I have never really been that big of a fan of 10mm. I have owned several pistols chambered for it over the years and have always been fast to sell them. That’s not from a fear of recoil, as some of you may be thinking. I own handguns that are substantially more powerful, and my favorite .44 Magnum is the Smith & Wesson Alaska Backpacker IV, which is a super-light revolver. I enjoy firing that gun quite a bit and it’s always a thrill.
So, is it the 10mm’s capacity then? No, not really. When it comes right down to it, I just don’t see that much of a point to it.
The steady, but limited, popularity of the 10mm today comes from two places. The first is the perception that it’s substantially more powerful than other handgun calibers and the second is that it’s suitable for hunting any size game. I see it praised for all fo that, but it’s really just a decent round with limited popularity.
Like many cartridges, the 10mm was introduced to supplant something that was already established. But despite the 10mm initial popularity when it was introduced, the .45 ACP hasn’t gone anywhere. The minor resurgence of the 10mm today is largely based on the fact that many people don’t know how to shoot revolvers and opt for a platform they’re more familiar with.
I don’t dislike the 10mm as a cartridge. I simply don’t see a need for it when there are other options out there that do what it does better. An example of this is the .460 Rowland, an elongated .45 ACP. Many common guns like the GLOCK 21 can be adapted to use it with just a barrel and spring change. The 460 Rowland is wildly powerful, approaching even .44 Magnum levels.
The SIG P220 Full-Size is a large, heavily pistol. It needs to be to handle the 10mm cartridge. (Josh Wayner for TTAG)
So why all this discussion about the 10mm cartridge? Well, it pretty much goes hand-in-hand with doing a review on a 10mm gun. Many people think that the 10mm is kind of the 6.5 Creedmoor for handguns. It is assuredly not. There are many loads in .45 ACP that will do just fine for most uses outdoors. Buffalo Bore makes a 255 grain hard cast +P load that is my go-to for outdoor use. The existence of that single offering is why I don’t own a 10mm.
Read TTAG’s review of the SIG P220 Legion Full-Size in .45 ACP here.
The SIG SAUER P220 Legion in an excellent semi-automatic pistol. My only real problem with it is the fact that it’s chambered in 10mm. Like all of the Legion series pistols, it’s an attractive and well-built gun.
This P220 is akin to most other SIGs in that it is a hammer-fired DA/SA semi automatic pistol and feeds from eight-round single stack magazines. While the P220 Legion isn’t radically different from its stock cousins, it’s a semi-custom gun with fit and finish that are impeccable. The slide and action are all extremely smooth and the P-SAIT trigger with its short-reset is one of the best you’ll find in a semi-auto handgun
The P220 Legion comes with a pair of bright X-RAY3 day/night sights. The the custom g10 grip scales are exceedingly comfortable.
The big boy P220 Legion Full-Size is a large, heavy pistol. It feels as heavy as a full-size revolver in the hand. This is one solid gun. It’s large and heavy enough that it would be a difficult pistol to carry it concealed. This is definitely one that you’ll want to carry in some sort of chest rig or shoulder holster if you’ll be taking it out in the wild.
The 10mm Legion P220 has a 5-inch barrel compared to the .45 model’s 4.4″ barrel and has a proprietary SIG rail for accessories. The SIG X-Ray day/night sights are good in any light conditions. (Josh Wayner for TTAG)
Given its size and hefty 40 oz. weight means shooting the gun isn’t a terrible experience. The weight and extra barrel length (5 inches in 10mm vs. 4.4 inches on the .45 model) and sight radius mean it is very easy to control, particularly in single action. The double-action trigger pull is quite heavy, and you had better train if you plan on taking a shot with it at any distance beyond about five feet.
As far as handling goes, the magazine springs are quite stiff as compared to others I’ve seen, and this extends to the action spring as well. Even with slide serrations fore and aft, the P220 10mm is downright difficult to rack. While I can certainly accomplish it, operation with sweaty or gloved hands could prove difficult. Shooters with weaker grip strength will have a hard time. This, of course, is due to the fact that the 10mm is a high energy cartridge, so the heavier springs actually serve to reduce recoil and muzzle flip.
