[Sleeping_Dog]

Last time out to the range I had swapped barrels in my Glock .45 and was shooting 10mm out of it. After I got home I cleaned the guns and tucked them away in the safe after which I remembered still having the 10mm barrel and magazines in the Glock that serves as a home defense pistol. So I grabbed a box of 10mm personal defense rounds and filled the magazine up, tucked the Glock in it's hidden guard position and went on with my day to day life.

For some reason this has been dwelling on my mind, maybe that 10mm round is a bit over powered for a home defense weapon and that maybe I need to change it back to being a .45 round choice of weapon. Both rounds are bad guy capable stopping rounds, but have great penetrating power, I guess my concern would be is the 10mm too penetrating and more likely to not only enter but also exit with enough velocity where collateral damage becomes a greater concern. Or is the 10mm round over hyped in the media?

What's your opinion or thoughts if you don't mind sharing.

 

[taurustoter]

Well, either round would blow through the standard interior wall of you house, but the 10mm would go through with more authority.

 

[Sleeping_Dog]

Well, either round would blow through the standard interior wall of you house, but the 10mm would go through with more authority.

I do like your careful choice of word power or should I say you have a real gift for verbal authority?

 

[Czechbikr]

I am agreeing with a little authority. If over penetration is a real concern for family members/neighbors anything could be an issue unless you load with a frangible round. The rule that states that we are to be certain of our target and what is beyond it reigns supreme.

 

[AOCM.RET]

How close are your neighbors? This is why, from what I was told, is why the police forces dropped the 10mm because it was a 90 plus percent through and through shot on a human and would penetrate exterior walls as well as many interior walls. I was also told, that before the 40 came out, the PD's were down loading the 10mm with less powder. Don't know if all this is true, but that is what a couple of LEO friends told me. And this is why the 40 (short 10mm) was developed.

I would go back to the .45 ACP, it may go out a window, but the likely hood of penetrating your neighbors wall at 10 or so yards is remote, unless it finds a window to enter. A 9mm or .380 will do the same, window to window, so it is an individual choice.

 

[olfarhors]

AHHH! its not the caliber nor the power, its the projectile that one chooses to use!
The FBI load was I think 180 grains ,the original 10 MM loading was 200 grains!
now If it was me and you had those weights in the gun then yep I would say that you gonna have a lot of penetration.
switch to a 135- 150 grain modern design (like barnes makes a nice all copper) and most of your problems will go away.
while I don't use either of my 10 MM as a house gun because of muzzle flas and report, I would like to be able to tell the cops what they want to know and not need to read their lips.
just my opinion.

 

[mingaa]

I'd already have a 10mm pistol but - the round, while being a very good shooter with solid power and able to shoot a wide variety of bullet weights from 135 - 220 and more - is not one of the top rounds that can double effectively in competition.

For me it would be SD/HD/carry only - and a range, practice, drill gun.

9, 40 & 45 can all cross over to shooting sports. 10 - arguably the round with the biggest hit of the bunch - is also just a bit slower to recover for follow up shots. Shot #1 May indeed have performed with great effect but in competition (and in the field) shot #2 May need to exit the gun quickly - 9, 40 & 45 will, most likely be ahead of the 10mm curve for that challenge.

9 - use it well for minor power factor. Want major - go to 38 Super OR...
40 - easy to load very shootsable powder puff range rounds to easily make major power factor lightly loaded.
45 ACP - see above (lower pressure round too) WITH the added benefit of the BIG hole that will (possibly) break the scoring line on shots very close to one not doing so!
10mm - none of the above. BUT - A Bad ass semi auto round. Same bullet diameter as 40, bigger case, brass rat - NOT going to find any free brass at a range or after a match. I could go on. Still I love it.

I will eventually (sooner rather than later) own a 10mm semi and will enjoy it immensely but - not as often as calibers that will serve more than one purpose in my personal firearms selections but much enjoyment - none the less!

 

[olfarhors]

While I do not disagree with most I point out again more choice to the projectile and less to the caliber will produce better end results.
I think I have mentioned the 45 acp penetration a few times in the past
one incident the round(s) went through the front of a wooden sided house, the interior plaster wall, the next plaster wall and lodges in a solid wood door in the next room, the other case was a trailer parked end toward the road, the shot(s) penetrated 3 rooms and were laying in the hallway at the opposite end of the trailer.
Now both were drive-by shootings and the projectiles were FMJ projectiles.
I would assume of 230 grain but couldn't be certain.
the 3 laying within 2 feet of each after traveling through the trailer was what really caught my attention.
Ghetto ballistic 101.

