Why did the 10mm Auto make a comeback?

[4949shooter]

Posted this on the Glock ID forum, but apparently there were less 10mm fans than I thought. So I am reposting it here:

So why do we think the 10mm made such a great comeback from near extinction?

The FBI agents carried a loaded down version of it. The FBI Marksmanship Training Unit used a Colt Delta Elite to test the original Norma Power loads. They determined the 10mm had too much muzzle blast and recoil for the average FBI agent, so the 10mm was downloaded to 10mm "light," which is basically a .40 S&W load.

When the FBI dropped it for the .40 cal (some older agents were still permitted to carry the 10mm, which was also chambered in the FBI MP 5's), the round was near extinct. Colt pulled the 10mm out of the water with their refusal to stop manufacturing the Delta Elite. Glock kept the 10mm out of the water with it's Gen G20 model.

Even so, the round floundered. It had been carried by some police agencies and then was dropped for other calibers, mostly the .40. Ammunition manufacturing companies stopped making the round, with only a few companies continuing to offer it, mostly in the 10mm "light" version. Double Tap ammo was a boutique ammo company which made a better version of the 10mm compared to the mainstream ammo companies and their light loads.

But why the 10mm comeback? Is it due to the fact that the .40 caliber is now losing popularity?

Is the 10mm popular as a "niche" round for hunters and hikers?

Why the 10mm and not the .50 AE?

Has the cost of 10mm come down to make it more popular?

Did the introduction of more boutique ammo companies like Buffalo Bore and Underwood bring the 10mm back?

[The_Shadow]

Yes with the FBI dropping the S&W models, the 10mm was no longer a contract offering, so the numbers of 10mm guns and ammo dropped.
However many 10mm fans knew of the power the 10mm bring to the party.  We continuously asking for new 10mm guns and ammo, Mike McNett of Double Tap ammo was also a huge fan and started loading 10mm ammo and his business grew because his ammo was far better than the big commercial establishments.  This also help fuel the fire for more 10mm enthusiast searching for more guns,

Companies like Buffalo Bore, SwampFox and Underwood also came along to bring full power 10mm ammo that also raised more awareness over time.
The continuous asking and pestering the gun makers had some like Rock River, Colt, Ruger, Sig and more recently Highpoint to produce new guns.

Hunters knowing the power is sufficient for many game animals, and firearms like the Glock having 3 models and plenty ammo capacity helps to maintain its popularity!

I do my part to bug the ammo makers bullet makers and gun makers to bring new and possibly better things to market.

[4949shooter]

Kimber and Springfield have just come out with some new models.

Looks like all the pestering is working!

[Canoe]

I don't know but I'm glad it has.  It has always made some sense to me because it is such a versatile round.  Nice to see lots of platforms and a great range of factory ammo.  I still like 9mm, but would probably never buy a 45 again if I could get the same gun in 10mm.

[BEEMER!]

The market for handguns of all kinds has been extraordinarily good for a lot of years with the Democrats in power.  When you can sell everything you make you do not spend much time or money on R&D.  I have been told that the gun companies got caught with huge inventories thinking that Hillary would be elected.

I think that now they have the time and production space to do some R&D and bring out new products that many have been asking for for many years.

[Spudmeister]

What a great question.  Been following the 10mm story since Jeff Cooper started writing about it in the 1980's.  Got my first one about 5 years ago.  Since then the 40 has come, peaked and is on it's way down.  Same for the 357 Sig.  The 45 is forever.  45 Super and the Rowland are custom propositions.  As a long time reloader (48 years now) and experimenter there are 2 semi auto pistol cartridges that have a unique trait IMO.  That is the 9mm and the 10mm.  You can rev up a 9mm from SAAMI standard to NATO standard to +P standard and all the way to +P+ pretend standard.  As long as the gun and components are up to it, nothing bad happens even when pressures go way up.  The 10mm's SAAMI standard is already revved up and proper guns are fine with that.  Like the 9mm, the 10mm can be loaded from mild to wild with nothing bad happening.  The 40 and its guns won't put up with that and neither will the Sig round.  The 357 Sig has been downloaded to 9mm +P+ velocities so it's far from it's youth.  Hot rod the  45 and it will blow and/or quickly beat the gun to death.  But the 9mm and 10mm (done properly... this is not a challenge or necessarily a good idea) can be run from idle to flat out wide open with a lot of tolerance not found in other semi auto cartridges.  I have shot nuclear 10mm loads and do not like them at all.  Glock smiles scare me.  But those red hot factory loads just keep shooting and shooting and shooting.  Some guys love those loads and all is well. If you shoot 9mm guns and 10mm guns you have all the bases covered. 