Josh Wayner for TTAG (Josh Wayner for TTAG)
The accuracy was quite good as you’d expect with that long sight radius. The SIG SAUER P220 Legion Full-Size produced groups as small as 2.25″ with SIG’s 180gr Elite V-Crown JHP. The gun shot well off the bench. Recoil wasn’t brutal, but you could definitely tell that you weren’t shooting .45 ACP.
The P220 Legion produced excellent accuracy with SIG’s V-Crown JHP ammo. (Josh Wayner for TTAG)
My overall impression of this gun is quite positive. I really enjoyed my time with it. The gun performed exceptionally well and I was able to ring steel with it at 50 yards quite consistently with just a 6 o’clock hold.
If you are in the market for a 10 mm pistol, the P220 Legion Full-Size should be at the top of your list.
SPECIFICATIONS: SIG SAUER P220 Legion 10mm
Caliber: 10mm Auto
Action: DA/SA with decocker
Capacity: 8+1 (3 8-round magazines included)
Barrel Length: 5.0″
Overall Length: 8.6″
Weight: 40oz
Sights: SIG XRAY3 high visibility day/night sights
MSRP: $1943 ($1599 retail)
Ratings (Out of Five Stars):
Accuracy: * * * * *
The accuracy here was great. The big P220 Legion was easy to keep on target due to its bulk. Single action was the way to go. The DA pull, while smooth, was also stiff.
Reliability: * * * * *
There were no failures to feed or fire while testing this gun.
Ergonomics: * * * *
This is a very large, heavy pistol, but it’s comfortable in the hand with its G10 grips and extended beavertail. The slide and spring were very stiff. Shooters with weaker hands may have trouble operating the 10mm version of the P220 Legion.
Customize This: * * * *
This is a semi-custom gun, so already has much of what you’d want. You can of course add accessories if you wish (note that the rail is the proprietary SIG rail), but I wouldn’t. The gun is heavy enough as it is.
Aesthetics: * * * * *
SIG always seems to do a good job with looks these days, but the Legion gray slide and frame finish with G10 grips are particularly attractive. This one is no different.
Overall * * * *
This is a great, powerful gun, but it is a bit much in terms of recoil and weight when the stiff springs are considered. I know that this is needed to deal with 10mm ammunition, but it is something of a negative as it makes operation difficult.
Roger Ebert said movies should be judged “generically,” meaning that you don’t judge the kind of movie, you don’t say “This is a horror movie and they stink so it’s no good,” because the reader already knows if he doesn’t like horror. You judge the movie itself. Same with guns. Don’t tell me you don’t like 10mm (I do btw). Just tell me if this gun is a good 10mm. I’ll decide if I like 10mm.
Amen.
I’ll take the Glock 10 MM Long Slide any day..
I have one, Glock 40 MOS with Leupold DeltaPoint in a Dara custom kydex that I intend to take into the deer woods when the time is right. meaning when I feel like I’m 100% with it at bow ranges. Have yet to take my first deer with a handgun, but hope to this season. Bow, muzzle, rifle, Glockzilla, back to bow if I’m not tagged out. Which won’t happen if I harvest a doe.
I like 10 mm, I like .44s, I like .45s, etc., there’s room for everybody in my safe.
Great choice. I have the same setup, different red dot and holster.
I like that gat.
Pretty big though. I really like my P229 in .40
This is at the top of my “don’t need but really really really want and can’t justify the price” list. Trigger on this pistol is awesome!
