45acp out? 10mm in?

[Will317]

I have had a Glock 21sf for years and accumulated about 1700 of ammo stocked away and several mags for it. I just recently bought a Glock 20sf for a good price like new. I really like the 10mm. The videos and what I have read on it all show so much potential for the round. I can't necessarily stock up on 10mm ammo right now due to funds. I don't really feel like I need 2 of the same guns in 2 different calibers. Is there anything the 45 can do that the 10mm can't? Should I sell my Glock 21, mags and ammo and move all to 10mm? I got a 1911 in 45 and several mags that I would keep some ammo for so I still have a 45 around for range fun. Thanks

 

[teddy12b]

The 45acp with some hot factory loads can come close to a 10mm. The 10mm shines when people can take it hunting, or when guys in Alaska want a semi auto backup bear gun. The catch to owning a 10mm are that not all states allow it to be used for hunting, when it's allowed the barrel length usually has to be 6" which isn't the normal factory length requiring an aftermarket barrel, price and availability of ammo. In all fairness price and availability seems to be getting better with the popularity of the caliber going up.

I've had a G20SF and loved it, but after some good times at the range I realized that I was spending a lot of time reloading special for a handgun I couldn't take hunting in my state and all I was doing was knocking down steel plates at the range in the most expensive way possible. Still love the gun, and caliber but practicality got ahold of me and 9mm is dirt cheap these days.

For plinking at the range, a 10mm won't do anything a 45acp won't do. If I were going to go to Alaska and wanted a sidearm for protection I'd buy another G20SF in a heartbeat. If IN allowed the 10mm for deer hunting, that'd be enough of an excuse for me to buy another one in a heartbeat. Unfortunately those situations haven't happened yet and all I do is target shoot and train so a 45acp gets the job done for me very well and is much less expensive to shoot.

I'm not knocking the 10mm by any means, and believe me when I say I am actively looking for an excuse to buy one. I just haven't found the right reason to yet.

 

[smythe012]

The 45acp with some hot factory loads can come close to a 10mm. The 10mm shines when people can take it hunting, or when guys in Alaska want a semi auto backup bear gun. The catch to owning a 10mm are that not all states allow it to be used for hunting, when it's allowed the barrel length usually has to be 6" which isn't the normal factory length requiring an aftermarket barrel, price and availability of ammo. In all fairness price and availability seems to be getting better with the popularity of the caliber going up.

I've had a G20SF and loved it, but after some good times at the range I realized that I was spending a lot of time reloading special for a handgun I couldn't take hunting in my state and all I was doing was knocking down steel plates at the range in the most expensive way possible. Still love the gun, and caliber but practicality got ahold of me and 9mm is dirt cheap these days.

For plinking at the range, a 10mm won't do anything a 45acp won't do. If I were going to go to Alaska and wanted a sidearm for protection I'd buy another G20SF in a heartbeat. If IN allowed the 10mm for deer hunting, that'd be enough of an excuse for me to buy another one in a heartbeat. Unfortunately those situations haven't happened yet and all I do is target shoot and train so a 45acp gets the job done for me very well and is much less expensive to shoot.

I'm not knocking the 10mm by any means, and believe me when I say I am actively looking for an excuse to buy one. I just haven't found the right reason to yet.

This is a very good answer. I have swapped from 45 to 10mm, however it's mostly due to my normal use of 9mm (plinking) and 10mm for when I go hiking out west.

Just another thought: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I3UEi2abpRQ

 

[Will317]

Indiana does allow 10mm for deer hunting now( and through the loophole allows 40 S&W also) out of a 4 inch or longer barrel. That is the main reason I bought it. I always wanted a 10mm, but already had the 45 setup and didn't really fill a need, only a want. It being legal for deer pushed me into looking into getting one. I sometimes take trips to the Smokeys and stay in cabins, I have always taken my Glock 21 with Underwood 255gr +p hardcast. Never felt undergunned. I carry 9mm. Really the 45 or 10mm would be a option in the truck gun rotation and when I go on vacations.

