Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Handguns 10mm Options for Hunting

I recently purchased a Glock 29, mostly for a backup when baiting multiple sites for bears. I have no experience with a 10mm and am looking for some advice on loads which work. I know some loads have been loaded down somewhat to make them more manageable for self defense and reduce overpenetration.

I am looking for bullets which will work best against bigger game like bears. Any loads which you know work well. I picked up some Nosler 200 gr bullets from Midway on sale. Are they any good for this? I am looking for penetration more so than expansion. If I need it, it will be close and I will need a load to anchor something quick with a spine or brain shot. Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Personally I would go with a 220 grain flat point hard cast. There are several available commercially loaded. Buffalo Bore and Underwood Ammo both are loaded to there full potential and are quality ammo in my experience. Also Double Tap loads full potential 10mm ammo. I have not personally tried the 10 mm ammo fron DT, but their 320 grain 44 mag ammo is very accurate in my revolver.

I also have a G29. I'd check out the Underwood 200 gr XTP. They are currently out of stock but if you put your name on the notification list you can get some next batch.

http://www.underwoodammo.com/10mmauto200grainxtpjacketedhollowpointboxof50.aspx

Eric

My favorite is this:



I get mine here:

http://www.manventureoutpost.com/products/Buffalo-Bore-Ammunition-Heavy-10mm-10MM-220Gr-Flat-Nose-Hard-Cast-FN-20-240-21C%7B47%7D20.html

My Favorite too. Don't think you can beat them for a 10mm Penatrator load !

I'd also vote for the heavy Buffalo Bore, but Double Tap loads good stuff, too. Both companies run by quality people, in my opinion.

Underwood also load quality ammo at the same power level for less cost. I am very impressed with Underwood Ammo

Thank you all for the great help. I was thinking of the hard cast bullets but I was also wondering about some of the heavier jhps like the 200 gr hornady xtp or the nosler. Does anyone have experience in loading and using them. Do they open up too fast in heavier animals to get good penetration? I read somewhere where the writer thought the nosler had too much separation of jacket and core but I do not know if this was in actual usage or just in test media.

I would rather hear from someone who has actual experience. Thanks for all of your input.

In a true self defense situation with a large heavy animal you need a hammer, not a scalpel. You've got to take out the brain or break major bone to drop them fast. The various hard cast loads are certainly adequate but since they are not recommended for Glock barrels I would lean more towards a fast 200gr flat nosed FMJ.

That said, if you put them in the right spot a JHP will work most of the time.

I once had to follow up on a wounded 200ish pound hog in some thick cedar brush. I was carrying my Glock 20 loaded with 175gr Silvertips. I was on a game trail when the hog tried to cross in front of me at about 10 yards. The first shot hit him square in the shoulder and staggered him, a fast second shot hit him about 2 inches higher and took out the spine, dropping him instantly.

Kudu, one gent here who has a schit ton of experience dispatching black bear recommended hollow point over hard cast. I have no idea where the thread is but I found that very interesting. The gist of what he said was the HP knocked them on their ass while many times the hard cast would pencil through with less dramatic results. I have no personal experience but pass it one from what I remember.

Eric

I have used the Underwood 180 grain 10mm XTPs they hold together reasonably well. I would think that the 200 grain XTPS would sa well but do not know this to be a fact, since I have not tried them.

A couple of things about 10mm ammo loaded by Buffalo Bore. First, they are not an SAAMI ammo maker. That fancy 220 gr. hard cast load is most likely well over the 37,500 psi operating pressure established by the SAAMI.
Second, it's really unnecessary. I've shot Double Tap's 200 gr. WFP hard cast bullets @ roughly 1100 fps. through 3, 2.5 gallon jugs of water. That's over 36 inches of penetration. In contrast, the standard 240 gr. XTP Hornady .44 Magnum ammo only shoots through two jugs. And so does the 180 gr., 10mm XTP when loaded at about 1200 fps.
To me, if JJHack thinks the 10mm loaded with the heavier expanding bullets is OK for black bears, that's good enough for me. E

Federal also makes a full flower 10mm hunting load. It is a 180gr Trophy bonded JSP. That's what I would likely use if I wanted to avoid hollow points.

