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reloading the 10mm

12K views 33 replies 15 participants last post by  ss30378 
#1 ·
getting a G20 soon. what loads do you 10mm shooters like? anyone use Bullseye for 10mm? Thinking of 200 gr round nose.... your thoughts.
 
#2 ·
Only if you want powder puff loads, wrong powder. While you can make any powder work for any caliber, there are optimum choices for upper end loads. Think medium slow to slow powders for the big 10 & 200gr. PP at the fast end & AA#9 at the slow end. Many like 800X, but I just don't get the results others claim.
 
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#5 ·
I tried Bullseye and if that's all I had I would use it but not like it. I've only used 180gr bullets and I'd say AA#7 is my favorite, Universal works well for a lighter load (~1050) and at 6.2 grains is a good value. Powder choice needs to be based on whether you want full power loads or just something hotter than your normal 40 S&W load. Since I shoot pistol mostly indoors I'm not looking for "Sturm und Drang" loads. If I shot more outdoors I'd probably just shoot my 44 Mag when I wanted some stout recoil.

Read this old Taffin article for some starter ideas: http://www.sixguns.com/tests/tt10mm.htm
 
#7 ·
#11 ·
Like Tater, I get better accuracy with AA#9 & 200gr bullets. Longshot is ok, but AA#9 beats it by a bit.
 
#10 ·
In my experience, Accurate No 9 under 180 or 200 grain bullets is hard to beat for max effort 10mm.

If you want some wow factor, look no further than Blue Dot. It is LOUD, and it throws a fireball. Good velocities, but not quite on par with Accurate No. 9.

If you want some lighter impulse ammo, WSF is worth a look.
 
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#12 ·
The 10mm is basically a magnum cartridge and fast burning powders like Bullseye would only work well in reduced loads that might not cycle the slide unless you went beyond maximum pressures.

It's always best to match case capacity with burn rate and bullet weight and therefore bullseye would be even a worse choice with 200 grain bullets which is actually a good bullet weight, that, and the 180 grain. Also, I don't know if they make a 200 grain round nose, but only truncated cone flatnose, which feed perfectly in a G20.

Medium to slow burning powders are best in the 10mm. by order of burn rate, from fastest to slowest, those would be, Unique, Power Pistol, 800x, VV3N37 Alliant AA7, Allianf Blue Dot, Longshot, and AA9.

And your absolute best source for load data would be a Loadbooks USA "40 S&W and 10mm Auto" Reloading Manual because it has all the data form every major source all in one book but only for specific calibers.

And with any of the powders that I've listed you can have the flexibility to create loads that can be slightly reduced all the way up to max and fuind the load that gives t4eh best accuracy.

And with the Glock 20, recoil is not an issue because of the flexible polymer frame, the wide grip, and the size and weight of the gun.

I have a Gen3 G20sf and it's just about my absolute favorite handgun. You will be very happy with yours if you've never had one before especially if you reload for it.
 
#13 ·
I shoot GSSF however just 9mm and 45ACP... won two pistols this year... one a G34 and a G20. Shooting the 10mm will be for... ... well.. cause I like a Big Bang... so I want some punch. Lite loads are not for me in the 10mm. Thanks for your input.
You're like most people then, 10mm as a magnum load. Honestly, I like a G20 because I have big hands. A G22/35 is really too small for me. If 10mm brass was reasonable I'd shoot it much more.
 
#15 ·
I've had a 6" longslide G20/21L since I invented it in late 2004 by asking Kevin of KKM (RIP) to make me the first 45-10MM conversion barrel. I handload 165 and 180grn HP for general shooting as well as 200grn hardcast 10mm for strolling in the Rockies. Over the years I fed my G20L over 9K of hot 10mm handloads. (Why shoot a wimpy 10mm? That's what 40s&w is for.) I also handload 200grn 45 Super for it as a G21L but that's another story.

My go to loads for both the 165 and 180grn are full power Power Pistol powder loads (some are even a bit more than full power) coupled with magnum pistol primers at the max OAL. The longer 6", G20L barrel produces very good velocities.
 
