10mm grain logic ?

[Snowleopard]

Hello everyone , I am new to the 10mm world but am jumping in both feet . I purchased an Aero survival rifle in 10mm (my only non hunting rifle) and have just put a deposit on a Desert Eagle in 10mm .
I have shot rifles & shotguns since I was a kid and know more than just the basics but no means a ” pro” I have around 30 rifles & a half dozen pistols so I am familiar with fps , grains , etc . My question is if my 30-06 is pushing a 180 gr. bullet why would they load that same bullet in a 10mm ?? Seems like that would be the equivalent of a .22 being loaded with the powder from a cap gun? I have a S&W 686 in .357 mag and although they make 180’s for that , 125’s are the most destructible (reccomended for the .357 is 158grain which is an absolute dog with all the other options) My observations are on flesh & bone , no chrono’s or tech specs. I understand that 180’s have stopping power , 180 is the “reccomended” #1gr. for the ’06 but it’s got a ton of powder pushing the velocties up there , if that is all ideal for a 180 gr bullet how can it also be the ideal for a 10mm with waaay less of a powder charge?

[sqlbullet]

Well, you can also load your 30.06 with a 110 grain bullet and it will really scream. It would absolutely detonate a small varmint game like a ground hog, and be a terrible choice if you were going after moose.

And, you can get some real screaming fast loads for 10mm. 135 grains were all the rage 15 years ago in 10mm Auto.

All else equal, lighter bullets will have higher velocity, flatter trajectories and usually deliver a small amount more energy on target. Heavier bullets will deliver more momentum and penetrate deeper. Which you need depends on what you want the projectile to accomplish when it hits the target.

Going back to the ground hog and moose comparison: The 110 grain bullet which is devastating to a ground hog would only create a flesh wound on the moose. And the 180 grain bullet that would be a great choice for a moose would only poke a tiny hole in the ground hog, probably leaving it to die from infection, or less commonly, survive.

You start with your goals, and then work backwards from there to determine the ideal external and terminal ballistics for those goals. That information informs bullet diameter, weight, construction as well as the cartridge specifics.

It turns out that for the very different ballistic situations that 10mm Auto and 30-06 solve for, 180 grains ends up being a pretty solid all around bullet weight or both cartridges. But the bullet construction is very different to accomplish their differing goals.

I would also add that since there is a diameter difference, you have to take sectional density into account as well. And note that there aren’t any 305 grain loads for 10mm. In fact the 10mm just plain can’t compete with the 30-06 on sectional density. A 305 grain bullet in 10mm would basically be a projectile with a primer in it’s base.

[Snowleopard]

I understand all you are saying about speed & penetration I am up on all that. I guess shooting the ’06 I got used to having a myriad of grain weights to choose from and if you go shopping for 10mm it’s 180’s or 200’s with 135’s being one in 50 dealers carry them. I guess I was questioning the ” one size fits all” with it seemingly being pre-determined that I “need” 180’s in my 10mm
No , I need more selection! Instead of 180 gr hollow points, if I were hunting I would prefer 145gr hard cast for hunting and 110gr hp for self defense. Same weights I run in a S& W 686 .357mag. I’m still looking at 180 out of a 10mm is firing a cannonball with a musket charge. I AM new to 10mm so maybe I will change my mind after trying different grain bullets.
Let me go back a step & say , I am NOT hunting with this pistol. I am trying to understand “logic”~~~~ 180gr out of 30-06 has 2902 ftlbs @ 100yds , a 10mm 180gr @ 100yds has 402ftlbs , If I follow the logic presented , I am to assume I have been hunting with a rifle that is over powered by a factor of 7 if a 180gr projectile out of a 10mm is sufficient to kill? ~~~~~~Just in writing this and looking at fps & energy of the 10mm & 30-06 I AM LEARNING what The_Shadow said to be true~ It is tough to compare rifle to pistol cartridge across ballistics, bullet type and construction with performance. I just need to shoot & worry about technical ballistics later! Thanks guys~

• This reply was modified 6 months ago by Snowleopard.

[The_Shadow]

It is tough to compare rifle to pistol cartridge across ballistics, bullet type and construction with performance.
I will say that 10mm can provide some awesome performance with various projectiles that are available in today’s supply chains.

Jacketed FMJ and JHP great for expanding quality that might limit pass throughs.
Solid Copper with various construction shapes/weights that give certain performance traits have their own uses.
Not to rule out CAST alloy bullets of solid and even hollow point designs than perform well from the 10mm.

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