This seems more like a smear article for the 10mm than a gun article. First people don’t know how to shoot revolvers? If so why did S&W bring back the Model 610 revolver in 10mm or Ruger with the Redhawk and GP100? Second the 10mm must be gaining traction since S&W, Springfield Armory, Ruger and Sig Sauer have all added at least one gun to the 10mm market. None of which have chosen to discontinue any recent addition. Third if working the slide on a semiautomatic is too much, S&W has come out with just the handgun. Look no further than the M&P 380EZ. I’ve heard a lot of older and or weaker folks seem to like it. What the 45 acp and 460 Rowland do the 10mm does better. The 10mm puts the 45 acp to shame in both velocity and energy and does it with only slightly more recoil. The 10mm does not hold a candle to good 460 Rowland ammo but the 10mm has enough velocity and energy to get the job done with less recoil. Making the 10mm more suited for outdoor use and self defense (both 2 and 4 legged vermin).
Now I own 44 mag revolvers (S&W model 69 Combat Magnum set) and enjoy shooting them. I also recently purchased a Glock 20SF 10mm because I enjoy shooting the 10mm as well. This makes the second 10mm I’ve owned. The first was a S&W 1006 that I wish I still had. The next 10mm’s I’ll buy will be the Glock 29sf and both barrel lengths of the Smith model 610. I decided to buy Glocks because I got tired of waiting for S&W to make a 10mm in the M&P line. Having said all of that I’d say the 10mm’s popularity is growing and the market is ripe with new guns to prove it. If it wasn’t for the FBI and its pansie agents that couldn’t handle full power 10mm, S&W hadn’t developed the compromise 40 S&W, and people wouldn’t follow law enforcement for gun and ammo selection the 10mm would most likely be more popular than it is today. People are learning to take the 10mm for what it is on its own merits.
odd tone.
“…many people don’t know how to shoot revolvers…”
that might be true, but all they’d have to do is pick one up to figure it out.
odd nonsense, followed by an abrupt finish just when i thought the review was getting started.
i may add a few more calibers. probably not .45 or .460rowland.
10mm i will be able to buy off the shelf, use a long barrelled pistol (bruin?) for sight radius and heft, and hopefully find the right pcc in the same caliber. i have in .44mag a semiauto pistol, an sa revolver and a lever carbine. devastating.
but i want a 10mm.
If a 10mm 1911 is what you are after you could do worse than a Dan Wesson. You could only do better for quite a bit more money. I went with the Glock 10mm for one simple fact. That is I can’t seem to hold on to a 1911. I’ve owned several 1911’s over the years but I alway end up selling or trading them. The last one was a Springfield Armory stainless RO that I completely rebuilt. Now a friend owns it and his wife really likes it. For sure there are other cartridges. Personally I’d like to have a Winchester 45 auto mag but to my knowledge no gun manufacturer makes a gun for it anymore.
there’s a few choices. cz doesn’t seem to want to make a 10mm or a single stack nine. so i’ve been biding some time. tanfoglio, but i have enought “character” in my italian bikes.
10mm is legendary, Sonny Crockett had one,………SONNY……….CROCKETT, I’ve heard tell stories up in Alaska the Kodiak bear just fall over when they see it, water buffalo, elephants, squirrels you name it oh that son of a bitch will kill it and kill it dead , twice
So 10 mm kills what 6.5 creedmoor can’t? 😉
Nice.
Well, yeah! It’s 3.5 millimeters bigger!
What can’t the Creedmoor kill? The largest of bear and African game? On the other hand with the right bullet in an accurate rifle the Creedmoor could possibly save your ass if that was all you had. Being quick on the bolt would be a must but it is possible.
Not squirrels, bud. Those suckas are takin’ over. They are tough. The signs are all over, for those who can read them.
Sonny Crockett’s Bren Ten was actually converted to .45 ACP.
Most 10mm shooters these days have NO idea what the REAL Norma 10mm loads were like when the caliber was developed.
I’ve shot 10mm handgun (with off the shelf ammo) on a few outings with friends, no big deal. Then a handloader in our shooting group made up some “Norma” spec 10mm. Big difference!
That is the unfortunate part about the 10mm today. If true 10mm ammo is to be had you have to load it yourself. I load my 10mm ammo with a stout charge of Longshot or BlueDot powder under a 180gr or 200gr bullet. If I buy factory ammo I’ll buy Underwood since they seem to make 10mm ammo for what it is suppose to be.
