America’s cyclical love/hate/love affair with the 10mm Auto has perhaps never been more vibrant. Originally cooked up by Col. Jeff “Because they Don’t Make a .46” Cooper of Gunsite fame for his failed Bren Ten concept gun, the 10mm was quietly kept going through the late 1980s and into the 2000s by the Colt Delta Elite and Glock Model 20 but was in life support to be sure, cruising just a hair above failed super rounds like the .45 GAP and .357 SIG.
Then came a resurgence in 10mm favor during the past several years with other makers jumping into the market and the 10mm’s little brother, the .40 “Slow & Weak” losing favor almost overnight.
These days we have several budget companies making affordable 10mm guns such as Hi-Point’s JXP, the SDS/Tisas HGA, the EAA/Girsan Hunter, and RIA’s Tac Ultra/Ultra FS, while more upscale 1911-style guns are available from the likes of Kimber (Rapide, Super Jagare, Eclipse Custom, Camp Guard), Ruger (SR1911 Target), and Dan Wesson (Bruin, Kodiak), among others that have been competing against Colt’s aging Delta Elite.
Then there are solid “combat” style double stacks that are giving the Glock 20 a run for its money including the S&W M&P M10, the Springfield Armory XD-M Elite, and the FN 510.
By Michael Crites
Michael Crites has served as executive editor of AmericanFirearms.org since 2016 and previously held positions as associate editor and range correspondent dating back to 2000. He discovered his passion for precision shooting at age 12 during his first visit to his grandfather's shooting range, eventually earning an Expert classification in three different shooting disciplines before age 18.
During his studies at University of Wyoming, he earned four varsity letters on the collegiate rifle and pistol teams, serving as team captain for three consecutive years. He became the first UW student to complete the NRA Range Safety Officer certification while maintaining full-time student status. He graduated magna cum laude with a B.A. in Sports Communications.
His diverse career has included roles as Range Safety Coordinator for the National Rifle Championships in Camp Perry 2001; editor-in-chief, Precision Shooter Quarterly; series editor, Modern Firearms Handbook collection; managing editor, National Shooting Sports Foundation Newsletter; editor, Competitive Shooter Magazine; operations director for Western Arms & Ammunition Co.; senior editor for the Shooter's Reference Annual (Cheyenne); content director for The Firearms Report, published by the American Shooting Coalition in Billings, MT; firearms correspondent for Hunting & Shooting, produced by Outdoor Sports Media Group in Jackson, WY; and publisher for Wyoming Shooting Sports Journal in Casper. He has contributed as a regular columnist for American Rifleman (NRA Publications), technical editor for Precision, a publication of the National Bench Rest Shooters Association (Phoenix, AZ); and as firearms specialist for the Gun Owner's Annual.
As a digital content creator, he has written more than 400 articles on AmericanFirearms.org, developed shooting technique coverage for the Brownells Shooting Blog (Montezuma, IA) and Federal Premium "Range Notes" platform (Anoka, MN), and served as lead content strategist for International Defensive Pistol Association (Berryville, AR). Beyond Tactical Firearms, his current endeavors include content development for the Wyoming State Rifle Association (Cheyenne, WY) and technical manual production for High Plains Publishing of Laramie, WY.
He has contributed to the 12th, 13th, and 14th editions of Modern Sporting Rifles Guide and edited The Complete Guide to Tactical Shooting and Competitive Shooter's Reference Manual (Gun Digest Books).
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