10 mm or .45 ACP?

[BLB68]

Just going to chime in on the pepper spray and the wind issue: It's a pressurized stream. You'd have to be out in some very nasty weather for it not to get to its target. Worse case, you get some back in your face. As long as enough gets to the bear, it's done it's job. I'd rather wash my eyes out than get treated for a crushed skull.

 

[swinokur]

You can also buy pepper spray in gel form. Better range and not affected by wind as much as aerosol.

 

[XxWINxX94]

10mm would be better for the Bear, but not as good on your wallet, if you don't reload. Also not nearly as many guns with 10mm chambering. Tons with the .45 ACP though.

 

[UnknownGunMan]

Both great calibers...but...

45acp = fairly cheap to reload, plentiful ( you can buy loaded ammo at Walmart)

10mm = hard to find loaded locally, and not that cheap to reload, unless you scrounge up some free brass

Plenty of 45acp on the market, not gonna dry up anytime soon...

I'm an FFL and the only loaded 10mm I see available from my distributors is the expensive $30+ for a box of 25... 45acp as cheap as $15 a box of 50

I like em both, just don't like not being able to locate ammo... a gun without ammo = paperweight

 

[wow6599]

I'm an FFL and the only loaded 10mm I see available from my distributors is the expensive $30+ for a box of 25... 45acp as cheap as $15 a box of 50

You don't know where to look then. It took me 10 seconds to find these three brands for less than $28 for 50. Your pricing is way out of line......even for premium stuff.

http://www.ammunitiontogo.com/index.php/cName/10mm-fmj-ammo

 

[wannasupra]

you can use either one if you want to piss the bear off. shotgun, slugs and 00 buck. preferably lots of it.

 

[mbruce]

You don't know where to look then. It took me 10 seconds to find these three brands for less than $28 for 50. Your pricing is way out of line......even for premium stuff.

http://www.ammunitiontogo.com/index.php/cName/10mm-fmj-ammo

Not sure if $2-$4 quantifies "way out of line"....regardless you missed the price comparison point.

until 10mm ammo becomes more readibly available then stick with the .45acp. the quantity factor always trumps the coolness factor.

p.s. - I agree with the post earlier regarding bear spray....it is more effective. A lot of bullseye shooters will come out of the wood works here -- but i bet not too many people can shoot a bear in the head while it's running for your life -- the g20 will empty pretty quickly under rapid fire.... the black bears in Louisiana are gentle and shy...what y'all do to piss your black bears off?

 

[Mitch from LA]

Not sure if $2-$4 quantifies "way out of line"....regardless you missed the price comparison point.

until 10mm ammo becomes more readibly available then stick with the .45acp. the quantity factor always trumps the coolness factor.

p.s. - I agree with the post earlier regarding bear spray....it is more effective. A lot of bullseye shooters will come out of the wood works here -- but i bet not too many people can shoot a bear in the head while it's running for your life -- the g20 will empty pretty quickly under rapid fire.... the black bears in Louisiana are gentle and shy...what y'all do to piss your black bears off?

Bears in LA understand Cajun hospitality.

 

[wow6599]

mbruce wrote:

Not sure if $2-$4 quantifies "way out of line"....regardless you missed the price comparison point

Where do you get $2-$4? UnknownGunMan said this:

the only loaded 10mm I see available from my distributors is the expensive $30+ for a box of 25

So, thats $60+ for 50 rds........right? According to my math he's paying $32+ more per box than I am.......and I'm not an FFL.

 

[IdahoLT1]

10mm = hard to find loaded locally, and not that cheap to reload, unless you scrounge up some free brass

Not sure where you get your figure but midway sells 10mm Starline brass for $8 more per 500 cases than .45ACP. .45ACP bullets will be more expensive since its more lead and copper. Once you have an ample supply of brass, the cost difference is negligable compared to the large performance jump between the 2 cartridges.

but i bet not too many people can shoot a bear in the head while it's running for your life -- the g20 will empty pretty quickly under rapid fire....