 

[Will317]

This is a very good answer. I have swapped from 45 to 10mm, however it's mostly due to my normal use of 9mm (plinking) and 10mm for when I go hiking out west.

Just another thought: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I3UEi2abpRQ

ya. I have though about the conversion, but decided to just get an actual 10mm.

 

[teddy12b]

In all honesty, I've got a glock 41 that's the new longer, and slimmer 45acp and if I could safely convert that into a 10mm I would do that for hunting season or hiking trips.

 

[shibumiseeker]

I don't know about replacing the .45acp.. The 10mm has merits unto itself that make it a fine round. As noted above, you now can deer hunt in Indiana with it. While hot .45s approach mild 10mm energy, 10mm can be loaded much hotter and has a better ballistic coefiicient for longer range shooting with retention of downrange energy. You also have more capacity in the same size gun.

I have a large collection of 10mms, but I still love the .45acp!

 

[teddy12b]

I don't know about replacing the .45acp.. The 10mm has merits unto itself that make it a fine round. As noted above, you now can deer hunt in Indiana with it. While hot .45s approach mild 10mm energy, 10mm can be loaded much hotter and has a better ballistic coefiicient for longer range shooting with retention of downrange energy. You also have more capacity in the same size gun.

I have a large collection of 10mms, but I still love the .45acp!

How's my old G20SF treating you? LOL


I didn't know the 10mm was legal for deer in IN now. It's been a while since I've checked or really thought to look it up. Can I convert my G41 to 10mm with a barrel conversion or does that only work for the G21 to 10mm? Anyone know?

 

[in625shooter]

10 mm is a great round but boils down to "How much do you want to pay to use it?" Yes you can find ammo semi regular and some isn't to steep (arms core, s&b etc) but it is iffy if you can just find it on a whim like 9,40,45 etc.

 

[Will317]

10 mm is a great round but boils down to "How much do you want to pay to use it?" Yes you can find ammo semi regular and some isn't to steep (arms core, s&b etc) but it is iffy if you can just find it on a whim like 9,40,45 etc.

Ya. That is the bad thing about 10mm. You have to get it at a gun store or online. Can't just swing into any Walmart and pick up some. Didn't think about that.

 

[SSGSAD]

I have had a Glock 21sf for years and accumulated about 1700 of ammo stocked away and several mags for it. I just recently bought a Glock 20sf for a good price like new. I really like the 10mm. The videos and what I have read on it all show so much potential for the round. I can't necessarily stock up on 10mm ammo right now due to funds. I don't really feel like I need 2 of the same guns in 2 different calibers. Is there anything the 45 can do that the 10mm can't? Should I sell my Glock 21, mags and ammo and move all to 10mm? I got a 1911 in 45 and several mags that I would keep some ammo for so I still have a 45 around for range fun. Thanks

JMHO, but, the OLDER you get, the MORE you will hurt .....

I used to shoot full power Magnum rounds, .357, and .41, and .44 .....

My wrists HURT ..... 9mm, and .45 for me .....

I say go for it, when you're YOUNG, cause when you start hurting, you won't want to .....

 

[Will317]

JMHO, but, the OLDER you get, the MORE you will hurt .....

I used to shoot full power Magnum rounds, .357, and .41, and .44 .....

My wrists HURT ..... 9mm, and .45 for me .....

I say go for it, when you're YOUNG, cause when you start hurting, you won't want to .....

that is a good point. I guess I could always read a 45 later when I get my funds build back up a little. Have fun with it now and hopefully 10mm will get cheaper and easier to dind

 

[biggen]

I believe you can convert the G21 to a 460 Rowland, however unless you reload that is not a good way to go.

If you want to hunt, the 10MM is the way to go. Other wise, for self defense or plinking/target shooting the 45 is a great choice since you already have it.
I have both and love both and will probably buy more of both. However it's a G20 that's on my side everyday.

 

[BehindBlueI's]

If you want to shoot a lot of 10mm, I'd say it's time to look into reloading. The more expensive and/or exotic a round, the more compelling the economics behind reloading your own.

 

[Dean C.]

