All Purpose 10mm Camp Loading

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06-30-2019, 01:16 AM
Suvorov

All Purpose 10mm Camp Loading

I realize that 10mm ammo has been discussed in depth here but I'm posing this question in it's own thread as it is fairly specific.

I'm going to head back home to South East Wyoming for a couple of weeks. Most of my time will be spent camping, fishing, and overlanding in the Snowy Range. My Smith 1006 will be doing duty as my "trail pistol" (the purpose it was originally purchased for more that 20 years ago). Back in the old days when I lived in Wyoming I was carrying 175gr Silver Tips as they seemed like the best commercial round available in the 1990s with the limited information out there. Lots has changed - so my basic question is what would be the best loading with the following in mind:

Most dangerous threat - Large Black Bear or Mountain Lion (no Grizzly's in SE Wyoming).
Most likely threat - Aggressive dogs and two legged vermin.
Truly most likely threat - Mosquitoes, slipping and falling, and the Hi-Lift Jack

I realize that most recommend a hard cast full power 10mm load for bear or at least something along the lines of Federals trophy bonded loading, but it seems to me that by going that route I am giving up some of the terminal effectiveness against what I would most likely need to use it on. Going off of LuckyGunner's 10mm tests - my current load, then 180 XTP by Hornady is a nearly ideal SD load, but would taking that into camp get me "Killed in the Woods"?

I am leading towards staying with the XTPs but would like to hear what the current group think is.
06-30-2019, 03:20 AM
pyrotechnic

I have the new 200gr Gold Dot in my G20 which I got for use as a woods gun. I've shot around 150 of them and it's been reliable and accurate with that ammo. It runs at around 1050fps or so out of the gun and isn't punishing to shoot like some other loadings.

ETA.
I've shot a couple boxes 200gr hardcast without issue in the past, but my understanding is that feeding issues tend to show up when shooting one handed, something I never tested. Since I do plan on getting into griz country I'm going to do some testing with heavy hardcast bullets. I'll probably have to modify a magazine with shims and an extra power spring to get them to work well, as another member here has done.

If I wasn't worried about grizzlies I'd just keep with the gold dots, or honestly just carry a 9mm like I do most of the time, because I'm lazy.

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06-30-2019, 10:46 AM
Clusterfrack

All Purpose 10mm Camp Loading

@Suvorov, here are my thoughts:

It took a lot of testing, and some aftermarket parts to make me feel confident with a heavy 10mm hard cast load in my Glock 20. The folks at .460 Rowland have determined that a heavy mag spring will prevent FTF malfunctions. My testing confirms that. As well, I have installed a heavy RSA and added adhesive shims on the mags to prevent them from dropping free under heavy recoil. I am taking this setup up to AK next month.

For a general defense load, I'm using the new Federal HST 200gr. See links below.

I had a 1006 when they were the new hotness. It was the most unreliable gun I have ever owned. I know people like these guns... but at least, based on my sample size of one, that's not what I would want to be carrying for life safety equipment.

For black bears, cougars, and human threats I would vastly prefer to carry my standard CCW, a CZ P-07 in 9mm. The Lehigh XP 9mm looks good to go, and may even be a satisfactory grizzly load.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Clusterfrack

Results of more testing:

42 more trouble-free rounds of Beartooth 200gr lead hard cast over 9.0gr 800X, using 460 Rowland mag spring and shims. These loads chronoed at 1189fps (sd=6; n=14).

Below is a 10 round 20yd group. The two sub-groups are due to me re-adjusting my grip from the very stout recoil. In any case, this is a very accurate load.
Attachment 37697

I also tested the new Federal HST 200gr HST (P10HST1S) in standard mags. As expected, they fed flawlessly, including SHO and WHO with a purposely weak grip. Chrono: 1078fps (sd=6; n=16). It's great to see Federal producing a full power 200gr 10mm load, instead of the 900fps 180gr loads of the past. Recoil of the P10HST1S in my G20 was comparable to a .40 cal Glock--heavier than a 9mm, but nowhere close to the recoil from my nuclear hard cast loads.

I will be carrying these loads in Alaska soon. Intel on the ground is that this will be an active bear year. I hope we can observe these beautiful creatures safely at a distance, and avoid trouble.
06-30-2019, 12:10 PM
CTX44

As mentioned by everyone above, the hottest hardcast loads tend to cause reliability issues, at least in Glocks.

If there are no Grizz, a 180gr XTP is a great load. The various 200gr XTP loads might be even better against a bigger black bear. Probably whatever shoots closest to POA in your gun. I have often carried Remington flat nose 180gr, bc it's loaded relatively warm for plinking ammo, was easy to control, always ran reliably in my gun, and I presumed would penetrate much further than an XTP etc. But if you can get a few boxes of 200gr XTP to check for function, that might be the best of everything.
06-30-2019, 03:30 PM
JHC

Quote:

Originally Posted by Suvorov

I realize that 10mm ammo has been discussed in depth here but I'm posing this question in it's own thread as it is fairly specific.

I'm going to head back home to South East Wyoming for a couple of weeks. Most of my time will be spent camping, fishing, and overlanding in the Snowy Range. My Smith 1006 will be doing duty as my "trail pistol" (the purpose it was originally purchased for more that 20 years ago). Back in the old days when I lived in Wyoming I was carrying 175gr Silver Tips as they seemed like the best commercial round available in the 1990s with the limited information out there. Lots has changed - so my basic question is what would be the best loading with the following in mind:

Most dangerous threat - Large Black Bear or Mountain Lion (no Grizzly's in SE Wyoming).
Most likely threat - Aggressive dogs and two legged vermin.
Truly most likely threat - Mosquitoes, slipping and falling, and the Hi-Lift Jack

I realize that most recommend a hard cast full power 10mm load for bear or at least something along the lines of Federals trophy bonded loading, but it seems to me that by going that route I am giving up some of the terminal effectiveness against what I would most likely need to use it on. Going off of LuckyGunner's 10mm tests - my current load, then 180 XTP by Hornady is a nearly ideal SD load, but would taking that into camp get me "Killed in the Woods"?

I am leading towards staying with the XTPs but would like to hear what the current group think is.

I'd pick the XTP or Critical Duty and never give it a 2nd thought.