ArchAngelCD
Moderator, SWCA Member, Absent Comrade
One of the things wrong in this thread is saying the 40 S&W was created as a downloads and shorter 10mm cartridge. The 40 S&W was developed independently from the 10mm.
Hand load here, 180g RNFP, AA#7, 1226 fps.
It's a 10mm as it should be!
then you should have purchased a 9 or a 40.
I have a 357 revolver. I just shoot light 38 special loads, and practice with magnum loads to only get accustomed to recoil.
It’s worth noting that the 180 gr 950 fps 10mm load wasn’t far off of the:
- time tested 180 gr 900 fps .38-40 load;
- the 200 gr 870 fps of the .44 Special; or
- the Elmer Keith suggested 200 gr 900 fps law enforcement load for the .41 Magnum.
There’s a reason they all hover around the same numbers - they all offer good terminal ballistic performance with manageable recoil that doesn’t adversely impact accurate shooting by the average law enforcement officer.
One of the things wrong in this thread is saying the 40 S&W was created as a downloads and shorter 10mm cartridge. The 40 S&W was developed independently from the 10mm.
You left out the ever popular 45 ACP with 200 grain at 900 FPS or 230 at 830.
As noted these level of loads can be controlled by your average shooter and produce adequate results. A more powerful round isn't necessarily a better round.
In 1989 the FBI, did try out the 10mm that was said to have 708 ft/lbs of energy, but
It finally had to pass on this load with excessive recoil, in order for "All" of it's Agents, to be able to Qualify at the range test, that had a over sized grip, that caused a problem with many of their shooters.
I was an early adopter of 10mm in the 80s and among the people I shot with it had a reputation for breaking guns. Particularly converted 45s like the Springfield Omega 10mm I had that broke twice before I traded it for a S&W 610. I remember reading in a gun magazine back then that the original ammo from Norma was loaded to much higher pressures, somewhere in the 43,000 PSI range. That early ammo actually did come pretty close to the advertised velocity. SAAMI saw all the broken guns and went with a reduced pressure limit. Norma never changed the numbers on the box but reduced the pressure. I haven't seen that anywhere online so it might have been pure speculation but it matches what I was seeing at the time.
Because many people want the ILLUSION of power more than they want the RECOIL that comes with ACTUAL power.
They can brag about their powerful gun while enjoying comfortable shooting.
14.0 Gr. AA #9/Sierra 180 HP Averages 1236 FPS.
On the lower level, you can blame the FBI. They adopted the 10 mm, but it was a reduced loading that the .40 S&W later equalled. Since the FBI ammo contract was big, and a lot of departments that jumped on the band wagon copied them exactly, a major chunk of the 10 mm ammo production was, ah, 10 mm Special.
Before we phased the 10mm out in 2006, the only ammo we could get in quantity was the FBI load. Then we couldn't even get that.
Because many people want the ILLUSION of power more than they want the RECOIL that comes with ACTUAL power.
They can brag about their powerful gun while enjoying comfortable shooting.