#17 ·
I started w/#9 & ended w/#9. 13.5 #9/180 cast/CCI 350/OAL 1.250----14.5 #9/180 Zero/CCI 350/OAL 1.250

That's about all my wrists can tolerate in a G29/Storm Lake barrel.
Happy smiles w/the G20.:elephant:
 
#18 ·
Do not use 800-X on 135gr bullets for 10mm. No matter what the load it blasts my mag out on the G29 and ruptures the back of the case in my Wolf barrel.
 
#19 ·
800x is a versatile powder but it's faster burning than AA5. Slower burning powders like AA7, Longshot and AA9 will give you higher velocities with LOWER pressures especially with bullets of a decent weight and greater sectional density such as 180 and 200 grain.

Get a copy of a Loadbooks USA manual for 40 & 10mm and it will tell you which powders give the highest velocities with the lowest pressures.

Using 135 grain bullets in the 10mm is like using 90 grain bullets in the 9mm. The velocities will seem impressive but trading mass for velocity is just a simple trade-off with little net gain.
 
#23 ·
Benchrst,
I've been wondering about E3 in the 10mm...I use it for 12 gauge skeet loads and have plenty of it.

I only want it for a bullet test, I need to get a 200 XTP at 800 fps from a 6" barrel...do you have any load data that might be of help here?

Low velocity expansion test is what I'm trying to accomplish...the 800 fps is so the rate of twist matches what the 1 in 16" KKM barrel does at 1,300 fps....stock 6" barrel is 1 in 9.84" twist.
 
#27 ·
The most fun I've ever had with a handgun has been recently...since I've gotten the 10mm with the red dot sight.

I can hit a 12" x 12" square steel plate at 150 yards all day long...I've hit it with 200 grain XTP's started at 1,300 fps and a lighter load of Nosler 150's at 1,375 fps.

Using the 150's this past weekend I attracted quite an audience at the range when people noticed I was banging on that 150 yard steel quite easily...someone asked me to try the 300 yard plate (36" x 36"), I ran the shot through my Applied Ballistics app to get the drop, held 8.5 feet over the center of the plate and nailed it on the first shot....with a Glock.

Thats mostly the part that blew everybody's mind...I was doing it with a Glock.

Elmer Keith could do it, so why can't we all??? Mostly because he tried and worked at it and most of the rest of us don't.

150 yards with a pistol isn't all that hard to do, with proper sights, good ammo...and some practice.
 
#30 ·
I stood in Cabelas for nearly an hour trying to decide on a light bullet weight...it was between the 135 and 150 Noslers...stood there running all kinds of math through my head before finally settling on the 150's.

Sectional density was the deciding factor and the area around .140 has been proven effective (125 grain 357 Mag.)...my lightweight plinker loads double nicely as an effective nightstand load.

8 grains of Unique under a Nosler 150...1,375 fps, a nice tame load my wife can shoot and enjoy, but would still be an effective man stopper if need be.

I do plan on seeing just how fast they'll go through that 7" barrel though...Power Pistol is next on the list of powders for the 10mm, I have most of a jug thats near 10 years old and needs to be used.
 
#33 ·
MY go to load for a SD with 10mm would be handloaded 165gr GS @ 1275fps. It is nasty on expansion. Though if I am carrying my g20 it is in the field & that gets 200gr LFP @ 1200fps. It would be my sd load if it came to it. Not ideal but useful.
Since it's inception, for me the 10mm has always been about running heavy bullets hard. You can get pretty close with a 40 loaded hot with 155gr, but not even sniff the 10 with 200gr.
 
#34 ·
800x has always been a solid performer for me, I've tested it in all my service rounds, 9mm, 357 sig, 40, 10mm and 45 super. It seem that I have 2 different results from 800x loads. Under little to no compression velocities are not that impressive and powders like power pistol, 572, longshot, ect. thoroughly beat it.

But under moderate to high compression 800x has had the highest velocity to case head expansion ratio by far. I just hate having to hand weigh each charge.
 
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