In over my head

[MadMac]

Hey all, new member, new 10mm owner and first post.

I'm not a handgun guy so all of my previous shooting experience is with shotguns and rifles. I just bought my first 10mm handgun (EAA Witness) and am now completely intimidated by the roughly 80,000 ammo choices out there. I have two questions:

1) where to buy training ammo and what to buy? I bought 500 rounds of Prvi Partisan 180 gr. JHP for $325 including shipping. Is this a decent round and a decent price? Where do you guys find ammo that's not quite an arm and a leg? I'm running out of appendages....

2) I bought the Witness to carry while I'm hunting. I just started big game hunting in the west and decided that 15 rounds of 10mm strapped to my leg is better than 5 rounds of 30-06 laying on the ground. I figure that once I kill an elk I've just created dinner for an opportunistic bear or cougar. What round would you carry for a thick hided bear?

Thanks in advance for an wisdom imparted!

MadMac

[gandog56]

What's traiing ammo? I train with whatever I end up shooting. And that would depend on what I want to use them for. I've pretty much settled on 180-185 grain projectiles. I would have cooked up a hunting load in my younger days. Now, two total knee replacements later, I pretty much just punch paper. I think 10mm just may overpenetrate for home defense use, here in the 'burbs where there is not much separation between houses. Another question is do you reload? I do and I pretty much settle on a load using 185 grain RFN moly coated Precision Bullets. If I was just buying them, I would get 180 grain TMJ bullets. If I WAS going to use it for home defense, I would get some kind of 180 grain JHP projectiles.

[REDLINE]

Welcome to the forum!

About the least expensive training ammo out there is from Georgia Arms in their Canned Heat line up of 10mm ammo.  The problem is it's hardly ever in stock.  But if you get on the list...  You can check it out here -  http://georgia-arms.com/10mm-2.aspx

If the hunting area is limited to Black Bear I would personally suggest Underwood's 200gr XTP load in 10mm ( http://www.underwoodammo.com/10mmauto200grainxtpjacketedhollowpointboxof50.aspx ).

If Grizzlys or bigger I would personally suggest Underwood's 220 Grain Hard Cast Flat Nose in 10mm ( http://www.underwoodammo.com/10mmAuto220GrainHardCastFlatNoseBoxof50.aspx )

The reason I suggest Underwood's offerings for the premium stuff is that they don't lie about the velocity, and it's even more powerful in the real world than Buffalo Bore's offerings.  Don't even consider Double Tap 10mm ammo as then you may as well be shooting 40 S&W anyway (they lie big time about velocity).

[MadMac]

Redline, thanks for the answer. I have a 22 upper for the Witness and will probably then move on to a 9mm then when I'm comfortable and then a lite 10 then howitzer 10. Like I said in my OP, I'm a newbie so I need to be broken in easy like and don't have the means to just shoot high end carry quality ammo! Thanks also for the links; very helpful!

MadMac

[The_Shadow]

MadMac, welcome to the forum! Congrats with your EAA 10mm.   The info on the Underwood is good to go!
10mm is a great cartridge for handloaders wanting to load from mild to wild performance levels while maintaining cost at reasonable levels.  However in times like these, the supplies are harder to be found.

[MCQUADE]

I have to agree with all of the above. When I first read your post about a good woods carry round out west the Underwood 220 grn. Was the first thing that popped in my little brain. Don't overestimate the recoil before you've tried it, especially in an all steel gun.

[sqlbullet]

Again, heavy hardcast.

I cast my own and pack a 205 grain WFN loaded to 1200+ fps in the little hills called the Wasatch and Uintah mountains.  The Underwood load would be a good option for a non-handloader, as would the significantly more expensive Buffalo Bore 220 grain load if for some reason Underwood can't be had.

[REDLINE]

Redline, thanks for the answer. I have a 22 upper for the Witness and will probably then move on to a 9mm then when I'm comfortable and then a lite 10 then howitzer 10. Like I said in my OP, I'm a newbie so I need to be broken in easy like and don't have the means to just shoot high end carry quality ammo! Thanks also for the links; very helpful!

MadMac

You bet.

MCQUADE makes a great point saying;  Don't overestimate the recoil before you've tried it, especially in an all steel gun.  There's a lot of truth to that.  I'm not saying there isn't going to be some recoil, but it isn't what most would have you believe.  And those that I refer to as most commonly haven't ever owned, shot, or been around anything 10mm Auto to even begin to be able to pass any comprehensive judgement.

I'm not saying don't take you time working up the way you feel is right for you, I'm just saying.

[gandog56]

I really do not notice much recoil difference between my .45, my 10mm's, or my 357 SIG. About the only difference is when the peak appears.

[sqlbullet]

In general I agree with Gandog, but the 357 sigs I have shot I thought were much worse.

Comparing a friends Springfield Loaded and my Para one after the other at the range, I can't tell much difference.

[gandog56]

I couldn't even tell you if I was shooting 357 SIG's or 40 Cal S&W if you loaded my SIG P-229 with one or the other and didn't tell me which one I was firing. Felt recoil about the same, they both hit at the same POA at my usual target distance, what's not to like? I mean at the time I paid $140 for the .357 SIG barrel, the gun came with the .40 barrel. It's like owning a second SIG you only paid $140 for.

[MadMac]

Well, I'm off to the range tomorrow for my first time shooting this thing. I have to say that I love how this Witness feels and how well balanced it is. I got the 22 upper and I just got the Prvi Partisan ammo so I can't wait. I did just order a bunch of Underwood 180gr. TMJ and will shoot that later. I'm assuming that this will be a hotter load at 1,300 FPS. True? Damn I'm pumped to start killing some paper!

[Bongo Boy]

If you enjoy your Witness 1/2 as much as I enjoy mine, you may have to budget for more ammo! I appreciate your excitement--I have some range time scheduled for tomorrow and I know how exciting it is to have a chance to enjoy a new toy, try new loads, aim for new goals or continue aiming for old ones. Have fun, that's the thing!

[Papajohn]

I tried a box of the Prvi Partisan 180 grain ammo, it shot relatively well but the velocity was more like a 40S&W than a 10mm, somewhere around 950 fps or so, not what I had in mind.  I don't shoot screaming-hot loads out of my Witness, but I think 90-95% of what's possible is a good place to be.  I have six of the Witnesses, and think they're the Bees Knees!

[MadMac]

Thanks PapaJohn, that's pretty much the sort of comment I was looking for. I have since bought a bunch of underwood and then some PDX ammo to go along with one box of doubletap 200gr.