WrongHanded
Member
- Joined
- Jul 6, 2017
- Messages
- 4,771
With all the talk in recent years of the 10mm Auto - whether or not it's the new outdoorsman's choice, or suitable for "dangerous game", etc - I set about, several months ago, to buy a G20.4 and see for myself.
Well, I got one. And started acquiring task specific ammunition, parts, and accessories. And also worked up a couple simple loads for myself. Today, I think I'm finally satisfied.
Firstly, I wanted a pistol that could be relied upon in adverse conditions, and preferably one that was of a familar design. So a Glock was acceptable. It also needed to be able to accept a weapon mounted light, because whilst night time isn't all that dark in the city or suburbs, it sure is dark in remote camping spots. I already had a TLR-1, and as it's popular and functional, I bought a second one for this pistol.
As the light stuck out in from of the barrel, The OAL of the pistol increased, so I ordered a KKM barrel at 5.0" long. Theoretically that means more velocity and as it's a match grade barrel, a potential for increased accuracy. In addition there's no question about shooting lead bullets through it, unlike a stock Glock barrel (which is still debated). The extra barrel length also helps keep smoke from covering the lens of the light, where as 50 rounds with the stock barrel would cover it with residue. I've got 4 other KKM barrels and have had nothing but positive experience with them. This one only has 50 rounds down it so far (though the gun is up to 500 now), but it ran them flawlessly.
Sights
I'm usually a fan of tritium sights on a pistol that is intended for self defense. But as the WML was going to be a permanent addition, I decided to go with fiber optics from Dawson Precision. For those not familiar with the brand, the word "Precision" is definitely justified. The only drawback to these sights is that they are carbon steel and need to be kept oiled or (so I've heard) they will rust. They're not my first sights from this company and I remain impressed.
Ammunition
I wanted a good JHP for travelling to and from the wilderness and other places where massive over penetration would be a serious concern. So I chose the 200gr Federal HST, mainly based on the reputation of the entire HST line. For the great outdoors, I opted for Buffalo Bore's 190gr copper mono solid. The diameter of the flat meplat is not terribly large, but the additional hardness of copper means the bullet is much less likely to deform hitting thick bone. And because both of these choices are expensive, my backup mag in either case is an RMR 180gr FMJ with 8.5gr of BE-86. But as is plain to see, the BB mono solid 10mm looks a little small compared to a 300gr WFN .44 Magnum.
Holsters
Red River Tactical made the OWB kydex holster. It conceals quite nicely as it rides fairly high and also has a 10 degree forward cant. It's proving to be a well build, well designed and solid holster. The mag pouch is from Vedder. They make them for either left or right side carry as the retention screw and molding are designed around the orientation of the magazine. The paddle is a nice feature, is well secured to the kydex body, and is strong enough that it's tricky to get off my belt. The Safepacker is a nice option for protection from the elements, or for concealment in warmer weather. It's not new, but it works well.
Weight
Looking at their website, a Ruger Super Blackhawk with 4.62" barrel chambered in .44 Magnum and unloaded, weighs 45oz. Above, the G20 with a 5" barrel, a WML and batteries, a 15 round magazine of 200gr JHPs, aftermarket steel sights, and the medium beavertail all weighs only 0.4oz more. My Redhawk has a 5.5" barrel and weighs 49oz empty.
But weight isn't everything. And to go back to why I bought this pistol, it's not about raw power. It's about versatility. Today I shot this gun with a 180gr load that is likely going around 1100fps. I also shot my RH with a 300gr load at about the same velocity. I used to shoot 50 rounds of such .44 mag every week or two, and I was pretty good and reasonably fast. But in the past year or so, my focus has been on the Glock pistols I carry on a daily basis. So did I shoot the RH or the G20 better? The G20. By a lot. Simply because practice is important, and I've not been doing any practice with that big Redhawk recently.
Shootability
With the stock barrel, accuracy has proven mediocre. The KKM barrel seems more promising and though I have yet to assess it formally, the first 10 rounds I shot through it (180gr FMJ over 7.0-7.2gr Unique) were offhand at 25 yards, and I wasn't trying all that hard. The result was a 5-1/2" group. And that's pretty typical for me with most of my guns and my own loads, when I'm shooting to shoot rather than for highest precision. Will I see greater accuracy when I get down on a bag and evaluate some loads? Maybe. But it appears to be good enough for my purposes and that's all that matters. As far as recoil goes, I can honestly tell no significant difference between this G20 and my G22 using a variety of loads for both. The recoil of the wider G20 with the heavier slide just isn't a big deal. Although to be fair, I remember the G21 I once owned to be quite soft shooting for a .45ACP, so perhaps the relatively low bore axis is what makes the difference here.
Conclusion
Obviously the G20 is not a .44 Magnum. It's not the best choice for Grizzly Bear defense if you're capable and practiced shooting more powerful handguns. Next time I'm planning a trip to such places, I'll start working with my RH at the range more regularly. But for general woods wandering and backcountry carry in places Ursus Horribilis is not a factor, as well as more populated areas where unsavory people may be a concern, this 10mm gets the nod. For dark nights camping (even in Grizzly Country) the weapon mounted light, high capacity, and lower recoil win out over raw power in my opinion. And this gun can also - appropriately loaded of course - fill the roll of home defense pistol quite nicely. It's also really not that much different than shooting any other Glock, and familiarity is a big plus.
