.40S&W vs 10mm GLOCK

[graysmoke]

I am considering on swapping my G3 Glock 23 .40S&W for a Glock 10mm.
If you had to choose one of the two calibers for concealment carry, which would you select, and why.?

[mete]

The 10mm is more appropriate for hunting [think near 41 mag] .The 40 is the proper carry gun as it's very effective at the shorter ranges without excessive recoil or muzzle blast .Lots of good loads available too.

[carguychris]

If we're talking about Glocks specifically, I'd pick the .40S&W G23, because I like the compact frame size and Glock doesn't make one in 10mm.

THAT SAID...

I've shot a G20- something that many shooters who chime in on these threads can't honestly say- and I found it quite enjoyable. It's NOT the ferocious beast that some folks make it out to be. Don't get me wrong, it's no pussycat, but IMHO it's easier to handle than most mid-sized Magnum revolvers.

However, whether or not you want a 10mm Glock basically boils down to 3 questions:

• Can I handle the recoil? Again, I don't think it's that bad; IMHO if you can handle a K frame S&W (M13/19/65/66) loaded with full-power Magnums, you can handle a G20, but it's not everyone's cup of tea. (OTOH I've never fired a G29!)
• Is it too big? IMHO the G20's reputation for hugeness is also exaggerated, but it definitely ain't small, and even the subcompact G29 is pretty big through the grip area.
• Can I handle the ammo costs? Economical practice with 10mm Auto basically equates to handloading- something else that isn't everyone's cup of tea.

[HighValleyRanch]

Well, I have had and shot a few..... 26, 19,17, 29 and 20.
The glock 29 is closer is size to the 23. It was my match for the 19.
It is a little wider, but almost the same grip length as the 23.

The 20 is slightly larger than the full size glocks.

The 29 was just as easy to conceal as the 19, but slightly harder than the 26.

BUT, it is more versatile. The lower end of the 10mm spectrum is the same as .40, and then it goes beyond what a .40 could ever achieve.
So anyone that says that the 10mm is too powerful for SD isn't considering the broad spectrum of ammo available and pigeon holing it for their argument.

The 29 was a breeze to shoot, as was the 20. The 20 is easier to manipulate, because the 29 is a fairly fat short gun.

If I had it to do again, I would either get the 20 and chop it to the 29 grip length, or get the 29 SF.

[The_Shadow]

My carry is the Glock 29, loaded with 10mm rounds.

If I change to the 40 S&W conversion barrel it will shoot the 40's just fine too. Same for the 357Sig Barrel and the 9x25Dillon barrel. 4 cartridges same gun and magazines just swap to my other barrels to enjoy them all!

[Cheapshooter]

I've shot a G20- something that many shooters who chime in on these threads can't honestly say-

Well, here's one! I bought a Glock 20fs last year. Mainly because I didn't have a Glock, and didn't have a 10MM. Great gun and a real pleasure to shoot. The recoil isn't as "snappy" as my XD40 40S&W. I haven't tried the Buffalo Bore, or Double Tap really hot loads, but the 175 gr. Winchester silvertip is pretty close to the original 170 Norma round that many thought was a handful. I didn't find it to be anything that I didn't enjoy shooting.
All that being said, I don't think the 10MM is necessary for CCW, even in the smaller Glock 29. I'll stick with my XD40, and Elsie Pea for my EDC guns.

[roman3]

Do you reload?

If not then the 40 is a better choice.

Do you mind how fat the Glock 10mm's are?

If so the 40 is a better choice.

10mm ammo is either watered down factory stuff, expensive small boutique shop stuff or you roll your own. Choices are limited in both sd and practice.

[Sevens]

I carry the G29 as my EDC and I carry the Winchester Silvertip in it... and as much as I love the 10mm round and have been a 10mm shooter and handloader since '92, reality does have to rear it's ugly head.

I haven't tried the Buffalo Bore, or Double Tap really hot loads, but the 175 gr. Winchester silvertip is pretty close to the original 170 Norma round that many thought was a handful.

