I recently had a bad day at work. I got home a couple of hours late, well after midnight. Let’s just say that I wasn’t happy with either my employer or the family of one of my patients. I played hooky the next day and called in sick, and that is something that I have only done 3 or 4 times in the past decade.
While I was running around doing things that I wanted to do and enjoying my impromptu vacation day, I happened to wander into a store that was well stocked stocked with ammunition. I overheard the salesman at the gun counter trying to sell a 9mm handgun, and the customer was full of questions. The salesman made a comment about 10mm being the new hotness that they can’t keep ammo in stock for, but 9mm was plentiful.
That was when I recalled that I have been thinking about adding 10mm to the stable for the last few years. So I did it. I bought a Smith & Wesson M&P 2.0 in 10mm with the 4.6 inch barrel, the thumb safety, and the optic slide cut. Smith and Wesson doesn’t make a compact 10mm, so we went with the full size and the optics cut. I was sort of forced into the thumb safety because the store didn’t have a pistol in stock without one.
Since it was an impulse buy, I hadn’t done any research and didn’t know if I got a good deal or not, but it cost me $620. I didn’t want to look, just in case I got screwed, but it looks like I didn’t do poorly. MSRP on this one is $679, and there is a promotion running right now where Smith and Wesson will send you a rebate in the form of a free green dot reflex sight.
At any rate, I went to buy some ammo to go with it, and the only 10mm they had was FMJ. I had to stop at a different farm supply store to get defense ammo. I bought a few boxes of Hornady Critical Duty 175gr FlexLock hollow points. I will do a post comparing ammo in different calibers soon.
When I was checking out, the clerk told me that they can’t keep ammo or baby chicks in stock. She told me that it is as bad as during COVID.
At any rate, a new caliber means new magazines, laying in a stock of ammo, and I will need to get some kind of aftermarket sights to go with the green dot. It will keep me busy for a bit. I will take it to the range shortly, but for now, I will place it in the safe next to all of its new friends.
Now I have handguns in the following calibers:
.22LR, .38Spl, .380ACP, .357 Magnum, .357Sig, .40S&W, .45ACP, 9x19mm, and 10mm.
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12 Comments
It's just Boris · March 2, 2025 at 4:41 am
Looking forward to the range report.
Stanley · March 2, 2025 at 5:08 am
10MM – carried a G20 for years as a replacement for my USP in .45 (almost as many BBs as a 9, 40% more HP than a .45), when Sig came out with the XTEN I jumped on it, haven’t regretted it, even though 18 months later holster choices are still thin. Handled several M&Ps, shot the full size in 9, but never shot one in 10. I’d expect it to between the 20 and the XTEN in “grip friendliness” under recoil. Get LOTS of magazines for it. No, that’s not enough, get more. Decoding the adapter plate stuff for a dot on the XTEN was a PITA, went with a Holosun 507Comp – bigger window, allows user choice of dot alone, circle no dot and what size circle, dot with circle and what size circle.
PSA puts 10 FMJ on sale occasionally, sometimes their 180 gr HP, and Magtech’s 180 HP is pretty accurate, SGAmmo had it on sale a while back. For social work I use Buffalo Bore 10MM Heavy or Double Tap’s equivalent. Got some Underwood 180 and 200, haven’t chronographed them or tested for accuracy yet, but BB claims 1350 for the 180 heavy, I got 1346. Close enough. BB also has solids for bears and Buicks.
TRX · March 2, 2025 at 7:37 am
You’re quite probably aware of this already, but just in case you missed it somehow, a lot of 10mm Auto is loaded to .40 S&W specs. If you want 10mm ballistics, you need to see if the muzzle velocity is printed on the box, or look it up on the manufacturer’s web site, before making a purchase.
I’m not sure why the manufacturers make emasculated 10mm. They surely can’t save enough on powder to make it worth their while. But it seems to have been going on got a long time, and almost nobody seems to notice or complain about it.
Divemedic · March 2, 2025 at 7:56 am
Post coming on that
Joe Blow · March 2, 2025 at 7:47 am
Love my M&P…..
I’ve heard 10mm is a blast, my BIL has one (also M&P). I’ve been pleased with all of my Smiths, they make good guns. Yours was made 20 miles down the road from me!
Grumpy51 · March 2, 2025 at 7:51 am
CONGRATS!! That’s one of the top 10 “best” retail therapies……
I dove into 10mm when we looked at heading into grizz country (trip fell through but the pistol didn’t). Depending on needs, I would recommend also some hard-cast bullets, for the penetration of thicker objects. For those who shoot Glocks, the 10mm (at least mine) likes a lollipop hold.
“mental health” days are important!! Not for my sake but for the sake of my patients and my employer…..
Jonathan · March 2, 2025 at 10:36 am
10 mm is widely available, just not as much as 9.
While I haven’t gotten into it, I get it for customers who are big into it. It has an incredible range of energy – from 165 grain at 1050 fps to 289 grain at almost 1400 fps.
My understanding, which could be wrong, is that 10 was developed for an FBI requirement that was too stout for some people, so 40 was developed as a lower power alternative.
So far I’ve stuck with more established calibers until I have a reason to add more. I recently added 300 Blackout for it’s subsonic performance.
I’ve thought about 10 but haven’t taken the plunge yet.
Divemedic · March 2, 2025 at 11:16 am
Believe it or not, the 10mm was a brainchild of Jeff Cooper. Whit Collins, John Adams, Irving Stone, and Jeff Cooper worked with Norma AB to design the 10mm Automatic cartridge in 1983. Their goal was to create the a handgun cartridge that fired a heavier and larger caliber bullet than the 9mm Luger at a higher velocity than the .45 ACP. I have been researching 10mm loadings for the past two days and they will make for some interesting posts this week.
SoCoRuss · March 2, 2025 at 12:22 pm
I’m not sure of your location but I saw there was a incident at a West Palm Hospital and a nurse was attacked and I immediately thought of you. That wasn’t your hospital was it?
I saw it was a female nurse but since you have been having a bad time lately and probably have a little anger stored up, I figured if you were there the prep would have come out in a body bag versus walking away.
Anyway, never fear it was just a Baker Act mental health crisis nothing to see here. I’m sure he will get hugs and kisses and be set free upon the sheep again.
Divemedic · March 2, 2025 at 1:25 pm
Not my hospital. The attacks on staff are the reason why I began taking MMA classes (Muay Thai and BJJ) two days a week. I can’t carry a gun to work because “weapons” aren’t allowed, but I carry some “tools” with me that can be pretty nasty when used by someone with a can do attitude and a bit of anger.
Danny · March 2, 2025 at 12:44 pm
10mm is a nice option for sure. My son has an M&P in .40 S&W – very accurate and handles nicely.
I added another caliber this past year — .44 magnum. Much like yourself, it was something I wanted for a while so just up and bought a revolver. I got the S&W model 29 — infamous Harry Callahan sidearm. They had a $150 rebate so that spurred me on 😀
Birdog357 · March 2, 2025 at 3:29 pm
You may or may not be aware, but you can change out the fire control group on an M&P pretty easily to a safety less style. It’s a couple of roll pins and it just pops out.