Why The 10mm Glock Is The Ultimate Survival Gun

10mm Glocks Offer the Perfect Combination of Magazine Capacity & Sheer Power

I’m often asked: “If you could have only one survival handgun, and ammunition availability was not a factor, what handgun would you choose?” My answer, without hesitation: a 10mm Glock—any of them.

Why?

The simple reason is its versatility. 10mm Glocks can easily accomplish every task a serious handgun can be called on to perform, from personal protection to hunting game, and it has all the advantages the Glock design offers—durability, reliability, accuracy, and ease of shooting and maintenance.

The 10mm round was considered to be the most effective defensive handgun round available by Colonel Jeff Cooper of Gunsite Academy. His insights carried great weight at the time, and they continue to do so today. The FBI adopted the 10mm as both a handgun and submachine-gun round. Glocks chambered in 10mm, specifically the Glock 20, are in use with elite special operations units around the world. In fact, the Danish navy’s Slaedepatruljen Sirius, or Sirius Sled Patrol, carries the 10mm Glock 20 for protection against polar bears. According to reports, the unit has many successful stops on record.

10mm Glocks

Glock currently has six handguns chambered 10mm: the Glock 20 Gen4, Glock 20 SF, Glock 20 Gen5 MOS, Glock 29 Gen4, Glock 29 SF, and Glock 40 Gen4 MOS. The Glock 20 Gen4, Glock 20 Gen5 MOS, and Glock 20 SF are full-sized pistols that fire the potent 10mm cartridge, and though the three are nearly identical, each has distinctive features that may appeal to different shooters. The Glock 29 Gen4 and Glock 29 SF are both subcompact handguns while the Glock 40 Gen4 MOS possesses a longer slide and barrel.

Glock 20 Gen4

The Glock 20 Gen4 provides interchangeable backstraps that allow you to better fit the pistol to your hand, and the texture of the grips is more aggressive. Gen 4 Glocks also feature a reversible magazine catch that’s much larger than those found on prior generations and accommodates both left- and right-handed shooters. The Glock 20’s 10mm firepower makes it especially well suited for hunting, while its polymer frame helps reduce felt recoil. With 550 foot-pounds of muzzle energy and a capacity of 15+1 rounds, this 10mm would make a reliable companion on any hunt. In fact, the 10mm cartridge’s total energy is over two and a half times that of the .45 ACP, making it a real-world big-game stopper. There’s also the proprietary Multiple Backstrap System and Glock’s dual recoil spring assembly.

Size: Standard
Caliber: 10mm AUTO
Magazine Capacity: 15
Barrel Length: 4.61 inches
Overall Length: 8.07 inches
Overall Width: 1.34 inches
Height (with Magazine): 5.51 inches
Weight (with Empty Magazine): 30.69 oz.
Weight (with Loaded Magazine): 39.86 oz.
Trigger Pull Weight: 6.29 lbs.

Glock 20 SF

The Glock 20 SF’s design allows for enhanced controllability and accuracy. The SF (Short Frame) design features a reduced grip size. Specifically, the Glock 20 SF’s grip has a reduced circumference to fit small- and medium-sized hands a bit better than the full-sized Glock 20. In other words, it has the same Glock 20 power, but in a slightly smaller configuration.

Size: Standard
Caliber: 10mm AUTO
Magazine Capacity: 15
Barrel Length: 4.61 inches
Overall Length: 8.07 inches
Overall Width: 1.34 inches
Height (with Magazine): 5.51 inches
Weight (with Empty Magazine): 30.51 oz.
Weight (with Loaded Magazine): 39.68 oz.
Trigger Pull Weight: 6.29 lbs.

Glock 20 Gen5 MOS

The latest in the Glock 20 series is the Glock 20 Gen5 MOS. Shooters will appreciate the nDLC surface finish on the major metal components that withstands years of hard use and resist rusting. Other features include a texturized frame, reversible magazine catch, ambidextrous slide stop lever, Glock’s Modular Backstrap System (MBS) for customization, and shooters can add optics if so desired.