So if I had to make a guess why the 10mm made it and is growing it would have to be for the same reason the 9mm made it and is growing. 

[sparkyv]

Strange, I've wanted a 10mm for several years, but if I ask myself "why?", I can't come up with a clear reason.  It may have to do with being able to share projectiles and dies with my 40 cals.  My SR1911 is a pleasure to shoot and is so surprisingly accurate.  So I've got no regrets, and am considering other 10mms as well.  I've drunk the kool-aide and there's no turning back.

[SPDSR]

Because women prefer men packing the longer cartridge with respectable diameter?

[4949shooter]

Because women prefer men packing the longer cartridge with respectable diameter?

Lol...could be!

[4949shooter]

So from the above responses....versatility (mild to wild) and guns that can handle it? Is this the reason the tn mike mike is on it's way back?

Is this a fad? Or do shooters just like something different? I know I am bored with my 45 ACP pistols. I still carry a Springfield XDS in 45 because of the compatibility, but I don't bother bringing my 45's to the range anymore.

[Intercooler]

  I think 10mm is here to stay now. It will take a fade in the demand for guns/ammo to be put on the back-burner now. IMO our dollars should also go to the places that kept it going and at the proper 10mm level. Every so often throw a few dollars to these 10mm guys:

Underwood Ammo, Buffalo Bore Ammo, Reed's Ammo, PBR Ammo, Doubletap Ammo, Sig Sauer Ammo, etc...
Glock, EAA, Sig Sauer, Springfield, Ruger, Armscor/RI, Kimber, Colt, Dan Wesson, etc...

If Springfield fields the XD 10mm this year I will throw them a few bones! 

[CurtisM]

I my reply to your post on GID ( This was the first post I had made in the GID forum in long time )

When I first saw the Colt Delta Elite back in the 80's I knew I wanted one, however it took me a long time before it actually happened. Got my G20 Gen 4 last spring and it was everything that I hoped it would be and more. Not sure if the G29 or the G40 will be the next one in the safe, but there will be more.

Funny thing is I don't care for the metric system, but my safe is filling up with 9 and 10 mm's.

[4949shooter]

I my reply to your post on GID ( This was the first post I had made in the GID forum in long time )

When I first saw the Colt Delta Elite back in the 80's I knew I wanted one, however it took me a long time before it actually happened. Got my G20 Gen 4 last spring and it was everything that I hoped it would be and more. Not sure if the G29 or the G40 will be the next one in the safe, but there will be more.

Funny thing is I don't care for the metric system, but my safe is filling up with 9 and 10 mm's.

I just saw your response over on GID Curtis. For me it will be the other way around...G20 first and then a Delta Elite.

I should have purchased the Delta years ago.

[4949shooter]

  I think 10mm is here to stay now. It will take a fade in the demand for guns/ammo to be put on the back-burner now. IMO our dollars should also go to the places that kept it going and at the proper 10mm level. Every so often throw a few dollars to these 10mm guys:

Underwood Ammo, Buffalo Bore Ammo, Reed's Ammo, PBR Ammo, Doubletap Ammo, Sig Sauer Ammo, etc...
Glock, EAA, Sig Sauer, Springfield, Ruger, Armscor/RI, Kimber, Colt, Dan Wesson, etc...

If Springfield fields the XD 10mm this year I will throw them a few bones! 

I agree IC...let's support the companies who supported us!

[The_Shadow]

Back when the D&D Bren Ten was coming about I was very enthusiastic about the gun and the cartridge and its ballistics.  However I continued my research and waited because at that time I didn't even own a semi auto pistol only revolvers.  I watched intently as S&W started their production of the 10xx series and decided 1989 the 1006 was going to be the one for me!  I was glad I waited and took delivery of it Mar 1990.  I had even collected some 10mm brass as shot mostly from HK MP5's that the FBI and Navy Seals were kind enough to leave at the range.  I had ordered my RCBS dies (not Bren Ten marked) but they were 10mm only and the seater die was too long to crimp 40S&W which came about shortly afterwards.

The Smith & Wesson 10xx series proved to be a heavy duty robust 10mm platform...many LE agencies adopted the various models.
I avoided the Delta Elite because it was Single Action and it held one less round...

Oh well as time when on I started collecting several 10mm guns, was on the hook to buy the VLTOR which never did materilize but used that money to purchase a real Bren Ten.  Now fast forward to current tiimes I am patiently waiting on Elite Armament to build the CSP "Combat Service Pistol" which will be for all practical purposes a Bren Ten but with a different magazine...

I am inside the first 25 of the first 50 scheduled to be produced...