You dont shoot them in the head. Even with a .338 win mag. Aim for the nose and try to land in the vitals.

 

[Moose1995]

Get an XD45. You have plenty of ammo, and if you can't stop it with 14 shots of 45 acp, you deserve to be eaten.

 

[Harley Quinn]

I have always considered the nose area, as part of the headNose, mouth, if they go higher or to the side, into the eyes, lower into the throat...Not a bad location to expend as many rounds as you can, in the short time, as you have at that point in your life...

Regards

 

[SKILCZ]

I also watched Hickok45's video on the 230 gr. hard cast 10 mm loads from DoubleTap. Sure, a .44 mag or .500 S&W is more potent, but you seem to be leaning toward a semi-auto, in which case I'd get a 10 mm over the .45 ACP for penetration.

If a long gun is an option, it's been suggested to me that the 12 ga. 3" Black Magic Brenneke Magnum slugs are the way to go for bear. Haven't yet had to find out the hard way, thankfully.

 

[KBintheSLC]

I'm an FFL and the only loaded 10mm I see available from my distributors is the expensive $30+ for a box of 25

You my friend are getting hosed.

 

[M91/30]

Ive fired a standard 1911 in .45 and enjoyed it. But I have also fired a Kimber eclipse custom 2 in 10mm With tritium competition sights. Needless to say the Kimber was wonderful. Most accurate handgun Ive ever shot. I did notice though that 10mm seems to be alot more crisp recoil wise. Whenever Ive shot .45 its feels like im in slowmo when the recoil has distinct movements. Just my experience.

 

[GLOOB]

midway sells 10mm Starline brass for $8 more per 500 cases than .45ACP.

But how many people buy new brass for their .45 reloads? I know there are plenty enough to keep Starline in business, but I daresay the vast majority buy once-fired, esp for their non-nuclear .45 loads! That's the problem with 10mm. Range pickups/once-fired is scarce!

 

[RinkRat]

These prices seem reasonable … to me anyways. Just how much is the safety of you and your loved ones worth to you while your taking a walk into Mother Natures wilderness? But I wouldn’t want to face-off with anything that has a hankering to drag me off to feed its young with any handgun in a caliber less than a 10mm spitting out anything less then listed below! I just listed the .45acp+ for comparisons to demonstrate that they are slower and have less oomph. Like they say .. whom ever they are. EDC the biggest thing you can. Well in the woods you can carry just about anything you care to carry. Heck I’d carry a bazooka if I could! There was a bear charging at me ??? What bear ,,, Take that Fuzzy Wuzzy. And as for me I’m leaving the spray on the shelf till I have to fight of some hornets ,,, then a little bit of WD40 will do the trick!

The SAAMI pressure specs are .45acp 21,000psi. 10mm 37,500psi.

These are right off their web sites. Some say not recommended for polygonal rifling pistols and some don’t.

Buffalo Bore Heavy 10mm - Item 21C 220 gr. Hard Cast - FN -1200 fps/ME 703 ft. lbs - G20 4.6inch barrel 1140fps about 545tflbs - 20 Round Box $29.21

Buffalo Bore 45ACP+P – Item 45255 255gr HARD CAST-FLAT NOSE - Colt Gold Cup 1911 (5 inch) 960fps about 523ftlbs - 20 Round Box $27.43

Doubletap 10mm 200gr WFNGC Hardcast - Bullet : 200gr Wide Flat Nose Gas Check Hardcast - Ballistics : 1300fps/ 750 ft./lbs. Glock 20 - Glock 29 - 1240fps - 50rds. $41.00

Doubletap 10mm 230gr. WFNGC Hardcast - Bullet : 230gr Wide Flat Nose Gas Check Hardcast - Ballistics : 1120fps/ 641 ft./lbs. Glock 20 - 50rds. $41.00

Doubletap 45ACP+P 255gr. SWC Hardcast - Bullet : 255gr. Keith Style SWC Hardcast Lead - Not recommended for Glock and HKUSP pistols because of the polygonal rifling - Ballistics : 875fps - 434 ft./lbs. - 5" bbl. - 50rds. $41.00

CorBon 10mm Auto 180gr CORBON Hunter BCSP - Velocity: 1300fps - Energy: 676ftlbs - Test Barrel Length: 4.6 Inches – 20rds $45.60

CORBON Hunter doesn’t come in a .45acp that should say something about using a 45 in the woods??

