Beyond .45ACP: +P, 10mm, 45 super, or 450 Bond??

[patentnonsense]

.45 ACP is a great classic, but sometimes a little more power would be nice. Without going to big-iron hunting rounds (.44M, .440 Corbon, .45 win mag), the above cartridges look like the easiest step up - any comments on which? I'm feeling seriously tempted by 10.

Thanks,

 

[Lennyjoe]

I say go with a 10MM.

I did and Im very happy with my S&W 1006. Though its too big for CCW its primarily my carry weapon out in the bush.

There are a couple nice CCW packages out there for the 10MM.

EEA Witness compact and Glock 29 to be exact. Both are easy to conceal.

Heck, CDNN had G20's for under $400. They were trade ins but in good condition.

 

[Cal4D4]

I vote 10mm also. The only flaw I know of with the .45 Super and related rounds is they will chamber in a .45 ACP pistol that is not set up to handle the higher pressure rounds. When reloading, the .45ACP case may fall in with your .45 Super brass and cause problems.

 

[PO2Hammer]

Of the rounds you're interested in, the 10mm is the easiest to find, reload for, and find a suitable pistol for. Factory loads range from mild to sizzling. I'm very happy with my Glock 20, it has become my favorite handgun.

 

[arinvolvo]

you will find the best ccw choices in 10mm chamberings.

 

[WonderNine]

The only flaw I know of with the .45 Super and related rounds is they will chamber in a .45 ACP pistol that is not set up to handle the higher pressure rounds.

And how do you "set it up" to handle the .45 Supers. Let me guess, stronger springs.

 

[Tamara]

10mm = greater availability of rounds and larger selection of loads. (Also, you can cram more rounds in the gun; a nice side bennie. )

 

[ID_shooting]

I vote 10mm too, but then that is no surprise. All of the benefits listed that far are right on, I will add that there are and will be many good options in firearms in 10mm. And I do CCW my full sized 1911 without isssue.

 

[Cal4D4]

"Let me guess, stronger springs. "

Recoil and firing pin spring as a start, a barrel with supported chamber wouldn't hurt either. Possibly stronger mag springs for reliability. The .45 Rowland folks advise a compensator to slow down the recoil moment in their version. Steel frame, full length slide for the greater mass. Might consider replacing any MIM parts under recoil stress. You can probably get away with none of the above and just dip into the safety margin designed into your pistol. Same basic idea as speeding on bald tires and trusting carcass strength to prevent a blowout. Usually works.

Added: Make sure your frame doesn't have the same weak area which cracked on the early Delta Elite frames. Your recoil forces will be the same or higher.

Further add: Might want to bush that firing pin hole, too. Many have reported primer flow into the hole which could affect function. Don't many 1911 system users add a recoil buffer if they shoot much full hardball or +P loads?

 

[Sean Smith]

10mm is probably the best choice. Factory ammo is MUCH more widely available for 10mm than it is for any of the .45 ACP-derived wildcats. And in the end, 10mm is about as much power as an autoloader of handy size can handle.

 

[MCNETT]

Though I like the .450SMC and .45 Super concept, the 10mm is the way to go. If you want to see what kind of power is available for you from a stock Glock 20, check out DoubleTap Ammunition
www.doubletapammo.com
-Mike

 

[Black Snowman]

Another vote for 10mm for all the reasons listed above.

 

[Gun Runners Alaska]

I would go with the 1 centimeter............a.k.a the 10mm.

 

[Moparmike]

Forget all that!

Go with the super uber gun! Use the 16in Main Battleship Gun! Screw concealment!



I would go with the 10mm, but be warned: The Witness weighs ALOT, and is BIG. Its like concealing a Beagle. I have yet to find a holster for a Beagle though.

 

[agtman]

10mm AUTO ....


... for the reasons already given, but mainly ammo availability and the cartridge's inherent versatility.

Also, one immediate benefit is that the 10mm's large power curve blesses you with a dizzying amount of factory bullet-weight and load options.

You can tailor the 10mm's energy to whatever particular task you need it to do. From mild and easy plinking, to mid-range loads for practice or competitive shooting, to "heavy & fast" for high-performance hunting, to highly accurate self-defense loads, at various energy levels, using premium, state-of-the-art hollow-points. It just depends on what you want done.

Bullet-weights run from 135gns to 220gns - which is the largest selection I'm aware of in a caliber designed for a "service size" autoloader.

