I really like my new Glock 20 - that being said if I need to go heavier I can use my SW 44 magnum or 460V.

Here's my take for what it's worth. I have lived up here for 18 years and have been a firearms instructor for 15 of those years and have been a wildlife intervention trainer for the past 7 years.


In wildlife intervention scenarios, where a person is assigned the job of providing bear coverage for a work crew, they are required to have, by USFW regulations, force options other than lethal. I don't know of any rifles that can make the change from lethal, to less lethal to pyrotechnic deterrence with the ease and speed of a pump shotgun. In fact I have never seen less lethal or pyrotechnic rounds for rifles.


Stepping out of the professional world and into the civilian world one is certainly free to carry what ever they like . A 12 gauge slug is a formidable tool, but then so is a large bore rifle. You may however, find high power optics to be more of a hindrance than help when trying to find a bear's nostrils at 10 yards on 14 power. I have more than once reminded hunting partners to turn their mega scopes down to the lowest setting as we entered into thick stuff. Most set their scopes as high as they can and never change the setting. I would rather have an open sighted, large bore weapon, be it shotgun or rifle, were I to face down a charging bear. I've had a fair number of close encounters with bears, but fortunately all have ended amicably with neither of us leaking bodily fluids.


So as to no get too far off track on the OP's thread, what is the 10mm good for? The 10mm is a viable option for bear protection. I was in a couple shops today and the only handgun ammo I found was Buffalo Bore 10mm, 480 Ruger and 475 Linebaugh. Lots of 10mm bear stuff. I might personally choose a bigger gun but that's because I have them. I certainly wouldn't be afraid to go afield here with a heavily stoked 10mm.

A handy short barrel 12 ga with slugs that create 2300 + ft lbs of energy is 2 1/2 times the energy of a 44 mag and can be brought into action accurately and very quickly (as long as it isn't propped against a tree). Not a Glock guy but would take a Glock 20 10mm with 800 ft lbs of energy over anything else in bear country. Given the proper holster it would be very comforting and unobtrusive to carry.

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S&W factory revolver armorer

I agree about the 10mm vs .357mag ballistic equivalency. Look at Underwood and Buffalo Bore offerings....they are pretty much equal. The difference is 6rds in a revolver vs 15+1 in a Glock 20. I think 10mm is silly in a revolver, and the only reason I see for a 10mm revolver is, if you have 1 or more 10mm semi autos and want a revolver but don't want yet another caliber to stock up on.

Literally a 357 for the auto crowd w/o going to Coonan/Desert Eagle platform.

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aka "Mooncat"

I think S&W missed the mark by chambering the 10mm Auto in a N-frame only.

IMO, it would have been better suited in a snubbie L-frame like the new 2-3/4" M69 that they recently beefed up. That would be a cool size.

But since they went the N-frame route go ahead & up the game by converting it to a 10mm Magnum. Shoot the 10AUTO & 40S&W in it too, if you like.

The 10MAG is a much better match for the 41MAG & there's way more variety in bullet weight/styles for .40/10mm if you handload, & you really need to handload for either.

I'm glad I converted mine to 10MAG but there's still room in the stable for my 41MAG revolvers & 10AUTO pistols.

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Not Employee of the Month

The 10mm is a great caliber for several purposes. It's a great hunter for deer and pigs. It's a great backup in bear country but certainly not the primary weapon. For these purposes get the full power loads from the likes of Underwood and Buffalo Bore. Range ammo in 10mm is not much more than .40SW. Bullet selection for bear is critical because you need penetration, not quick expansion. I have never understood the desire to put auto loads in a revolver for my purposes. The upcoming P320/10 will very likely continue the revival of the 10mm

Semi-auto rounds in a revolver isn't such a bad idea if you want to shoot full power factory loads, or hand loads. The 610-2 can easily handle them, while most semi-autos cannot take that abuse....but of course there are exceptions.
No bears around here. 10mm is a great choice for woods carry in this area. But so is .357, so I'll carry either a 627, or a G40 with a Burris FF3 mounted on it.

Well poo,

Winchester dropped the velocity of the 175 grain Silvertip from 1275 to 1200 FPS. It is no longer more potent than the 41 Magnum 175 grain Silvertip which is still shown at 1250 FPS, which is almost the perfect duty round for the 57/58.

