10 mm a worthwhile buy?

[Bergeron]

If you are considering a current manufacture semi-auto, Glock (20 & 29), EAA (Witness), Dan Wesson (RZ-10 1911), Kimber (Eclipse, Stainless Target 1911), and, I believe, some new Wilson models (1911) are all out there.

If you are also willing to consider discontinued models, the most numerous will be the Colt Delta Elites and Smith and Wesson models. Be careful of high-round count Deltas, as the stock recoil spring setup was of poor design. The Smiths can be had with slide-mounted decocker, frame-mounted decoker, or double action only. If you are willing to wait and look around, there are deals to be had. I picked up a LNIB blue Pre-Enhanced Delta for $600, but it took me a couple of years to find. The Smiths tend to be great finds, as they are built tough, and tend to be more affordable than most other 10s out there. Bren Tens are out there, but tend to be collector pieces, and are priced accordingly. Nighthawk started out making 10mms, but have since stopped. These should be roughly comparable to Wilsons in price and quality.

If you really want to get freaky, there are people out there who have modified .40 S&W HK USPs to 10mm.

At any rate, good luck, and let us know what you do!

 

[McCall911]

I like the 10mm caliber, but I'm a revolver guy.

MC, have you thought about the S&W Model 610?


http://www.gunbroker.com/Auction/ViewItem.asp?Item=63745191

(That one seems a little pricey, though.)

 

[darkknight]

If i were to buy a used delta whats a fair price to pay i ve seen them range from 750 up. im sure i could find some cheaper but how hard is it to find new barrels and springs or will colt replace springs for me if i buy used.



ps im not a huge wheel gun guy but if i were to buy another revolver i would have to buy my pythons bigger brother the Anaconda.

 

[tomhorn]

the fbi tried to kill the 10mm it kicks to hard recoil is to harsh first they had the 38 six shooter then the 9 mm not enough killen power then the bren 10 come along couldnt control recoil for a second shot if you hit them in the right spot with the first shot the second shot is just for show then came the 40 between the 9mm and the 10 the godsend of all pistol rounds I shoot the colt delte elite stainless 10mm to me it kicks only a bit harder then the 45 acp . if your life depends on the pistol you carry i would have the pistol round that would do the most damage to tissue , its a great round , it really shines if you hand load .180 gr bad ass

 

[MCgunner]

Quote:
I like the 10mm caliber, but I'm a revolver guy.

MC, have you thought about the S&W Model 610?


http://www.gunbroker.com/Auction/Vie...?Item=63745191

Well, I like the 10 in an auto, but in revolvers, there are better rounds. I kinda want a .41 mag right now, have a .45 colt in a blackhawk and load it to .44 mag levels for serious outdoor use. Nothin' like a 300 grain bullet clippin' along at 1150 fps for hog medicine. the 610 is an N frame gun, not really that compact. I'd as soon tote a .44 mag mountain gun, myself. there's no avantage that I can see in the 610 except for moon clips and that isn't a biggy with me. I consider an N frame too big for IWB carry. Some folks probably tote one, but a K frame is about my limit. The 10mm has absolutely no advantage over the .357 magnum in self defense other than a slightly larger diameter bullet. I'll stick with my medium frame guns in .357 magnum for that, plenty effective, and they're easier on the hip.

 

[nitesite]

I own and carry daily a Glock 29 with Pearce +0 finger extension baseplates on my magazines.

Recoil thru it is gentler than shooting 158-gr +P .38s thru my 442 Airweight Centennial. And I'm shooting 180-gr 10mm clocking around 1185-fps. You just can't believe how much power can be fired thru a compact pistol and be so manageable and easy to shoot.

It's an amazing little pistol, the only Glock I've ever owned (and I've shot a whole bunch trying them out).

And I reload, which is great except for having to pick up all my brass at the outdoor range....

 

[MCgunner]

The G29 is the one Glock I might get. I might even carry it with an 8 lb trigger mod. I fired a G20 belonged to a guy that belongs to our gun club. It was sweet, more controllable than my AMT 1911 in 45ACP I was shooting that day. I was favorably impressed, and we were burning hot handloads. It was a HUGE gun, though, not really a carry piece. I need to check out a 29, I reckon.

