METRIC MAULER Mark Hampton concerned when shooting full-house loads commonly used for hunting. Those 16-round magazines inserted painlessly in the Medallion-type A2 magwell. That’s right, 16+1 of 10mm is a lot of insurance—and peace of mind! The LPA target-type rear sight, solid black as the ace of spades, complimented the dovetail-mounted orange fiber-optic front sight. When target shooting or hunting, especially running a variety of loads and different bullet weights for many applications, the adjustable rear sight is essential. A solid full-length dust cover with rail for accessories is standard. Serrations on the hammer provided consistent and sure traction for cocking. The overall fit and finish is good, especially considering this isn’t a $3K custom rig. AMMO AVAILABILITY When my interest was first rekindled in 10mm, my concern turned immediately to ammunition. Would I be able to find any? After all, what’s a good gun worth if you can’t procure an ample supply of quality munitions? Well, after a little seek-and-find mission, my worries were laid to rest. As a matter of fact, I found far more options than previously imagined—and good stuff! DoubleTap offers 16 different loadings (at least that’s what I counted last time). This company lead by Mike McNett, started their ammo business finding a niche market in 10mm and to this day, continue to provide an abundance of ammo from personal protection to heavy hunting stuff. Everything from 135-grain Nosler JHP to hardcast 230-grain WFNGC, DoubleTap has the 10mm covered. Underwood is another ammo source who started up their business with 10mm. At last count, this company manufactured 12 different options for 10mm fans. They provide different bullet weights for an array of applications. Shooting the heavy, long-slide RIA 10mm was pleasant and enjoyable. Mark practices shooting from a field position at the range on his farm. MAKER: ARMSCOR USA ROCK ISLAND ARMORY, 150 N. SMART WAY, PAHRUMP, NV 89060 (775) 537-1444, WWW.GUNSMAGAZINE.COM/INDEX Action type: Locked breech, semi-auto, Caliber: 10mm, Capacity: 16+1, Barrel length: 6 inches, Overall length: 9.5 inches, Weight: 3 pounds, 6 ounces, Finish: Parkerized, Sights: Orange fiber optic front, rear tactical adjustable, Grips: G10, Price: $1,344 PRO ULTRA MATCH HC Hornady manufactures a great 10mm round using their 180-grain XTP bullet. From a variety of 10mm handguns, I have always found this ammo to be consistent and accurate—perfectly capable of taking a deer or hog with a well-placed round. CorBon also provides several different options. I really like the 180-grain BCSP round in their Hunter line-up. This high velocity ammunition is a great choice for hunters. My previous tests results with any CorBon ammo have always revealed accuracy and consistency. Recently I have been shooting HPR ammo with their 180-grain JHP. This factory offering has been accurate in both semi-autos and my Ruger revolver 10mm conversion. Federal Premium has produced a 180-grain Trophy Bonded JSP giving hunters who always wanted to use a semi-auto as a serious big-game gun. This full-power cartridge provides enough horsepower to tackle any whitetail, wild boar or black bear. It’s common to find much of today’s 10mm ammo watered down producing ballistics almost identical to the .40 S&W. The new Vital-Shok load is vastly different. After testing this ammo in a variety of 10mm guns I was pleased with the accuracy and reliability. If you’re looking for factory load for hunting, this is a dandy option. And speaking of heavy hunting loads, enter Buffalo Bore with their 220-grain hardcast round. I’ve been more than satisfied with this ammo from both the accuracy standpoint and effectiveness on Texas-sized hogs. Buffalo Bore provides the passionate cadre of 10mm followers like me with high quality ammo well suited for the field or range. Winchester offers a 175-grain Silvertip HP, which is a good choice for self-defense. Their Super X lineup has been a steady performer in past evaluations of different 10mm handguns. This 175-grain Silvertip is very accurate from the Big Rock tested here. SIG SAUER is the new kid on the block introducing a 180-grain full metal jacket great for practice and plinking. This new cartridge features a solid brass case with clean burning powder. The release of a 180-grain JHP for hunting wasn’t in time for this article, but the ballistics of the two are balanced so you have a less expensive FMJ for practice and JHP for business without re-zeroing. Well-known for their fine firearms, SIG continues to expand its popular Elite Performance line with the new 10mm. WWW.GUNSMAGAZINE.COM • DECEMBER 2015 52
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