Do I Want A 10mm?

For an Outdoorsman: .45 ACP or 10mm?

  • The tried and true .45 ACP

    Votes: 86 36.8%

  • The powerful and exotic 10mm

    Votes: 148 63.2%
  • Total voters
    234
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H

HMMurdock

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May 5, 2006
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Indiana, the home of John Dillinger
Okay, I know there's already a boatton of these threads on here. I'M SORRY!

Now that I have that off my conscience... My local shop's got two Colts (leave the C-O-L-T- is J-U-N-K arguments for another thread, please) that I'm in love with. I went looking for a .45 because I have a small stockpile of .45 in my safe. I found a gorgeous old school blued .45 that spoke to me. --Until he handed me a new production stainless Delta Elite 10mm. Wow. It spoke to me. But, I'm afraid of the price and availability of 10mm. Is it worth me ordering it?

I'm an avid outdoorsman. I'm going to be spending even more time soon in the wild, and I want something to keep on my hip. The 10mm can take out about anything that's around here, but a .45 is perhaps more practical for the human predators which is more what I'm concerned with (I have a rifle for the critters). I've never shot a 10mm before, but I'm not recoil sensitive and I like a whallop. Is the cost and availibility worth the effort of the 10mm? Or should I go with the tried and true .45? Gracias.
 
I own both in Colt. I've got two Delta Elites and two 1911's in .45, and one in .400 Cor-Bon. I also load for 29 calibers, so it's easy for me to supply whatever ammunition I need.

With that said, if you don't reload, then I would suggest getting the .45, since ammunition can be found just about anywhere it's sold (in normal times, anyway). If you do reload, then it's a mute point, since you can tailor your ammunition for your needs.

It's really up to you, and what your needs are.

Hope this helps.

Fred
 
I sold my .45 s in favor of the big TEN, and the cost effective 9mm.

The 10mm is very comforting in the woods, as I like the power factor if I need it.

10mm brass might cost you more than .45 ACP, but .40 bullets are cheaper
than .45 for the most part.

I've never heard or seen of a poor penetration shot with a 10mm like I
have the vaunted .45 ACP.
 
Do the new Colt Deltas have ramped bbls? I haven't seen one yet, so I don't know. I've become a 10mm 1911 fan thanks to my Dan Wesson Point Man Aussie, but the PMA-10s were made before DW used ramped barrels. Without a ramped barrel you don't get full case support. This doesn't matter with 45 ACP because it's a pretty low pressure cartridge. With a high pressure cartridge like 10mm you don't want to reload brass fired from a barrel / chamber that doesn't fully support the case, nor do you want to fire reloads in it (unless you want to replicate the Glock 40 S&W kaboom in your 1911). The other advantage to a ramped barrel in a 10mm 1911 is that most 40 S&W 1911 barrels are also ramped, so it's easier to get a spare barrel fitted. My thought process is that all you need to change is the barrel to switch to cheaper, more plentiful 40 S&W ammo for plinking and range time.

All that to say, I really like 10mm Auto in a 1911. Recoil is heavier than 45 ACP , but still very controllable to me. Much as I like my PMA-10 I'll probably end up trading it for a newer ramped barrel DW PM-10 or RZ-10 just for the versatility stated above. If that versatility doesn't matter to you, then go for the Delta whether it's ramped or not. If you end up not liking 10mm Auto in a 1911 it's always easy to sell a Colt Delta 10mm, and you'll have plenty of 45 ACP 1911 options to buy. The same isn't true when the calibers are reversed with 1911s.

Edit: Just re-read your post, and noted emphasis on outdoors carry. Get the 10mm. Winchester Silvertip is still relatively easy to get, and very reasonably priced. It's the only Winchester 10mm loading, and slinging a 175 gr JHP @ 1290 FPS it provides near Cor-Bon performance (180 gr JSP @ 1300 FPS) at about half the price ($23.77 vs $43.43).
 
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I voted .45 because of the scarcity of 10mm ammo locally, at least here. Finding full power 10mm ammo is even harder. Most 10mm sold commercially is weak...from what I've read. I have not chronoed it myself.

