Me, the 10mm, and my new Glock 20

[DaleA]

Now (September 2020) is not the time to buy a handgun with all the panic buying going on and shortages of guns and ammo so of course I go out and (finally) buy a 10mm Glock 20, Gen 3, Short Frame.

I like it.

I’ve mentioned this time and time again that I’ve been fascinated by the 10mm cartridge since reading Colonel Jeff Cooper’s articles about it. When the Colt Delta Elite came out, I followed it closely and was very much dismayed to find out that the cartridge was abusing the gun. I’ve been a 1911 fan forever and was righteously indignant about its mistreatment by the 10mm cartridge. (Note: I realize this is not an entirely rational thought but to quote Popeye, “I yam what I yam.”) So, for years and years I put the 10mm on hold.

When Glock came into the firearms world with no MANUAL safety on a high capacity semi-auto (Note: I know about all the INTERNAL safeties on Glocks) I was fascinated by the Glock. All the hubbub of the plastic gun being undetectable (not true) and the high capacity magazines (true) and the inherent unsafeness of a gun without a MANUAL safety (STILL being debated to this very day) I took a quick look at Glocks and said “eh” and put them on hold too.

Much later my “internal indignant meter” just about got pegged when the book “Glock: The Rise of America’s Gun” by Paul Barrett came out. I thought maybe Colt, Smith and Wesson, Winchester or even the modern era upstart Ruger JUST MIGHT have a slightly more legitimate claim to the title “America’s Gun” than the Austrian import, Glock. I actually got the book from the library and read it and was kind of impressed at all the work the author put into it and how little information there was about Glocks and guns in general in a book that had the word “Gun” in its title. Later on Paul Barrett spoke to a crowd of about 80 people at my local library in St. Paul, MN and talked about the book and totally side stepped and tap danced around ANY discussion of gun control and almost any discussion of the technical side of firearms (that was the most impressive part of his talk, his ability to not engage in any hot button topics.) There is an interesting video of Paul Barrett talking about his book on CSPAN and the link is included below.

So anyway, what could POSSIBLY be better for me than a cartridge that abuses guns and a gun that I don’t care enough about to care if it gets abused?

Ta Da! My acquisition of a Gen 3 Glock 20 SF.

As I said before I like the gun. The grip is admittedly “Blocky” but nothing I can’t get my hands (and probably more importantly my mind) around. The big gun soaks up the 10mm recoil acceptably well. The trigger is okay. The sights are okay. The gun really does hold a *lot* of high-power cartridges and so far, the beast is just totally unsophisticated about indiscriminately gobbling up everything I feed it without complaint. So, I like it. Also, here is a Memorial Day photo of one of my favorite places to buy guns and ammunition, Fleet Farm. About the only thing on the shelves is S&W 500 ammunition and 10mm ammunition ($15 for 20 rounds of 200 grain ammo). Plus, I reload and Midway had a smoking deal on 10mm bullets so I braved the wrath of my UPS delivery man and ordered up a couple thousand 10mm bullets. I have NOT yet gotten into reloading them (for personal (read “remodeling”) reasons) but when my basement is back in order, I don’t see that reloading 10mm will be beyond my capabilities (knock on wood).

So, the Glock 20 is well on its way to becoming one of “my guns”. Which just like “my dog” or “my family” I can criticize all their faults all I want but nobody else better say a thing against them.

Now what happens when you buy something a little out of the ordinary? A little bit unique? Folks come out of the woodwork with the same thing. A friend at the range, watching me shoot the Glock 20 said he had a friend…next range session I’m meeting a guy who just bought a Remington long slide (6-inch barrel) R1 1911 in 10mm. We had fun BUT the trigger on his Remington was truly gritty, REALLY gritty. He acknowledged that but claimed the gun was new and he hadn’t cleaned it, etc., etc. The grip felt really good in the hand, it felt like it was beefy enough to handle the 10mm cartridge, it didn’t feel all that nose heavy and the adjustable sights were really nice. He mentioned a potential downside was all the financial shenanigans that are befalling Remington even as we speak and could possibly affect Remington customer service if he ever needs it.

After shooting each other’s guns and discussing all their pro’s and con’s we eventually both got around to the same point, maybe, just maybe, the Glock 40 would have been the way to go for both of us. Long slide, 6-inch barrel, modular back strap so you can get the effect of the short frame (or not), high capacity and it’s got the modular optical system option too so you could easily mount a red dot sight on the gun. So, we both looked at our respective firearms and said “Huh.” And thought about the grass always being greener…

I guess there’s always something going on in this hobby/diversion/obsession of ours and I think that’s a good thing.

Paul Barrett on CSPAN, at the 31 minute mark he starts answering questions from the audience and things get more interesting.
https://www.c-span.org/video/?303843...e-americas-gun

Fleet Farm handgun ammo shelves on Memorial Day 2020 and it’s still about the same Labor Day 2020.

[BJung]

Congratulations. My brother owns one of these Glocks. If you take up reloading, examine the cases carefully and discard the bad cases. I had a Kaboom with his gun and I thought by fingers blew off, which didn't happen. I loaded his handgun with WSF because I couldn't find anything else to use the powder for and the load was both accurate and loud. You could see a flame and then hear the bullet XTP hit the indoor range backstop. To save money, my brother shoots .40sw through it. What's nice to me is that the G20 can me used for hunting.

[stagpanther]

I have two of them--actually they are both about 50% builds, one of which I converted to 9 x 25 Dillon. It's not REALLY a 10mm until you fire full-power loads, which you might consider getting a wolf spring set for and a tungsten main spring rod. You'll feel them.

