Ammo...180 or 200

[Samuelv7]

Hi guys, newbie here. 
I just ordered a 10mm conversion kit for my steel EAA witness .45 and need ammo.
I see a lot of 165, and 180 grain but very little 200....atleast on the sites I know.   I'm hesitant to pay the double tap prices from their website because I know nothing about them. 
I've always stuck with Winchester PDX1's for my other models. 

So, while I assume I should go with 200 g for the 10mm I wanted some advice.  I shoot 180 g from my .40 carry so bigger bullet I want a bigger punch right.

Also, I normally shop at grab a gun for the 12.99 flat shipping on ammo, but am very open to recommendations on target ammo and where you find it.  Winchester white box doesn't come in 10mm sadly....
Thanks

[Intercooler]

Are you looking for FMJ range ammo or JHP defense? Maybe both?

   If you want 200 FMJ range ammo I would suggest PBR Ammo and Underwood Ammo. Right now Underwood is running a free shipping special and can supply both.
    Another great option is a local Cabela's  for the Sig Sauer offerings, or order online. I use SG Ammo, Midway USA, Graf & Sons and Selway Armory a bunch.

[Intercooler]

  Target Sports is another good one and they have free shipping available:

https://www.targetsportsusa.com/10mm-auto-ammo-c-60.aspx

[PCFlorida]

You should start reloading

Seriously, if you have a friend that reloads see if you can watch him and start learning the equipment. You can only get the full potential of the 10mm once you start reloading.

[Samuelv7]

You should start reloading

Seriously, if you have a friend that reloads see if you can watch him and start learning the equipment. You can only get the full potential of the 10mm once you start reloading.

I wish I could, really but honestly I'm a single dad with little time and little work space/ storage right now.  That's why I initially thought double tap, I read he started out making higher pressure ammo since he was a 10mm enthusiast but damn those prices.   

I found the underwood site helpful and they have a good selection of target and FMJ HP. 
Hopefully the target ammo isn't too dirty. 
I'll also start out with some Sig Elite performance. 

Please help me better understand the true benefit of reloads specific to the 10mm.  My limited knowledge is you can choose a faster burning powder, and set a higher pressure. 
My main goal is to take down a bear or mountain lion in the back woods this spring.  But for self defense in the city, I train for 25-30 yards and want something that will drop a 250# man quickly without killing everyone behind him. 
Thanks

[PCFlorida]

You should start reloading

Seriously, if you have a friend that reloads see if you can watch him and start learning the equipment. You can only get the full potential of the 10mm once you start reloading.

I wish I could, really but honestly I'm a single dad with little time and little work space/ storage right now.  That's why I initially thought double tap, I read he started out making higher pressure ammo since he was a 10mm enthusiast but damn those prices.   

I found the underwood site helpful and they have a good selection of target and FMJ HP. 
Hopefully the target ammo isn't too dirty. 
I'll also start out with some Sig Elite performance. 

Please help me better understand the true benefit of reloads specific to the 10mm.  My limited knowledge is you can choose a faster burning powder, and set a higher pressure. 
My main goal is to take down a bear or mountain lion in the back woods this spring.  But for self defense in the city, I train for 25-30 yards and want something that will drop a 250# man quickly without killing everyone behind him. 
Thanks

Sure! For example (and I don't recommend any uses this without working up to as I did) here is a 200g XTP with a load of 12.5 of DS037.2 (Shooters World Heavy Pistol). This is in a Grand Power P40 10mm which has a fully supported case. That is 715 foot pounds of energy. I don't think you can get that in loaded ammunition.

[fltbed]

I wish I could, really but honestly I'm a single dad with little time and little work space/ storage right now.  That's why I initially thought double tap, I read he started out making higher pressure ammo since he was a 10mm enthusiast but damn those prices.   

I found the underwood site helpful and they have a good selection of target and FMJ HP. 
Hopefully the target ammo isn't too dirty. 
I'll also start out with some Sig Elite performance. 

Please help me better understand the true benefit of reloads specific to the 10mm.  My limited knowledge is you can choose a faster burning powder, and set a higher pressure. 
My main goal is to take down a bear or mountain lion in the back woods this spring.  But for self defense in the city, I train for 25-30 yards and want something that will drop a 250# man quickly without killing everyone behind him. 
Thanks

The true benefit of handloading the 10mm is the same for handloading any caliber.  The handloader has the ability to tailor their ammo to their needs for anywhere from a 30% to 70% savings.

