How does 10mm compare to .41 magnum?

kcub

New member
Primarily for hunting.

I'm thinking about a S & W 610 revolver with no lock, but they are uncommon and high priced.
 
you don't say what you are going to hunt? just don't try to get 41 mag power levels out of the 10 mm as you won't get there and probably ruin a gun trying
 
How does it compare?

Well, they're both handgun cartridges...

Generally the heaviest bullet you can push out of a 10mm is 200 to 210 grains. At least, that's the heaviest for which I've seen loading data.

.41 Mag. goes much heavier. Accurate has loads up to 265 gr., and I've seen data for bullets heavier than that.

Depending on exactly what you're hunting, I'm not so sure that the 10mm would be a good choice.
 
The 41 can handle heaver bullets than the 10mm. The 10mm is a good round and is a good choice in an auto pistol. In revolvers of equal weight and size the 41 will have more power and give you a better choice of bullet weights and shapes. :)
 
As the others have said, depends on what you're doing with it.

I took a 300+ lb wild boar with a 10mm Glock. However, it was a good shot and pretty close.

I really like the 10mm and if you stick to medium game I think it's fine. If you want more options, prefer a revolver, and heavier bullets then go .41.

The 10mm will get close to the .41 but doesn't make it.

If you're an auto guy I would go with the Glock in 10mm. Kimber is also a good option.
 
Data from websites

Winchester Ammunition: Silvertip
10mm 175 gr. @ 1,290 fps from 5'' barrel
41 mag 175 gr. @ 1,250 fps from 4'' barrel

Underwood Ammunition: XTP bullets
10mm 200 gr. XTP @ 1,250 fps (no barrel length given)
41 mag 210 gr. XTP @ 1,400 fps (no barrel length given)

I don't think it ^ would make much difference on a deer.

You have to make sure the 10mm is a "full power" load (those above are) and not a downloaded 180 gr. bullet @ 950 - 980 fps.
 
Does anyone have any actual chrono data on a 10mm at full perk? I've found that factory claimed velocities are seldom attained in actual production ammunition. I have chrono'd the .41 Magnum out of both my S&W M57 and two Ruger BH's and have reliable chrono data on 210 gr. Hornady XTP's that goes up to 1350 fps with a charge weight a full grain below load manual maximum charge. Barrel length makes a difference, I know and my .41's are 6 and 6-1/2"...

Sierra lists 10mm 180's out to 1100 fps from a 5" Colt Delta Elite, and 1200 fps for the 165's from the same gun. If the 165 gr was built right, it oughta do the job I'd think, but may be a handloading proposition only...don't know what the factory defensive type 165's chrono at in the real world.

I've no experience with a 10mm; just wondering if it holds up to the factory claims...I do know that two Glocks that I've chrono'd, albeit both 9mm's, shot faster than factory claims for that particular brand of ammunition...?polygonal rifling makes 'em faster? Can't say. But I'll opine that a longer inner sight radius (not generally available on an automatic) helps when hunting when shooting ranges stretch much beyond 25 yds.

Speed, weight, and a well constructed bullet delivered to the boiler house, all contribute to a clean, humane kill, but that said, the venerable .45 ACP has killed a lot of deer over the years, and without 'magic' bullets.

Best Regards,
Rod
 
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"The 10mm will get close to the .41 but doesn't make it."
No, the 10mm will not get "close" to .41 mag. It does get close to the .357.
The .41 mag blows the doors off the 10mm, it is right behind the .44 mag. The 10mm is right behind the .357 mag. If you need serious power then get a revolver caliber. If something close to a .357 will work then the 10mm is a great choice.
 
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I had a 610 and sold it. I wanted a revolver for "action pistol" and the 610 was a little heaver than I wanted/needed. I found a 646 and it’s been great (MUCH cheaper to shoot). Good luck finding either of those they’re starting to get very scarce.

If you are really going to hunt big game, as some have suggested, I'd go with the 44 mag.
 
The 10mm is right behind the .357 mag.

That's very dependent upon the load, and the gun, don't you think? The original .357 load was a 158gr bullet at about 1500fps, but that was out of a 8.75" revolver. A 200gr bullet @ 1200 fps out of a 5" auto pistol is just as powerful, and you don't see any 8.75" revolvers, anymore.
 
In anything resembling equal sized guns, a full powered 10mm has it over a full powered .357, but loses it to a full powered .41. The problem with both the 10mm and .41 are the frothing at the mouth fanboys of each.

