Also one more thing has become abundently clear after this purchase. I need to learn to reload!
When hunting you have to travel through snow and ice in rough terrain.
If it will kill a person, it will kill a deer. Deer just aren't all that hard to kill. If used properly (range and accuracy), .45 ACP will do fine on a deer.... so will .357 Mag... or 10mm.... Modern 9mm will do the trick.
or anywhere I'll be hunting for that matter....Oh, yeah, that's a real problem in south Texas.
I've got a couple of reloading manuals I've been reading over again and again for the past couple of years so I think I should do ok with 1 or 2 calibers and keeping it simple for now. I just haven't been able to justify taking the plunge into the initial investment because well what I shoot most often (9mm .38spl 5.56 .22lr .45acp .270) is readily available to me and at a fair price. But getting this 10mm may be just the excuse I was needing to justify the expensefor sure! learning to reload is by far the most benificial shooting related thing i have done. since then i have been able to customize my loads and produce cheaper ammo and my skill level has increased dramaticly. it really isnt all that hard to learn and dosent have to be very expensive. the best way to go about it; buy a manual or two adn read them a couple times. after this you will have a good idea what you need as well as the steps involved.
IDPADo you know what game he is playing?
Thanks for the heads up on the Underwood ammo. 1400fps and 800 ft lbs with a proven bullet is about what I was looking for. Seems that ammo will work fine till I figure out this whole reloading stuff. I was avoiding Double Tap so far because of extreme views and opinions on the stuff. Buffalo Bore was a serious contender but was not in love the price. The Federals I've been shooting are well old bullets. They had been sitting on the self at my local hardware store for a many a years but have been very accurate for me. I haven't chrono'd them so I'm unsure of velocity but in my backwoods testing from 25 yards they did manage to totally penatrate 4 water filled milk jugs totally blowing them to the next zip code with the 180 hydra shok coming to rest in the fifth totally expanded. Next up.. phonebooks I'm really liking the 10mm and the G20, In fact after familizing myself with it has started to become my EDC as of late. It's hard to argue with it's versitilty as a SD gun and a Med game hunting gun. Why didn't I do this sooner!Personally, I stay away from Double Tap. Their advertised velocities seem great but in a decent amount of instances, other board members have chronographed the velocities at 100 and sometimes 200fps slower than advertised velocities in full size 10mm firearms. That is absurd, especially considering you're paying $45/50 rounds.
There's a high road member by the name, intercooler. He has a large spread sheet of factory 10mm loads he's chronographed. His research has turned me on to Underwood ammo.They're velocities are right there next to Double Taps but they actually deliver and ~$30/50. Shoot Double Tap ammo next to Underwoods w/out a chrono and you can feel the difference. Underwood Ammo is the real deal.
As far as what type of bullet, stick with 180 and 200gr hollow points for hunting. Almost all .40 caliber bullets are designed to operate at 40S&W velocities. I've even seen gold dots suffer from jacket/core seperation from being shot out of a 10mm because of the velocity.
Welcome to the world of the 10mm.
That's why my 1911s for the most part have been RIAs. Half the cost and twice the reliabiltyI'd say if you put like 5,000 rounds through a $3,000 1911 to break it in, it might go pow. Never know though.
I have never had a FTF or FTE or FTRTB in any RIA I've ever owned (several models in several sizes) not to mention accuracy/POA/POI has been spot on. They have earned my business to say the least. I can't make that same statement for any of the $1k + 1911s I've owned (read sold) over the years. I did consider the 1911 for my 10mm adventure but when it gets down to it, right now today, Glock IMO has the best gun with the most versitilty for the money plain and simple.^
So that means it might actually go "bang" once in a while? lolz
There is no doubt in my mind a .45acp will drop a deer at 20yds. Heck I dropped a doe with 180gr .40S&W that walked directly below my treestand. I'm not trying to stretch the 10mm out to rifle ranges either. A many of deer have fallen at 50yds with a bow, the 10mm should also be capable of this with proper shot placement. I however wouldn't trust the .45acp at that distance to retain enough energy to cleanly and ethicly kill a deer each and every time. The .357 mag has proven time and again it is more than capable of doing this and from what I've read the 10mm is somewhere between the .357 and .41 in terms of velocity and energy and that is why I chose the 10mm. As far as the G20 goes I chose it over the other TEN's because it had a larger aftermarket following and the initial cost was considerably less than my other options in the 10mm. If I do want to strech it out to rifle ranges I've found a slick carbine setup for the G20 with a 16" barrel that might get me into the 100-125 yrd range like the lever gun did for the .357mag.It is my belief that Hand gun hunters should hunt like bow hunters.
Hunt like a bow hunter and a 45ACP will do the job nicely.
If you want handgun hunt like a rifle hunter then get a hand held rifle.
At 20 yards a good quality 45 acp hollow point put in the correct spot will cleanly a deer.
Better the setup, the better the out come.
(Belligerently) You care to explain that comment??the 1911 & 45acp, well, just suck
Added: I see this thread started in July. How did it go? I also like the G23 for EDC. I like Glocks too. Don't have a 10mm.