Author Topic: 10MM OR .45 ACP? THE SPRINGFIELD ARMORY TRP  (Read 958 times)

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Online Graybeard

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10MM OR .45 ACP? THE SPRINGFIELD ARMORY TRP
« on: September 18, 2020, 11:30:14 AM »
https://gunmagwarehouse.com/blog/10mm-or-45-acp-the-springfield-armory-trp/

BY TOM MCHALE   FEBRUARY 17, 2019


Recently I got my hot little hands on a new Springfield Armory 1911 Range Officer Elite 10mm pistol. Years earlier, I’d bought a similar pistol, a Springfield Armory 1911 TRP pistol chambered in .45 ACP. I’ve always loved that production version of the FBI contract gun, so I was anxious to compare it to this new 10mm. While there are subtle feature differences between the two pistols, the big stuff is the same or similar enough for government work.

Both pistols are steel with G10 grips – made for hard use. The weight is almost identical with the 10mm Range Officer tipping the scales at 41 ounces empty and the TRP at 42. There are some subtle differences in features. For example, the sights are fiber optic on the Range Officer and Tritium on the TRP. Given the slimmer profile of the 10mm case versus the fat .45, you’ll get an extra round in the 10mm pistol. The two included factory magazines hold eight rounds compared to the standard seven in the .45 ACP.


One notable difference between 10mm and 45 ACP is that for these two pistol, you get one fewer rounds in the magazine with the 45.

But what about ballistics? The high-level summary is that the 10mm sways to the lighter and faster projectile while the .45 ACP takes and fat and slow road. Let’s take a closer look using the standard “power” measurements of kinetic energy and momentum. Think of kinetic energy as destructive power, kind of like a drill bit. Think of momentum as a measurement of the ability to move an object.


The 10mm 1911 Range Officer packs 8 rounds in the magazine. The 200-grain hard cast loads on the right provide an interesting outdoors option.

The standard 10mm round uses a 180-grain, .40 caliber bullet although you can find options ranging between 135 and 200 grains. From the Springfield Armory Range Officer Elite 100, I measured most 180-grain loads at velocities around 1,180 feet per second. That combination yields kinetic energy of 562 foot-pounds and momentum of 30.5 pounds-feet per second.

The “classic” .45 ACP load fires a 230-grain .451-inch diameter bullet in the 850 feet per second range. I clocked the Federal 230-grain HST load at 903 feet per second from the Springfield Armory TRP pistol. That delivers 417 foot-pounds of kinetic energy and 29.7 pounds-feet per second of momentum.

To put those numbers in perspective, a 9mm 124-grain load like the Federal Premium HST leaves the muzzle at 1,100 feet per second and delivers 332 foot-pounds of energy and 20 pounds-feet per second of momentum.

To me, and this is a subjective measurement, felt recoil is about the same between 10mm and .45 ACP in similar guns. The 10mm recoil is a hair “sharper” likely because of the higher muzzle velocity, but the overall effect isn’t much different from the .45 version of the 1911. If you do the math on recoil energy, the 10mm cranks out more with 6.27 foot-pounds compared to 5.47 foot-pounds for the .45 ACP 1911.

I have to say the 10mm is kind of growing on me. Getting an extra round of magazine capacity in the classic 1911 platform is an interesting proposition. Whether for self-defense or carrying in the woods, it’s got plenty of juice to get the job done.



Tom McHale is a committed learning junkie always seeking a new subject victim. As a lifelong student of whatever grabs his attention on any particular day, he thrives on beating rabbit trails into submission. In between his time as a high-tech marketing executive, restaurant owner, and hamster cosmetology practitioner, he’s published seven books and nearly 1,500 articles about guns, shooting, and the American way.


Bill aka the Graybeard
President, Graybeard Outdoor Enterprises
256-435-1125

I am not a lawyer and do not give legal advice.

Jesus is the way, the truth, and the life anyone who believes in Him will have everlasting life!

Offline Lloyd Smale

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Re: 10MM OR .45 ACP? THE SPRINGFIELD ARMORY TRP
« Reply #1 on: September 27, 2020, 11:15:52 PM »
my take on the 45 vs 10 is this. Yup the 10 might be a TAD more effective. But not enough to make a real differnce at self defense ranges. Now if you want to hunt and shoot deer at 50 yards the 10s the way to go. But it has disadvantages too. More recoil and MUCH more muzzle blast. If i was getting a nice trp (and they are nice) id probably go 45.
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Offline Steve E

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Re: 10MM OR .45 ACP? THE SPRINGFIELD ARMORY TRP
« Reply #2 on: March 20, 2022, 05:28:49 PM »
Love the 45's especially in a 1911, always will but you gotta love the 10mm. It'll do anything the 45 will and more. At 62 I may still be young enough that the recoil is not that much difference between the 45 and 10 and the muzzle blast has to do with what powder your are using or factory load you are using. I always carry one of my 10's in a chest holster when I ride my 4 wheeler in the 405 acres behind my house as there has been Bear and Mountain Lions sighted in these woods. My favorite load pushes a 180 JHP out of the different 10mm 1911's I have at a hair over 1100 fps and my (direct impingement) AR at a little over 1300 fps. So it's easy to shoot at least for my and a lot of others so my vote goes for the 10mm and then get the 45 so it doesn't get lonely because they do get lonely.

Steve......
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