As part of this, the 10mm versus .40 debate has raged on for years.
Shooters who prefer the 10mm round enjoy the power and punch back the 10mm delivers.
Fans of the .40 will say the bullet equals the same diameter, but it is easier to control.
There are a multitude of self-defense cartridges available today. Both the 10mm and the .40 offer their own advantages. Image: Hornady
Both the 10mm and the .40 have proven themselves to be solid and effective over time.
Currently, we are seeing an increase of 10mm handguns produced versus a decrease of .40 handguns.
Is it true that many shooters are opting for the 10mm round over the .40?
The 10mm cartridge is a proven defensive and hunting caliber. Springfield Armory offers several handguns chambered for the “do everything” round.
Therefore, they are similar in many ways yet vastly different in others.
Before I get into that, let us first take a look back in history.
The FBI agents partially surrounded the criminals, and bullets began flying.
The 1911 platform is one of the most popular handguns for the 10mm cartridge. Many people use it for hunting, defense and competition.
The FBI agents were ultimately successful, but not without casualties.
The two criminals were killed, but so were two agents, along with five injured.
This event forced the FBI to rethink their defensive ammunition choice.
Both the .40 and 10mm have premium defensive loads that deliver excellent accuracy and optimum penetration Image: Hornady.
More Stopping Power
The Miami Shootout forced the FBI to investigate their choice of duty firearms.
They eventually decided to adopt 10mm semi-auto pistols to prevent the Miami Shootout scenario from happening again.
The adoption of the 10mm semi-auto pistols was supposedly cut short due to complaints of excessive recoil.
Compared to 10mm, many .40-caliber pistols can offer a smaller grip while maintaining respectable power.
The FBI requested a smaller round with similar bullet dimensions.
The result was the .40 caliber round in 1990.
They decided to shorten the round case and produce a 180-grain bullet that traveled around 1,000 feet per second.
While the 10mm is considered a powerful cartridge, it has modest recoil, especially when fired from a pistol with superior ergonomics.
The .40 uses a small pistol primer, and the 10mm uses a large pistol primer.
Albeit different, it doesnt change the effectiveness of either round.
The 10mm has a longer case, and features higher velocities compared to the .40.
In recent years, the 9mm has been gaining market share from the .40. However, that doesn’t mean the .40 is suddenly ineffective for defensive use.
The .40 has a decreased velocity of 1,000 feet per second with 400 foot pounds of energy.
When shooting, higher velocity and foot pounds of energy equates to increased recoil and reduced muzzle control.
Basically, the .40 round is a scaled down 10mm.
Which is best: 10mm or .40? There is no single answer. Examine your needs and pick the one that makes the best sense for you. Both are great cartridges.
What Are Our Options?
While the .40s popularity might be waning, the 10mm is coming on strong.
Springfield Armorys line of pistols chambered in 10mm is growing, with both 1911s and XD-M Elite pistols.
In the included video.
I used theXD-M Elite 3.8 Compact OSP(Optical Sight Pistol) and the1911 Ronin, both in 10mm.
Even though the 10mm round delivers increased energy, both of these handguns handle the recoil incredibly well.
As for .40, I have the tried-and-trueSpringfield XD40 Service model pistol with a 4 barrel.
Both the .40 and 10mm areproven rounds that are suitable for self-defense.
However, the more powerful 10mm could be used for hunting in some cases.
The .40 was once viewed as the perfect in-between cartridge from the9mm and .45 ACP.
Ive heard shooters complain the .40 round is snappy.
But, its hard to argue with the increased capacity of the 9mm.
The firearms I featured here have performed flawlessly.
As for me, lets just say, I am a fan of each.
What will you choose?