Kudu3,
I've been shooting the Buffalo Boar 220 gr Hard Cast load in my Glock Model 20 10mm for years. I know Glock says not to, but that Bullet is so frickin hard you would have to re-melt it and pour it down the barrel straight out of the damn pot to leave any "lead build up" in your barrel!

I've also shot a bunch of big ole feral hogs here at the Ranch with that Buffalo Boar Ammo, and also with my handloads using a 200 gr Hornady XTP HP with a max load of AA-9 that chronograph at over 1300 fps.

While the 200 gr XTP is a great bullet on big hogs, the Buffalo Boar 220 Hard Cast Bullet will out Penatrate it every time. Never had a hog run off after being shot with either, though to be fair.

kudu-


The Nosler .40's are lighter constructed than the XTP's.

The 180gr XTP's are constructed (rated @ higher velocity) than the 200gr's. But you have 10% more mass with the 200grs.

Some of the "specialty" loaders might not perform to spec in the G29 barrel length.

Another option is using Hornady HAP bullets. They are XTP's without the nose serrations.

It is tough to beat any of the hard cast listed here. You want penetration, use the hard cast with large meplate. Test for function in your gun.

If you are talking Griz, use something else.

CorBon makes a good 200gr JFP penetrator load that would suit your needs. It's an FMJ but has a flat meplat to aid straightline penetration. They are a member of SAAMI and stand behind their products. I've seen some amazingly low SD numbers when running their ammo over the chrono too.

45 Super 200 gr lead cast @ 1285 fps is another way to skin the cat

Well, if you want to go that way with an auto.

Try 230gr @ 1350fps. With unbelievable follow up shot recovery. Or go with the 255gr loads.

460 Rowland

Another way to skin the cat.

Thank you everyone for your help and input. Since I just bought the 10mm, I probably will not be trying the 45 Super right away, but I will consider it in the future,

From all you have said, I will probably try the Underwood 200gr XTP load first. The new Federal 180gr load looks very interesting as well. I bought quite a few 200gr Noslers because Midway had them on sale for a pretty good price. I will reload these for practice and maybe close range deer hunting. I do not see the 10mm as a defense round because of overpenetration and the fact that I have other guns I like better for this, but the Noslers could fill this role in a pinch.

I have not shot the 29 much yet. I am still finding reloading components and factory ammo. I have to say the recoil was not anywhere near as bad as I thought it might be. It is really controllable. I think this will be my carry gun for all of my hunting. The size, weight, and power are difficult to match in any other handgun.

Again thanks to all the posters. I have never reloaded for a semi-auto, only rifle and revolver rounds. I assume I need a taper crimp on these. Are there any other things I need to know or watch out for? Any input would be greatly appreciated.

Dean

I'd do a lot more research on reloading issues with Glock 10mm pistols before I started getting any reloading components. What you need to watch out for may convince you to not reload for it at all.

What problems are you referring to? Any references you could direct me to? Anyone else having problems? It sounded like some posters were reloading for the 10mm.

Dean

this right here ^


have had some issues with BB in the past, not in a handgun but in a long gun.

still like Tim, but I got a bad batch of his ammo

Unsupported case heads, case separations, Glock-kabooms. Do a search here and elsewhere.

Why would handloaders have these problems and ammo companies do not? Are handloaders trying to get too much velocity? Would they have problems at a less than max load? Still, you don't buy a Ferrari to drive 30mph. If you wanted lower velocities, you might as well buy a 40 S&W. Companies like Doubletap and Underwood load max loads and I have not heard of problems. Have I missed something?

Dean

340mag,

Have you tried these in a Glock? Results? Did you have to go to a heavier spring? The price seems reasonable.

