10mm Auto
Introduced in 1983 in the ill fated Bren
Ten autoloading pistol, the 10mm Auto has quickly become one of the most
successful cartridges developed during this century. The idea originated
with Whit Collins, who assisted in the project by John Adams, Irving Stone,
and Jeff Cooper, but the credit for keeping this .40 caliber cartridge alive
during its youth has to go to Colt for giving it a permanent home in the
excellent Delta Elite version of its famous 1911 Government Model pistol.
Jacketed bullets of .400 inch diameter in various weights are available from
the major bullet makers. Superbly accurate cast bullets in .401 inch diameter
are available from Bull-X (Farmer City, Illinois) and Competition Specialties
(Osceola, Iowa).
During 1990, the 10mm Auto gained even more credibility as a self defense
cartridge when the FBI abandoned the 9mm Parabellum and officially adopted
the larger caliber. Other law enforcement agencies are sure to follow suit.
In addition to being an excellent self defense cartridge, the 10mm is powerful
enough for use on deer size game at close to medium ranges. This especially
holds true when it is loaded to maximum velocities with the heavier bullets
and fired in a custom barrel from Bar-Sto, Wilson, or Centaur Systems. When
the 150 and 155 grain bullets are down loaded to 1200 fps, the 10mm becomes
an excellent cartridge for USPSA/IPSC competition with about the same level
of recoil as that of the .38 Super. Recent tests with a Colt Delta Elite
fitted with a Centaur barrel and compensator produced consistent accuracy
of less than four inches at 50 yards.
Source: Hodgdon Data Manual, 26th Edition
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