The current Silvertip load clocks a solid two hundred feet per second slower than the Silvertip load, at nearly the same bullet weight. So no, it's really not close at all.

The current Silvertip is closer to a .40 S&W round than it is to the original (and legendary) Norma 170-grain JHP.

Still, the Silvertip is better than anything else produced by CCI, Hornady, R-P, and for damn sure, Federal. It does not hang with the selections from Cor-Bon, Double Tap, Buffalo Bore and some of the boutique makers of 10mm factory ammo.

As for physical size, it's incredibly close in length and height to the G19/G23, but much fatter for carry. I carry mine IWB daily.

[freenokia]

Heavy, Clunky, Expensive...I owned one and traded for a 357. I'd pay 1000 for a g27 before paying 100 for another g29.


To add, when i picked up my g29 I had to drive all over town looking for ammunition. Finally found a store that had some. 4 boxes of Winchester Silvertips (20rds/box) at $29.99. At a later date, found PMC/UMC (something like that) FMJ's at Bass Pro Shop in Macon for $24.99/50rds.

As for 357, Walmart has Remington 125g SJHP's for $44.xx/100rds. The Premire self defense load of the caliber at less than $0.45 per round & readily available.


I was not impressed whatsoever by the 10mm or the g29 platform.

[group17]

very happy with my G27/40

[dsb1829]

I own 2 10mm, glock 20 & S&W 1006. I also own a glock 22 40cal. Both of the glocks get regular use in my weekly IDPA shoot. The 40 has never malfunctioned on factory ammo. The 10mm has never malfuntioned on my reloads. However both of my 10mms have had failures to feed with factory ammo. That is a red flag for me in terms of a carry gun. It is most likely due to the long/slender round and weak factory load.

My vote for carry is the 40 S&W. Don't get me wrong, I love my 10mm, but it is more for the woods than for daily carry.

[graysmoke]

I might just keep my .40S&W Glock 23 compact.

[NJgunowner]

10mm is a great round, but it can be hard to find and tends to be expensive.

[jmr40]

My G-20 is a great gun that serves a very specific role for me. It is my hiking, backwoods gun when in areas where black bear may be a problem. Otherwise I'll carry my G-26 or G-19 in 9mm. For SD against humans any 9mm, 40, or 45 that suits your taste is all the gun you will ever need. I've never seen a bit of proof that anything else is a bit better against humans than 9mm so it is my choice.

The 10, properly loaded will take power to another level. About the same as a very hot loaded 357 mag when fired from a barrel of at least 6". With shorter 357 barrels the 10mm easily beats the 357. If you don't mind the extra size and weight of the G-20 or G-29, it could do double duty. I know there is a lot of complaining about 10mm loads being downloaded to about 40 ballistics. For normal use that is plenty. If you want, or need the really hot loads there are options including Double Tap and handloads. MY G-20 shoots 200 Gr Double Tap hardcast bullets at a chronographed 1315 fps.

[wingspar]

Originally Posted by graysmoke

I might just keep my .40S&W Glock 23 compact.

I have shot a G23 and think I may own one some day. I just have to ask if I want to add another caliber to my arsenal. I considered a G20 and getting a .40 barrel for it, but the G20 is one big chunky heavy thing, so for most people, it is not a practical carry gun, unless you are worried about bears in the woods. I spent 31 years working in the woods. Never met a bear that didn’t run at the first sight or smell of me. The G20 is the same frame as the G21, which I have shot. Cost of 10mm ammo is expensive, and not always easy to find. I decided against it. The G23 is a sweet little thing.

[hogwiley]

The .40 is relatively controllable in rapid fire in a glock 23. I doubt that would be the case with a 10mm. You could download it to make it more controllable, but if you are gonna do that why not just use a .40?

The 10mm probably doesnt offer much of an advantage in stopping power either, at least not enough to justify the bulkier grip and added recoil, noise and muzzle flash.