 

[jon_in_wv]

I've considered one because you could use a .40 barrel for defensive work and the 10mm for hunting.

 

[GaryP]

I purchased my Colt Delta Elite NIB (DE34xxx) back around 1994 while living in Alaska. My dealer cautioned me to replace the factory guide rod immediately as the factory GR has a reputation for self destructing in under 500 rounds with full power 10mm. So, the very first thing I did before firing it was to replace the factory dual spring recoil setup with a Wilson One Piece SS Full Length Guide Rod and a Wolff 24lb recoil spring. Later on I replaced the Wilson SS guide rod with a heavier Wilson 3.25 ounce Tungsten Full Length Guide Rod to add a little more weight up front. Another addition was Wilson-Rogers Magazines to replace the factory mags. Wilson no longer offers these in 10mm but grab them if you see any at a gun show or otherwise as they are the best ones out there for Colt Delta's.

My Delta is a KEEPER!

 

[Stevie-Ray]

I love my Delta Elite. I've had it since they came out. I still want another and that will probably be the G29. I'd LOVE to have a Kimber Eclipse in 10mm just for the gorgeous! factor. But price says it'll probably be the G29.

 

[mljdeckard]

Is the 10mm dead? No, but it's not exactly on its way back into law enforcement, military, or concealed carry popularity either.

It's not dead like Betamax, it's dead like vinyl. You can still get it if you REALLY want to look for it. Consumers don't drive it, ENTHUSIASTS drive it.

If you want to shoot it full-house, you must either reload or order ammo. Most people who carry it agree, don't carry full-house loads for PD. And if you don't carry full-house, why not carry a .40?

If you are the kind of collector who really wants to have one of everything, sure, absolutely, knock yourself out. Myself, I'm brutally practical. I have one fantastic 1911, and if I want it to overlap into 10mm range, I'll get a .400 Corbon barrel and dies. I know it can't do EVERYTHING a 10mm can do, but It's close enough for the girls I go out with, and I can load them from .45 brass.

Leaving before I get pelted with vinyl record jackets.

 

[Stachie]

"Why not get a 10mm?" said the philosopher.

 

[JohnL2]

I guess I'm going to have to chime in here.

I own a Dan Wesson 10mm Razorback RZ-10. It was my first handgun purchase.
I LOVE this pistol. If you can handle a .45ACP pumping out hot loads then you can handle the 10mm.
I hope to never have to use it on another human being after seeing what it could do at the range with jacketed hollow points. If I do use it, I know I have PLENTY of firepower to stop the threat DEAD.

You will not be disappointed with the power of this round.

 

[darkknight]

When I buy a 10mm not sure if this is okay to ask (I apologize if its not) but would i be able to buy woods protection loads (loads that get closer to .41 mag) and plinker rounds from one of yall that reload. Is that either plausible or do able. I ve looked at douple tap and 500rds for the higher loads would last forever, but the plinker would last hours/days.

 

[ObeOne]

I would say the 10mm is making a come back. It is my favorite pistol cartridge. I don't think it will ever be as big as some of the others, but it will diffidently not be dieing. You can find them now and not have to look too hard.
Obe One

 

[ARTiger]

Bought a G29 4 months ago and it's been my carry gun since. Fit, feel accuracy and concealability would all work for me were it a .45 or .40 . . . and to have all that with the power the 10mm round offers (to me at least is an unbeatable combo). The recoil is brisk, but not what some folks make it out to be. I would equate to a stout .357 loading in a medium revolver.

Also, to me the 10mm is more comfortable recoiling than some .40 S&W's. Not as "snappy" (if that makes any sense).

Sure the ammo's not cheap (I don't reload - just haven't got the time); however this caliber is so versatile I don't mind at all paying a bit more. I run about 200 rounds a month through it at the range and at my cabin practicing. Still at the point where I'm getting better the more I shoot it and even so am getting ragged holes at 15 yards and staying in the black at 25.

I resisted a Glock for the longest, but with this caliber it's a good fit.

I am curious though about the Witness compact 10's. Looks like a good setup with the CZ type mechanism. Anyone have any experience with these??

 

[Myself]

I have never shot a 10mm that I did not like.

But then I am an addict.

