Any hunting experiences with the 10mm?

[teddy12b]

I'm just trying to do some homework on the 10mm and wondered if anyone has any hunting experiences with the 10mm?  If so, would you tell us who, what, where, & how it worked?

[SHOOTALL]

I carry a 20 often while hunting but as of yet haven't shot a game critter . posted mostly to see other replys . 

[mcwoodduck]

No expierence here either.
but if you look at the ballistics of 10mm it is very cloase to 41 mag.
41 Mag makes a great deer and deer sized critter hunting round.
The differnece between the two is the bullet styles.
With the 41 Mag the bullets are mostly hunting style.
With the 10mm bullets are mostly Defense or target.
My guess is that anything designed to stop a person will stop a deer.
Maynot be the ideal bullet for big game hunting but shot placement and penitration are the keys to hunting.

[Graybeard]

No personal experience with the round but based solely on the ballistics of it I see no reason to not hunt with it if you are good enough with the pistol to hit at the distances you are shooting. It's not that far behind a .41 magnum really at full load levels.

I don't think I'd intentionally take it out hunting anything larger than deer and perhaps hogs if you aren't expecting really large hogs to be on the menu. I wouldn't use it on elk or moose or bears for instance but some folks have. I kinda look at such as more of a stunt than real hunting but that's just my personal situational ethics on the matter and not saying I look down on others who might feel it OK for them.

Bullet placement trumps all else at least when the bullet diameter begins with a 4 so put that bullet where it belongs and most anything you are likely to hunt with it should die and be easily recoverable.

[myronman3]

the only thing i have had the opportunity to kill with mine has been a big ol' porqupine....and he came down pretty quick after being shot.   i have killed porqys with 22lr, 454, 44 mag, 12 gauge and a 10mm.   of these, the 12 was the fastest, it was a turkey load with a extra full choke tube.   the others were all pretty much the same.   they are VERY tough critters. 

[SHOOTALL]

With regard to the 41 mag. the 10 comes close in the light weight end of bullet weight but as bullet weight rises it dropes farther behind if memory serves correct. But at best it comes close.

[Ak.Hiker]

I have done a lot of penetration testing with the 10mm and with full power 200 grain FMJ's or hard cast bullets it goes about as deep as the 357 Maguum and even the 41 and 44 Magnum with similar standard weight bullets. Move up to the 265 in the 41 and 320 in the 44 Magnum than the bigger magnum rounds will go deeper. I look at the 10mm as a very good protection round for woods walking, hiking, fishing, and as a back up for hunting. With a magazine change it makes a good SD loading for the trip home as well. 

[Mikey]

I developed a 10mm/40 cal wildcat in the late 70s that clocked the old 38-40 180 gn 3/4 jacketed soft point to 1370'/sec and a RCBS cast 170 Keith designed swc (for the 38-40) to 1425'/sec., from a 1911 with a Bar-Sto barrel.  I took four whitetail and two black bear with that cartridge; the furthest shot on a whitetail being at about 100 yds with complete pass-through (chest) with most of the shots being in the 50-75 yd range.  Both bruin were taken at about 25 yds with shoulder and chest shots, all penetrating t&t.  One bear was taken with the old 38-40 180 gn jacketed soft nose slugs that expanded nicely on the way through.  The cast loadings shot straight through on the other, as they did on a couple of whitetail. 

The ballistics of my wildcat put it squarely within the old 38-40 revolver and rifle loadings, which is exactly where the 10mm sits.  The 10mm is quite satisfactory for whitetail, black bear and hog. 

I never had the chance to play with the heavier 200 gn slugs in mine but may yet as they sound likey to penetrate nicely. 

My 1911 was set up for heavy (hot) loads but some slugs would not cycle the action.  150 gn 10mm slugs did not show me great accuracy but a 170 gn hollowpoint was a lot of fun, when I would load a steel BB into the hollow cavity and shoot old tire rims out to 50 yds with lots of sparks and pass-throughs.  My most accurate loadings exceeded anything 'target/match' I ever shot out of a 45 and those I used for metallic silhouette cleanly took the ram to 200m.  HTH.

[Merle]

I used a 10mm TC Contender in IHMSA competition for several years. I know it would better revolver specs by a fair amount, but I never got a chance to chrono it. Most people who never shot IHMSA would call me a liar when I told them how good it would shoot at 200 meters, but the 10mm was supposed to be one of the most accurate cartridges ever chambered in a TC. Don't know why a straight wall would do so good, but it did.

At any rate, I would not hesitate to use a 10mm for deer, or black bears. I'd want something heavier for big bears, though. I see absolutely no reason not to use a 10mm Auto, or a modern 38-40 revolver with good handloads. I'm not too sure about factory loads that are intended for self defense- I believe they would expand too fast & not deliver enough penetration.

My ten cents worth (adjusted for inflation)

    

[Mike in Virginia]

Is a 10mm not a .40 caliber?  Why chose that, when so many other calibers are available?  IMO, it's a police round.  I wouldn't want a .357 Sig as my primary hunting handgun; neither would I chose a 9mm.  The reality is, some rounds are developed with specific functions in mind, albeit they are sometimes interchangeable as to purpose, but for hunting only, it's silly to consider multi-purpose rounds.  Use what works the best, not what might work. 

[Merle]

Is a 10mm not a .40 caliber?  Why chose that, when so many other calibers are available?  IMO, it's a police round.  I wouldn't want a .357 Sig as my primary hunting handgun; neither would I chose a 9mm.  The reality is, some rounds are developed with specific functions in mind, albeit they are sometimes interchangeable as to purpose, but for hunting only, it's silly to consider multi-purpose rounds.  Use what works the best, not what might work. 