[DaleA]

Good to know information guys. Thanks.
I was also thinking about sending the slide back to Glock for a set of night sights mostly because Glock puts them on for such a reasonable price.

[stagpanther]

I was also thinking about sending the slide back to Glock for a set of night sights mostly because Glock puts them on for such a reasonable price.

Roger that--It's worth the extra money to have tritium sights put on.

[jmr40]

I've had a G20 for years. I also own multiple other Glocks in 9mm and 45 so in reality the 10mm version gets shot the least. But it fills a role none of the others fill and I have no plans to get rid of it. And since they all function exactly the same I can get in cheaper practice with one of the Glock 9mm pistols.

The longer barreled G40 wouldn't meet my needs, in fact the smaller G29 that I bought actually gets carried and used more. It is my hiking/camping/woods gun. With the better loads I can do anything 357 mag will do and come closer to short barreled 44 mag performance than most realize. With an attached light and 16 rounds of 200 gr DoubleTap hardcast @1300 fps in the gun I sleep pretty well when camping in bear country.

Mine has night sights that long ago stopped glowing. But I don't miss them since I use an attached light at night.

Don't worry about breaking it. The Glocks and discontinued Smith 1006 versions are the only 10mm's that have proven they will hold up to anything you can throw at them.

I wouldn't choose any of the Glocks for hunting. The 10mm cartridge has the power, but for a hunting handgun I'd still prefer a longish barreled magnum revolver. With longer barrels they do out perform 10mm plus you get a better trigger and a more accurate gun. But for defensive purposes they are accurate enough for closer shots.

Most Glock 10mm pistols shoot 40 S&W ammo just fine. Both of mine function perfectly. POI and accuracy are still the same. As a rule I don't do it, but it is good to know you can in a pinch. In "normal" times 10mm is readily available now and locally I can get it easily and priced exactly the same as 40 S&W. Cheaper than 45. But in times like this if you can find 40 and not 10mm you can at least shoot it.

[CDW4ME]

I frequently carry a Glock 20SF AIWB.

[the duck of death]

"QUOTE"
I had a Kaboom with his gun and I thought by fingers blew off, which didn't happen.

I hand load & shoot hot loads (14.5 #9/180 coated)--my G29 has a KKM barrel.

[9x19]

Congrats on the new pistol!

I have my 20SF setup to match my 21SF.... both have OEM extended slide stops, 3.5lb (-) connectors and green/green tritium sights. I'm really fond of the 3rd generation Glocks.

[BJung]

If you go to the For Sale section and scroll back, there is someone selling his 10mm mags I think

[Cheapshooter]

Great gun. My first Glock is a G20SF. Didn't have a Glock, didn't have a 10 MM so it was the perfect gun to scratch my buying itch at the time!

[bamaranger]

I've posted before, I became a G20 owner by coincidence. Went to buy a Colt Delta and it was gone, but the seller had an early G20 and 4 hi-cap magazines when Hi-caps were banned and expensive, and I ended up carrying the Glock and its magazines home.

The G20 has basically retired all my magnum revolvers from woods carry. Rugged and reliable, flat and easy to carry, lots of ammo in hand. I do not shoot it quite as well as a revolver with a fine set of adjustable sights and good single action trigger, but inside 25 yds I do well enough with it. Ammo is not a large problem (yet) as I reload and am pretty well situated at the time.

[Dred]

@DaleA ...

Congrats. 10mm is one of my favorite pistol calibers. Loading it is very straightforward.

Consider a Bulgebuster. Glock chambers are notoriously forgiving. At 10mm pressures, spent cases will often demonstrate a pregnant shape from glock chambers. When processing 10mm range pickup brass, I run range pickups through my kit while inspecting and culling. The kit can dramatically extend the service life of Glock fired 10mm brass - without the kit spec power 10mm is one time use in a glock chamber.

Several loading equipment manufacturers offer pass through type solutions. I use Lee's. Their description is here: bulge-buster-kit

[PatientWolf]

Bamaranger -

I’m curious regarding the hi cap mags you found. I have only seen up to 15-rd capacities. What brand did you buy? Are they reliable?

[bamaranger]

The magazines that came along w/ my G20 were 15 rd mags. The gun was acquired from a private seller during the infamous Clinton era when new magazines were limited to 10 rd capacity. Thus, I referred to the 15 rd mags as hi-cap, as opposed to the limited 10 rd mags only available at the time.
However.......

There are aftermarket 10mm Glock mags that hold 20 or more rounds. A pal has bought one of those CAA Glock chassis kits and applied it to his G20 10mm.
Accordingly, he has an extended mag for it, I do not know who makes it, but it is black polymer, not translucent. I make that statement because ETS makes G20 mags that are clear/translucent and the largest they offer is 30 rds.

I will check and see what the story is on the black big stick he is using.

[JohnKSa]

...during the infamous Clinton era when new magazines were limited to 10 rd capacity...

I remember that at one point during the ban, new 15 round G20 mags were selling for $120 apiece. 5 new 15rnd mags would cost more than the pistol they fit in!

[bamaranger]

Yeah, in my instance (above) I sold two of the mags that came w/ the gun (as I recall, $50 each?) to a pal, knocking off my initial investment considerably.

[Omaha-BeenGlockin]

Have the same gun--- I like it too.

Mine also doesn't get shot much and isn't going anywhere either.

[Classic12]

Congratulations on your acquisition

Since you didn’t show pics, here’s my G20, a 1991 Gen 2. If I could and needed to carry, that’d be top of my list, together with my Sig P229 in .357 Sig







I bought it in a bundle with a Steyr AUG and a Colt gvt 380 (and I already had a Delta Elite and a 1006)

[shurshot]

The AUG... I remember first seeing that on Miami Vice in the 80's... so cool!!!