A Perfect 10: Best 10mm Pistol Options

JR Hensley3 hours ago

0 0 11 minutes read

Since its introduction, the 10mm Auto has been putting magnum power into semi-auto pistols. In recent years, it’s had a bit of a resurgence in popularity.

My introduction to the 10mm Auto came in the fall of 2014. I wanted to try some handgun hunting, and I’m a huge fan of 1911-style pistols. But the .45 ACP just didn’t have the punch needed for deer and hog hunting — not at any sort of distance anyway. I kept reading about this 10mm Auto, though, available in 1911-type pistols and with power nearly on par with the .41 Magnum.

My first 10mm was a PARA Elite LS Hunter with a 6-inch barrel, and I used it on a couple of deer hunts that fall. Unsuccessfully. Anytime I went afield with the PARA, I either saw no deer or they were 200 yards away. But in the spring of 2015 I took the PARA to Texas in search of feral hogs. Seven hogs later, I was hooked.

Since then, I’ve had the good fortune to shoot more than 15 different models of 10mm pistols, reviewing several of them for publications. I’ve fired a couple thousand rounds of 10mm Auto in that time, using a dozen brands of ammunition, on the range and afield — the latter while taking wild hogs and deer.

These are among the things I’ve learned about the amazing 10mm Auto.

10mm Auto Basics

First, if you can shoot it well, the 10mm is a much more powerful self-defense round compared to the 9mm or .40 S&W. The larger weight of 10mm bullets and the sheer ballistic superiority of the 10mm round make it so. Most 10mm rounds are loaded with 180- to 200-grain bullets and zip along at 1,150 to 1,250 feet per second (fps) at the muzzle. This is why, for example, handgun hunters use the 10mm — not the 9mm.

Second, it does take some time and practice for most people to learn to shoot the 10mm well. The reason? It has considerably more recoil than the 9mm or the .40 S&W. And more than the .45 ACP, too, I’d argue, unless you are using .45 ACP+P loads. Most pistols made for the 10mm are considerably heavier than other semi-autos, so they can be harder to aim with consistency, too. In my opinion, each individual shooter will have to evaluate their own skills and circumstances to determine whether a 10mm pistol is the right choice for them. If you can master it, however, you’ll be better armed than most.

Third, the 10mm is a versatile round, able to shoot farther and with more power than most other pistol cartridges. They are a lot of fun to shoot and to hunt with, and I think that every serious handgunner should at least give one a try.

Expand Your Knowledge on 10mm:

10mm Pistol Development

The history of the 10mm is wrapped up with Col. Jeff Cooper, founder of the Gunsite training facility and the father of the “Modern Technique” style of pistol training. Cooper was a huge fan of the 1911 platform. But he also understood the limitations of the .45 ACP round. While the big, lumbering 230-grain bullet was a great fight-stopper at relatively close ranges, it quickly lost power as distances increased.

According to various sources, Col. Cooper wanted a better combat pistol round, one with enough energy to launch a 200-grain bullet at 1,200 fps. Some have labeled Cooper as the “inventor” of the 10mm. But gun writer Richard Mann, who has researched and written about Cooper more than anyone I know, says Cooper was more of an “inspiration” to the genesis of the 10mm, not the guy who made it.

In 1983, the 10mm Auto was introduced to the world in the form of the Bren Ten semi-automatic pistol. The initial ammunition, according to Cartridges of the World, 13th Edition, was designed and loaded by Norma with a 200-grain bullet. “Muzzle energy is about double that of the .45 Automatic,” the book’s authors note.

After the infamous 1986 Miami bank robbery — which saw two FBI agents killed by a pair of very well-armed bank robbers — the FBI looked for a new round; the FBI’s duty-issued 9mm had proven itself generally ineffective against the two Miami hoods. The 10mm was the agency’s choice — but only for a while. The 10mm’s stout recoil and fairly expensive ammunition led the FBI to eventually switch over to the .40 S&W.

For nearly 20 years, the 10mm languished. The occasional pistol was produced, and ammunition offerings were very limited across the board.

But it certainly didn’t go away.

The 10mm Auto Renaissance

PARA and a couple other gun makers got the 10mm going once again several years ago: PARA unveiled the aforementioned Elite LS Hunter, and from this the round and pistol began its current steady resurgence.

Now, I doubt that the 10mm will ever be as popular as its smaller 9mm cousin. There’s too much recoil in the 10mm round for most shooters, and too much weight in most of the pistols chambered for it. And that’s okay.

But we like bigger and faster. When shooters started to see more 10mms on the market and began hearing that the 10mm round was indeed bigger and faster than the 9mm and the .40 S&W — with superior muzzle energy versus the .45 ACP — more people like myself started trying it. And we quickly discovered what a gem a good 10mm pistol truly is.

How I Chose The Best 10mm Pistols

As mentioned, since my introduction to 10mm in 2014, I’ve gotten to put thousands of rounds downrange through a wide variety of different models. My experience with and knowledge of 10mm pistols has certainly expanded in the interim. My appreciation for the cartridge has only grown since then, and I’ve come to enjoy the caliber in more platforms than the 1911.

There are many great options out there, including some that were very hard for me to leave off of this list. That said, for these categories, I had to decide which model was the best for each. No runner-ups here.

Based on my trigger time behind over a dozen 10mm handguns, I compared the qualities of each ranging from their reliability and ergonomics to their general features and price. Depending on the category, some of those took priority over than others. Regardless, whether you’re looking for a powerful defensive gun for the waistband, the nightstand or bear country, I’m confident that one of these 10mm pistols will get the job done.

The Best 10mm Pistols

Specs Comparison Of The Top 10mm Pistols

Model	Action	Safety	BBL Length (in.)	OAL (in.)	Weight (oz.)	Capacity	MSRP
Glock 20	Striker-fired	Trigger	4.61	8.07	30.69	15+1	~$745
Colt Delta Elite	SAO	Manual thumb	5	8.75	39	8+1	$1,199
FN 510 Tactical	Striker-fired	Trigger	4.71	8.3	32	15+1 ; 22+1	$1,139
SIG Sauer P220 Legion	DA/SA	W/ or W/o manual thumb	5	8.8	44	8+1	$1,599
Springfield Armory XD-M Elite Compact	Striker-fired	Trigger & grip	3.8	6.75	27	11+1	$653

Best Overall: Glock 20

Pro

Supremely reliable
Great aftermarket support
Good capacity
Reasonably priced

Con

Some don’t like Glock ergonomics
Factory trigger isn’t the greatest

Glock 20 Gen 4 Specs
Action: Striker-fired
Safety: Safe Action Trigger
Barrel Length: 4.61 Inches
Overall Length: 8.07 Inches
Weight: 30.69 Ounces
Capacity: 15+1
MSRP: ~$745

The Glock 20 has been around for many years, and it’s a nice handgun: accurate, durable, lighter in weight than most 10mms and packs lots of firepower with its 15-round magazine and one in the chamber. For years, folks hunting in big bear country have favored this model as their sidearm, and I think it’s a great choice for that.

When it comes to bear defense, reliability and power are paramount, and the Glock 20 has both of those qualities in spades. Even for other uses outside of bears, this no-frills full-size 10mm would make a great choice for just about everything besides concealed carry.

Besides that, as is true of all Glocks, the G20 has excellent aftermarket support. Finding a holster, upgrading certain components or adding accessories won’t be a problem. Glock even offers a Gen 5 MOS model now if you want to add a red dot to it. At the end of the day, I just think it’s hard to go wrong with a Glock.