A Ruger Redhawk goes head-to-head with a Smith & Wesson 610 to find the hottest 10mm handloads.
“With bear encounters in the back of my mind, I thought I’d dispense with trying to find the best target load and raise the horsepower on 10mm loads that will perform in either the Ruger or Smith 10mm.”
Sturm, Ruger & Company made a dramatic departure from their single-action Blackhawk when they launched a magnum-frame double-action revolver, the Redhawk. As even more powerful cartridges than the .44 Remington Magnum became popular, the need arose for an even “beefier” Super Redhawk. After climbing the power spectrum to such cartridges as the .480 Ruger, the company throttled back a bit to the 10mm Auto in the Super Redhawk last year.
A Perfect 10
The 10mm Auto began life as a quest to yield more power with pistols than was available with the 9mm Luger or the .45 ACP. Since no cartridge existed to accomplish this need for power, four men got together to develop a new one. John Adams, Irving Stone, Whit Collins and Col. Jeff Cooper joined forces to create one, formed from a .30 Remington that was trimmed 0.987. A .40-caliber, 180-grain bullet from a .38-40 Winchester was loaded to create the 10mm Auto. The Bren Ten pistol was created to handle the new cartridge. The pistol didn’t fare well, and the company building it ceased business in 1986. Before the Bren Ten breathed its last gasp, Miami Vice character Sonny Crockett ran around on our television sets and made the pistol famous. That fame carried over to the 10mm cartridge, too.
Interest in the Bren Ten spiked with the Miami Vice publicity, and tripled the values of used guns. This gun market bubble drove interest in the pistol and the cartridge, so Colt followed up with their Delta Elite in 1987. This 10mm Auto version of a 1911—and the FBI’s adoption of the cartridge in 1989—furthered interest in handguns firing this hot new round.
By 1990, the FBI adoption of the Smith & Wesson Model 1076 revealed that recoil was a tad stout for some agents. The FBI tried low-power cartridges, but the “10mm Lite” didn’t function reliably in their weapons. Cutting back case length to slightly less than 22mm gave birth to the .40 S&W.
When the FBI admitted that their rank-and-file agents needed to carry a .40 S&W instead of the full-house 10mm Auto pistols, it killed S&W Model 610 revolver sales.
By 1998, International Defensive Pistol Association (IDPA) shooters liked the Model 610 for match shooting, so they lobbied S&W to reintroduce the revolver. S&W reintroduced the Model 610-2 in 1998. Some changes included moving the firing pin from the hammer to the frame, and adding an internal lock. About 5,000 of the 610s were produced until it was again discontinued in 2004.
If Jon Snow had a favorite . . .
. . . revolver, it would be a double-action 10mm. It keeps coming back from the dead like the character on Game of Thrones. And, the Red Woman doesn’t have anything on Big Red Ruger, either. The bold gunmaker introduced their Redhawk in 10mm, and S&W wasn’t to be outdone. The Model 610 is back from the dead . . . again.
The Redhawk features a triple-locking cylinder that’s locked into the frame at the front, rear and bottom for more positive alignment and dependable operation. Both Ruger and Smith & Wesson opted to go with stainless steel for their wheelguns in 10mm. The Redhawk’s strong extended frame carries extra metal in the topstrap, sidewalls and barrel mounting areas to handle powerful loads. S&W’s Model 610 reintroduction follows the 1998 version, with their safety lock system and stainless steel for all major parts. The Redhawk wears a recoil-softening Hogue Tamer Monogrip with an internal recoil cushion positioned under the web of the hand to help reduce the impact of powerful loads. And the new Smith 610 wears rubber grips with finger grooves, too.
“The Smith & Wesson Model 61 is back from the dead… again.”
Like all revolvers shooting cartridges originally created for semi-autos (i.e., rimless), the Redhawk and the 610 require moon clips. The moon clips aid in extraction and give the ejector something to push against. In a pinch, the revolver can be fired without moon clips since the cartridges headspace against the case mouth at the same depth with or without moon clips. The downside is that you’ll have to extract empties with a fingernail. If you’re accustomed to shooting revolvers and feeding them from speedloaders, moon clips should feel right at home. Both revolvers ship with three full moon clips, but more can be ordered.
Both guns offer adjustable sights, but the Ruger gets the nod if you want to add a scope. Integral mounts are machined directly on the solid steel barrel rib to provide a stable mounting surface for the included scope rings.
One of the benefits of a wheelgun chambered for 10mm is that it can also fire .40 S&W cartridges. The lower-powered ammo is plentiful and typically costs from 20 to 50 percent less than 10mm.
Forceful Fodder
In the midst of writing this article, I’m packing for an Alaskan bear hunt where my target is a big black bear, and I’ll probably see grizzlies. With bear encounters in the back of my mind, I thought I’d dispense with trying to find the best target load and raise the horsepower on 10mm loads that will perform in either the Ruger or Smith 10mm.