The 10mm coupled with the Bren Ten in 1983 was at its magical time. I bought into the whole craze back then but soon made my way back .45 acp. Not sure of the purpose of that round in a six gun, but never understood the need for a 9mm revolver either .

I have a S&W 610 4", a Ruger GP100 4", a Kimber Target and a Rock Island, the Smith will out shoot them all. But yea! it's just a way to shoot an auto cartridge in a revolver, but in my book it's a good way. I would put the 10mm some where between .357 magnum and the .41magnum. It is very accurate!

One thing I've noticed:

Internet wisdom says, "If you're ever accosted by an angry bear, you'll have time for only one or two shots . . . . "


Then you look at actual encounters, and that's not true at all.


Update: Handgun or Pistol Against Bear Attack: 93 cases, 97% Effective

Sort of like the internet wisdom that says "If you can't take care of a criminal attack in three or four rounds, you shouldn't be trusted with a firearm . . . ."

And then you look at actual encounters . . . .


The real world lesson is that you might need more ammo at hand than you, or other folks, think you will need.

So the 10mm semi-auto handgun has a purpose: to spit out 16 rounds of .357 magnum equivalent loads.

Cant speak specifically about the 610 but can about the 10mm cartridge. What's so great about it to me is the fact that I load bullets from 135gr all the way up to 200 and 220gr ones are out there too. It's no 44magnum, it's not even a 41 magnum but it's a thumper for sure, dont doubt it. I've loaded 1560fps 135gr all the way up to 290gr Nosler HPs with 12.9gr of A#9 going 1187fps. It's a very versatile round. I run into people at ranges who've never heard of a 10mm, new shooter obviously, but it's fun to get people talking.

My Dan Wesson Silverback is a very accurate gun too. I definitely changed the springs, both the recoil and main and added a flat bottom fp stop. And the 10mm, for me anyway, seems to be plenty accurate.

Last night I loaded 100 180gr Speer Gold Dots over 11.7gr of A#7, one of my Silverbacks favorite loads.

I love 10mm in autos, and have both a Colt Delta Elite I bought when they were first released, and an AMT Javelina longslide (7-inch barrel stainless 1911). But I have always felt that rimless, short semi-auto calibers were dumb in long-cylinder revolvers. That’s why we have 357, 41 and 44 Magnums, and 45 Colt.

I continue to be amazed that people will willingly part with money in exchange be for a revolver chambered for a semi-auto caliber....

Hahaha! Truth spoken at it's finest... 10mm is a FINE round "IF" you either roll your own or carry Buffalo-Bore, Underwood's "Boutique's" or now Sig-Arms makes a fine load as well. Other than that you get a .40Cal (also a another fine defensive load for 2 legged buttholes) just added with 40-50fps pushed into it.

Where 10mm really shines is it's 220+ grain load threshold offering at 1200fps with a pill that is either a truncated cone bonded HP for the "skreets" or a "Keith Hard Cast" for in the woods or fields. Other than that you are carrying a common .40caliber.

So you're gonna take real world over the internet???
If I was to be a goin' to Alaska to hunt or fish, I would not feel the need to carry a side arm. That's what I'm paying the guide for

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Forum consigliere

It's different and although a .40 caliber, it is more. At one point my thought process was not to acquire any one off calibers like a 10mm, .41 magnum, .32 magnum or .327 magnum.

I failed when a Colt Delta Elite presented itself at a bargain price at one of the local pawn shops. I had just finished reading a thread about the 10mm and became, like an eight year old in an ice cream parlor, mesmerized by all that was not vanilla.

The Delta Elite had a couple of finish issues and became the only the second firearm that I had refinished. I also added Novak night sights for all of the night time shooting that I enjoy.

Then the quest became to find a Mod. 610. The search ended with another true bargain from the estate of a departed dealer. It was NIB and like Medusa, drew me in to its spell.

The fact that both are exceptionally accurate is a big plus. Not to mention that the 10mm is everything the .40 is not but, that is my humble opinion.

I also succumbed to the allure of the .41 magnum. Now there is a handgun that will do everything a .44 can do but, it won't replace my .44's.