Yup. I load mine quite stout using an older Sierra handbook.
I came up with my load for the S&W 1006 I had using Hornady data and sneaking up on max load for that gun. I ended up over max. That’s why I said stout load. I’m going to run a 22 lb spring in the Glock 20SF so I can hopefully get similar performance. That’s the same weight spring I used in the 1006 and had pretty good results.
I am in the same boat. I load 180’s up there in the bleachers and am developing 155 XTP loads now. They send the brass into space even with a 22lb spring but damn it’s fun. Accurate too and I don’t mind the recoil. I didn’t buy it to shoot at .40 speeds. I bought it to shoot true 10mm loads.
Mine hasn’t even seen a box of factory yet.
That’s a good point. Paul Harrell did a video on 10mm vs .40 S&W some time back. A number of the brands of 10 mm he tested weren’t significantly more powerful than .40, and definitely a far cry from the “200 grains at 1200 FPS” Norma loads.
Is gun I want,absolutely love shooting my buddies 220 in 45 acp but the 10 should be even better.
This review is garbage. My 10mm XDM holds 15 rounds. Wheel guns have their place, but 10mm is about the best you can get in a semi auto. 15+1 rounds of 10mm on tap is nothing to scoff at.
Yeah, I’m not sure what the author was smoking with that. I’m a fan of wheelguns but the capacity is a big issue, particularly if you are worried about large animals (bears) that have large bodies and are a lot harder to stop with pistol rounds than a human. Or, for that matter, if you think you might miss.
I’m fine carrying around a wheelgun but I recognize that I have a more limited capability with it than with a big-ass 15+1 semi-auto.
Is there any real draw to the 10mm, or is just a popular meme within the gun community? From what I can find, most 10mm factory ammo is underloaded to 40 S&W spec, and it seems the info I can find that full power 10 mil is comparable to an “auto magnum” is spotty at best.
I just figured pretty much all 10mm fans were just trolling.
If factory ammo is the only option look no further than Underwood or Buffalo Bore for full power 10mm. There are others but those two are the easiest to find.
And yes for the longest time thanks to reasons already stated the 10mm has had a true cult like following. The 10mm is one of those rounds that is either liked or it’s not. Very rarely is there someone that likes the 10mm and doesn’t own one eventually or someone that doesn’t like it and owns one.
Hell, I like all calibers, but if anything seems “unnecessary” to me it’s .40. I enjoy shooting 10 mm auto, but prefer .44 and like switching from my Marlin lever to Super Redhawk. Now the one that gave me pause was the 45-70 Gubmint and one of my newer purchases, the Marlin 1895 Tracker SBL. Beautiful gun, but shooting that one with hot loads will get your attention. I just *wanted* one, and look forward to climbing a tree with it in tow. Just like 3.5″ for turkey, you don’t think about recoil when you see what you’re hunting.
“There are many loads in .45 ACP that will do just fine for most uses outdoors. Buffalo Bore makes a 255 grain hard cast +P load that is my go-to for outdoor use. The existence of that single offering is why I don’t own a 10mm.”
Buffalo Bore’s and Underwood’s advertised muzzle energy for hard cast loads:
.45 ACP +P – 484 ft lb
10mm – 703 ft lb
The existence of that single offering is why I installed a Storm Lake 10mm conversion barrel and a Wolff 20lb recoil spring in my pawnshop Glock 21, which rides in my Kenai chest holster when I’m outdoors.
You said,
“Buffalo Bore’s and Underwood’s advertised muzzle energy for hard cast loads:
.45 ACP +P – 484 ft lb
10mm – 703 ft lb”
But check out .45 Super, which can be fired in most .45 ACP pistols with just a change of springs.
No need to trade in your .45 for a 10mm, when all you need is a change of springs to shoot .45 Super.
Underwood’s offering for .45 Super has almost the same energy as 10mm, but with a higher TKO, making it as good or better for bear defense, where you want a slow, heavy bullet, not a fast, light bullet.