 

[dpote]

I just bought a S&W 1076 this Tuesday. It was agony waiting until today to shoot it. I bought two boxes of "plinking" ammo. One CCI, and the other American Eagle brand. Both were quite expensive.
I also loaded some 25ea pieces of brass I've been saving for when I finally got a 1076.
The CCI and American were nice, pleasing .45 ACP feeling rounds.
My handloads were very spicy, but not uncomfortable, nor uncontrollable.
I love this round, and it's only my first day with it.

Get a 10mm, you won't be sorry.

Dave

[URL=http://img215.imageshack.us/my.php?image=003ba9.jpg][/URL]

 

[cdsdss]

Was shooting my Bren Ten at the range this Friday. It was sort of amusing. Amid all of the "pop-pop-pop" of the 9mms around me. I was going "BAM!" The round does have some power to it...

 

[MikeS.]

I shoot a Coonan .357 magnum semi-auto with full blown loads and a Colt Double Eagle 10mm with full blown loads. The Colt definitely packs a bigger recoil punch then the Coonan. Even so the Colt is easier to control and I shoot it better then the Coonan.

 

[Nightcrawler]

Heh.

It took 'em fifty years to come up with an auto pistol cartridge that matches the humble .357 Magnum in power and versatility, and people are going off about its awe-inspring power as if such things were unheard of in handguns.

You want to turn heads at the range? Trying being surrounded by guys shooting .45s, .40s, 9mms, and one 5.7mm when you open up with a .44 Magnum.

At any rate, the big thing stopping me from buying a 10mm is that nobody makes a 10mm gun I want. Most 10mm enthusiasts buy the guns for the cartridge it fires; for me, I want a gun I really like. The only one that comes close is the Witness, and I won't buy a gun from EAA.

The 610 revolver is neat (though discontinued), but in the same frame size you can have .44 Magnum. The discontinued Smith autoloaders seem nice, but you have to find one (there don't seem to be any for sale around here). The Glock is just so unergonomic as to rule it right out, and the Dan Wesson...I like 1911s, but I already have one.

If a company that actually had customer service made a 10mm CZ clone, I'd probably jump on that.

 

[Zoogster]

You want to turn heads at the range? Trying being surrounded by guys shooting .45s, .40s, 9mms, and one 5.7mm when you open up with a .44 Magnum.

That ignores the whole versatility of the 10mm. It not only is powerful and sure you can turn heads if it is your ego your concerned with, but one of the greatest things with the 10mm is that it is manageable. The same cannot be said for the .44 in rapid fire for the average person, nor is it an auto with high capacity. In fact in the G20 and G29 (have not had the pleasure of experience with others) the recoil is more manageable than in most .357 magnums (assuming your actualy using .357 magnum rounds) of the size for carry. The recoil is also clean and smooth all the way through and not a snap pop, nor a long push. You have great power, flat trajectory, and recoil that allows rapid follow up shots. If the Delta came out as GaryP describes his modifications NIB (which sounds like it would handle very similar to the Glocks) it would have remained very popular. Unfortunately they turned a .45 frame into a 10mm without proper springs or guide rod and the violent slamming of the slide made the round seem much less manageable than it really is. In fact the .40SW does not even achieve the goals all the post 1986 FBI firefight tests were designed to find. So they simply took two steps forward and one step back.
The FBI dropping the 10mm likely had more to do with a poor firearm for the round being adopted and not the round itself. In fact the .40 SW would likely not exist or be popular if the Delta Elite was properly tuned for the 10mm. Very light recoil springs would give the impression of a massively overpowered gun and the violent slamming backwards of the slide (making follow up shots more difficult) is more than likely what gave the impression of an appearant need for lighter loads that would later be duplicated in the .40SW. Had the Delta Elite simply been better designed NIB I imagine 10mm would still be the prefered round as it has a superior advantage in the ballistics department and is easily managed with proper recoil springs.

It is IMHO the best round for an auto there is. About the maximum power for accurate rapid fire, and the trajectory is so flat I just cannot say enough about it. With more capacity for the frame size than a .45, and more power to boot(with more manageable quicker recoil that allows follow-ups faster), my question is why not the 10mm?

 

[DHart]

TEN is so TITS!!!!!

I gotta chime in on this one... TEN is so much fun! The 1911 is by far my favorite pistol platform and has been for years... nothing else even comes close for me. And .45 acp has been my favorite pistol caliber (and now remains so - BUT neck and neck with TEN!)