I do not see the 45acp ever going anywhere, it is burned into the American gun owners psyche for the most part. Most "non-gun" gun owners automatically equate the 45 with stopping power in a handgun, while the 10 is gaining in popularity unless it is adopted by the military or the FBI I do not see it coming anywhere near the 9mm and 45acp market share.

 

[oldpink]

Unless you're really in need of the money, why sell one to keep the other?
Both are exceptional self-defense rounds, with ammo availability being the major selling point for .45ACP, while ballistics and being able to legally hunt deer with it here in Indiana for the very first time during firearms season are the major selling points for 10mm.
As BBI mentioned, you can overcome the ammo availability problem with 10mm by rolling your own.
That not only circumvents that problem, but also brings down the price dramatically, plus allows you to replicate the ballistics of the original Norma ammo without having to go to the specialty ammo companies (Doubletap, Corbon, Buffalo Bore, and Underwood) to get ammo that performs the way that this cartridge was always intended to do by Colonel Cooper.
Reloading is a great thing to get into, but it's particularly productive for 10mm Auto because the cost savings of it over factory ammo is much greater than can be gained with 9mm or .45 ACP.
Also, addressing the comment about the pain from recoil, you can tailor your reloads for whatever purpose you like, using whatever bullet you like (target or hunting) and using whatever level of power you want, ranging from loads that replicate .40 S&W (perfectly comfortable for even the more casual shooter) all the way up to what I like, scorchers that launch 155 grain bullets out at 1450-1500 FPS or 165 grain bullets out at 1400 FPS.
.45 ACP is a time tested cartridge, but it's nice to have a second option that has considerably greater (can decisively outdo even the stoutest .357 Magnum loads) potential for defense or hunting.
btw...this is just my subjective opinion, but I have never been in the least intimidated by the recoil of full power 10mm.
I mean, yeah it's obvious that it's much more powerful than most standard pistol/revolver rounds, but it has never caused a bit of pain after multiple thousands fired.

 

[Leadeye]

I not much of a new gun/cartridge guy, but I do like the Glock G40 with the optical sight. It makes a good woods gun and I don't need my glasses to see the sights. Just getting started learning about the 10mm on the reloading press.

 

[oldpink]

I not much of a new gun/cartridge guy, but I do like the Glock G40 with the optical sight. It makes a good woods gun and I don't need my glasses to see the sights. Just getting started learning about the 10mm on the reloading press.

You'll do just fine.
I'm sure you already know this, but no roll crimping should be used (I doubt any 10mm/.40 S&W dies even have a roll crimper) because of the way that it headspaces on the case mouth, so taper crimps only.
I'd recommend getting a Lee Factory Crimp die for your crimping purposes, a worthy investment that has served very well.
I haven't had to buy a factory load in twenty years ago, with the exception of two boxes of Underwood for defense purposes recently bought with Massad Ayoob's suggestion on that subject in mind.

 

[shibumiseeker]

How's my old G20SF treating you? LOL

It's great. I really notice the trigger difference over stock whenever I shoot it compared to my other G20s.

plus allows you to replicate the ballistics of the original Norma ammo without having to go to the specialty ammo companies (Doubletap,

Just going to trot out my perennial dig against DoubleTap ammo. Shady business practices and outright lying about their "premium" self defense ammo.
https://www.indianagunowners.com/fo...5281-caution-if-you-have-10mm-double-tap.html

As far as I know, they haven't changed.

 

[oldpink]

It's great. I really notice the trigger difference over stock whenever I shoot it compared to my other G20s.



Just going to trot out my perennial dig against DoubleTap ammo. Shady business practices and outright lying about their "premium" self defense ammo.
https://www.indianagunowners.com/fo...5281-caution-if-you-have-10mm-double-tap.html

As far as I know, they haven't changed.

Yeah, I've been told that Doubletap is unscrupulous, and the obvious reason for them loading bullets lighter than listed on the box is to get the velocity numbers where they claim they are.
At least the other three seem to have unblemished reputations, especially Kevin Underwood's company, which loads what they claim and whose velocity numbers are right in line with what independent people (tnoutdoors9 on YouTube, for one) have verified with their own chronographs.