Some folks just like to have something different, but I reserve that approach for competition or hunting. For self-defense I'll stick with the tried & true.

    

[ctrout]

Is a 10mm not a .40 caliber?  Why chose that, when so many other calibers are available?  IMO, it's a police round.  I wouldn't want a .357 Sig as my primary hunting handgun; neither would I chose a 9mm.  The reality is, some rounds are developed with specific functions in mind, albeit they are sometimes interchangeable as to purpose, but for hunting only, it's silly to consider multi-purpose rounds.  Use what works the best, not what might work. 

A factory loaded 41 Mag throws a 180gr bullet at 1340fps.  A handloaded 10mm 180gr load runs from 1280-1380fps.  Obviously, neither the 41 Mag nor the 10mm would be suited to hunting the indestructible white tail deer.

[myronman3]

there is a hell of a difference between a 10mm and a 357 sig.  you would do well to educate yourself.

[buck460XVR]

for hunting only, it's silly to consider multi-purpose rounds. 

If that's the case, what about .357mag? It's got to be the king of multi-purpose rounds and I hunted with one for years and got half a dozen deer with it.....and it's ballistics are close to that of the 10mm, but with a smaller diameter bullet. For years it was not only the ultimate handgun hunting round, but it was also standard issue for most police departments. Can't get much more multi-purpose than that. Sure, there has been many newer and more powerful cartridges introduced since then, but that doesn't mean it still doesn't perform well for what it was designed for, because it does.  Again, the 10mm is close ballistically, so why wouldn't it make for a suitable hunting handgun? Because you say so? Just cause it don't work for Mikey in Virginny, doesn't mean it won't work for teddy12b. Funny thing is when I hunt deer with my .357, folks like you claim I'm under gunned and wounding animals........but when I hunt with my .460, the same folk are claiming I'm just trying to make up for a small sexual appendage and using caliber to make up for poor marksmanship. Truth is I've never wounded and lost a deer with the .357 and I consider myself a good enough shot with a handgun that I don't need to compensate for anything. I also know my limitations with the range and power of the weapon I am using, and the range of my accuracy. Caliber has nuttin' to do with it. If a guy has a 10mm and wants to try it for hunting, I say go for it.....just know your limitations and the limitations of your handgun. With that in mind, the 10mm is plenty enough gun. The only disadvantage I can see for using 10mm for hunting is finding appropriate ammo for it if one does not reload.

[Mikey]

"but when I hunt with my .460, the same folk are claiming I'm just trying to make up for a small sexual appendage and using caliber to make up for poor marksmanship". 

buck:  I think it is Mike in Virginia, not Mikey.  This Mikey doesn't have any problems with the 357 or the 10mm (mine especially) for whitetail.  And I thought it was always the barrel length thing that was s'posed to be somehow related to the appendage thng, but wadda I know..............

[SHOOTALL]

Is a 10mm not a .40 caliber?  Why chose that, when so many other calibers are available?  IMO, it's a police round.  I wouldn't want a .357 Sig as my primary hunting handgun; neither would I chose a 9mm.  The reality is, some rounds are developed with specific functions in mind, albeit they are sometimes interchangeable as to purpose, but for hunting only, it's silly to consider multi-purpose rounds.  Use what works the best, not what might work. 

That sounds good on paper but the reality is most 10's weigh less carry more ammo and pack sooooooo much better . I carried a mod. 29 5.5 inch custom DX , several Blackhawks and Redhawks while hunting and none even come close to packing a 10mm . The 10 in a shoulser rig is just plain easy to tote . Both the 1911 and Glock carry more ammo on board . Also I for one have not seen many night sights on large frame revolvers as of late ( we hunt fox and bobcats at night and have had bear come to the call making that 22mag. seem real small) .
 BTW the 41 mag. was built to be a police round first also 

[Justin10mm]

Hey! I have an opinion!

[myronman3]

great pictures justin!

[SHOOTALL]

Nuff said ! 

[pruhdlr]

I have a Glock 20 for hunting and doing some preseason recon in the bigger hog country of the Escambia River swamps and Eglin AFB.

For general carry while scouting I have the normal bbl installed. For hunting I switch to the Glock OEM 6" bbl. I also use the Double Tap 200gr WFNGC hardcast. I have put this load thru several of the bigger Fla hogs including a 300lb scruffy old boar that was following a sow in heat. I shot him at 30yds and the bullet punched thru his shoulder plate going in,jelled both huge lungs,separated his shoulder from his femur coming out. He died within 10 yds of being hit.

I have also killed some 250lb+ sows and other boar hogs with the same load. Hunting with a Glock 20 becomes somewhat comforting when the palmetto's come alive with a large sounder of hogs,knowing you have 15+1 and a quick reload to "play with".

Given the firepower available vs saaaaay a 44mag revo......I'll pick my 10mm any day.-----pruhdlr

[bowtech302]

I've used my Glock 20 to kill 8 (smallish) WV does stone dead. Only 1 required a second shot. Longest shot was probably around 45-50 yards (which is my absolute max range with this round) with the average being around 25 or so. Never tried it on a buck but wouldn't hesitate to do so within range. I'm using standard Winchester 175 grain Silvertip "defense" rounds. They generally don't exit but mushroom nicely and all but one have died within 150 yards and 3 have just dropped..