Home Defense
While home defense isn’t the primary use for 10mm handguns they are still a great choice for this application. The powerful 10mm round has ample stopping power and reliable penetration, however you do run the risk of over-penetration. The strong recoil on 10mm pistols may make it more difficult for accurate follow up shots, so this is really only recommended for an experienced shooter, and if you are using defensive hollow point rounds.
Hunting
10mm pistols are incredibly popular among handgun hunters that target hogs, deer, and even black bear when using the proper loads. 10mm pistols have an effective hunting range of around 50 yards, and bring advantages of a flatter trajectory than most pistol calibers and has more power than .357 magnum revolvers. Be sure to check your local laws and regulations when it comes to hunting with a 10mm handgun.
Backcountry Defense
Probably the most common modern use for 10mm handguns is a backcountry defense firearm and bear defense. 10mms offer deep penetration and high shooting power making them very effective against large animal threats when you are out exploring like bears, hogs, coyotes, and even mountain lions. If you are a hunter, hiker, fishermen, camper, or any sort of outdoor guide, or enjoyer we at Fin Feather Fur Outfitters recommend you have a 10mm pistol on you to defend yourself against large wile animal threats. The 10mm pistol is such a great option for your outdoor defense because the power of hard-cast bullets can penetrate thick hides, muscle, and bone, and the semi-automatic capacity gives you an advantage over revolvers when it comes to amount of follow up shots.
Range Shooting
10mm handguns bring a ton of fun to range shooting and enthusiast shooters. Since it is a powerful caliber, it has a ton of recoil which many range shooters find to be very fun getting used to the big kick back. There is also a huge crossover between 10mm pistol users and the reloading community which makes for a ton of affordable range fun. Now there are some downsides, like 10mm ammo costs, the recoil can get tiresome, and the pistols themselves are large and heavy so some fatigue can kick in during long range sessions, but in my opinion it’s worth the kick!
Tactical Use
While it is far less common today, there is some historical relevance to 10mm pistols being used in law enforcement. In the late 1980s the FBI was using 10mm handguns as their firearm, but it was ultimately abandoned for 9mm pistols due to high recoil, the size of the gun, and shooting fatigue.