Size: Standard
Caliber: 10mm AUTO
Magazine Capacity: 15
Barrel Length: 4.61 inches
Overall Length: 8.07 inches
Overall Width: 1.38 inches
Height (with Magazine): 5.51 inches
Weight (with Empty Magazine): 29.81 oz.
Weight (with Loaded Magazine): 38.80 oz.
Trigger Pull Weight: 5.85 lbs.

Glock 29 Gen4

The Glock 29 Gen4 may be smaller than its other 10mm Glock counterparts, but it doesn’t scrimp on punch. The Glock 29 Gen4 design offers an aggressive grip texture for a secure hold on the handgun which makes it ideal for concealed carry or as a backcountry traveling companion. With reduced dimensions compared to the standard-sized Glock 20, the 29 Gen4 is perfect for concealed carry. While the Glock 29 comes in a small size, it maintains a 10-round magazine capacity.

Size: Subcompact
Caliber: 10mm AUTO
Magazine Capacity: 10 (optional 15)
Barrel Length: 3.78 inches
Overall Length: 6.97 inches
Overall Width: 1.38 inches
Height (with Magazine): 4.53 inches
Weight (with Empty Magazine): 26.81 oz.
Weight (with Loaded Magazine): 32.63 oz.
Trigger Pull Weight: 6.29 lbs.

Glock 29 SF

The subcompact Glock 29 SF features a reduced-yet-ergonomic grip size, to make it more comfortable for those with smaller hands without sacrificing accuracy or magazine capacity. In addition to use as a backup weapon for hunting, more and more security personnel on patrol appreciate the comfortable firing characteristics and grip ergonomics of the Glock 29 SF with its 10+1 capacity.

Size: Subcompact
Caliber: 10mm AUTO
Magazine Capacity: 10 (optional 15)
Barrel Length: 3.78 inches
Overall Length: 6.97 inches
Overall Width: 1.38 inches
Height (with Magazine): 4.53 inches
Weight (with Empty Magazine): 26.81 oz.
Weight (with Loaded Magazine): 32.80 oz.
Trigger Pull Weight: 6.29 lbs.

Glock 40 Gen4 MOS

The G40 Gen4 MOS couples a longer slide and barrel for amplified velocity and a higher magazine capacity. The MBS design and the reversible magazine catch allow for customization for all hand sizes. The MOS configuration makes adding a reflex sight on the slide a breeze–no need to mill the slide or purchase a separate mounting system. The Glock 40 Gen4 in MOS Configuration is a powerful yet easily carried pistol for the outdoorsman, hunter, and sport shooter. Designed to give hunters the ultimate choice in semi-automatic hunting handguns, the Glock 40 Gen4’s 8.19-inch sight radius improves “shootability” with open sights while the MOS system makes it easy to mount popular reflex sights, including those from Leupold, Trijicon and C-More, among others. The advantages of reflex sights include faster target acquisitions and enhanced long-range accuracy.

With a reflex sight mounted on the Glock 40 Gen4, you can aim with both eyes open, which allows for a greater field of vision downrange. This is important when you are hunting dangerous game or simply out to get a prize animal.

Size: Long Slide
Caliber: 10mm AUTO
Magazine Capacity: 15
Barrel Length: 6.02 inches
Overall Length: 9.49 inches
Overall Width: 1.34 inches
Height (with Magazine): 5.47 inches
Weight (with Empty Magazine): 35.45 oz.
Weight (with Loaded Magazine): 44.62 oz.
Trigger Pull Weight: 5.39 lbs.