.45 Super – 255 grains, 1075 fps, 654 ft lb, 17.70 TKO
10 mm — 220 grains, 1200 fps, 703 ft lb, but only 15.09 TKO
For those who put their faith in foot-pounds of energy, I’ve got news for you: grizzly bears don’t read fps figures! The TKO means it hits harder and makes a bigger hole (and besides, the energy is almost equal).
TKO is weight x bullet diameter x velocity / 7000
They’re both the same price at MidwayUSA.
See https://www.midwayusa.com/product/1018751781?pid=497730
Yes, the 10 mm has a better trajectory and a longer range, but don’t forget about the .45 Super.
The 10mm is touted as a bear cartridge up here in the Rockies. Meh, tried it…sold it. With the appropriate respect due to No One Special, I have to disagree with his comments on the .460 Rowland. I carry my FNX 45 with a Rowland conversion in the woods during spring / summer / fall hikes. 16 rounds of 950+ ft lbs kinetic energy compared to the 500’ish of the 10mm is a significant upgrade…and I can still shoot .45 ACP when I want to (with a 60 second spring change out).
As in any firearm platform and cartridge combination it is how well YOU train, familiarize and shoot with it that counts.
Almost elk season up here…looking for a slow, tender cow for the freezer.
No offense taken or intended. However with full power 10mm ammo from Underwood the energy level is more around just under to just over 700 ft lbs. Comparing apples to apples 460 Rowland from Underwood does produce 850 to just over 1000 ft lbs of energy. That’s with a heavier bullet going the same speed and the 10mm. Given that you can’t beat physics. That heavier bullet going as fast is going to produce more recoil. Even the lighter bullet 460 Rowland offerings will produce more recoil because of higher velocities. Again physics. I have nothing against the 460 Rowland it is a formidable cartridge to be sure. I also clearly have nothing against the 10mm either. Taken at face value the 10mm serves a purpose and does it quite well. I would say that is an opinion held by more than just me.
And you’d be correct.
YMMV.
Every cartridge has a purpose…some achieve their design goals better than others. Personally, I don’t have much use for the 25 ACP or 32 S&W Long, but, they have their adherents. The 10mm and the Rowland each have their uses…the Rowland fills my need better than the 10mm. Even by your apple to apple comparison the .460 has around 300 ft lbs more kinetic from a larger diameter, heavier bullet…perfect for bear country. You are correct about the Physics, however, careful reloading allows me to tailor the pressures and resultant recoil impulse (somewhat) to where I don’t find it excessive when shooting.
I don’t believe that my original post denigrated the 10mm…only that I found it to be *meh* for my desired purpose.
V/R,
OGiM
“I don’t believe that my original post denigrated the 10mm…only that I found it to be *meh* for my desired purpose.”
I didn’t think it did either. I was just pointing out that for the 10mm ammo selection is imperative. I would personally like a lite factory 44 mag. Something in between 44 spl and full power 44 mag for edc. I carry my 2 3/4″ model 69 Combat Magnum loaded with 44 spl from time to time. I do know from loading my own lite 44 mag the same gun is controllable with 180 and 200 gr bullets between 1200-1300 fps. Until something comes along in that genere I’ll carry the 10mm more often. I live in Missouri so I have very few creatures that want to eat me. Granted we do have mountain lions and a few black bears but they are rarely seen. Plus if you shoot either here you better be able to prove it had every intention of eating you.
Yea, if you shoot a griz hereabouts there had better be video footage of it threatening you and a shredded (human) arm or leg for evidence…
I think that so far this Fall in Montana that it’s bears – 5…hunters – 0.
An old Game Warden once told me to remember DFWTB…Don’t F*** With The Bears…good advice (he carried an -06 or 870 with heavy, magnum slugs in the backcountry…no spray).
“I think that so far this Fall in Montana that it’s bears – 5…hunters – 0.”
I hate to say it because I would hate to do it even more. However if it was me or the bear the bear would die and I would walk away and leave it for the scavengers. A bear isn’t worth my life or the hassle that comes after having to shoot it. All of this is after all other measures have failed.