And then there's all the neat stuff you can do with a 10mm if you happen to reload for it. Ask McNett.

 

[Tactical]

I like my 10mm however I am nuts about the 45 Super or 450 SMC. I just love the juice behind the big azz bullet Like they say "there's no replacement for displacement", and USP eat's them up. And by freinds Glock does also.

 

[gunfan]

Another vote for the 10mm. There's nothing more that you can say about them that hasn't already been said! I own 4 handguns chambered for the round.

'nuff said.

Scott

 

[stans]

I have considered the 45 Super and it is interesting, but at 50 yards or more, the 10mm has a flatter trajectory and more retained energy than the 45 Super. The idea of "magnum" ammo being dimensionally identical to low pressure ammo does scare me a little.

 

[Sarge111]

I'll swim upstream here...

and vote for the souped-up .45's, especially if you are a .45 man (or woman, or unsure) already. You can get .45 ammo anywhere, and in its +p iterations the .45 ACP don't need much help crowding the 10 pretty hard. The Rowland runs off & leaves it.

I played with the .450 Triton (230@1150) just a little in a Sig 220 with a 24 lb. spring, and the accuracy was outstanding- well under 4" at 50 yards, and right on the front sight. Plinking targets (large soft drink cups, etc.) were in dire straits at 100 yards.

Y'all can keep your 9 1/2 millimeters... I think they're fine guns but I'll stick with my .44's & .45's.

 

[Sean Smith]

and in its +p iterations the .45 ACP don't need much help crowding the 10 pretty hard

Objectively untrue.

Cor-Bon 230gr .45 ACP +P: 460 ft-lbs
Cor-Bon 180gr 10mm: 696 ft-lbs

The hottest .45 ACP +P in existence (165gr ultra-light projectiles with laughable penetration) are still only in the high 500s.

And I've left out the Double-Tap 10mm stuff that goes over 700...

 

[Tamara]

I'd forgotten how much I enjoyed this stuff at GlockTalk.

".45!"
"10mm!"
".45!"
"10mm!"



Must suck to have such a small gun safe that it'll only hold one pistol.

 

[Sarge111]

Sean...

The only "foot pounds" that ever concerned me were the ones I felt walking a beat.... and I'll have to admit that I don't lend much credence to paper energy figures. All I've ever done is knock a great big hole all the way through whatever organism that was unfortunate enough to scare me, annoy me, or look like something that might go well with taters, onions and carrots. None of them were around to file an "insufficient foot pounds" complaint when it was over, so I guess that big 'ol bullet must have done allright.

Why on earth anybody would want to water down a perfectly good .45 with a little 165 grain bullet is beyond me, too. I was thinking more in terms of a 240-260 grain SWC, at enough velocity to bore all the way through. 165 grains sounds just about right for a good warm .38 special, though.

I never said the 10's didn't have any utility. In fact, I found an excellent use for them right after they first came out. All the puppy policemen were selling their plasma and kids to get them, and then they'd show up at the station to show me (their range officer) their super-tactimo new high-velocity manzapper. I'd "ooh" and "ahh" some, and them ask to see one of the new magic bullets. Then I'd clear my old 1945 Ithaca and lock it open, with the muzzle skyward. Next I would drop a 10mm round, case and all, down the muzzle- nose first; and watch it drop out the magazine well and onto the carpet. It sure was entertaining to watch their expressions when I'd say "Interesting- but I believe I'll keep my old .45"

So, the 10's are really good for ONE thing- keepin' the cobwebs knocked out of the barrel of a REAL gun

Take care, Amigo. Enjoy your Delta. (It really IS a good gun.)

 

[Tamara]

Like I just said...


For some reason I have yet to be overwhelmed by feelings of either crushing inferiority or chest-thumping superiority when packing one of my 1911's in .45 ACP, 10mm Auto, or even .38 Super. Maybe it's a testosterone thing?

 

[WonderNine]

Why carry a .38 Super when you can get a 9X23 barrel for that thing?

 

[Tamara]

WonderNine,

Why carry a .38 Super when you can get a 9X23 barrel for that thing?

Why would I need to buy a 9x23 barrel when my newer .38 Super barrel will chamber and fire 9x23 just fine? .38 Super is stocked plentifully on the shelves where I work and is more than enough to do the job.