I think either way it being a Colt you'll be good to go :)
 
I asked myself the same question a few months ago...now I own both a Glock 20 and Witness Elite Match!:evil:
 
I'm with everybody else. 10mm if you reload, .45acp if you don't.
The 10mm gives you almost the power of the .357mag (Queue the 10mm fanboys who will try to tell you it's the equivalent of the .41 Mag:rolleyes: ) , but with more shots and quicker reloading. Definitely a much better penetrator than the .45acp.

On the other hand, I'm sure there are some factory loads for .45acp that will penetrate a lot better than others. I'd have to go look since I haven't bought .45acp ammo in years, but I'd imagine you could find a commercial load with XTPs or possibly a hot TC load--I think Buffalo Bore makes one.

Edit:
http://www.midwayusa.com/viewProduct/?productNumber=155424
http://www.midwayusa.com/viewProduct/?productNumber=535234
Both are 230gr @ 950fps. It doesn't get much better than that in the old ACP. The XTPs seem to penetrate better than a lot of JHPs--but of course they don't expand like HSTs either.
 
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The 10mm is my favorite handgun caliber. If a doublestack 10mm cant get it done,you need a rifle :)
yES ,it is true you have to shop around a little more to get ammo, but its available and you can get all you want or need of it, just not "on the fly" while on your way to the range. or with a quick stop at wal mart (usually)
 
I voted yes to the 10mm, mainly because the ONLY glock that interests me is the G20. Loaded with 16 Doubletap 200gr WFNGC Hardcast's, I think that I would become my hiking/camping and canoeing gun.
 
voted yes to the 10mm, mainly because the ONLY glock that interests me is the G20. Loaded with 16 Doubletap 200gr WFNGC Hardcast's, I think that I would become my hiking/camping and canoeing gun.
Click to expand...
I would agree that doublestacks are where the 10mm really shines over a .357 Revolver. 9-10 shots isn't that much of an edge over an 8 shot revolver, but 16 is quite the jump. The downside is that Glock is about the only double stack 10mm in the game, and its grip is the size of a 2x4.
The XD .45 manages to have a grip much smaller than the Glock 21's. I'd love to see what they could do with the 10mm compared to the 20.
 
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If there are some BIG critters in those woods, I would say this is an easy choice for that gorgeous Colt Delta Elite. 175 grains at 1300fps would make me feel VERY safe as I step around that big oak tree.
 
HMMurdock

From the wood defense standpoint there is simply no comparison between a "real" (not the watered down big box ammo manufacturers loads) 10 mm and a 45 ACP (including +P).

Full house 10 mm loads develop well over 700 ft/lb of energy, more than a full house 357 Mag...not exactly at 41 Mag level as many believe but is between a 357 and a 41 (closer on the 357 side)

Some hot loads can quite exceed 800 ft/lb especially from barrels longer than 4-4.5".

A full house standard 45 ACP load is a sub-400 ft/lb cartridge....+P can get you 10-20% more but that's about it.

The 10 mnm has better SD which means better penetration (assuming same bullet construction)

The hot 45 and 40 is what I consider at the low marginal edge of wildlife defense....ok in a pinch for a mountain lion or an extemely small black bear.

Full specs 10 mm ammo is not too hard to find if you go to big specialized stores as Cabela's or Sportman's Warehouse..and you can always order them online or you can realod.

There is quite a good selection of "real" 10 mm loads from small ammo manucfacturers such as CORBON, Double Tap, and Buffalo Bore.

For strictly HD purpose the weak "FBI" loads widely available from Remchesteral :)D) are perfectly adequate...they are still a bit hotter than a 40 or a 45.

The Winchester Silvertips are quite hot, almost to a full SAAMI specs level.

I don't know much about the Delta Elite....I heard it's a well built tough pistol capable to take the battering of real 10 mm loads.

Recoil for the true 10 mm ammo is not that bad....I find it way more comfortable that a full house 357 revolver.