 

[ozzy]

I like my .40 or .45 for home defense, plus I want to be able to say I bought this ammo at the LGS!

 

[Sleeping_Dog]

Hornady 180 XTP ammunition. Nearest neighbor 350' or better away, nearest roadway 120' away. I guess for ease of mind I'll switch over to .45acp tomorrow.

 

[treg]

I'd suggest firing one (a real 10mm, not a .40S&W Long) off in a darkened room with no ear protection. Then you'll know another reason why so many PDs were down loading it

 

[olfarhors]

I'd suggest firing one (a real 10mm, not a .40S&W Long) off in a darkened room with no ear protection. Then you'll know another reason why so many PDs were down loading it

yep! and don't forget Now that Dale Evans not only rides along beside Roy but she carries a gun and a badge now as well!
Grip size, recoil, weight!!

 

[olfarhors]

Hornady 180 XTP ammunition. Nearest neighbor 350' or better away, nearest roadway 120' away. I guess for ease of mind I'll switch over to .45acp tomorrow.

I use a 150 grain Nosler in my 10 MM as self defense rounds, not that I ever really carry them.
its quite amazing what a 150 grain modern hollow point will look like when hitting something fluid at about 1400 FPS, move down to a 135 an you get about 1600 FPS, and around a 80-90 caliber mushroom as well.

 

[Sleeping_Dog]

I'd suggest firing one (a real 10mm, not a .40S&W Long) off in a darkened room with no ear protection. Then you'll know another reason why so many PDs were down loading it

No big deal here, my wife says I must be half deaf because I only hear about half of what she says. And I have a bad habit of closing my eyes before I pull the trigger anyway.

Yes, I'm joking here of course!!! At least about one of those excuses,

 

[MadKaw]

Penetration is a function of bullet design and velocity. Any pistol round can be designed to function within the FBI parameters of 12-18" penetration. In other words there is no simple answer.

Aside from anything else, loads are commercially available ranging from the Federal FBI load (ballistically identical to the .40 S&W) to Buffalo Bore's 220 gr. hunting load pushing 1200 fps.
Like any other caliber, it is the load that counts.

 

[DDDWho]

Once you pull the trigger with any round... you own that bullet or slug or shot. You're responsible where ever it may go whether into a bad guys chest or into your neighbors chest. The first thing my Dad taught me when he was teaching me to shoot "be conscious of what is beyond your target". Consequently I use a shotgun with bird shot for home defense.

 

[mingaa]

Once you pull the trigger with any round... you own that bullet or slug or shot. You're responsible where ever it may go whether into a bad guys chest or into your neighbors chest. The first thing my Dad taught me when he was teaching me to shoot "be conscious of what is beyond your target". Consequently I use a shotgun with bird shot for home defense.

Do as you will but I hope you have done your research on your HD methods.

I do not want to direct your HD approach. Be be careful not to think yourself to shot safety vs shot effectiveness.
There is plenty of research and writing on the topic.

 

[leftcoastrebel]

As was pointed out by more than one person, it depends on the projectile, I keep mine with the factory 200 gn XTP projectile because I live way out in the country and it just might be a bear driving the dogs nuts at half-past too late. If I lived in more "civilized" confines I would use one of the very light jhp projectiles.

 

[william]

As was pointed out by more than one person, it depends on the projectile, I keep mine with the factory 200 gn XTP projectile because I live way out in the country and it just might be a bear driving the dogs nuts at half-past too late. If I lived in more "civilized" confines I would use one of the very light jhp projectiles.

I'm with LCR here, sometimes my nightstand gun was also the gun de jour, whether 9, 357, or 10. But then I'm still watching Jake's dog.

 

[john_bud]

The 10mm is 3-5db higher than a. 45acp. No biggie, right? Wrong. It's TWICE as loud to FOUR TIMES as loud. Loud enough to tear the ear drum. I've directly heard one round in confined hard wall space wo protection and it did tear one ear drum.