10mm Brings the Power

10mm is the most powerful cartridge in the Glock product line. With 15 rounds in the standard-capacity magazine (limited to 10 in certain states) and one in the chamber, it easily eclipses the firepower of any other 10mm handgun made. Several companies make 10mm ammunition, and it is one of the few pistol cartridges made in two power bands. Considering that the .357 Magnum is relegated mostly to six-shot revolvers, the advantages of owning a Glock 10mm are clear—not only is your ammunition more ballistically potent, but you’re also afforded six to 11 additional shots (depending on your state’s magazine laws).

The usual downside of having greater power is increased recoil, less control of the handgun, and more difficulty shooting accurately. Polymer-frame pistols are also lightweight, which means that, in shooting them, more recoil is transmitted to the shooter than with heavier steel builds. However, Glock’s series of 10mm pistols are easily the most controllable 10mm handguns that I have ever shot—a fact attributable to their stellar engineering.

Glock pistols place the center axis of the barrel nearer to the shooter’s hand while other pistols rely on a hammer to strike a firing pin. The Glock design uses a steel rod called a striker that is under spring tension and is released by the trigger, which drives the striker forward and into the primer. Without needing the necessary room on the frame to incorporate a hammer and its arc of movement, the barrel can be mounted much lower. Consequently, the recoil impulse is channeled mostly rearward, rather than rearward and upward as with pistols with greater bore-over-hand height. When recoil is directed rearward, you can recover your sights more quickly, making follow-up shooting easier, quicker, and more accurate, whether you’re holding the pistol with two hands or one.

The second reason why these Glocks handle the full-power 10mm load better than their competitors is its polymer frame, which flexes slightly to absorb some of the shock of the recoil.

Which 10mm Glock Is Best for You?

Much depends on the size of your hand, whether you wish to use it for competition or purely for self-defense, and if you intend to use full-power loads frequently. Grip size and handgun fit are very important to marksmanship.

To accommodate the longer 10mm round, the frame is necessarily larger than those used on Glock’s 9×19- and .40-chambered pistols. Consequently, shooters with long fingers and palms will find the standard sizes suitable, ergonomically speaking. Those with medium or small hands, however, won’t be as comfortable handling the standard grips, especially if they intend to shoot while wearing gloves. For them, the Glock 20 Gen4, with its adjustable grip size, or the Short Frames are the answer.

In a Class of Their Own

The sheer power of the 10mm is undeniable. A favorite among hunters, the 10mm’s terminal ballistics make it a very effective and accurate game-taker. The 10mm is also found in the packs and holsters of backcountry explorers who venture into bear country. Few guns provide the defensive power of a 10mm in such a small package.

While the 10mm is a great cartridge, it takes a very special gun to harness its energy into a manageable package. All of Glock’s 10mm pistols are smooth-shooting tack drivers that will make you forget you are firing such a powerful round. While many myths exist regarding the unwieldy nature of the 10mm cartridge, they are all talk when Glock enters the picture. The gun design minimizes felt recoil and muzzle flip. This alone makes the Glock 10mm family superior. Mix into that Glock’s legendary reliability and simplicity and you have pistols that exist in a class of their own.

10mm Glock: Accuracy & Reliability You Can Depend On

Are 10mm Glock pistols reliable and accurate? Absolutely. I still own a Glock 20 made in the late 1980s. That pistol and the pistols tested for this article worked 100 percent with several brands and loads of ammunition. Their accuracy is very good. Using Federal American Eagle 180-grain FMJ ammo, my G20 Gen4 test pistol easily turned in five-shot groups measuring less than 3 inches. Moreover, the trigger pull was extremely smooth, and with its fixed sights the Glock 20 Gen4 shot very close to point of aim. No drifting to adjust for windage was necessary.

Glocks are simple to maintain, and removing the slide assembly shows why. The striker-firing mechanism is enclosed and has fewer dirt-attracting components than hammer-fired designs. The machining of the steel slide is simple and neatly done without leaving tool marks. My Glocks take less time to clean than most pistols I own. When all is said and done, I’m proud to say I’m a “Glock guy.”