In verifying some information for my post on the .40 S&W yesterday, I came across a 2021 article at Shooting Illustrated on "10mm vs. .40 S&W: Similarities, Differences and Uses" by Philip Massaro. The gist of his article is that "[w]ithin the bore diameter, the 10mm and .40 S&W are two very different cartridges, giving different performance levels," and, therefore, have different uses. As he details in the article, the differences mean that while the 10mm can certainly be used for self-defense, and the .40 S&W could be pushed into the role of hunting, the 10mm excels as a hunting cartridge and the .40 S&W is better reserved for the self-defense role.
After going over the history of the 10mm (whose connection to the .38-40 Winchester is that 10mm uses a cut down .30 Remington case which, in turn, was intended to be able to use bullets for the .38-40), and the .40 S&W, Massaro launches into the differences between the two cartridges:
The .40 S&W (Short & Weak, according to some) shares the same case-head diameter as its big brother at 0.424-inch and both headspace off the case mouth. The .40 S&W is sparked by a small pistol primer, while the 10mm uses a large pistol primer. The larger and faster 10mm will give 624 foot-pounds of muzzle energy when sending a 180-grain bullet at 1,250 fps, while the .40 S&W drops that figure to 400 foot-pounds with its 1,000 fps velocity, making for a rather significant difference. The .40 S&W will give a slight advantage in the energy department over the .45 ACP, and the Big Ten will certainly make the biggest impression of the lot, though shooters need a bit more practice to tame a defensive weapon of this magnitude.
The 10mm makes a sensible hunting round, delivering enough energy to take deer, hogs and black bear at sensible ranges. There are a number of stout bullets available to those interested in taking their 10mm afield.... While the .40 S&W is a marginal hunting round, the 10mm is probably the best of the rimless, straight-walled pistol cartridges.
Read the whole thing.
After the awful 1986 FBI MIami Shootout the feebs wanted a different handgun and handgun round. They initially chose the 10mm magnum. But for the rank and file there was difficult shooter interface. The shortened version was the .40 S&W. As a personal defense round it has had some success on the street. (Particularly with the Speer gold Dot 165 gr. ammo.) The advent of social engineering among the ranks combined with smaller handguns to accommodate those of smaller physical characteristics led to less than acceptable officer interface with the .40S&W. Hence the herd change of directions to the 9mm.
ReplyDeleteI was looking at some of the major manufacturers and found that Sig, Ruger, Smith & Wesson, Beretta and Colt do not currently offer any semi-auto pistols in .40 S&W. Walther, HK, Springfield Armory, Taurus, and, of course, Glock still have .40 S&W pistols in their catalog. Most of those that didn't offer .40 S&W had 10mm offerings, though. Even though Sig did not have .40 S&W pistols in its catalog, it offered a couple caliber conversion kits for the 320 to convert it to .40 S&W.
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