It seemed back in 1989 as soon as the FBI released their specs for a "duty load" (180 gr HP @ 950 f.p.s.) that it became the new "standard load" for the 10mm.
All the "experts" in the gun rags insisted all the extra power the 10mm offered was a bad thing for self defense and you were better off buying the 40 S&W.  For years, just about all the ammo companies offered 180 gr bullets around 975f.p.s.-1000f.p.s.  The only "true" 10mm load available was the Winchester Silvertip.  It wasn't until the smaller "Boutique" ammo companies came along like, Double Tap, Underwood, etc. that we had any choices at all.

I would say if I had to buy factory 10mm ammo my choices would be:
Practice - Sig Elite FMJ
Self defense (from two legged varmites) - Underwood 180 gr Bonded or 165 gr Bonded.  (pick the one that shoots most accurate)
Hunting - Underwood 200 gr XTP

Jeff

[sgtbones]

Good choices.

[Blades]

HPR makes a 200 grain Hornady XTP if you can find them(Shooters Supply had them but I haven't seen them on the shelf the last few times I visited).

[Bozz10mm]

The Hornady XTP 165 gr and 180 gr are not too shabby, although they only come in 20 round boxes, which makes them a bit more expensive than Underwood. 

[sqlbullet]

I wish I could, really but honestly I'm a single dad with little time and little work space/ storage right now.

My basic reloading kit is a Lee Reload mounted to 12" of 1X4.  I clamp it to the counter in our kitchen/great room.  Reloading for one caliber I could fit everything in two shoe boxes.  That takes care of space/storage.  I can't do much about time though.  Reloading fast takes a bigger press/ and therefore more space.  Still, I bet a Lee Pro-1000 or even Dillon BL550 would only add another shoe-box.  And would give production of 200-300 rounds per hour.

...My limited knowledge is you can choose a faster burning powder, and set a higher pressure. 

Higher pressure is part of the goal, but you have the wrong idea here.  The problem with a "fast" powder is while you can generate a bigger pressure spike with a given powder weight, you don't generate as much gas volume.  Ideally you use the slowest powder that can fit a large enough charge to reach max pressure.  This provides not only the high pressure, but a larger gas volume so the pressure curve remains high longer.

In 10mm with 200 grain bullets, Longshot or AA#9 are going to be the best options.  These are actually slow powders for auto-loading pistol rounds.  Longshot is capable of more pressure in 10mm auto with 200 grain, but #9 produces a more gas volume.  Longshot is more economical (8.2 grains max load), while #9 provides a better safety margin (Not sure you can overload a 10mm case and still get a bullet seated and crimped that will stay).  Longshot is also more versatile, as it can be used for good velocities all the way down to the lightest bullets.  #9 really doesn't perform great with bullets under 180 grains.

Please help me better understand the true benefit of reloads specific to the 10mm.

Several others have hit the key elements, but to review.  I am going to order these in an atypical way.

Gun specific loads:  Every gun is a bit different.  Loads that work great in one gun may not work so well in another.  Sometimes a boutique full house load me be over-pressure in your gun.  And there is a bit of a chasm between these boutique loads, and the next commercially available step down.  Or perhaps the commercial load with the power and velocity you want is not accurate in your gun.  Hand loading allows you to create a load that has it all for your gun.  Just the right power.  Or maybe you try Longshot, Blue Dot and #9 looking for that max load that is also minute of soda can accurate from your gun.

Safer Ammo (if you are a safe loader):  Really big companies run very complex and expensive monitoring systems to ensure they don't have an out-of-spec round.  Smaller ammo companies rely on more rudimentary systems like powder cop.  And some really small shops may just eyeball each case after the powder drop.  Personally, I have far more confidence in my ammo than I do in something I buy in a box.  I have never had an un-anticipated pressure event in ammo I loaded.  Do your job right, follow the rules, and you will make very safe ammo.

Economy:  This is a big one for many guys.  The best deal I have seen on 10mm ammo in a long time is about ¢30 a round.  I can load with commercial bullets for about half that - ¢15.  And if I use my own cast bullets that drops in half again to about ¢7.  And I am loading premium quality ammo, where the ¢30 ammo is not "premium" ammo.

Bullet Selection: My go to bullet for bear repellant is a cast bullet in 200 grain WFN.  Beartooth makes such a bullet for commercial sale.  But, it may or may not be in a loading that works for your needs.  I also like the Nosler 200 grain JHP.  These are the most economical 200 grain JHP, and they have good terminal performance.  Hand loading allows me to pair the bullet of choice with the load of choice and tailor it to my gun(s).

Hope that helps!