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.