IF I was gonna go to the Sig 10mm for hunting, I’d definitely choose the “Hunter” SAO version over the DA/SA version.
Bought a Glock 40 simply because I had collected buckets of once fired brass. It’s an ok gun, fairly easy to handle but suffers from Glock’s basic genetics: feels like holding a 2×4 and grip angle different from Browning types. Got a second hand Sig Legion 10mm for a great deal with five total mags and 300 rounds of ammunition. The Glock is now up for sale at my local gun club. I have an IWB holster for it and it carrys comfortably. I’m 5’10 and pushing 240 lbs and just turned 65. It’s a total joy to shoot, the extra weight of the gun makes it shoot like a heavy 9 +P or +P+ to me and I can stand and ring steel at 35 to 50 yards easily with it – 10″ and 12″. I’m sure I could group better from a bench.
I live in Alaska and do not carry this in the woods as our bears are large and easily annoyed when you scare her cubs. I have Cassuls and a Linebaugh for that.
Casulle
Damn… Casull
Understood! I have the Ruger Alaskan, contemplated the .454 Casul but opted for the .44 because I didn’t want to stockpile ANOTHER caliber. I LOVE shooting it, even though a .44 snubbie makes zero sense and I have never been to Alaska…yet.
I could have 4 RIA 10mm 1911’s for that price, no thanks.
This is a shit article. Over half of the content was you winging about how .460 Rowland is “sooo” much better than 10mm. Newsflash – no one cares about .460 Rowland. That’s why it’s still $50 a box. You can’t resurrect that particular dead caliber.
That whole paragraph was about as helpful as Janet Reno.
And no, your +P+++++++++ 45ACP load isn’t as good as 220gr hard cast, no matter how much you think it is.
Are you implying that Janet Reno isn’t helpful!?
despite all the negative comment that some have on this gun i think it’s great
کابل شبکه
If you want the better 10mm, get the Springfield.
“…my favorite .44 Magnum is the Smith & Wesson Alaska Backpacker IV, which is a super-light revolver. I enjoy firing that gun quite a bit and it’s always a thrill.”
(Clicks the link) to : https://www.smith-wesson.com/firearms/model-329pd
Aw, geeze! An AIRWEIGHT .44 Magnum? My recently crushed knuckles *twinged* when I saw that!
That wasn’t a ‘thrill’ you were feeling, that was nerve damage in the palm of your hand… 😉
I must be getting old. I am content just to keep my old Ruger SP101.
Get yourself a GP100 in 10mm to go with the SP101 for a set. No one ever said you can have too many guns.
10mm is just a fun round to shoot. Full power that is.
I enjoy the heck out of my Commander sized 10mm 1911 from RIA.
Wasn’t a lot of money to get in the game.
I really wanted a S&W 610. But tooo much cash for me and I don’t care for Ruger revolvers. Ugly guns with a capital U.
So 1911s it is with full power 10mm equals fun.
Who the hell cares about this author’s uninformed, ignorant, insular, dimwitted opinion of the 10mm….
This joker’s rhapsodizing false statements are to numerous to even bother singling out and listing. Do yourself a favor partner; stick to your personal review and opinion on the the firearm that you’re reviewing and avoid spilling your ignorance all over the place.
Better to remain silent and be thought a fool than to speak and to remove all doubt.
— ABRAHAM LINCOLN.
8 rounds, blow me
I vote for the RIA 1911 5 inch 10mm..mine always goes bang, and I agree on Buffalo Bore and Underwood full power ammo.. Handloads I use 155 and 180 grain Hornady XTP bullets loaded hot with Blue Dot or Longshot powder. I also have a highly customized EAA Witness Match Elite with a 6 inch threaded barrel..I shoot it with a SilencerCo Hybrid 46 Suppessor. It holds 15 rounds, is stainless steel, and has a three pound trigger..I also have an Trijicon MRO Green Dot sight on it. Yes, it’s heavy, but fun and accurate to shoot. My RIA 1911 10mm does better for a carry weapon. But the EAA Witness Match would is a great handgun hunting pistol..
