10mm handloads

[Harkrader]

I'm trying to strike a balance between current commercial ammo in 10mm and what I can hand load.
I find the commercial stuff isn't better than "40S&W Long".
I know there are a couple hot loads around, and I'm told at least one meets the original Norma loading.
Well, I don't really want a hot 180-grain, and loading it lighter doesn't appeal to me. It goes back to .40S&W Light.

Sooo, I was wondering if anyone has loaded lighter bullets to high velocity. Maybe a 165-grain? 155? 135?
Couldn't they be loaded to be greatly effective for PD or even hunting? Not that the current 180s can't do it, I'd just like something different. Lighter, faster moving bullet with high muzzle energy without the kick of the heavier bullet. My favorite 44 Magnum load uses a 210-gr bullet. Takes deer just fine. The hollow point round is also a formidable PD choice.

 

[tim c]

I just tried CFE pistol with 165 gr. jfp
8.4 gr found it a little warm, primers almost flat but clean and accurate.
again i found it a little on hot side

 

[oldman10mm]

Like you,I prefer lighter bullets. 44Mag gets the 180s'.10mm gets the 155s'. I have yet to try my stock of 165 and 135 bullets. But my reloading of the 155s' consists of using SR4756 which is discontinued,so my load data won't be of any use to you. I have enough of it to cover me well in the future. The two loads I have standardized on for the 155s' are at 1280fps and 1200fps as a reduced load. The 1280fps load was developed to put me in the range of the Norma ammo.

I have quite a bit of the Norma ammo,don't shoot it,too collectable,bought it all a long time ago when it was inexpensive.

 

[fredj338]

I used to be a vel freak with every caliber. Then you learn it's more about deep penetration & bullets that hold together. The 10mm is at its best with bullets 165gr-200gr in jhp, IMO. The entire point of any magnum is being able to push a heavier bullet faster than a lesser cartridge, IMO.
If I want light & fast, a 357sig or 357mag will do that fine & with better sec den for penetration than a 135gr/10. I've been loading & shooting the 10 since the Bren, even did initial load dev with one. For hunting, doesn't get better than a good 200gr jhp or lead WNFP @ 1200fps. For SD in urban area, a 165gr jhp @ 1300fps would be pretty decisive, if it holds together. Jmo with the 10mm.

 

[.41 cal]

Given proper bullet construction no reason that the 10mm would be any less effective than other high velocity light bullet combination.

From a fun to shoot perspective I really want to play around with the 135g bullet loads soon. Less cost less recoil and lots of velocity equals good times at the range with some calibers.

.41cal

 

[BLUEDOT37]

S-L case, Zero 165 JHP, Pwr. Pistol, 10.0gr, 1.260" OAL, CCI 300, 1418mv, 738me, Handloader #253, Kimber 10mm Auto, 5" bbl.

I found it to be very accurate in my 1076.

.

 

[Nevada Ed]

For hunting the 155gr is about as low as one should use, since
penetration is the name of the game.

Light bullets on shoulder bones and a rib hits on the way to the
organs, is not a good thing.

My minimum in the 357 Magnum was the old 160gr Speer for BIG
Nevada bucks, back in the late 60's.

Take a load and shoot it through two 5 gal. plastic buckets full of water
and see what turns up.

 

[kraynky]

Seems that I recall and older Lee manual maybe, that used 800x to propel a 135 gr 10mm to something over 1700 fps. I never tried it myself because of the way 800x meters. I may have the velocity off a bit, but I know it's in one of my older manuals somewhere.

 

[robertrwalsh]

I regularly use 10mm 155 for paper punching and the odd IDPA match when I use the 10mm.

 

[reddog81]

I bought a pack of the mixed 155/165/180 HST bullets from Rocky Mountain reloading and have had good luck with them. I load everything from high end 40 S&W charges to near max 10mm loads. I have had the best luck with the charges right in the middle of the 10mm load data from my Lyman book.

Handloading is the way to go if you are going to be shooting much. You can find the more anemic factory loads for $25 for a box of 50, but all the high end more powerful stuff runs $1 per round or more.

 

[fredj338]

The 10/135 has the same ss as the 357/110, both pretty poor for penetration. Just sayin.

 

[arkdweller22]

For hunting, doesn't get better than a good 200gr jhp or lead WNFP @ 1200fps. For SD in urban area, a 165gr jhp @ 1300fps would be pretty decisive, if it holds together. Jmo with the 10mm.

This is the ticket.
A 165 Gr. JHP can be loaded to 1300 pretty easily with several powders. I'm using AA9 and getting consistent velocities in that range (avg. 1341 out of a mostly stock Glock 20). That said, I've used AA7, Longshot, 800x and Blue Dot with similar results.
Ballistic gel shows extreme expansion with Gold Dots at that speed. Any faster and they will probably fragment.
Keeping it at 1300 though makes for a fantastic SD round.

 

[m657]

Beware the 140gr/40S&W load. A buddy was having such misery trying to make it work as more than a single shot, in frustration he abandoned both the .40 AND his pistol in that caliber.

I'm betting a 140/10 in a revolver might work well enough to at least get rid of the rest of the box of boolits.

 

[fredj338]

Beware the 140gr/40S&W load. A buddy was having such misery trying to make it work as more than a single shot, in frustration he abandoned both the .40 AND his pistol in that caliber.

I'm betting a 140/10 in a revolver might work well enough to at least get rid of the rest of the box of boolits.

The lighter the bullet the lighter the recoil spring, if you are not running it full speed. Much easier to get 40 minor running 170-180gr IMO.

 

[Harkrader]

Thanks for the ideas.
Time to head for the basement and load some.