Thanks for your help,
Dean

Like I said earlier, I've shot a bunch of the Buffalo Bore 220gr Hard Cast loads through my Factory Stock Glock 20. With the Factory recoil spring.
I've shot even more of my Handloads, using the 200 gr XTP HP at over 1300 FPS, again, with my Factory Stock Glock 20 & Factory Stock Recoil Spring.

Still not a problem one with my Glock or the Ammo. Also use those same loads regularly in my Kimber. Match Target 1911 in 10mm. Again, no problems whatsoever.

I load for a glock 20, for which i obtained a aftermarket kkm barrel to get around any issues with leading, and i think it is tighter than the factory barrel, and offers more case support. I also increased the recoil spring to a heavier number. I also don't try to get the last inch of velocity out of it. Having said that i have shot lead and jacketed bullets from around 155 grain to over 200 grains.
I settled on a 180 grain jhp for most usage, but also cast a hart cast 200 grain lead keith style bullet at aroun 1200 on the speed scale. You definitely want to put a crimp such as a taper on any of these type of rounds including the .40s&w. I measure after crimp to see if it is the same as a factory round. I was just looking at some .41magnum loads today, which is one of my favorite calibers. The ten will not get up to what a .41mag is capable but it gets it in the ball park with a lot of loads. And you get more than six rounds.
I shot an elk in the head a couple of years ago with a .41mag and a gold dot 210 grainer. It hit her so hard it bulged her eyes out. I think the glock with a similar bullet and maybe a little slower than what i loaded the .41 too would have done the same thing.
I use mostly accurate powder in the reloads for several reasons one of which is consistency in meteroing. You can find a lot of info on the 10mm on the glock forum where some of the experimentation i would tread lightly on some of the loads. But still a lot of info. I think underwood as posted some of their stuff on their too from memory.

New Once fired brass is not likely too rupture, reloads have already been fired and may have been burgled where the case was unsupported this area is weakened increasing the likely hood of a ruptured case.

This is definitely true. High intensity auto rounds will have some bulge. If you have ever used a good ultrasonic cleaner, you can see "sometimes" a tear on the interior surface after sizing. Even when the exterior looks good. Not always, but it only take one. If you load hot, inspect your cases after sizing very carefully. Pushing pressures and number of reloads per case has to be done carefully.

No doubt good advise from Gibby

On my hot handloads, I only use new brass. That brass gets loaded the second time with my plinking loads, which is a 155 grain hard cast RN bullet at medium velocitys.

You guys are not helping me here!
I'm trying really hard not go buy a G20Gen4 that a local shop is selling for $516+tax.
This kinda talk is not helping at all.
I should have never sold my 3rd Gen G20SF.
Freaking 10MM madness!!

That is what I do also.


When you look back on the history of the 10mm, it was all Norma brass. Very good stuff. Loaded hot, 200 grain bullets at 1300fps. Nowadays most are reduced from that. The problem arises sometimes from reloading brass from the mass producers. Starline brass uses good virgin brass with a different grain structure. Then heat treated.

Another mistake by some handgun reloaders. When your loading at the top, in an auto pistol. You may not get the same amount of loads out of your brass as you do in your wheel guns. Don't expect it.

Gibby is spot on in both posts above.

A gen4 20 for $516? You better jump on that. I have been shooting underwood 220 hardcasts through mine and they have worked great in the trial stages.

In Tenn. You must have a 4-in. Bbl on a handgun to hunt legally, yet "any CF cartridge" is legal.

So if you have a 4- in. Bbl in your Beretta .25 ACP, you're good, but a G29 is too ineffective.

I'm torn between getting a Canadian-length G29 bbl from Lone Wolf or just going for a G20.

Since I wasn't hunting tonight I carried the G29 loaded with 11 DT 135s, a G20 mag in pouch w 15 WW 175 STs and another G20 mag in hip pocket w DT 200 gr WFNGCs.

Felt pretty well-heeled for drug addict felons through killer whales. I'd probably run DT 165-gr. Bonded JHPs for deer or black bear...