I have the RIA 10mm MS and love it.
I got the 40 S&Weak barrel too.
Fun gun with full power ammo.
If I get lazy. I can shoot 40 S&weak out of the 10mm barrel too.
The extractors plenty strong to hold the shorter round in the 10mm barrel.
A have hunted with the 10mm and the 9mm. I have shot deer and wild hogs. I have seen no difference in killing power. When I place the bullet in the right place and have sufficient penetration the animal falls down and dies. All this infuriates the boys that have been beating the big bore drums for years but the truth is in the pudding so to speak. 9mm guns last longer before repairs are needed, give less recoil and hold more ammo. If you are young buy the 10mm you will get a thrill out of the recoil and muzzle blast and you will impress your friends at the shooting range. If you are old use the 9mm because you do not care anymore what your friends think and you know what your 10mm friends will never know.
I’m not saying the 9mm won’t kill deer and hogs with the right bullet and shot placement because I’m sure it will. I’ve just never had enough confidence in my pistol shooting ability to try it. The bigger bullet and energy gives me a little more wiggle room so to speak.
“The minor resurgence of the 10mm today is largely based on the fact that many people don’t know how to shoot revolvers and opt for a platform they’re more familiar with.”
Pure ridiculousness. “don’t know how to shoot revolvers” WTH. This was a 10mm hit piece.
The asinine nature of many of the author’s comments are already well covered. So I’ll just pick on his dumb comparison to the .460 Rowland.
Nobody in my area sells .460 Rowland, not even our great gunshop downtown which has been in business for over 50 years. Plenty of people sell 10mm.
.460 Rowland simply is .45 acp with a lot more velocity, which gives you diminishing returns downrange in return for much more recoil. You’re still shooting bullets meant for the .45 acp cartridge, which are designed to work best between 750-1000 fps, depending on weight. The comparatively low sectional density makes the round less effective for the tradeoff in recoil, otherwise, the defunct 45 win mag and unpopular .50 AE would have been kings of the handgun world by now.
I now have a Glock 20SF in hand after waiting for it to be shipped. Next up will most likely be a S&W Model 610 to keep the Glock 20 company. After that who knows. Maybe the Glock 29SF or the other barrel length model 610. I has me a couple 44 mags but I likes me some 10mm too. It’s like a free market, it is always better when you have options.
A buddy has the Smith 610…it is sweet. N-frame and 10mm…like owning and shooting the (almost) forgotten .41 Mag but with moon clips.
.40 S&W or full power 10mm not a problem…kinda like 38 Special and .357 Mag.
I shoot quite a bit of 44 Spl and lite magnums that I load for the S&W model 69 2 3/4″ barrel. I’m not afraid of recoil but that gun is just plain no fun to shoot with full power magnums. I shot 2 cylinders (10 rounds) max charge of H110 under a 240 gr XTP and I absolutely won’t do it again unless it means I’m not going to get eaten by doing it. Now the load I tend to shoot most is a modest charge of unique under a 180 gr XTP. If I want to step up to 240 gr I’ll load a modest charge of BlueDot. The 4″ barrel model 69 gets the full power magnums. The difference has to be in my head because the weight difference between both guns is negligible. It sure seems like there’s a bigger difference in recoil though. One doesn’t feel to bad but the other feels like Mike Tyson has been throwing right hooks into your hand. The 10mm on the other hand gets a nice stiff charge of BlueDot or IMR 800X, trying to drive a 180 gr or 200 gr bullet as fast as a 10mm possibly can. I would really like to have a old model 610 but with Smith reintroducing the model and the price of the older ones I just can’t bring myself to spend the money.
Machine Guns Montana (Kalispell, MT) has a new one on the shelf for (I think)…$729’ish. Their prices are very good and they routinely deal with FFL’s around the country.
I’ve loaded a lot of Blue Dot and Unique through the years…H110 not so much. Quite a bit of Power Pistol in the last couple of years for the .460 Rowland.