Best 10mm Handguns 2022

Best 10mm Handguns 2022. It has been a real roller coaster ride for the 10 mm cartridge. Before it ever hit the streets, the 10 mm had the full endorsement of the father of modern pistolcraft, Col. Jeff Cooper. The caliber was to be housed in a pistol specifically designed for the new cartridge, the Bren Ten, also endorsed by Cooper. Unfortunately, the gun never really made it to full production, leaving the 10 mm cartridge homeless.

The caliber then made another ascent to stardom with its selection by the FBI as its chosen caliber. Smith & Wesson produced and delivered several 10 mm, duty-size semi-autos to the FBI before the Bureau changed its mind and selected a downsized, .40-caliber round/pistol for its issue sidearm.

At that point, the 10 mm languished and might have vanished had Colt not chambered its classic Model 1911 in the powerful new chambering. As 1911s go, Colt’s Delta Elite was more of a working handgun than stunning supermodel, but it did what Browning’s 1911 has been doing for more than 100 years; it inspired other 1911 manufacturers to begin chambering the new wonder cartridge in the classic warhorse, which brings us to Springfield Armory’s new 10 mm Ronin.

The Ronin 10 mm is a nice blending of beauty and beast

With its forged, stainless steel frame and barrel, forged carbon-steel slide and sights and half checkered/half smooth cocobolo grip panels with the Springfield Armory crossed-cannons logo, the Ronin is a looker. Aside from that, practical features abound.

The blued slide has serrations both front and rear. Given the 10 mm’s power, the recoil spring is tensioned at 24 pounds, which is 6 to 8 pounds heavier than the spring in a 1911 chambered in .45 ACP and 12 to 14 pounds heavier than am 1911 in 9mm. That’s not inconsequential; I can run the Ronin 10 mm slide manually even when I’m feeling weak or tired. But I seriously doubt I could get through 800 to 1,000 rounds in one of Gunsite’s 5-day pistol training classes.

The Ronin 10 mm does have a conventional bushing system, which makes assembly and disassembly much easier since it doesn’t require a piece of paper clip to contain the new-style guide rod.