Anyone carry a 10mm for hunting?

[Wolfgang james]

Here shortly im going to get my pistol permit and im looking at a glock 20 for a carry/close range hunting gun. Any thoughts?

 

[Hammer-52]

Ted Nugent! I think 10mm is his second choice after a bow.

 

[Wolfgang james]

Ya he finished off many game with a 10 even in Africa

 

[hq]

I've given quite a bit of thought to that. The caliber itself is great and it should suffice nicely for smaller deer and antelope, but handgun hunting always means traveling for me so I much rather play it safe and pack a .44. Especially now when some airlines have implemented an one firearm limit per passenger.

That's pretty much the only thing that has prevented me from hunting with my Para P16-40 10mm conversion so far. By all means, go for it, and let us know how it turned out.

 

[Bowhunter57]

The 10mm has good ballistics for hunting, but if I were to consider carrying one, it would have to be in a 1911 frame. Light weight pistols and high powered calibers do not lend themselves to pleasant shooting experiences.

The companies that offer the 10mm in the 1911 style frame are all priced pretty much the same...right around the $1000 mark. The trigger in a 1911 is better than what you're going to find in a Glock. Plus, the standard longer barrel (than Glock) and extended barrel offerings in after market purchases is something to consider too.

Bowhunter57

 

[Wolfgang james]

From what I've seen online the steel frame guns will crack after a while due to the thump of that round but the plastic will flex and absorb it.

 

[lobo9er]

If your going to buy a handgun for hunting you can do better than a 10mm. I consider 357 marginal out of a 6 inch revolver for deer and 10mm isn't going to be much better. As a defensive handgun for the woods I think its a good choice but primary hunting theres better choices. Of course within in range it will do but why? 10mm ammo is expensive and harder to find than 357 or 44 mag. Just my opinion of course.

 

[Wolfgang james]

Sorry I will clarify a little better, the primary use will be concealed carry and back up weapon or <15yd for deer. I carry 12ga or .270 so it wont be reaching out at all and I do plan to convert to a 6" barrel and slide to improve the sights.

 

[lobo9er]

If thats the case 10mm should fill your bill then. friend o mine carries a 10mm Glock with hard cast double tap ammo in the woods. 15 yards will put a dent in something for sure.

 

[Kurastduuks]

Any who say the 357 isnt great for hunting need to read EVERYTHING Paco Kelly ever wrote. And dont be mis-led the 10mm will exceed the 357 in the right bullet weights. Load em up, shoot em up repeat repeat repeat and kill some game!

 

[lobo9er]

I just think 357 is the lowest power round suitable for hunting in a handgun. So why hunt with the lowest power if you can handle more. Maybe is a better way to explain my opinion. And true 10mm may exceed the 357 in some loadings but unless I am mistaken isn't in the same arena as the 44 mag or 45LC. Also I don't know who Paco Kelly is, but I am going to assume he is a professional hunter/shooter and true he may have taken everything under the sun with the 357, but a pro shooter may exceed the avg joes ability to place a shot at greater range. And also may have been using super hot loads giving the 357 even more punch. I will check him out.

 

[Wolfgang james]

The reason im not looking at the 44 or 45lc is that I want a semi for carry. My next handgun very well may be a wheel gun and that will have the power to make a deer do back flips and anything smaller will vaporize.

 

[lobo9er]

Like I said for hunting side arm I agree its a solid choice. Only down side is availability of ammo, and ammo prices.

 

[Rio Laxas]

The 10mm has good ballistics for hunting, but if I were to consider carrying one, it would have to be in a 1911 frame. Light weight pistols and high powered calibers do not lend themselves to pleasant shooting experiences.

I own both a Glock 20 and have owned 3 10mm 1911s (all government length). It is my opinion that the perceived recoil is less on the Glock 20. It is also easier to use in cold weather with gloves. The Glock 20 isn't really all that light and the flex in the polymer frame absorbs some of the recoil. Longer hunting barrels are also readily available for the Glock.

 

[jmr40]

The Glock is really the only way to go in 10mm. The best loads are more than adequate for any animal in North America. Your only limitation is range. A long barreled 357 revolver will offer slightly better ballistics, but the biggest advantage is the revolvers longer sighting plane and better trigger. You won't shoot a Glock as accurately at distance as a revolver.

When fired from 8" barrels 357 and 44 mag numbers are impressive, but when fired from 4" or shorter barrels suffer severe velocity loss and are far, far from published numbers. The best 10mm loads will easily beat 3-4" 357 numbers, and are right on the heels of 3-4" 44 mag numbers.

 

[41 Mag]

If your serious about hunting with it I highly suggest that you go with the 180gr Gold Dot or Deep Curl bullets. Either can be driven to top end velocity and will expand readily and penetrate deep.

I've used the GD's for years out of my 10mm at 1350fps and they have had no issues dropping most of the feral hogs I put them to task on. Here is a few from my 10,

The little one in the middle, caught an exiting slug to the head, from the blond one beside it.

