By Allen Forkner, GunBroker Publisher

When it comes to the recent resurgence of the 10mm Auto cartridge, I have a theory as to why it is one of those rounds that simply will not die. 

It’s all about the name. The headlines, slogans and witty remarks that the 10mm lead to are simply too much for people to let fade away. From “Perfect Ten” headlines to the jovial-sounding Bren Ten handgun, we love the wordplay and refuse to let go of the round. 

Oh, that and it’s a darn good choice for most things for which one wants a handgun. That is if you can look past the urban legends and a few real-world logistics. 

Turned up to 10: Post-Miami Shootout

I won’t burn up pixels here recounting the gory details of the FBI Miami Shootout of 1986. Plenty of documentaries cover it, so YouTube is your friend if you want the skinny. But the short version is the FBI somewhat ham-handedly tried to take down two hardened bank robbery suspects, and a shootout erupted. Several agents and the suspects were killed.

In the ensuing after-action investigation, it was determined that the FBI agents, largely armed with .357 Mag. and .38 Spl. revolvers and a couple of 9mm semi-autos, landed several hits on the suspects. The wounds, however, were not incapacitating, leading to the deaths of the agents. 

The FBI determined that it needed more firepower in the form of a more powerful handgun cartridge. In 1989, after extensive testing, the FBI turned to the 10mm Automatic, a relatively young handgun cartridge developed by Norma in 1983.  The 10x25mm cartridge was a step up in ballistics from the 9mm (and come on,10 is more than 9, right?) and the feds felt it had superior terminal ballistics. 

The experiment was short-lived, however, as field agents almost immediately began to report negative feedback. This was due to the increased recoil and the larger grip size the 10mm necessitated. The FBI requested the creation of a “10mm lite” load, that had less felt recoil and a shorter case length, allowing it to chamber in a 9mm sized frame. This led to the creation of the .40S&W, but that’s a whole other topic. 

Prime Time 10mm Automatic

The staying power of the niche round was shored up in the shoulder holster of one of the most famous vice officers of the 1980s, “Miami Vice” Det. Sonny Crockett. The Friday night powerhouse cop drama had the stylish special forces veteran-turned-undercover officer Crockett opting for the Dornaus & Dixon Bren Ten pistol as his handgun of choice. 

This semi-auto, developed from an early CZ-75 design by Col. Jeff Cooper of Gunsite fame, became an instant cult classic. Examples of the originals can be found from time to time on GunBroker but command a pretty penny. 

Dialing it back to 9

With upgrades in 9mm performance using better projectiles and powders, the 10mm (and its .40 “Short & Weak”) offspring began to fade. Recoil, magazine capacity, ammo costs and the 9mm adoption as the official NATO forces handgun caliber were obstacles too much to overcome. Over the past two decades, law enforcement agencies across the nation began to move back to the 9mm. 

While 10mm pistols continued to be produced, they largely fell into one of two categories, 1911-pattern and the GLOCK 20. Ammunition options were also limited, with costs often double that of its smaller cousin. 

The 10mm retained popularity in niche categories, such as backcountry bear protection and whitetail hunting. However, as an everyday round the 10mm ran far back from 9mm and .45 ACP among Americans. 

Time for Ten

Over the past decade, a small, but fervent fan base has kept the 10mm Auto alive. As an early social media manager for a major firearms brand, I rarely could post about a new firearm launch without a follower almost immediately asking “Yeah, but when are you gonna do it in 10?” It was such an in-joke in the company, that when the pistol product manager read me in on an upcoming 10mm launch for SHOT Show, it took him a good five minutes to convince me he wasn’t kidding. 

This wasn’t the sole brand with 10 in mind, either. SIG Sauer, Smith & Wesson, Springfield Armory and others had 10mm options back in the lineups within a year of each other. And all sold respectably well. Ammunition manufacturers responded with new loads and broader options, with costs coming down a bit as volumes increased. 

Three 10s for You(me)

We got our hands on three of the most popular 10mm ammo loads out there and put them to the test. We chose the new 10mm Influencer 1911 from Girsan, a shining example of the new wave of 10mm handguns out there, as our test bed. Look for an in-depth review of the Influencer coming soon to GunBroker, but it performed flawlessly over the hundreds of rounds we sent downrange. 

Best 10mm Automatic for Practice

For range work, practice and drills, we were impressed with the consistent performance of the AMMO, Inc. Signature Target 10mm ammo. This 180-grain load features a truncated metal cone nose profile and delivers consistent 1,190 fps performance. 

What we really loved was the 150-round range pack offering, in addition to the more standard 50-round boxes. It is a perfect choice for working on skills at the range or taking a shooting class. And for reloaders, AMMO, Inc. brass is top quality, making for great reloads, which is highly recommended for high-volume 10mm shooters. 

In full disclosure, AMMO, Inc. is a sister company to GunBroker, but the ammo stood on its own with its performance. 

Best 10mm Automatic for Hunting

As mentioned earlier, the 10mm hung on for years solely for its capability as a handgun hunting round. The 180-grain and 200-grain options are solid performers on whitetails and similar-sized game. Long-slide handguns with barrel lengths as long as 6 inches were common options in the 10mm section of most gun shops. 

For this application, we fell in love with Hornady’s Custom 10mm with the 180-grain XTP projectile. This expanding bullet is a traditional open-face hollow point, and boasts muzzle velocities in the 1,275 fps range, giving it impressive terminal ballistics. We were so impressed, the Influencer/Hornady combo will be going on a few whitetail hunts with us this fall.

Hornady brass is also a favored choice among reloaders, so save those empties. 

Best 10mm Automatic for Defense

The uptick in 10mm offerings has also resulted in a whole new crop of personal defense bullets. While we recommend sticking with the Hornady Custom hunting load for defense against bears and mountain lions, the Nosler ASP Defense load is our pick for self-defense against two-legged predators. 

Loaded with the Assured Stopping Power (ASP) projectile, Nosler Defense balances the power of the 10mm Automatic with reduced recoil and flash. Clocking in at 1,150 fps range at the muzzle, Nosler Defense brings a thump to its targets downrange. 

Not surprisingly, we also highly recommend Nosler brass for reloading, as its quality is fantastic.

No Need to Be Tentative

If you’ve been considering adding 10mm to your collection, whether it be for defense, hunting or just something different, the time is right to jump on the bandwagon. Almost every manufacturer has a handgun (as well as a few PCCs and carbines) in their catalogs and the ammo options are broader now than ever. 

When you line up the 10mm next to the ubiquitous 9mm, you can’t help but feel a little comfort in the larger round. Is there a bit more recoil? Most would say yes, but it’s subjective. 

Does the report have some bark? Again, most say yes. But I liken it to the sense of power one gets when starting up a proper V8 muscle car compared to the gentle purr of its six-cylinder counterpart. 

The 10mm simply stands out from the pack with its performance and power. Not to mention all the great wordplay.

Tags: 10mm, Ammo Inc., ammunition, Girsan, Hornady, Nosler