Return to an old favorite--the 10 mm
Sept 14, 2017 17:51:59 GMT
Post by seth on Sept 14, 2017 17:51:59 GMT
I bought a Glock 20 (full-sized 10 mm pistol) many years ago because I was intrigued by the caliber. I really enjoyed shooting it. I don't reload, and 10 mm ammo in local stores was non-existent so I bought it all online. I carried it whenever I was out in the mountains loaded with Double-Tap 200 grain hard cast bullets.
Eventually I picked up a S&W Model 69 in .44 magnum and that became my new favorite woods gun. It is a joy to shoot with moderate .44--a bit snappy with the 320 grain hard casts but doable (I replaced the stock grip with an X-frame grip--huge improvement!). It was roughly the same weight of the fully-loaded Glock 20 (slightly less actually). My 10 mm languished in the safe, and I traded it off several years ago with the thought that is was superfluous.
Fast forward to 2017. I was in Cabelas gun library and came across a Gen 4 Glock 29 (sub-compact 10 mm). I handled it and remembered how much I liked the 10 mm. Cabelas has a glut of used guns. I knew from some other employees that they had bought up tons of used stuff before the election. Post-election, the market has slowed to a crawl, and it is a buyer's market. So I made an offer (a real deal for me), and I am now the owner of a Gen 4 Glock 29. Here are my impressions.
The Gen 3's came in the regular and short frame grip sizes. One regret I had with the Glock 20 was not getting the Glock 20SF because it is a very large pistol. (I wear size large gloves, and it was big in my hands). The Gen 4 Glock 29 does not have a SF model. I think this is because it comes with different backstraps. With none of those installed, it seems about the size of Gen 3 SF. I have not backstraps installed, and it fits my hand really nice.
The Glock 29 is classified as a sub-compact by Glock. Indeed, its grip is similar to the other sub-compacts in that it leaves your pinky without a resting place. The rest of the dimensions are more similar to the Glock 19/23. It is a bit wider than those. I had no trouble shooting it with a floating pinky, but I did add some grip extensions on the ten magazines (2 for $12) which make the grip much nicer because my pinky doesn't feel homeless. It came with some 15 round Glock 20 magazines which shoot fine in it too with a full grip.
It carries really well. It's a woods gun so I don't bother with concealment. I attached a Blackhawk holster to my pack's waistbelt and it rides perfect there. It does weight much less than the Glock 20 and my Model 69. I definitely like carrying it better than the other two. I love backpacking, and this cuts a great deal of weight.
Ammo choices have really improved. Cabelas carries a lot of 10 mm. They don't carry Double Tap which is still my favorite, but they have 10 mm target ammo for $20 per box of 50. With the ubiquitous Cabelas coupons plus military discount, this price drops to < $15 per box. Not much more than 9 mm. I really should reload this. Double Tap must be feeling the post-election guns and ammo blues too as they have been having fantastic sales too.
So how does it shoot? I was wondering how this would compare to my full-size Glock 20, and I honestly like the Glock 29 better (sunk cost fallacy maybe). But my results have been great. It is a great shooter. Despite the smaller size, recoil is fine. It has been 100% reliable which I expected.
I don't feel under-gunned with it all. I am in Montana and hike where black and grizzly bears roam (our griz do not get as large as the Alaskan ones). Never had an issue in 40 years--only a few close encounters which were exciting by amicably resolved. My .44 shoots a 320 grain bullet at roughly 1200 ft/s (1023 ft/lbs). The 29 shoots a 200 grain bullet at 1240 ft/s (683 ft/lbs). Both rounds can achieve more than enough penetration as long as I am accurate enough to put them where the penetration matters.
The Glock 29 is a real winner. If you want to get into the 10 mm, the Glocks are the most budget conscious way to do it.
Eventually I picked up a S&W Model 69 in .44 magnum and that became my new favorite woods gun. It is a joy to shoot with moderate .44--a bit snappy with the 320 grain hard casts but doable (I replaced the stock grip with an X-frame grip--huge improvement!). It was roughly the same weight of the fully-loaded Glock 20 (slightly less actually). My 10 mm languished in the safe, and I traded it off several years ago with the thought that is was superfluous.
Fast forward to 2017. I was in Cabelas gun library and came across a Gen 4 Glock 29 (sub-compact 10 mm). I handled it and remembered how much I liked the 10 mm. Cabelas has a glut of used guns. I knew from some other employees that they had bought up tons of used stuff before the election. Post-election, the market has slowed to a crawl, and it is a buyer's market. So I made an offer (a real deal for me), and I am now the owner of a Gen 4 Glock 29. Here are my impressions.
The Gen 3's came in the regular and short frame grip sizes. One regret I had with the Glock 20 was not getting the Glock 20SF because it is a very large pistol. (I wear size large gloves, and it was big in my hands). The Gen 4 Glock 29 does not have a SF model. I think this is because it comes with different backstraps. With none of those installed, it seems about the size of Gen 3 SF. I have not backstraps installed, and it fits my hand really nice.
The Glock 29 is classified as a sub-compact by Glock. Indeed, its grip is similar to the other sub-compacts in that it leaves your pinky without a resting place. The rest of the dimensions are more similar to the Glock 19/23. It is a bit wider than those. I had no trouble shooting it with a floating pinky, but I did add some grip extensions on the ten magazines (2 for $12) which make the grip much nicer because my pinky doesn't feel homeless. It came with some 15 round Glock 20 magazines which shoot fine in it too with a full grip.
It carries really well. It's a woods gun so I don't bother with concealment. I attached a Blackhawk holster to my pack's waistbelt and it rides perfect there. It does weight much less than the Glock 20 and my Model 69. I definitely like carrying it better than the other two. I love backpacking, and this cuts a great deal of weight.
Ammo choices have really improved. Cabelas carries a lot of 10 mm. They don't carry Double Tap which is still my favorite, but they have 10 mm target ammo for $20 per box of 50. With the ubiquitous Cabelas coupons plus military discount, this price drops to < $15 per box. Not much more than 9 mm. I really should reload this. Double Tap must be feeling the post-election guns and ammo blues too as they have been having fantastic sales too.
So how does it shoot? I was wondering how this would compare to my full-size Glock 20, and I honestly like the Glock 29 better (sunk cost fallacy maybe). But my results have been great. It is a great shooter. Despite the smaller size, recoil is fine. It has been 100% reliable which I expected.
I don't feel under-gunned with it all. I am in Montana and hike where black and grizzly bears roam (our griz do not get as large as the Alaskan ones). Never had an issue in 40 years--only a few close encounters which were exciting by amicably resolved. My .44 shoots a 320 grain bullet at roughly 1200 ft/s (1023 ft/lbs). The 29 shoots a 200 grain bullet at 1240 ft/s (683 ft/lbs). Both rounds can achieve more than enough penetration as long as I am accurate enough to put them where the penetration matters.
The Glock 29 is a real winner. If you want to get into the 10 mm, the Glocks are the most budget conscious way to do it.