One of the things I’ve learned over the years is that velocity often trumps bullet weight when it comes to on-target energy. For instance, Hornady’s 155-grain XTP factory loads can generate about 650 foot-pounds of energy, while the 200-grain loads only generate about 510 foot-pounds of energy. The hydrostatic effect that bullet velocity and energy produces is critical when shooting large game, but that’s not the only factor to consider. Well-constructed, heavier bullets often penetrate deeper, and hold together better when punching through muscle and bone.
With bear encounters in the back of my mind, I thought I’d dispense with trying to find the best target load and raise the horsepower on 10mm loads that will perform in either the Ruger or Smith 10mm.”
I picked three Hornady bullets, all XTP, in weights of 155, 180 and 200 grains. The two most efficient powders for loading 10mm are Accurate No. 9 and Blue Dot, with the exception of loading for the 155 grainers. I loaded and shot rounds with Accurate No. 9, but Blue Dot can be loaded to the maximum for all three bullet weights. I went with Blue Dot for my final loads.
When you’re loading for semi-auto pistols chambered in 10mm, sticking to the published reloading data for maximum loads makes sense. In reality, loading below maximum charges is wise to prevent excessive wear and tear on the barrel and slide. If you’re shooting a Glock, hot loads present some added issues. Take a look at some spent brass from a Glock 10mm that’s at maximum pressure, and you’ll see case bulges and “Glock smiles,” which are a result of the gun’s unsupported chamber design. The early-generation Glocks tend to be worse at deforming cases than newer models. Loading for a revolver sidesteps this issue.
The loading process followed the normal routine of case prep and priming with Winchester Large Pistol caps. All charges were weighed during load workup with a Hornady digital scale. After I seated bullets to an overall length of 1.260 inches, I used a Hornady Taper Crimp Die to set a consistent crimp. A tight crimp will make ignition more stable and prevent bullet setback in the case from recoil.
Since the revolver’s cylinder fully supports the case, it’s possible to get the most velocity from the respective loaded round. Since it’s always a good idea to start at least 10 percent below maximum when working up loads, I went through the progression of incremental loads and checking them across an Oehler 35P chronograph to monitor velocities. I watched the primers closely for signs of deformation, too.
The process of loading a few and shooting took me to maximum loads without any issues.
Loaded with Blue Dot, the 155-grain load made it to the maximum charge of 12.9 grains. The Redhawk posted 1,485 feet per second (fps), and the Smith 610 wasn’t far behind at 1,450 fps. The best five-shot group at 25 yards for the Redhawk was 1.224 inches, and the S&W’s best group measured 1.324 inches.
Stepping up in bullet weight, both Blue Dot and Accurate No. 9 were loaded progressively heavier until the maximum loads were reached. AA No. 9 showed slight signs of pressure, so 10.7 grains of Blue Dot again got the nod as the final load. This time, the Redhawk posted an average of 1,271 fps, and the S&W averaged 1,254 fps. The smallest group with this load went to the S&W, measuring 1.334 inches. The Ruger’s best measured 1.433 inches.
The heavy 200-grain also responded well to a heavy charge of 9.4 grains of Blue Dot. The Ruger averaged 1,144 fps, while the S&W averaged 1,137 fps with this load. This load produced a 1.725-inch group out of the Ruger, and a 2.004-inch group from the S&W. It was interesting to note that after chronographing all loads the Ruger Redhawk held a slight velocity advantage over the S&W 610.
Loading 10mm Auto in a wheelgun allows you take velocity and power to the max with this hard-hitting cartridge. Whether you pick the Ruger Redhawk or the Smith & Wesson 610, you should be happy with the results.
Specifications
- Manufacturer: Ruger
- Model: Super Redhawk
- Caliber: 10mm Auto
- Action: Double-action revolver
- Barrel: 6.5 inches
- Weight: 54 ounces
- Finish: Satin Stainless
- Capacity: 6 rounds
- MSRP: $1,159
- Manufacturer: Smith & Wesson
- Model: 610
- Caliber: 10mm Auto
- Action: Double-action revolver
- Barrel: 6.5 inches
- Weight: 50.1 ounces, empty
- Finish: Stainless
- Capacity: 6 rounds
- MSRP: $969
Load Performance
| Gun & Bullet Weight | Powder | Avg. Vel. FPS | Group Ins. |
| Ruger/Hornady 155 gr. XTP | 12.9 gr. Blue Dot | 1,485 | 1.224 |
| S&W/Hornady 155 gr. XTP | 12.9 gr. Blue Dot | 1,450 | 1.324 |
| Ruger/Hornady 180 gr. XTP | 10.7 gr. Blue Dot | 1,271 | 1.433 |
| S&W /Hornady 180 gr. XTP | 10.7 gr. Blue Dot | 1,254 | 1.334 |
| Ruger /Hornady 200 gr. XTP | 9.4 gr. Blue Dot | 1,144 | 1.725 |
| S&W /Hornady 200 gr. XTP | 9.4 gr. Blue Dot | 1,137 | 2.004 |
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