Why the 10mm Auto Is a Great Cartridge
First designed in 1983, the popularity of the 10mm Auto cartridge fluctuated in its nearly 40-year lifespan; however, it might be at peak popularity right now. Whether you’re interested in hunting, defense, or target shooting, you’ll need the best 10mm ammo to get the most out of your handgun. I’ve used my 10mm for all those use cases and tested a pile of ammo over the years. I’ve been hunting and frequenting bear country in Alaska for 20 years, and started out carrying giant, heavy revolvers. I’ve switched to carrying a 10mm in recent years, and as a last resort, it has the capability of being an effective option for several applications. Here are my picks for the best 10mm ammo offerings that you might actually be able to find in stock.
- Best 10mm Ammo for Bear Defense
- Buffalo Bore Heavy Outdoorsman 10mm 220-grain Hard Cast FN
- Underwood Ammo 10mm Auto 140-grain Xtreme Penetrator
- Grizzly Cartridge Company 10mm 200-grain Hard Cast
- HSM 10mm 200-grain Lead RNFP “Bear-Load”
- Federal Premium Solid Core Syntech 10mm 200-grain
- Best 10mm Practice Ammo
- Best for 10mm Ammo Self Defense
- Hornady Critical Duty 10mm Auto 175-grain FlexLock
- Winchester Defender 10mm Auto 180-grain Bonded JHP
- Sig Sauer Elite Performance 10mm Auto 180-grain V-Crown JHP
- Federal Premium 10mm Auto 200-grain HST JHP
- Best 10mm Ammo for Hunting
- Hornady Handgun Hunter 10mm Auto 135-grain Monoflex
- Hornady Custom 10mm Auto 180-grain XTP
- Doubletap Ammunition 200-grain Controlled Expansion JHP
A popular opinion is that the 10mm Auto is a capable cartridge for bear and other wildlife defense. That opinion isn’t based on the 10mm’s power—it’s certainly less powerful than a bushel of contemporary revolver cartridges—but rather that it brings an attractive balance between power and ease of use.
Cartridges like the .44 Magnum, .454 Casull, and even .500 S&W have long been touted as bear medicine, but they present some significant challenges to the shooter. Shooting handguns well requires lots of practice, and big revolvers often aren’t much fun to shoot. They also tend to be heavy, cumbersome, and annoying to carry in the field. Even ammunition price and availability play a role, and 10mm is generally cheaper and more readily available than most big revolver ammo.
Pistols chambered in 10mm still have sharp recoil, but they are generally more serviceable to a wide variety of users. Some 10mm pistols are comfortable and compact enough to carry daily—as well as a backcountry defense gun. Many large revolver cartridges lose significant velocity when barrel lengths are shortened—due to slower-burning powders—but among all the 10mm loads listed, the difference in velocity from an extended 5-inch barrel and a compact 3.8-inch barrel averaged only 100 fps.
The variety of 10mm handguns and 10mm ammo is ever-increasing, and the cartridge is suitable for more than backcountry defense, but also some big-game hunting and everyday carry. One key to making the 10mm work for your intended application is to select appropriate ammunition. Selecting the wrong 10mm ammo for your intended use will greatly diminish its effectiveness.
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