What 10mm ammo for bear defense (griz)

EdP

WKR
Joined
Jun 18, 2020
Messages
1,210
Location
Southwest Va
What are your thoughts on the Sellier and Bellot 180gr FMJ for griz defense? I would prefer to carry the same ammo I will practice with and this is available in bulk. The Underwood 10mm HC seems to be well thought of but expensive if you can get it.
 

eddielasvegas

WKR & Chairman of the Rokslide Welcoming Committee
Classified Approved
Joined
Feb 2, 2020
Messages
3,310
Location
Scottsdale, AZ
I'll throw my worthless 2 cents into this thread and say at least consider THIS, or something like it as this is not the only manufacture of this type of bullet.

I have no experience with this ammo for Griz defense, but all my research indicates the bullet will create a wound channel like a HP and the penetration of a HC.

Good luck,

Eddie
 
OP
E

EdP

WKR
Joined
Jun 18, 2020
Messages
1,210
Location
Southwest Va
That's an interesting option. I don't like the idea of practicing with a 180 and then carrying a mag full of 200's with a higher recoil. Going to 150's from 180's is less of a concern.
 
Joined
Feb 24, 2018
Messages
90
Location
Southwest ID
I'll throw my worthless 2 cents into this thread and say at least consider THIS, or something like it as this is not the only manufacture of this type of bullet.

I have no experience with this ammo for Griz defense, but all my research indicates the bullet will create a wound channel like a HP and the penetration of a HC.

Good luck,

Eddie
I use this ammo myself, 115grn version. Plenty of energy, great wound channel, and manageable recoil.
 

yfarm

WKR
Joined
Apr 24, 2018
Messages
546
Location
Arroyo City, Tx
G20 with a ported barrel, practice with 40 S&W generally, switch to 10mm 180hp and to Buffalo Bore 200s or 220s, really don’t find the recoil difference to be much of an issue. Had a little woman( 5’,110 lbs) shooting it at a cc class, did fine compared with her compact 40s&w.
 

fatrascal

WKR
Joined
Jul 20, 2013
Messages
671
Location
Spring Creek, Nevada
Springfield xdme 10mm with 3.8" or 4.5" barrel. Buffalo Bore 180, 200 or 220 grain hard cast. Or Underwood 180, 200, or 220 hard cast. Or DoubleTap 180, 200 or 220 hard cast. All of this ammo can be bought through the mail. Expensive yes but worth it. Fatrascal.
 

Fowl Play

WKR
Joined
Oct 1, 2016
Messages
521
I am using the 200 grain coated hardcasts from Underwood. I resulted on it after watching a bunch of penetration testing on youtube of the 200 hardcasts vs the extreme penetrators. They both penetrated the same. I like to practice with the actual rounds I carry to ensure no failures and the extreme penetrators are almost double the price. Enough for me. Only reason I could imagine the extreme penetrators being worth it is if their muzzle jump wasn't as much or something, but considering they compensate for projectile weight by upping the velocity by several hundred fps, I doubt it. Although, I have not shot them side by side yet.
 
Joined
Jul 10, 2023
Messages
89
What are your thoughts on the Sellier and Bellot 180gr FMJ for griz defense? I would prefer to carry the same ammo I will practice with and this is available in bulk. The Underwood 10mm HC seems to be well thought of but expensive if you can get it.
As long as you can draw and shoot quick and accurate enough, any 10mm FMJ should work just fine.

Plenty of people have used 9mm to defend against bears.

I keep my .45acp loaded with Sellier and Bellot 230 grain FMJ, they are loaded a bit hotter than the .45acp Winchester service grade ball ammo that many consider the gold standard for that cartridge.
 

Rocko99

FNG
Joined
Mar 29, 2024
Messages
12
Any preferred hard cast brands that are most reliable in regards to feeding and ejecting? I have seen some people having issues with Underwood.
 

BDWMT

FNG
Joined
Jan 16, 2021
Messages
95
I don’t know if there is a factory option but I’m loading the Swift A-Frame 180s. Seems like the only true hunting bullet option.
 

TheGDog

WKR
Joined
Jun 12, 2020
Messages
3,342
Location
OC, CA
Underwood Xtreme Penetrators, 140gr.

They also have a 150gr Xtreme Hunter that looks in-between Penetrator and Defender. In terms of the flutes.

I wanna say there's footage on Kentucky Ballistics YT channel of a 10mm Xtreme plowing thru a very impressive distance completely thru whatever ridiculous amount of Ballistics Gel that was. And what's cool about the vid.. is he does thesame shot with many of the boomers people tend to think of for Grizz.. so it's a great vid to help you Visualize the energy levels of those catridges in comparison to one another. Because we're all gonna be familiar with at least one of the cartridges, like the 10mm.. so THEN... when you see some of the impressive boomers like the 500sw and the 460sw do there thing, you a) develop a newfound respect for the 10mm, and b) are dumb struck by how damn much more power you can obviously see at work with the big mamma-jamma rounds doing their thing. .454 Casull is in there. .50AE I think. And of course .44Mag too.
 

mcseal2

WKR
Joined
May 8, 2014
Messages
2,690
Test options in your gun, see where they hit and how they feed.

The easy answer has been the 190gr Buffalo Bore mono-metal bullet in my experience. They have fed and shot well in 3 different 10mm's. No failures to feed, hit to the same point of aim as 180gr FMJ practice ammo. They are expensive.

The Underwood 200gr hardcast only fed perfect in one of the 3 10mm's after extended practice. My Sig 220 Hunter shoots them great, the G20 and Sig 1911 had failures. The 220 Hunter probably has stouter springs, it's the only one that fails with 170gr light practice loads.

The Underwood 140gr Extreme Penetrators hit 4-6" high in my 1911 and G20 compared to the 180gr or heavier loads. I ruled them out for me just because of this. If my guns shot them closer to the sights point of aim, I'd not worry about their performance. I never tried them in the 220 because the 200gr hardcast gave me no reason to.

Hope that helps. I like to start by slowly shooting paper to see point of impact and checking how the ammo feeds. If it passes that test, then I'll try shooting faster and from simulated field conditions to see if improper form/grip makes the gun jam. Once I'm confident in the gun/ammo combo, I'll go back to cheaper ammo and practice drawing and firing a lot. My 220 is a very heavy gun, but I keep taking it because I trust it the most and don't want to start my whole process over with a lighter gun.
 
Top