Sidearms & Scatterguns 10mm 1911 thoughts & opinions

The Angler

The Angler

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Minuteman
Feb 13, 2017
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#1
So I’ve decided to start looking for a 10mm 1911. I feel that would be the best do it all pistol for me. I’ve done some searching and it doesn’t look like there are many production models out there. I’m kind of leaning towards a 6” long slide over the standard government model. Any recommendations? Should I go custom? Not trying to spend too much.




*This will not be for concealed carry

*pictures are greatly appreciated




Thanks


 
#2
A good buddy has a Dan Wesson stainless 10mm 1911 with a 5" barrel he really likes. He doesnt buy or like cheap crap and has 3-4 Dan Wessons he really likes.
I had the chance to shoot it with fairly hot loads for bear and it was a lot of fun.
Of course I enjoyed shooting his single action 475 Linebaugh pushing 400 gr hardcasts around 1400 fps as well.
 
#3
I purchased a Rock island armory hi cap 6" 1911 a month ago (model #52000) I think. Haven't had a chance to fire it yet, but fit and finish is very good. Should be a mild shooter judging from the weight.
 
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#4
I looked at a Dan Wesson long slide, but it had some type of proprietary recoil spring plug that you needed a special tool for; not a big fan of that, but I’m kind of hypocritical in that regard because I usually don’t mind using barrel bushing wrenches on tight fit 1911’s
 
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#6
What do you want to use it for?

I own a Kimber Eclipse Custom II, standard 5". Wonderful gun, zero issues. I upped the recoil spring to 23lbs, and a 25" mainspring, a flat bottom firing pin stop, and a mag well. Now the brass land in the next county instead of entering low Earth orbit. Accuracy is phenominal and I can shoot it all day. Last year I shot a buck with it still hunting. The difference between full bore 10mm with 200gr bullets and 40SW on deer is AMAZING.

More recently I obtained a Rock Island Commander frame (MS) for carry. The mag catch was defective from the factory, so I replaced that and the ambi safety with a normal one and all is good. I really like the gun though the weight difference is enough that it is a "four mag gun", not one I want to shoot all day. For defense, it is perfect. I plan to bobtail it, install night sights, and call it a day.

If my sole goal was hunting and target shooting, I would (and will) build a longslide 6" from Caspian parts.

Whichever way you go you don't need to break the bank to have a quality 10mm 1911.

I do struggle with you looking at a longslide for a "do it all pistol". A 5" may fill that roll, but a longslide really struggles as a carry pistol.
 
#7
It’ll be more of a bedside gun with a light with plans to do a lot of plinking and possibly a little hunting.

dont get me wrong I like the 5” models And plan to get one, I just want a pistol that is I little better for long range plinking. A 10mm commander sounds interesting, but with my carry models I’m perfectly fine with 45acp. I could start from the ground up though. Where could I find some caspian frame/slide parts?
 
#11
Having been down the road on a 10mm 1911, I am dubious of any claim on the web regarding the requisite level of reliability for the purposes of SD or carry.

Save yourself a megaton of $$ and aggravation, get a G20 and call it good.

On a related note and with respect to SD - the perceived advantages of a 10mm are practically negated by modern HP projectiles amongst 9mm / 40 / .45 ACP; plus splits are slower. Pragmatically speaking, there are only downsides to 10mm for SD.

Not saying they aren't fun, not saying they are great for a pin table, not talking about 4 legged things.

FWIW
 
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#13
I am a huge fan of the 10mm. I currently own a 610, a G20, a Razorback and I am in process building a 10mm 16" DI AR. I had a G29, Wilson and a Kimber and sold them off.

In the 1911 pattern, the Dan Wesson and the STI Perfect 10 are the high water marks IMHO. While the RZ-10 sold today is not the exact same as the original, it is pretty close. I was one of the folks lucky enough to get in on the design of the original RZ10 and have #67 of 150. Several very knowledgeable 1911 10mm fans had input and spec'd the best parts for the 10mm in the 1911 platform. The durability and reliability is exemplary. I killed an elk at 80 yards (DRT) with it many years ago and have hunted with it several times.

As has become a bit of a tradition, I will be a guest on Shooting Gallery's final episode this season...which will be on the 10mm. We are going to have some other 10mm fans and cover the cartridge, guns and ammo for it. I should be a jam packed celebration of the 10mm Auto.
 
#14
Mike_Honcho, while I agree that a 9mm will drop a target just as fast as a 10mm with a well placed shot, I feel that the 10mm allows for a greater Margin of error on the shooters part.

One of the main things that drew me towards the cartridge wasn’t necessarily it’s stopping power but rather,its trajectory. I like the fact that I could extend the effective range with a pistol chambered in 10mm.(however impractical that may be for most people)

I shot the g20 at the range the other day as a rental to get a feel for the recoil, and it wasn’t bad even out of a lighter gun; no jams ,sights were held at six o’clock to get bullseyes on everything within 25yrds, which means the hold was probably dead on at longer ranges, but the reason I’m leaning towards the 1911, is because I shoot them so much better than everything else.