When I bought my first Delta Elite and started shooting 10mm I discovered a whole new world of shooting pleasure that I had no idea existed before actually shooting 10mm. I've been shooting .45 Colt, .44 mag, .40, .357, 9mm, .38 spl, and .380 for years... but none of those calibers has excited me like TEN does. Of course I knew that numerous people discussed 10mm here and there but never really had much interest in it, for some reason.

Well, once I tried it, I sat up and took notice in a big way. It's an amazing caliber and unless you've tried it, you really have no idea how great it is. Once you do try it, you'll be a 10mm convert immediately... it's that wonderful! I've got four 10mm pistols right now (2 Deltas, a Razorback, and a Glock 29) and for sure, more are in my future.

Personally, I'm not a fan of the Schwarz system in the Series II Kimbers and that's what keeps me from buying the Eclipse 10mm.... otherwise I would like it, I'm sure. If Kimber made a 10mm Warrior (no Schwarz mechanism), I'd be all over that and one of them would be among my tens for sure!

AS for the Delta Elite... they're awesome pistols and handle full charge 10mm ammo (as it used to be) no problem at all if you set the gun up properly spring-wise and ditch the cheesy plastic guide rod and dual spring set-up. The guide rod replacement is fast and cheap, just install whatever design you like in your full size 45's, same short or full length rod, same plug, except with a heavier recoil spring - depending on the loads you choose to shoot, from mild to WILD. There's no reason to avoid a DE just because of the original factory recoil spring set-up.

The Dan Wesson tens are great guns... if you can get them to run right. Dan Wessons tend to be so tightly made that it's not at all uncommon for buyers of DW's to have reliability problems.... too bad, really, because they're such nice guns. Their tight chambers can be one stumbling block (LEE crimping die to the rescue!) But I have hopes for DW still. My Razorback took a lot of work and time and a trip to the factory to get reliable and now it's finally nailed down beautifully.. and a great pleasure to shoot. I'm about ready to buy the latest DW Razorback with fixed sights... I'm confident it will run right or will be made to do so.

As for Glock tens, the 20 and the 29 are awesome. I carry my 29 quite often. Eleven rounds of hot ten under the hood in a reliable pistol that's comparable in size and weight to a Kimber Compact CDP: that's the Glock 29! An awesome pistol. Now I want a 20 for around the house use.

I encourage you to find and buy a Delta Elite, buy a Razorback, and a Glock 29... you'll have three of the finest tens made. And don't forget to get into reloading if you haven't already, because 10 is MADE for reloaders... it's an amazingly versatile caliber and not expensive to shoot if you reload. You won't believe how fun this caliber and these guns are to shoot.

Here are my tens:

(the funky looking rollmark was a photoshop error on my part while cloning out dust specs!)

My next three tens will be a stainless Delta Elite, new fixed-sight Razorback, and a Glock 20.

It's great to see the interest in this caliber take off... and great that Kimber :rock:, Dan Wesson :rock:, Glock :rock:, and now Wilson :rock: are making pistols chambered in TEN! Come on Springfield, what are ya waiting for? And Colt... wake up guys, we need a Delta Elite re-issue!

=========================

If you haven't visited this webpage on 10mm, it's a MUST READ:

http://www.geocities.com/mr_motorhead/10tech.html

 

[razorburn]

Did you take those pics yourself? That blued delta elite is stunningly gorgeous.

 

[DHart]

Yes, Razor. Thanks for appreciating them. The blue Delta is a wonderful gun... I bought a second one just because I liked the frst so much. 10 is something really special to get into... and I think it's popularity is really growing. Smith & Wesson, Glock, & most recently, Dan Wesson helped kick it up in gear, then Kimber started making the 10mm Eclipse, now Wilson is offering a 10mm 1911 of their own. Let's hope Springfield comes out with a standard 10 offering, or two, and that Colt re-issues the Deltas! I'm confident that 10mm will be common enough in our lifetimes. It's becoming more popular these days, not less so. 10 will pretty much always be around for the reloader, as long as you have cases, because the bullets for .40 are the same as for 10. (Forty ain't going away any time soon!)

Do your part to bring more tens to market - BUY SOME, the industry will sit up and take notice!