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If you don’t understand the 10mm you have never shot one. Seriously! A friend brought a Glock 20 to a shoot, and everyone there fell in love with it to include my wife. There are Glock haters who love a 20 because they love 10mm. I fell for the 10mm in an auto platform and then decided to try it in a revolver. Once again, 40s&w ammo proved to handle the ammo shortage better than any handgun caliber. Guess who can still have fun at the range with a revolver. The answer is people saw this coming and stockpiled or those of us who have revolvers chambered for 10mm.

Bear bars?

I went to a Bare Bar once. There weren’t any bears

I own a GP100 10mm. I have yet to seriously wring it out, but it’s a nice gun, accurate, and the DA pull has changed my opinion of Rugers a bit. It’s a .401 on a medium frame. If they’d build it in 6-shot .41 magnum or even .41 Special, I’d join that cult.

A 10mm N-frame isn’t my thing, but people setup for 10mm who want a moon-clipped revolver, it might be just the thing.

I had a Colt Delta Elite, it didn’t shoot to my liking with anything but 40-level Ammo. Gone.

Found a Glock 40 in 10mm, loved it.

Shot a 610, sold the Glock. Looking for another 610.

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- Post No Bills -

I suppose the biggest fan of the .45, Col Cooper, who thought it necessary to take it up a notch with the 10mm, didn’t know his stuff.

The 10 in a semi auto is fun to shoot, no doubt, and I have several including a 1026 and a CS40 converted to 10mm(but NO Glocks!)

But where the fun really is for me is in the 610. In the current primer crisis, I don’t burn through ammo nearly as quickly with a revolver as I do with a semi. I savor every shot and take my time and really aim. Even when I’m not trying so hard, I seem to be inherently more accurate with the revolver in DA. And hitting the target more accurately gives me a greater sense of satisfaction.
Here’s a target from a while back at 12 yards which is the limit of the indoor range I frequent.

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USS Brewton FF1086
SWCA#3597

After 25 years of shooting my 1006, for which I reload from 'mild to wild', I picked up a 610 (pre-lock 6.5") and enjoy shooting it more than the 1006, probably because I'm more of a revolver person than I am a pistol person.

And you don't have to chase down your brass that's four lanes away.

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Not Employee of the Month

I like the 10mm, because they don't make a 11mm.I have a 610 and a Glock.I like both of them.

Actually they do. It's called a 44 special and 44 magnum.

in all seriousness, I would say that the 10 mm is a trendy round. It's not one of the old standbys that will never go out of style like the 9x19, 45 auto, 38 spl, 357 magnum, etc.

I remember a time when it was completely out of vogue and almost dead in the 90s and the 40 S&W was the darling of the gun world. Now that has flip flopped.

I'm sure there will be a time in the not-too-distant future where the 10 goes back into obscurity depending on the newest and latest trend of the day.

It's current claim to fame is as a high capacity autoloader caliber in bear country. I'm sure it performs that job just fine.

It also seems to be in vogue for hog hunting out of revolvers, but personally I don't see why you wouldn't shoot the 41 or 44 mag if you're going use a revolver. More power and you don't have to deal with clips.

If the (orphan) 41 Magnum can stand the test of time with it's historically very limited offerings & availability of components/ammo, what makes you think that with the 10mm being produced in more offerings than ever & the wide availability of .40/10mm components that it's just going to disappear.

Yes, I agree the 10mm is a better pistol cartridge than a revolver cartridge but the 45ACP is a better pistol cartridge than a revolver cartridge & there have been revolvers made for it since 1917.

If someone ever takes the effort to get the 10mm Magnum SAAMI certified, look out.

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Not Employee of the Month

Did anyone make 10mm AR? I could dig that!

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FBINA 213

No not yet. Maybe if we keep bugging Starline they will but so far they're not interested.

Probably because there would be SAAMI certification to deal with since it'd be a new cartridge?

For now you have to make your own.

I made a few from 41 Magnum cases. They still need to headspace on the case mouth but the 41's rim allows for ejector extraction. It's not worth the extra effort to do more.

I largely shoot my 10mm Auto & 10mm Magnums without moonclips anyway.