Now on the reliability of a 10mm 1911...that is my only concern. Thanks for your input
 
#18
Mike_Honcho said:
Having been down the road on a 10mm 1911, I am dubious of any claim on the web regarding the requisite level of reliability for the purposes of SD or carry.

Save yourself a megaton of $$ and aggravation, get a G20 and call it good.

On a related note and with respect to SD - the perceived advantages of a 10mm are practically negated by modern HP projectiles amongst 9mm / 40 / .45 ACP; plus splits are slower. Pragmatically speaking, there are only downsides to 10mm for SD.

Not saying they aren't fun, not saying they are great for a pin table, not talking about 4 legged things.

FWIW
Click to expand...

I disagree. I own Glocks and 1911s and while 1911s are not as likely to run reliably out of the box, that doesn't mean they can't be just as reliable. With a minor amount of tweaking my 1911s run as failure free as my Glocks and I shoot several thousand rounds a year (reload by the 30cal ammo can).

As for 9mm being just as effective at 10mm....well, I've got some experience on living tissue with that, I don't agree at all, and I'll leave it at that. The 9mm has advantages for SD but one doesn't need to pretend its downsides don't exist to defend it.
 
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#20
It's the only 10 mm I have.
DSC_0173 copy.jpg
 
#21
Having read the rest of the responses I will agree with Mike Honcho on just buying the G20.
i do also agree the 10mm has way more energy and penetration than many other easily obtained rounds in a semi as well.
For SD I carry a 9 for size, capacity, and speed of accurate follow up.
 
#23
Powdahound, I agree with you on the merits of the 9mm; my colt defender ,which is one of my favorite carries, is chambered in it. I don’t really want this to turn into a caliber debate though I believe they all have their place.

The g17 is definitely on my short list.
 
#24
Dan Wesson 1911s are some of the only 1911s with ZERO MIM parts...They are made with almost all bar stock parts and super tight, almost like a custom gun for much less. Id take a look at the Bruin, I believe thats a very popular choice with good reviews
 
#25
Since the Delta Elite has come up, I've owned two new models purchased last year. Only selling the first to purchase the "rail gun" version. Both have run perfect out of the box, no tweaking, used factory ammo. No complaints on the fit and finish. I think they are worth the consideration.

 
#29
Keep in mind 10mm has 2 completely different categories of loads produced for it. The most common makes it effectively a 40S&W. The other are the loads that give the performance that was originally intended, and will certainly find any weak point in the build rather quickly. That being said I have a pair of them. One government model sized, and the other a commander length slide on an officer sized frame. In both cases I built them around the intent to run the full power version 180's running north of 1200fps, and they have done quite well. Currently using a load from Doubletap 125 gr Barnes going over 1600.
 
#30
So far, I’m really liking Dan Wesson’s quality; that’s a sweet pistol MarkCo.
Is the recoil springs the dual type similar to the Colt’s 10mm’s?

I also own a Colt, and have been very happy with their quality, so I may go with them and just customize it a little at a time with (non-MIM), ambi safety, sights, grips, and maybe even fitting a barrel( if accuracy isn’t quite there).
I originally was set on a long slide, but it seems you almost pay double for an extra inch; probably not much of a velocity loss, but I bet the recoil is a lot smoother.

Man, 1600FPS is some hot stuff; makes me wonder what the barrel life is with these rounds?
Speaking of ammo, what’s everybody else shooting in theirs? (Hunting/ plinking/SD)



 
#33
The Angler said:
Man, 1600FPS is some hot stuff; makes me wonder what the barrel life is with these rounds?
Speaking of ammo, what’s everybody else shooting in theirs? (Hunting/ plinking/SD)
Click to expand...

For hunting, I'm shooting the 200 XTP over a full power load of LongShot. In fact I use LongShot exclusively in the 10mm.

I also shoot 180s and 155s from time to time. I often carry the 155s or 180s.

For plinking, I use the powder coated Missouri Bullet 180s. The powder coating is robust enough the stop leading. I've recovered bullets from my backstop and the riflinig does not cut through the coating and the base is still coated. I also run them at full powder. If I wanted to down-load I have 40SW pistols for that!!

 
#35
The Angler said:
Thanks for the recommendation RampedRaptor, those TRP’s look nice; from what I gathered, lots of people are happy with them. Great value too
Click to expand...
No problem. They just sent me a email about the 10mm and it matches your need to the T I believe. 6” slide, quality 1911 in 10mm that doesn’t have the custom price tag. I know people are mad at Springfield but they have always offered great reliable products at an affordable price. Their customer service is top notch along with their warranty and everyone has at least heard of the quality of work their custom shop produces.

Im not a full throttle fan boy but I recommend Springfield frequently because I like and shoot their pistols well. I respect how their company is managed (minus recent events) and think they are a fantastic value. I still need to buy a SF 1911 professional model but always talk myself into something else first.

Let us know if you go that route; write a review once you get some rounds down range and share your thoughts.
 
