moose eater
Well-known member
The 10mm is one of the more recent and popular bush rounds for bear, especially when loaded 'hot' for the 10mm's capacity, rather than down-loaded similarly to a .40 S&W. If one wants the performance of a .40 S&W, they should buy one instead. The 10 is typically built to withstand greater chamber pressures.
Throw in some tin and lead alloy-hardened hard cast bear projectiles in the 180 to 220-grain range, and you can have a heavier projectile than with a .357 Mag moving at speeds notably faster than a .357 Mag., but with the penetration capacity of the hard cast alloy projectile.
But for the more compact carry in the bush among the better revolvers, still incorporating hot loads with significant velocity potential and hard cast alloy bear projectiles in the mid-300 grain range, the .454 Casull is the better in my opinion. Though it's a 6-round wheel gun.
I quit carrying my S&W .500 Magnum 4" bbl stnls a long time ago, and traded it for a meat wagon for my 4-wheelers, though lately it's used more often for moving logs/wood around the property. The S&W .500 Magnum, much like their X-frame .460 (same frame, different caliber), is a boat anchor. Cumbersome and heavy, though the weight helps to make the recoil seem less.
That gun's ballistics, with a 440-grain Cor-Bon 'Hunter' cartridge had it coming out of an 8-3/8" bbl -version of that gun at 1,680 fps, with 2,500+ ft.-lbs. of energy... It was akin to carrying a .45-70 rifle with hard cast cartridges in your shoulder holster. What I used to call, "A rifle in your pocket..." Though you'd have needed a rugged and sizable pocket.
Last edited:
