Compared to typical defense ammo, 10mm bear ammo favors penetration over expansion. Why?
Big animals have thicker, tougher bones, and your ammo must pierce them to hit vitals.
There are documented cases of hollow-point rounds, including 10mm rounds, deflecting off of the skulls of bears.
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With these rounds, that won't happen so easily.
10mm Defense Ammo FAQ
Which is stronger 44 mag or 10mm?
.44 Magnum is about 22% more powerful than 10mm out of a pistol, and about 29% more powerful out of a 16" rifle barrel.
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But which is better? A .44 Magnum revolver has around 20-30% more recoil than a semiauto 10mm pistol.
If you have trouble with the recoil of a 10mm, how do you think you'll handle a .44 Magnum?
Remember: With pistols, shot placement matters most.
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A 10mm is powerful enough for nearly any bear or bear-like threat. What do you gain from even more power and recoil?
Is a 10mm more powerful than a 357 Magnum?
It depends. Out of a pistol, with full-power ammo, 10mm is about 5% more powerful than .357 Magnum.
Out of a 16" rifle barrel, the .357 Magnum is 25% more powerful.
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Most .357 rounds have slower-burning gunpowder, and only realize their full potential out of a longer barrel.
Is a 10mm more powerful than a 45?
10mm is around 22% more powerful than .45 ACP.
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What is the most powerful 10mm ammo?
It's a close call between Underwood Ammo and Buffalo Bore.
They each make their 10mm at full power.
Will a 10mm kill a hog?
Absolutely. A 10mm packs more than enough power to punch through hog skin and bone to hit vitals.
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Is a 10mm good for bear protection? Can a 10mm kill a Grizzly bear?
If you use the right ammo type, 10mm will absolutely stop bears, even Grizzlies.
With good shot placement and hard-cast or solid-copper bullets, a 10mm bullet can take down a bear.
There are documented cases of 10mm killing black, brown, and Grizzly bears.
Is 10mm a good self defense round?
When comparing defensive rounds, 10mm has more recoil, less ammo capacity, and more cost per round compared to 9mm.
What do you get in return? If you're firing Xtreme defenders or other fluid transfer monolithic (FTM) rounds, you get 20-40% more performance.
With hollow points, however, 9mm expands to 90-95% of the diameter of 10mm, and penetrates to the FBI standard of 12-18 inches.
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How does the 9mm perform so well? It's the most popular handgun round,
and that's brought tons of research into how to make 9mm hollow points the best they can be.
Other rounds will always lag when it comes to hollow point performance.
That said, always remember: With pistols, shot placement matters most.
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What is the best defensive 10mm round?
For stopping criminals, the best 10mm defensive round is the Underwood Xtreme Defender 100gr or 115gr (+P or +P+ optional):
If you can't get that, these are the runners-up:
We only recommend the above rounds. For more info, see our Defensive Ammo Guide.
For stopping bears, the best 10mm defensive round is the Underwood Xtreme Penetrator 140gr (+P or +P+ optional).
If you can't get that, get
Buffalo Bore 10mm 220gr Hard Cast.
These rounds will punch through the thick skin and bone of bears to reach their vitals.
If you use hollow points on bears, your bullets may deflect off. There are many documented cases!
Best Cheap 10mm Bulk Ammo on Sale
Steel-cased ammo is usually cheaper than brass-cased ammo, but can cause jams.
Only use steel-cased 10mm ammo for range practice. For more info, see our Practice Ammo Guide.
Brass-cased ammo usually costs more than steel-cased ammo, but is more reliable.
Training classes often require brass-cased ammo.
Check out the best in-stock prices online for 10mm Auto ammo today. Updates every hour!
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Cheap Bulk 10mm Auto Ammo FAQ
How bad is 10mm recoil?
10mm recoils about 38% more than 9mm. You can reduce recoilwith a threaded barrel and compensator, and by mastering grip technique.
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References
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Handgun or Pistol Against Bear Attacks 104 cases, 97% Effective (2021)
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2019 Solid Copper Defensive Ammunition Wound Ballistics Test #2 (2019)
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10mm Auto Ballistic Gel Test Results (2019)
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9mm Luger Ballistic Gel Test Results (2019)
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Why Ballistics Gel Works and Caliber Arguments are Dumb (2019)
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10mm Auto Self-Defense Ammo Ballistic Gel Tests (2018)
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Lehigh Defense 1st Night Texas Hogs 2017 45ACP 120gr XD 6PDK 92gr CC (2018)
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2016/17 JOINT AGENCY BALLISTICS TEST FOR DEFENSIVE HANDGUN AMMUNITION (2017)
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Ballistics by the Inch: .45 ACP (2015)
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9mm Luger (9x19) Ballistic Test Results (2015)
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Dr Andreas Grabinsky Lecture on Gunshot Wounds (2013)
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Ballistics by the Inch: 10mm (2011)
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Ballistics by the Inch: .357 Magnum (2011)
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Ballistics by the Inch: .44 Magnum (2011)