#36
I’ve got a STI nitro 10 and it has been great through 500 rounds so far. Mixture of plinking and full power loads. It’s got a fully supported chamber and bull barrel. Very nice pistol and doesn’t break the bank. I think I paid $1300 or so for it New a few years ago


Stock photo but mine is stock also so nothing special.
bbe81969dfddcf30a9959d4844318937.jpg
 
#38
I've owned - and still own - any number of 10mm pistols, but Sig's all-steel DA/SA Elite P220 quickly became a favorite.

image.jpg

The only downside is that Sig went "stingy" on mag capacity at 8-rds, when they could've easily engineered the mags to hold 10. Heck, the old S&W 10mm pistols were 9+1 guns.

Despite that, it's still a great gun. If you want high capacity, it's definitely Glock all the way.
 
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#39
I like 10mm, but I don't like what the 1911 has done to the load.

Consider the G20, I could go on about 10's but that's the best all around 10 now and it has 15rd. mags. Adj. sights are nice, it's probably the most accurate full size Glock made. It was also designed to handle 10mm from the beginning, the .45 G21 is actually a modified G20, not the other way around. They can handle full power loads and "hot" loads (old book data). Oh, and it's cheaper.

Smith 10xx is the best tank, but mags are super expensive now that they stopped making 'em.
 
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#41
There is little point in denying the power of the 10mm when loaded to it's capability. Full house loads would make a 10mm 1911 very adequate back country pistol. The full power 10mm load is unnecessarily powerful for a personal defense pistol though. While the full power 10mm, or 44 mag have undeniable power, the excessive recoil makes fast follow up shots far more difficult...not impossible, just far more difficult.

The advantage of the 10mm would be that lower powered loads could be used for city use, and higher powered loads for back country use. The same could be said for the 44 mag.
 
#42
Strykervet said:
I like 10mm, but I don't like what the 1911 has done to the load.
Click to expand...

Can you explain what you are talking about? The 1911 hasn't "done" anything to the load. You take a load and you fire it in a pistol. A 5" 1911 won't do anything to a load that any other 5" pistol won't do.

My Kimber Eclipse eats a stead diet of high end, full power 1911 loads. It wears a 23# recoil spring, 25# mainstpring, and a flat bottom firing pin stop to deal with the extra slide velocity. Thousands of rounds with zero issues. I put a 50cal ammo box full of 10mm loads through it each year.

 
#43
Many 1911 owners fear the power of the full power 10mm will damage their pistols. As Spaniel has shown, with proper preparation and loading techniques, there is no reason that a well prepared 1911 can't digest full power 10mm loads.

Certainly, a steady diet of full power loads in many firearms will shorten their life span. The S&W model 19 is a great example..even though it is a 357 mag, a steady diet of full power will shorten it's life span markedly. That is why many people practice with 38 spcl or lower power 357 ammo. Other firearms (most notably semi-auto pistols) can be prepared differently than revolvers.

A 1911 style pistol with a fully supported chamber, ramped barrel, extra power recoil spring (or captive/nested spring set), full length recoil spring guide, shok buff, can easily handle the full power 10mm.
 
#44
A little late to this thread. I’ve got a Dan Wesson Valor 5” in 10mm that is my new favorite pistol. The Dan Wesson build quality is phenomenal and after in my first 1500 rounds or so, it’s never hiccuped.

FWIW Remington UMC is probably the hottest production 10mm training ammo I’ve found. I was disappointed to find out the case of Hornady XTP 180gr i bought was relatively anemic. That said, it’s hot enough for carry. I’m using the Hornady as daily carry ammo and Underwood 200gr hard cast as my “woods gun” loads.
 
#46
Having owned a G20, I'd only recommend a 10mm if you have a specific purpose for it that .45 or 9mm doesn't handle.

Longslide will add more velocity of course, but know for sure what you want/need that for given the extra weight and difficulty in holstering/buying a holster for it.

If not trying to spend too much, then cost is likely a concern and 10mm isn't the way to go overall unless truly needed.

I loved full power 10mm, but it's just very costly to shoot compared to 9mm.
 
#48
pineoak said:
Having owned a G20, I'd only recommend a 10mm if you have a specific purpose for it that .45 or 9mm doesn't handle.

Longslide will add more velocity of course, but know for sure what you want/need that for given the extra weight and difficulty in holstering/buying a holster for it.

If not trying to spend too much, then cost is likely a concern and 10mm isn't the way to go overall unless truly needed.

I loved full power 10mm, but it's just very costly to shoot compared to 9mm.
Click to expand...

Only if you shoot factory ammo. I would not shoot 10mm if I didn't reload, but I do. And since I do, as long as I am able to recover my brass, the cost difference is negligible.

Because of this my 10mms are shot most often in my indoor enclosed shooting room where I can pick brass off the floor. Since even a properly regulated 10mm sends brass into low Earth orbit, shooting outdoors is more problematic.
 
#49
just wondering and i know people will call me stupid. and say im not supposed to do that but can you run 40 s&w through a 10mm 1911 without conversion. just asking cause i can run 40 all day long out my glock 40 mos 10mm. lot of people do there are some pro vomp shooters using em for 40 cause the weight
 
#50
Yes you can, some function fine, others need the spring changed. Some folks are adamant on not doing this and other's run it frequently. I am not qualified to say whether it is safe or not however... lol
 
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