The fact is, as currently loaded by the major factories (except the WW 175gr STHP), the 10mm is a bit hotter than the 40 and very similar to factory .357's. Top loads for both have the 10 shading the .357 in most cases. It is not really appropriate to compare a 4.5 inch 10mm to a 8 inch .357. A better comparison is a 4.5 inch 10 to a 3.5 or 4 inch .357, since autos include the chamber in barrel length while revolvers do not.

In any event, a full power 10 (e.g. underwoods) is more powerful than a .357 but less than a full power .41. On paper the hot loaded STHP in 10 is equal to the weakly loaded STHP in .41, but that's because the .41 load is below potential. The fact is they are both grand rounds, and both will do the job if you do yours.

If you want a powerful and capable auto, the 10 is a great choice. If you want a revolver, I would go with a .41 or a .44 before a 10 unless I had a bunch of 10's already and wanted ammo commonality.
 
"In anything resembling equal sized guns, a full powered 10mm has it over a full powered .357"

"That's very dependent upon the load, and the gun, don't you think?"


No and No. Fortunately, we have Buffalo Bore and their "real world" data to answer this question. So lets compare a 180 bullet out of a longer 4.6" Glock 10mm to a S&W 4" (shorter barrel) .357 right off their web site:

Glock model 20 4.6 inch barrel - Heavy 10mm Ammo - 180 gr. Jacketed Hollow Point = 1311 fps

4 inch S&W L frame Mt. Gun
Item 19A/20-180gr. Hard cast LFN = 1375 fps
 
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The 610 can also use 40 S&W if you like. For hunting purposes the 41 magnum can always beat the 10mm. My only complaint about the 610 is, it's just god awful heavy and cumbersome with a 6 inch barrel.
 
If pushing the high end of the velocity scale. The 10 mm with a 200 grain JHP will push up to near 1150 FPS out of a 5 inch universal receiver.

.41 Rem Mag with 200 grain JHP will well over 1400 FPS from a universal receiver. Some loads go to 1533 FPS with H-110.

(Data came from Lyman Pistol and Revolver 3rd Edition)

I load for .41 mag in a Ruger Black Hawk. It hits like train wreck, while recoil is still in the not too awful bad range.
 
41 magnum all the way.

Less recoil than a 44, and at least back in my day better penetration (that was for bear, suspect a non issue for deer etc)

I ran hot rounds and it shot better than the 44.

So, yes its better than a 10mm. But if you are willing to work at it, the 10mm or any other caliber will likely do as well (they shot game with bows and arrows and old musketee stuff after all).

If I did that I would carry a rifle or hunt with a partner to help out on the humane end if things went wrong.
 
kcub, IMHO there is a semi-auto that can handle 41 mag loads, it's called automag iv in 10mm iai magnum, it is about as scarce as 41 mag wheelguns or more, if you have a iai or amt automag iv in 45 win mag, you can get a 10mm iai mag barrel conversion for it but you may have fte problems. but if you have a 41 mag you probably handload as it is , you would have to handload the 10mm iai mag, hence 10mm iai mag factory ammo can't be found. more info on the subject is at http://www.sixguns.com/tests/tt10mag.htm.
 
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"In anything resembling equal sized guns, a full powered 10mm has it over a full powered .357"

"That's very dependent upon the load, and the gun, don't you think?"

No and No. Fortunately, we have Buffalo Bore and their "real world" data to answer this question. So lets compare a 180 bullet out of a longer 4.6" Glock 10mm to a S&W 4" (shorter barrel) .357 right off their web site:

Glock model 20 4.6 inch barrel - Heavy 10mm Ammo - 180 gr. Jacketed Hollow Point = 1311 fps

4 inch S&W L frame Mt. Gun
Item 19A/20-180gr. Hard cast LFN = 1375 fps


Uh...o.k. In the real world, that's essentially a cherry picked tie based on fps/fpe, using a jacketed round for the 10 and a CAST round for the .357. For the sake of argument, Underwoods lists jacketed 10mm 155gr at 1500 fps and jacketed .357 158gr at 1300 fps. Clearly NOT a tie (I can cherry pick too). Bore diameter also counts too, and .400 is bigger than .357

Besides, the 4 inch mtn. gun is larger in every way and heavier than the 4.5 inch 10, not to mention it holds 1/3 the number of rounds. Capacity is not part of the power argument, but it doesn't hurt to have.

Without getting into the typical 10mm ******* contest, I will say there is absolutely nothing wrong with the .357 (I own more than 1), but I stand by my statement that most top loaded 10's shade the .357 a bit, based on the "real world" chrono results I have seen. Besides, even if it is equal to a .357 in fpe, what's wrong with that?
 
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