my hands, is a bit easier to carry and still takes the G20 magazines holding 15 rounds if I need more than 10+1.

The hottest loads literally do anything a 357 mag revolver will do, and come closer to 44 mag than a lot of guys are willing to admit. Fire 44 mags from a revolver with the same overall length and you're down to a 3" barrel on the 44. From a 3" barrel 44 mag just isn't nearly as impressive as the published ballistics shown when fired from an 8" barrel.

Both my G20 and G29 fire 40 S&W rounds just fine. There is no difference in accuracy nor POI. I can't comment on how well other brands do that.

Not for me never bought into the marketing or the need to reload for another caliber such as the .40 or 10mm. I can do all things well with a .45 or 9mm auto loader. After all they have been taking care of business for a very long time.

I think we are seeing success the 10mm always deserved, but never enjoyed until now, starting a few years ago.

My brother jumped on the 10mm about 30 years ago. I thought he was nuts for skipping the 45 ACP.
I admit I’m “dumber” than I was 30 years ago.

Noticed that Springfield has dropped the .40 from their current lineup and have added 10mm pistols. Seems like the new trend. Only time will tell if it sticks.

Ten millimeter is the best millimeter!

10 is a great round for a handloader. (most of) the commercial offerings aren't that potent. I've bought several, and they barely pump out anymore velocity than a 40. all at the bottom of published data, and several below.

But, using handloads, a person can bring them up to the levels they were originally intended for.

Other than collecting my brass from the other side of the state - love shooting mine.

Mark39 said:

Noticed that Springfield has dropped the .40 from their current lineup and have added 10mm pistols.

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I think it's more the .40 falling out of favor and the 10 picking up fans.

I've always thought the 10mm would be an interesting round to work with, I just didn't care for the pistols it was generally chambered in... but that's changed, too.

The only thing stopping me is the fact that I don't need another platform to reload for, and all the kit that goes with it... like magazines and a holster.

Until recently, most 10mm commerical ammo was generally a .40 S&W +P at best. However, with the resurgence, there are now plenty of loadings equivalent (or hotter) to the original 200 gr bullet at 1200 fps.

Buckeye63 said:

Underwood loads’em right
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And cheaper than Buffalo bore.

I’ve liked 10mm ever since I was issued an MP-5/10 in 10mm back in the ‘90s. I have a great Vaquero and a DW Razorback, both 10mm. And I hand load my own ammunition.

Charlie98 said:

I think it's more the .40 falling out of favor and the 10 picking up fans.

I've always thought the 10mm would be an interesting round to work with, I just didn't care for the pistols it was generally chambered in... but that's changed, too.

The only thing stopping me is the fact that I don't need another platform to reload for, and all the kit that goes with it... like magazines and a holster.

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40 S&W is still my favorite cartridge... .. I don’t ever see anything replacing that ... ever

DR505 said:

I’ve liked 10mm ever since I was issued an MP-5/10 in 10mm back in the ‘90s.

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Envy level: 10000 I always thought that would be a sweet combo...

Buckeye63 said:

40 S&W is still my favorite cartridge... .. I don’t ever see anything replacing that ... ever

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Well, you're a Buckeye, if I'm to believe your handle, soooo.... that's not surprising. (Just funnin' )

The .40 has it's fans, that's for sure. In reality, recent changes probably solidified it's core fans... with cheap service .40's being available, and the ammos to go with them.

Mark39 said:

Noticed that Springfield has dropped the .40 from their current lineup ....

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And that's a shame. Earlier this year I was in the market for a Commander-size 1911 and was looking hard at the EMP4 in .40S&W. Went to my LGS and he told me that Springfield had called all their EMP's in .40 back and were taking them off the market due to low sales. I settled for a 9mm version, and like it a lot, but would have loved the same gun in .40S&W. I'll hang on to my Ruger SR40c.

I bought a 2nd Gen G20 back in 1992 the month they were marketed, hung onto it until early this year and traded it and some cash for a double shotgun. I immediately started looking for a replacement and got a Ruger SR1911 in 10mm. Like it a lot more than the Glock, I never warmed up to Gaston's guns.

I've been noticing the trend. I shot a Bren Ten and a Delta Elite back in the 80's but never got around to getting a gun in 10mm myself until about ten years ago. Ammo was a PITA to find anywhere and I had to get dies just to realize its full potential. Now they're everywhere so something has definitely changed. When I got my Delta GC & rechambered the P16-40 to 10mm most people thought I was nuts. I get that a lot less nowadays.

I've liked the idea of 15+1 rounds (+ 2 spare mags) of 10mm EDC firepower even though it's a bit on the heavy side to carry. Far easier to control than its reputation might suggest once you have some experience and learned the proper technique.

It's been an understated round for what it is for a long time. People seem to have rediscovered it now.

It's my understanding that the 10mm rond has become very popular with hunters and fishermen for big bear protection for those that don't want to carry big bore revolvers. Can't beat a Colt Delta Elite with some hot 200 gr lead bullets!

DR505 said:

I’ve liked 10mm ever since I was issued an MP-5/10 in 10mm back in the ‘90s. I have a great Vaquero and a DW Razorback, both 10mm. And I hand load my own ammunition.

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Man, that MP5vmust have been sooo awesome.

bangswitch said:

And that's a shame. Earlier this year I was in the market for a Commander-size 1911 and was looking hard at the EMP4 in .40S&W. Went to my LGS and he told me that Springfield had called all their EMP's in .40 back and were taking them off the market due to low sales. I settled for a 9mm version, and like it a lot, but would have loved the same gun in .40S&W. I'll hang on to my Ruger SR40c.

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That stinks. The EMP3 in .40S&W is a real sweet shooter. I prefer the .40S&W over 9mm myself.

10mm is one of my favorites.
If you are a handloader, you will love this round even more.
Average factory ammo is usually like a hot 40 s&w.
But handloads and premium factory ammo can unleash the full potential of 10mm, which to me is the whole point of 10mm; giving a very significant performance gap above the rest (45ACP, 9mm, 40s&w)

Buckeye63 said:

Absolutely a wonderful round .. when loaded to its full potential....
Underwood loads’em right
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I like Underwood so much that I’ve all but given up on reloading any more 10MM. Not shooting it enough and the Underwood loads are good enough for field carry