[E45]

I have the G20 w/ the LWD 40 conversion barrel.
I don't reload, and factory 40 shoots smooth in the G20.
Bought the G20 specifically to run both calibers, as I don't like the way small frame 40s shoot.
Then again, I never liked the 40 until I shot it out of a 1911.

[jmr40]

but the G20 is one big chunky heavy thing,

A G-20 is almost exactly the same overall length, thickness, height and weight as a Ruger SP-101

A G29 compares to a 2" SP-101.

They LOOK big, and the grip is bigger, but they are not that difficult to carry.

[Muad' Dib]

If we're talking about Glocks specifically, I'd pick the .40S&W G23, because I like the compact frame size and Glock doesn't make one in 10mm

Glock makes a compact 10mm that can be easily ccw'd, the G29SF...In fact, it is virtually identical in size to the G23/G19 pistol's, though it is of course a bit chunkier...

[HighValleyRanch]

Glock makes a compact 10mm that can be easily ccw'd, the G29SF...In fact, it is virtually identical in size to the G23/G19 pistol's, though it is of course a bit chunkier.

Correct, but there was a thread a while back where someone was arguing that since Glock calls the 29 a "subcompact" it was not a compact, even though others argued that it was the same size as the other small frame compacts.

I agree, the 29 is a compact, not subcompact!

[Cheapshooter]

The current Silvertip load clocks a solid two hundred feet per second slower than the Silvertip load, at nearly the same bullet weight. So no, it's really not close at all.

Which is which?
So the claimed 1290 fps for the current Silvertip 175 Gr. is not a reality?

[bamaranger]

You don't mention which, G20 or G29.

My G20 is a big pistol, and gets CC'd only in cooler weather, usually beneath a jacket or windbreaker in the Glock concealment holster.

Once temps warm up a bit, it is not a practical CCW for me.

My main use is smilar to jmr40. A serious woods pistol. In that role it rides in a flap M84 type holster on a web belt.

Bamaboy shoots it in local IDPA, loaded down, from an Uncle Mikes Kydex.

[Sevens]

re: Silvertip

Which is which?
So the claimed 1290 fps for the current Silvertip 175 Gr. is not a reality?

Sorry, Cheapshooter, I mistyped in my post. I meant that it's good but doesn't hang with the original 170 grain Norma load.

Now I'm not sure how they chrono'd the Norma load, but they advertised it at 170 grains and 1,350 FPS. (when I say advertised, I don't mean they purchased print ads, I mean that is what was being said, written and reported) You make sense to assume that was from the Bren Ten pistol, but I can't confirm that.

The current 175 grain Silvertip runs around 1,200 FPS from a 5-inch barrel and runs 1,100 FPS from my Glock 29 and it's stubbier barrel.

The Silvertip is a good load, really, especially compared to most of the others on the market. But an original Norma full-spec load it is not.

I would agree with you that a 170 grain bullet... at a full 1,350 FPS... from a 10mm handgun... was probably quite a handful, if it really actually produced that much velocity.

[triumph666]

i do an would carry my g22 40s&w over the 10mm just for a few reason...

1 Slightly smaller
2 Less Weight
3 Less Recoil
4 g22 with +p jhp's jumps around in hand under rapid fire...10mm lil worse?

but everyone shoots differently...i.e. i shoot super fast tight groups with 1911 with only 8 rnds...but im sure they're are people out there who can shoot those groups with a higher capacity 10mm too

so in the end...does this 10mm glock work better for You???

[Holman]

I also was looking at the 40 cal ( G23 ) or the 10MM ( G29 ) for conceal carry and also woods carry back up gun. I chose the G23 because it felt better in my hands. So I bought the G23 and love it. For me the G29 just did not feel comfortable to my hands. I might later buy a full size 10MM Glock ( 20 ), which I have shot before, a cousin has one and I shot it. Recoil is not bad at all for me, the G20 is big enough to smooth out this hot round. The G20 for me is just a bit bulky to carry as a conceal weapon of choice.