If your going with factory loads steer clear of the Golden Sabers. They shoot awesome, but penetration is very lacking IMO. I picked up a few hundred when they cam out and man did they shoot. The first time in the woods with them I put two just below the ear on a boar and all he did was grunt, growl, and leave with the dogs in chase. Both impacted with an inch of each other and stopped against the skull. I've never had a GD do that, they roll back and punch a hole in everything I shoot them at.

One factory HP I really liked is the Winchester 180gr load. Their HP is very similar to what I get with the GD, nice penetration and good expansion. Finding any however will be the issue.

Another one I had great luck with is the PMC Starfire. Those things are viscous. I put one just behind the leg on a 200# sow, it exited through the offside shoulder and 20yds behind that one double lunged a second sow of roughly 100#. Both had very extensive internal damage and a nice 1' or so hole in both sides.

If your loading your own, it is hard to beat AA-9 and 180gr bullets. Get all the barrel you can, and go for it. It's a hoot.

 

[Nite Ryder]

I carry a model 20 Glock for a side arm while hunting. I have four different 44 Mags I could carry, two with 4" barrels and two with 6" barrels. I don't particularly like Glocks but I do like the fact they hold more than 6 or 7 rounds in the magazine, and that magazines are faster to swap, and easier to carry than speed loaders are to use. I have two after market barrels for my Glock, one is a 40 S&W Barrel, the other is a 10 MM barrel which is an inch longer than the factory barrel and is ported. I have a S&W 610 revolver and a Springfield Target Omega that are both 10 MM, but I consider a Glock the best bet, even when I don't like them. They shoot well, are reliable, and better to handle in extremely cold weather.

 

[Wolfgang james]

Thanks guys. I figured it would work just fine but I personally don't know anyone that uses a 10 so I just didn't know if maybe it was one of them rounds that seem like a good idea but just don't work. I know its ballisticly vary similar to the .357 and ive seen my father drop several deer with his long barrel 686 stainless. Thanks again

 

[orionengnr]

From what I've seen online the steel frame guns will crack after a while due to the thump of that round but the plastic will flex and absorb it.

Hmmm...I have read about EAA 10mms slides cracking, but that is all.

I own a 1911 10mm, and have read up a fair bit on them. Never heard of cracked frames on a 10mm 1911...

And an EAA is not a 1911....

 

[Torian]

Hmmm...I have read about EAA 10mms slides cracking, but that is all.

I own a 1911 10mm, and have read up a fair bit on them. Never heard of cracked frames on a 10mm 1911...

And an EAA is not a 1911....

From what I've seen online the steel frame guns will crack after a while due to the thump of that round but the plastic will flex and absorb it.

Not on current EAAs, and are we really going to say that plastic is stronger than a proper steel gun? Let's not go there The original Colt Delta Elite 10mm had its share of cracked slides with hot ammo as well.

Regarding the slide buckling, that was an older issue traced to some slides that were improperly hardened. I have a 10mm Elite Match. Handles doubletap 10mm loads like a champ. It is one of the more overbuilt guns I have ever shot. Shooting it side by side to a Glock, I would pick the Elite Match every time for accuracy, comfort, and trigger pull. The only issue I've had is needing to replace the trigger pin, which was undersized when I purchased the weapon.

EAA's service is abyssmal however, so they haven't made any effort to clean up their reputation online...which is why you still are reading about all the mistakes they've made in the past. For a company making a great firearm for the money, they really don't seem to invest that much in customer service.

 

[osteodoc08]

There is another factor here and that's weight and size. My G20 is much easier to lug around all day as a woods side arm compared to my 41 Mag Blackhawk or M57. Size and weight are a huge advantage with the Glock plus 15+1 isn't shabby at all.

I've got mine loaded with 200gr XTP behind a healthy dose of Longshot for a velocity of 1100-1150 depending on temp. That's plenty for Ga deer/hogs/2 legged critters.....

 

[moonzapa]

I've had my Glock 20 for about 6 years now. I put in a Wolf spring kit because I was making warm loads for it. If you are a reloader, Blue Dot is a real good powder for it. If you aren't a reloader, McNett's Double-Tap ammo is the finest I've ever used for the 10mm. Quality all the way. I feel very confident carrying it when fishing along the river banks and sloughs here in East Texas. Never know what can happen and it's best to be prepared. Years ago I had an incident in San Diego, CA. when a "motorist" came down a steep embankment carrying an empty gas can. I was fishing in the All American Canal. He was tatted-up with guntower and spider web tat's which appeared to be jailhouse in quality, and most likely he was up to no good. But once he saw my S&W Model 29 strapped on my hip, he did a double-take and went back up the hill rather quickly.

I don't shoot my 10mm often as I would like but I have always been able to handle the recoil and shoot it very well. I believe it is good deer medicine within 75 yards, and it would certainly kill any mountain lion that would come near you. Good solid choice!

 

[mokin]

I've carried my Glock 29 while hunting, but then again, I usually carry that pistol everywhere I go.

I second Blue Dot as a great choice for handloading but I think with the shorter barrel on the 29 800-X is a better choice.

 

[wow6599]

I'm confident in my G20, at least here in the Midwest.

A 220 gr HC bullet going 1200 fps with 700 ft lbs should work if I do my part.