Ammo for XD-M 10mm

Mrs_Esterhouse said:

I'm looking at getting some 10mm Underwood XTP in either 155gr, 180gr or 200gr for my XD-M 3.8.

• Does anyone have a preference for bullet weight?
• Is there a significant difference in felt recoil?
• I've read 155gr has more flip and 200gr has more of a push instead of a strong flip. Thoughts?
• Lastly, I read 155gr is generally louder than 200gr. I'm guessing smaller bullet + more powder = louder?

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What are you going to use the ammo for ❓
Let’s go for assumptions here. Both bullets are traveling the same speed and that you are down range and can’t hear the report of the cartridge going off. This way we can compare apples to apples.

Yes, at both subsonic and supersonic speeds the large bullet will be louder. The shape of the bullet also makes a difference. In general the bullet with the greatest cross sectional area is usually louder. And a flat nose bullet will be louder than a round or spitzer (sharp) point bullet of the same cross sectional area .

There are plenty of opinions and none of them are wrong. There is a guy on here by the name of Cuda 66 and it is my opinion that he knows what he is talking about when it comes to ballistics. He did not answer so here I go…

Id like to start out with a baseline. The original Jeff Cooper load was 170gr, Fmj, 1300 fps, 600+ foot pounds of energy (fpe) at the muzzle. It has a substantial amount of recoil, barrel rise, kick and this coming from a 4.5” barrel. The goal was to be accurate at 50 yards.

Once you leave that baseline, the felt recoil changes dramatically.

This is my opinion about a few 10mm rounds, what I’ve felt shooting them and what I’ve settled on to carry in the gun.

The 200 gr is a heavy bullet with good charge. I consider it to be full power. It kicks hard and flys flat. I don’t enjoy shooting it but I like loading up a mag and watching other people shoot a round and then hand the gun back.

The 180 gr Hard cast has a similar charge as the 200 gr but because the bullet is lighter, it travels faster as it exits the barrel and has more energy, therefore, more kick, barrel rise, felt recoil. That ammo is made for penetration and breaking bones, not deforming, not slowing down, going straight through until its force is met by an opposing force equal to it. This is your bear defense load, your charging moose load, bad guy behind the dumpster load.

The 155 grain has a reduced weight bullet and charge to keep recoil manageable, get back on target, and keep that round moving at a respectable speed and stay flat for a respectable distance. This ammo is loaded to mimic my carry ammo.


This ammo has a penetration distance of 12-14” depending on clothing, mushrooms excellently in 15% gel, all at 15 yards. This is my carry ammo. Ballistics will change from a 4.5” to 3.8” barrel and so will felt recoil.

My advice is to find a 200gr round that moves at 950-1000 fps with 425-525 fpe at the muzzle. After that, try a 170/180 gr round that moves at 950-1000 fps. I think one of those is going to be the sweet spot for that 3.8”. Enjoy!

I have been summoned.


Great test showing a lot if loads and how they perform. The 200gr HST wasn’t tested, but from what I’ve seen, it’s right up there.

Personally, and in my direct experience, I’d roll with the Winchester 175gr Silvertip. Controllable, reliable expansion, good penetration…but that’s me, and what I’ve run in my guns (I’m down to my last 10–a 1076 that’s going nowhere, and, quite honestly, will probably never be shot again. Still, it’s got one loaded mag if the aforementioned Silvertips in case everything goes pear shaped).

I also used the 155gr Barnes on deer, but handloaded considerably warmer than factory. It did fine, but no better than .357 Mag or .45acp…shots were taken in boiler rooms at 15-25 yards, all deer died quickly and humanely.

At the end of the day, what will be most important are 1) does the load function with 100% reliability in your gun when you shoot it and 2)what loads can you put the most accurately AND rapidly on target…bullet performance doesn’t mean squat if those two criteria aren’t meant.

So, buy a few different loads, buy a shot timer if you don’t have one, and find out what works for you.

Texan-XD said:

My XDM Elite 4.5 inch 10mm has never seen a factory load either. That may change when I break down and buy some Extreme Penetrators and see how those shoot. I wouldn't feel undergunned in bear country with my 180 gr. TCFP loads with Longshot, it's a stout loading and I think it would hold up nicely. The lead is a Brinell 18 and that should be plenty hard enough.

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I make 175 gr hard lead and powder coat them. They shoot great I’m running easy 1250 but will get 13-1350 I believe. My 4.5 xdm shoots fast for following published loads. I seem to reach velocity listed about a grain less than hornady shows for their 180fps. I like longshot but my real go to for jacketed flat points and powder coated alike is aa#9. Takes a little more but it seems super consistent and burns really clean. When I run longshot ( I do like it especially with lead it bumps good) I use magnum primers. I haven’t tried 200 gr yet but as I’ve said before in this forum 180 gr doing at least 1250 will punch through my test steel jugs and I believe without a doubt it will penetrate a griz skull. I hope I’m never faced with that situation but I feel confident the round will poke the necessary hole and do terminal damage. Not as big a hole as my 44 mag but not far off. At this point I shoot my 10 more and probably better than my 44 and I have all my hunting packs set up to carry it and 1 mag. That’s 30 rounds without a hassle. I don’t feel the need to carry my 10 for people protection but man a pack of wolve or a big bear I’m bringing as much heat as I’m accurate with.