Just another tool for the toolbox. But it's a good one.
Well, I got one. And started acquiring task specific ammunition, parts, and accessories. And also worked up a couple simple loads for myself. Today, I think I'm finally satisfied.
Firstly, I wanted a pistol that could be relied upon in adverse conditions, and preferably one that was of a familar design. So a Glock was acceptable. It also needed to be able to accept a weapon mounted light, because whilst night time isn't all that dark in the city or suburbs, it sure is dark in remote camping spots. I already had a TLR-1, and as it's popular and functional, I bought a second one for this pistol.
As the light stuck out in from of the barrel, The OAL of the pistol increased, so I ordered a KKM barrel at 5.0" long. Theoretically that means more velocity and as it's a match grade barrel, a potential for increased accuracy. In addition there's no question about shooting lead bullets through it, unlike a stock Glock barrel (which is still debated). The extra barrel length also helps keep smoke from covering the lens of the light, where as 50 rounds with the stock barrel would cover it with residue. I've got 4 other KKM barrels and have had nothing but positive experience with them. This one only has 50 rounds down it so far (though the gun is up to 500 now), but it ran them flawlessly.
Sights
I'm usually a fan of tritium sights on a pistol that is intended for self defense. But as the WML was going to be a permanent addition, I decided to go with fiber optics from Dawson Precision. For those not familiar with the brand, the word "Precision" is definitely justified. The only drawback to these sights is that they are carbon steel and need to be kept oiled or (so I've heard) they will rust. They're not my first sights from this company and I remain impressed.
Ammunition
I wanted a good JHP for travelling to and from the wilderness and other places where massive over penetration would be a serious concern. So I chose the 200gr Federal HST, mainly based on the reputation of the entire HST line. For the great outdoors, I opted for Buffalo Bore's 190gr copper mono solid. The diameter of the flat meplat is not terribly large, but the additional hardness of copper means the bullet is much less likely to deform hitting thick bone. And because both of these choices are expensive, my backup mag in either case is an RMR 180gr FMJ with 8.5gr of BE-86. But as is plain to see, the BB mono solid 10mm looks a little small compared to a 300gr WFN .44 Magnum.
Holsters
Red River Tactical made the OWB kydex holster. It conceals quite nicely as it rides fairly high and also has a 10 degree forward cant. It's proving to be a well build, well designed and solid holster. The mag pouch is from Vedder. They make them for either left or right side carry as the retention screw and molding are designed around the orientation of the magazine. The paddle is a nice feature, is well secured to the kydex body, and is strong enough that it's tricky to get off my belt. The Safepacker is a nice option for protection from the elements, or for concealment in warmer weather. It's not new, but it works well.
Weight
Looking at their website, a Ruger Super Blackhawk with 4.62" barrel chambered in .44 Magnum and unloaded, weighs 45oz. Above, the G20 with a 5" barrel, a WML and batteries, a 15 round magazine of 200gr JHPs, aftermarket steel sights, and the medium beavertail all weighs only 0.4oz more. My Redhawk has a 5.5" barrel and weighs 49oz empty.
But weight isn't everything. And to go back to why I bought this pistol, it's not about raw power. It's about versatility. Today I shot this gun with a 180gr load that is likely going around 1100fps. I also shot my RH with a 300gr load at about the same velocity. I used to shoot 50 rounds of such .44 mag every week or two, and I was pretty good and reasonably fast. But in the past year or so, my focus has been on the Glock pistols I carry on a daily basis. So did I shoot the RH or the G20 better? The G20. By a lot. Simply because practice is important, and I've not been doing any practice with that big Redhawk recently.
Shootability
With the stock barrel, accuracy has proven mediocre. The KKM barrel seems more promising and though I have yet to assess it formally, the first 10 rounds I shot through it (180gr FMJ over 7.0-7.2gr Unique) were offhand at 25 yards, and I wasn't trying all that hard. The result was a 5-1/2" group. And that's pretty typical for me with most of my guns and my own loads, when I'm shooting to shoot rather than for highest precision. Will I see greater accuracy when I get down on a bag and evaluate some loads? Maybe. But it appears to be good enough for my purposes and that's all that matters. As far as recoil goes, I can honestly tell no significant difference between this G20 and my G22 using a variety of loads for both. The recoil of the wider G20 with the heavier slide just isn't a big deal. Although to be fair, I remember the G21 I once owned to be quite soft shooting for a .45ACP, so perhaps the relatively low bore axis is what makes the difference here.
Conclusion
Obviously the G20 is not a .44 Magnum. It's not the best choice for Grizzly Bear defense if you're capable and practiced shooting more powerful handguns. Next time I'm planning a trip to such places, I'll start working with my RH at the range more regularly. But for general woods wandering and backcountry carry in places Ursus Horribilis is not a factor, as well as more populated areas where unsavory people may be a concern, this 10mm gets the nod. For dark nights camping (even in Grizzly Country) the weapon mounted light, high capacity, and lower recoil win out over raw power in my opinion. And this gun can also - appropriately loaded of course - fill the roll of home defense pistol quite nicely. It's also really not that much different than shooting any other Glock, and familiarity is a big plus.
Just another tool for the toolbox. But it's a good one.
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