For some reason some manufactures list some types of their bullets - Not recommended for Glock and HKUSP pistols because of the polygonal rifling. Yet some don’t? Maybe it’s the type of lead harding process or the metal content or what ever? Maybe someone can explain this? But Gun manufactures that use polygonal rifling barrels do say not to use lead bullets because they tend to lead up which could cause a problem. But if you only feed a few beans down the tube say 15 or 20 at the range at a time and clean the barrel before feeding more, or just carry them with the intent of shooting as needed I’m guessing that shouldn’t be a problem? Or replace the barrel with one that doesn’t have the polygonal rifling? Maybe someone could explain this too?

 

[mbruce]

I was going to defend my post with pointing out the FMJ round prices that were posted and unknown posted HP ammo...but I got bored. I'm glad someone posted prices of HP ammo....unless u want to shoot a bear with target ammo.... thanks for your wonderful post, Rink

 

[RinkRat]

Bruce ,,,, Thanks for the kudos but the ammo I posted are not hollow points. You DO NOT want to shoot an angry bruin with anything but a hardcast flat nose bullet. They have thick fur, hide, fat, and a very strong bony skull to go through. You need all the penetration you can get!!

 

[swinokur]

Tim Sundles of Buffalo Bore has a short white paper on the site that says firing hard cast bullets from a Glock barrel is ok.

Having said that I did buy 1 4.48 inch barrel from Storm Lake for my G29 for outside use. That is only .12 " shorter than a stock G20 barrel. I hope it keeps speeds close to a stock G20.. Unfortunately I cannot find anyone making a longer barrel for my G29.

 

[swinokur]

You don't know where to look then. It took me 10 seconds to find these three brands for less than $28 for 50. Your pricing is way out of line......even for premium stuff.

You can get 180g FMJ from Georgia Arms for 20 dollars per 50 and it's not downloaded like most of the stuff available on line.

Be advised they ship in strong polyethylene bags so you will need to provide your own ammo boxes.

www.georgia-arms.com

I found a good MHT ammo box supplier at

www.mountainhightc.com

 

[mbruce]

Bruce ,,,, Thanks for the kudos but the ammo I posted are not hollow points. You DO NOT want to shoot an angry bruin with anything but a hardcast flat nose bullet. They have thick fur, hide, fat, and a very strong bony skull to go through. You need all the penetration you can get!!

LOL -- I didn't read close enough -- but your post was what unknowngunman was referring to. All our black bears want is some food and to be petted on....we're not use to shooting those loveable animals..ha

 

[HGUNHNTR]

until 10mm ammo becomes more readibly available then stick with the .45acp. the quantity factor always trumps the coolness factor.

10mm ammo is just as readily available to anyone with an internet connection. You can buy your ammo before you go into the woods. I doubt if you will find any more 45acp in the woods than 10mm. Also, if by coolness factor, you mean more power, then I'd take the quantity and coolness of the 10mm.

 

[mbruce]

10mm ammo is just as readily available to anyone with an internet connection. You can buy your ammo before you go into the woods. I doubt if you will find any more 45acp in the woods than 10mm...

Yea...ok..if that's how you want to look at it...ill take the caliber that's readily available in the stores. I'm not knocking the 10...I have one.

 

[Moose1995]

Yep, what happens if you run out of rounds at the range, and go to the local ammo store and they are out of stock in the 10mm? Go home and order some up on the internet. Just hope the Bear doesn't pay you a visit before snail mail, fed ex, or the men in brown drop off your ammo. But I bet that store will always have 45 acp in stock. If not, Wal mart will.