Took the 10mm ( aka Best Millimeter) out for a spin this weekend. I was curious to see how it shot with the .40 barrel in it vs. the 10mm barrel. The difference in point of impact was negligible which makes me think that there is some merit to the notion that most factory 10mm isn’t different, in terms of exterior ballistics, from factory .40 S&W ammo. So..I’ll order up a shiny new set of Redding reloading dies and start loading my own 10mm.
As for the gun itself, I had swapped out the factory sights for a set of quality night sights. In addition to that, I think I might actually go down the rabbit hole of finding a better trigger. Although this gun is specifically for shooting things at a range that is close enough to let you find your target using the Braille system, I’d still like to be able to have a trigger that doesn’t work against me.
And, I hate to sound like a wuss, but that stippling on the Gen4 frames isn’t terribly comfortable under recoil. But, as I said earlier, this is a gun for emergency use so I think that when I do have to shoot it I will have bigger (and furrier) things to worry about than a little abrasion.
Regardless, its always nice to get to spend some time at the range. I’ve a pile of guns here that need to go out and have me do some work on them…maybe with there being a tad more daylight after I get off work these days I can finally get on top of that. It’d be rather embarrassing to go through the apocalypse with a gun that I cant hit anything with because I was too busy to go to the range and sight the bloody thing in.
Just curious what you’re planning on carrying for a bear load? I don’t reload for my handguns, so am using the Underwood coated 220 hardcast in my Glock 10mm. Otherwise it’s Buffalo Bore hardcast out of an old school 4 inch Smith and Wesson model 29.
In my .44, it’s a gas-checked 215 gr. Lyman #429303. Out of the 10mm it’s probably going to be a 180 FMJ of some kind as fast as I can reasonably get it. Might candycane it with JHP/HP/JHP/HP
For any big game, the 200 grain hardcast bullets greatly outperform the FMJs. At higher velocities, the jackets tend to separate from the lead core making penetration less than ideal. I shoot Underwood harcast rounds in my model 20 with a KKM 6 inch barrel, very accurate and better than expected performance.
1- For a gun you don’t plan to shoot a ton is it worth rolling your own hot ammo?
Or does it make more sense to just order a half dozen boxes from Buffalo Bore and call it good?
https://www.buffalobore.com/index.php?l=product_list&c=24
2- Dangerous game issues happen up close but
Crazy meth head issues could very well degenerate into a scenario where you are shooting longer than average distances. A way out in the woods the cops aren’t going to show up.
Anything worth shooting, is worth practicing to shoot. Plus, I abhor the idea of being dependent on factory ammo for a buncha reasons. And, finally, I have some particular ideas about what I want in exterior and terminal ballistics and I like the idea of tailoring something to my exact needs.
Bought a Gen 5 MOS Glock 20 and dropped a Holosun SCS on it. Love shooting it, but it is an expensive habit compared to my 9 or 40. I personally do not notice the different in recoil from the .40 to the 10mm.
Have you fired any .40S&W in the 10mm barrel yet, just as a one off test?
.40 will run in a 10mm but it’s not recommended as a matter of routine. The .40 is a little shorter than the 10mm, leaving a space in the chamber and the barrel. Some debate as to whether this would lead to unnecessary wear or damage to the barrel over time.
I wouuld imagine that since the cartridge would be headspacing on the extractor, the biggest concern would be some type of premature extractor wear as well as possibly unreliable ignition if the extractor doesnt hold the cartrodge case firmly against the breechface every single time. All in all, it seems, to me, a case of “yeah you can do it it if you have to but don’t makke a steady habit of it”.
This. It is not a similar scenario where you can run 38 spl in a 357 magnum >cylinder< and fire it off just fine. Autos seat at their rim, as a somewhat lock point for the pressure during fire sequence, and that contributes towards the pistols recoil and mechanical action. Badly explained but that round should should be exactly matched for barrel or gun design. Don't play around with things that go bang. Follow specs in re loading and staying one's lane, as well as running those guns "prudently". Seen casualties IRL, so play smart and safe, it is survivalism after all.
Not to get too technical, but virtually all autos headspace on the case mouth or their shoulder (if bottlenecked like .30 Mauser or .357 SIG). This is why you’re not supposed to roll crimp autoloader ammo but rather use a taper crimp. In real life, however, some autos (I believe the 1911 is a good example), although designed to have the cartridge headspace on the case mouth, wind up having the cases de facto headspacing on the extractor. Its been a while since Ive researched the subject. There are some interesting exceptions….semi-rimmed cartridges like the .38 Super are semi-rimmed so they headspace on the rim (sorta). Anyway………
Following. I have noted as a layman without scientific tests that most factory loadings are produced with a margin of error in the direction of lighter loadings or a reduced charging. Being corporate animals it would be expected that the lawyers or management would not push the envelope to the max saami specs of a particular caliber. All ammo companies no matter how cool their packaging and marketing, are susceptible to a overcharged or component failure that results in a blown gun. The percentage of occurances is very, very small, but does occur due to laws of averages when manufacturing a gorillian amount of ammo no matter the amount of quality controls in place. Although tedious to the handloader, a matching up and testing of components to make a personal loading superior to factory loadings is possible. Charles Bronson loaded his own in death wish, so you should do so also, just because.