Originally Posted by WyrTwister
I have a .45 ACP XD Tactical . Recoil is quite manageable . How does the recoil of the 10mm compare ?
Most 10mm is loaded to .40S&W velocities. Call it 10mm "lite" or the FBI load*. At those velocities, it's slightly less recoil than a .45 ACP, at least, in my pistol. It's about the same as a .40 S&W (not surprisingly).
But real 10mm loads are quite a bit faster for a given bullet weight, and will have a bit more recoil than a .45ACP in the same pistol. I don't find it objectionable. To get more consistent velocity performance, and save wear and tear on the frame, I installed a stronger recoil spring set on my Glock 20.
Buy the "lite" ammo for plinking and fun shooting. But if you're serious about using your pistol for defense, or hunting, then you should spend the $$ on Buffalo Bore or other brands that load the 10mm to its full potential.
*The FBI adoption of the 10mm was a response to the 1986 Miami shootout, in which two agents were killed and the perpetrators took several (over a dozen in one case)hits from the 9mm and .38 SPL pistols of the agents in the fight.
The FBI wanted better penetration, barrier performance, and lethality for future shootouts. They adopted the 10mm and contracted with S&W to provide the pistols. The FBI originally specified the 10mm with a 180gr at 1,300FPS - that yields about 700 ME. Considerably more than a 9mm or even a .45 ACP.
However, after the introduction of the 10mm, Agents had difficulty handling the recoil of the 10mm in the big S&W 1076 pistol and agent pistol qualification scores declined. So, the FBI then specified a reduced recoil load from Federal which had the same 180gr projectile going about 1050 FPS and that yields a ME closer to 400.
When S&W saw the reduced recoil load, they knew it was possible to get that same level of performance from a much shorter cartridge. So, they, in conjunction with Federal, reduced the brass length on the 10mm by about 0.25" and the .40S&W was born. The shorter cartridge used the same bullet, at the same velocity, as the FBI "lite" loaded 10mm but a double column magazine was now possible because of the smaller ammo, so magazine capacity could be increased. It was a marketing hit at the time.
Most 10mm ammo today is loaded to FBI "lite" velocities and is easy to shoot.
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/1986_FBI_Miami_shootout