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Not Employee of the Month

I have to respectfully jump in here. With full moon clips on your belt a 10mm revolver reloads much faster than a .41 or .44 magnum.

Ya better get it if ya wanna hang out with the cool 😎 people

Yes,
10mm | CMMG Inc.

Oh wait, you meant 10 mm Auto Rim cartridge.

NEVER MIND!

My XDM holds 15 and my Banshee factory mag holds 30. But even the 1006 with 9+1 is a step up from the revolver. (Yes, I know. Weight too).

Did I mention I REALLY like 10mm?

Understood about the Glock thing.
When I decided to buy a 10mm a poly striker fired gun was high on my priority list. With the spectre of buying a Glock looming I was happy to learn of the XDM and even happier when I liked it.

I stuck with my 1911a1 in 45acp through thick and thin in the past many decades when new auto pistol calibers came and died by the caliber grave yard. Way too many to mention.

Now it’s been said the 10 mm is equal to the 41 mag, I believe it’s not, I don’t like using moon clips anyhoo.

Now isn’t the time to consider adding another new to me caliber anyhoo.
But I’d like to jump ship and get a ruger bh in 45 LC I have others in 45 lc.

When I first shot my m58/41 mag, do you remember your very first kiss.? Lol

How many rounds do we really need? I post some real shootout videos but I’d get banned.

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Plant garlic in the fall

The 10 mm is hardly the equal of the .41 Magnum, .357 Magnum is more like it.
Still, some smart, experienced people are converting to it for woods carry.

Roll your own. I stocked up on .41 mag components a few months back. Much of it from this forum.

And no, you don't need a 610 if you've got a .41 magnum, other than if your sole intent is to shoot 10mm (semi-auto ammo) from a revolver.

I belive the CMMG Banshee comes in a 10mm chambering

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This is the way....

My 57 nickeled 6" 41 Magnum, 1006, 610 6.5" 10mm.

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The 10mm gives you better than 45+P velocities ( and with even more room to stretch its legs ) and it does it with more efficient, sectionally denser bullets.

Nice shorter barreled pre-lock unfluted 610, eventually I'd like to acquire one.

Nice collection!!

I would like to have a 6.5" 610, but the 4" will do for now. I woods carry it on occasion. Nothing beats a 610 for the full power loads.
It's factory ammo only for the 1006 and the Glocks.

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My 57 nickeled 6" 41 Magnum is nice but I'd rather have a M58, or M57 4", or M657 4", or a 41 Magnum Mountain Gun. The 6" would be great for hunting but I don't hunt.
I'd like to add a 610 4" pre-lock unfluted as 'jughed440' shows.
I reload 10mm/40S&W so I can reload to mild levels as 'pistol cycling' isn't required with a revolver. Sort of like 38 special in a 357 Magnum revolver.

Send the cylinder out to Mark at Pinnacle Precision and you'll have a 10mm. Magnum the equivalent of the .41 Mag.
I did.

Send the cylinder out to Mark at Pinnacle Precision and you'll have a 10mm. Magnum the equivalent of the .41 Mag.
I did.

IT"S GREAT..........Because I like it.

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S&W Accumulator

I'm not saying one way or another except that if you want a 10, get the 10.

As for myself, I don't have a need or want for one. I have a number of 357's, 45 colts and 44 magnums plus I hand-load. As I can power up and down as I please, the many niches in between like 9mm, .41's, 10mm, get sort of overshadowed. I don't use things like 38 specials in my 357's. I have 38's for those. I do use speed loaders so moon-clips, I don't know. I'm not sure if it matters that much at my age. If I were to add something to my line-up, I would probably get a 460. I'd keep standard loadings for the 460 but power down for the 454 or 45 Colt equivalents using 460 shells.

I would however like a 1911 in 10mm. I have 45 ACPs and 9mms. I like single stacks so I'd be in it for the power factor over the 45 and not so much carrying capacities. 99.9% of our wildlife isn't armor plated including the bears. There is however the slim possibility of a moose.

...435 grains...isn't that enough? Only gun I can think of that typically has a heavier load is a .458 Winchester...ever shoot one...you don't want to....

A good pump action shotgun is a) cheap b) rugged c) points fast d) compact...and when the bear is within "feet" do you really think anyone uses their sights...

Bob