At this moment the 10 mm pistol of choice for wildlife defense is the Glock 20...tough and accurate..you can even buy an after market 6" barrel for it.

It is also not too pricey.

If you can stomach plastic pistols and the Glock firing mechanism go for it....I don't.
 
the 10mm is hard on 1911s- i wouold stay away from it unless it will only be fired every so often. if you plan on shooting a lot you will be happier with 45

keep in mind that the delta you saw may have already used up most of its life span
 
Another option for an Outdoorsman is the true and tested 357 Mag or 44 Mag revolver....this is the route I took (44 Mag) in absence of a 10 mm Auto pistol that I like.

I'm sorry but the 45 ACP or the 40 S&W are too much on the light side in the woods for my comfort...at least in the Northwest...
 
Full house 10 mm loads develop well over 700 ft/lb of energy, more than a full house 357 Mag...not exactly at 41 Mag level as many believe but is between a 357 and a 41 (closer on the 357 side)
Click to expand...

Not quite...

Heavy 357 Magnum Ammo - 125 gr. J.H.C. (1,700fps/M.E. 802 ft. lbs.)
Heavy 357 Magnum Ammo - 180 gr. L.F.N. -G.C. (1,400fps/M.E. 783 ft. lbs.)

Heavy 10mm Ammo - 180 gr. Jacketed Hollow Point - J.H.P. (1,350fps/M.E. 782 ft. lbs.)

These are all 3 from Buffalo Bore, but most of the premium manufacturers fall right into this range. It's more of a tie than anything, but if you have to call it, the .357 still has the edge
 
Not quite...

Heavy 357 Magnum Ammo - 125 gr. J.H.C. (1,700fps/M.E. 802 ft. lbs.)
Heavy 357 Magnum Ammo - 180 gr. L.F.N. -G.C. (1,400fps/M.E. 783 ft. lbs.)

Heavy 10mm Ammo - 180 gr. Jacketed Hollow Point - J.H.P. (1,350fps/M.E. 782 ft. lbs.)

These are all 3 from Buffalo Bore, but most of the premium manufacturers fall right into this range. It's more of a tie than anything, but if you have to call it, the .357 still has the edge
Click to expand...

That Buffalo Bore load for the 357 is over pressure?? What is the barrel length tested??

The 10 mm Auto is usually taken from a 4.5" barrel.

However I agree that they are close..

Actually the 357 Mag pre-WWII was even hotter.

I have an old catalog from the 60's when all ammo manufacturers loaded the 357 at full specs, not the watered down loads from Winchester, Remington or Federal of current times.

For Winchester, Western, Remington, Peters, Norma and Federal the values (with a 8 3/8" test barrel) were around 700-720 ft/lb for a standard 158 gr. flat nose slug.
 
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Standard pressure on the .357, or so they say. Barrel length for that velocity was 5". Barrel length for the 10mm was also 5". Obviously one has a barrel/cylinder gap, while the other counts the chamber in the barrel length...

They have all that on their site, as well as velocities from various barrel lengths/firearm models for each load.

Edit:
This ammo is safe to shoot in ANY all steel 357 revolver - this includes J frames. This ammo is no harder on your gun than any other normal 357 ammo. Please don't phone us and ask if this ammo is safe in your gun. It is, providing your gun is in safe condition for use with any normal 357 ammo.
Click to expand...
From their site... I can't say I'd shoot a 180gr bullet with that much powder behind it in a J frame if I had a choice in the matter... :what:
 
If you have neither, I would suggest the .45 first, then a 10MM later as well. (Then a 9mm, then a .38 Super, then a..........)
 
I don't mind telling you, I'm a .45 guy, but I was poking around the STI website the other day and I saw a long-slide 10mm 1911 that just made me drool. Full-house 10mm from a longer barrel, that's as good as a pistol gets for stopping power.
 
Everyone wants a 10mm - they are cool guns.

You have to decide if the ammo scarcity (and price) is worth it.

I've got both (10mm - S&W 1076 & 610; .45 - plenty)
 
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