Posted: 11/24/2007 12:40:35 PM EDT
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Couple of questions for you guys. I just bought a Combat Commander, Series 70, in brushed nickel. I am thinking about sending it off to have some work done on it and make it my duty weapon. It shoots okay (qual score of 246 out of 250) but it needs new sights, springs, ect ect. Now I have been reading up a little on the 10mm. I am the Sheriff of a rural county. It seems to me that the 10mm has more punch and better accuracy then the .45. My questions are as follows: 1)Anyone on here use a 10mm as a duty weapon? 2)If so, what model and ammo did you carry? 3)Would I be better off with the 10 or the 45? Any info you c an provide would be appreciated. I am at the place where I will either fix up the Commander or buy a Delta Elite. Thanks in advance! |
1st off i'll bet that your .45acp is capable of good accuracy the 10mm, imo, is a great auto cartrige, and i'd take it over .45acp if ammo wasnt so expensive/tough to find (i dont reload too much) and if it wasnt as hard on recoil and on most platforms (vs .45acp) as an auto mag cartrige, i love it; shoots flatter (~2in drop at 100yrds), harder punch (per say) @ muzzle and 100yrds (still clocks ~1000FPS @100 w/ some loads!), very controllable, lots of great full load options (check out Double Tap ammo) etc i'm not LEO, so its not a duty weapon--i use a G29, once for CCW and out in the field/hunting for human targets, you can opt for the 135-175 JHPs, which work well w/out the over-pen capabilities vs if you were using it for animals, such as black bears, deer, etc (i use 175-180gr Win Silvertips, Hornady JHPs, and hard cast leads) think .41mag, but in a smoother handling auto platform if i had to pick a 10mm platform it would be a G20, hands down (higher cap, and it can take 10mm full loads w/ less wear on everything imo); other options: SW 1006, EAAs, and 1911s (Dan Wessons seem to be the best overall for 10mm as well as Colt Deltas; Kimbers and SA's, well not too much as far as i've read/heard) this might have more info.links for 10mm: www.glockfaq.com/cartridge.htm if you are in a rural environment w/ lots of open territory and no access to a rifle, i'd take a good 10mm over a .45acp any day (thats just me though); h/w, if ammo costs is a consideration and you dont reload, i'd probably stick to .45acp i'd post a pic of my G29, but i think this is the wrong forum  |
" better accuracy" What the hell are you talking about? I properly set up .45ACP 1911 is one of the most accurate guns/rounds around. |
Easy there cowboy....the 1911 in .45 ACP will serve you just fine. The sight and spring upgrades you mentioned along with some Remington 185gr +P Golden Sabers will give you more than enough punch and accuracy for duty use. I probalby read the same article by Bart Skelton on the 10mm 1911 too, so don't get spooked thinking the .45 ACP is lacking. Remember.....the bigger the hole, the faster the drain. Most importantly if it bleeds, you can kill it. I carry a full size Kimber 1911 as a rural deputy and don't feel under gunned. If you think the 1911 isn't enough get the job done, they you probably should have been using a rifle instead. You should also have a 5.56mm or 7.62mm rifle riding along with you to complement your new 1911. Take care and be safe.  |
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" better accuracy" What the hell are you talking about? I properly set up .45ACP 1911 is one of the most accurate guns/rounds around. What I mean is that, from what I am reading, the 10mm shoots much flatter than the .45acp. This makes it easier to hit with it , at longer ranges, than the .45. Nothing more. If I KNOW I am about to enter the FUBAR zone then out comes the 870 or the AR. I am just asking for people’s opinion about a round that I am not familiar with. One of my first duty weapons was a Remington Rand 1911. I have carried and owned many. One of the things I am looking at is the number of agencies that are going to rounds, such as the 357Sig, that have a bit more reach. Also, is it better to make a gun accurate or go with an inherently accurate round? |
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Hey K9 Bob, I have never felt under-gunned with a .45 I have carried, owened, and shot a bunch. I am just looking to decide to fix one up (the commander) or get one with longer reach(delta elite). I am usually the only officer in the county. We have no city police at all. I am generally patrolling a 1,000 square mile county by myself. I have an AR and an 870 with me in the truck all the time. Take care. |
I good 1911, preferably with a hand fitted barrel, and good sights, will easily hit an IPSC target at 100 yards. You'll have to practice, and know your zero/holdover, but it's not hard to do. Another thing to think about is 10mm ammo. you're not going to find it in as many places as 45ACP, and if you reload, brass is harder to find too. Have a good smith put a KART barrel, trigger job, and new sights on that old COLT, and it should be a fine duty weapon. Take Care and be safe. |
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For a duty weapon, all you're really gaining is more expensive practice ammo. Swapping out to a 10mm wont automatically make it more accurate - that all has to do with the quality of the work, be it a .45, 10mm, or any other caliber. The .45 will work fine. I've shot 12" square plates at 75yds in courses without issue or holdover with 230grn ball out of a Combat Commander - shouldn't need much more stretch than that out of a service weapon. Some agencies have indeed transition to the 357 SIG. This has more to do with the perception of enhanced terminal ballistics and barrier penetration than range (ie good marketing). Lots of testing has shown that the "hot-rod" round doesn't do any better in people or auto bodies than the other loads using high quality ammunition. That leads to the other issue - the only company producing a good gen 4 hollowpoint in 10mm is Double Tap Ammunition. While there's nothing wrong with the 10mm as a duty weapon (my brother carried a Delta Elite years ago), I don't see the pros (more power) outweighing the cons (limited ammo selection, increased recoil and muzzle flip) to justify a transition. |
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I have found the 10mm to be one of my favorite guns to build and shoot on the 1911 platform. I have had a lot of luck with the Deltas and if you look in my Avatar, you'll see a ground up 10mm on a Rock River Arms light rail frame. It has yet to give me or it's owner (my father) a hiccup or malfuntion. I would say though, for a defensive gun, you are getting a very fast round, a lot of power, but also a lot of recoil to manage too. It's a very snappy round, and has some hot case pressure. I don't live in a state where conceal carry is an option, but I have a few that are built for it for the day I pull the stakes and pack up my tent and move. I am currently putting a .40 S&W together as a commander for my father. If he doesn't like the .40 commander, we are going to rechamber it for 10mm. Here are a couple pictures of 10mm's I have had my hands on.     .jpg)
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IM sent |
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Mr Miller, one day, I swear I'm going to send something to you to work your magic on. I have a Springfield that needs the treatment done. Edit: tinstar, I have very little experience with the 10mm, and none as a carry gun, but I think for the purposes of a handgun, the .45 typically does just fine. The lack of readily available 10mm ammo is what's kept me from trying it out. If you're a firm believer in foot-pounds of energy, the 10 is pretty high up there, but I seriously doubt it's just walking away from the .45. |