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HSM 10mm Confidence: Cast Bullets for the Backcountry
The HSM 10mm Bear Load and the guns used for evaluating the ammo.
With all the technological advances in bullet construction today, I find it amazing how the humble cast bullet is still at the top of the heap for certain applications, particularly in handguns. When hard cast bullets are fired from a handgun, they usually outpenetrate all other bullets. Depending on the load and application, they can be as effective as rifles. I’ve experienced this phenomenon firsthand on several occasions.
A bullet wound is nothing more than a stab wound. The deeper the stab, the more tissue is disrupted, hence, more bleeding, especially when the heart, lungs, and large blood vessels are clipped during the bullet’s travels. Deeper penetration (wound channel) allows for acute-angle shots to be confidently taken, as the cast bullet will make it to the vitals with its superior penetration.
HSM Bear Load
HSM uses a 200-grain hard cast truncated nose design bullets for their 10mm Bear Load ammunition. This bullet design cycles consistently and confidently in most semi-auto pistols, driving straight and true in flesh. HSM’s advertised velocity is 1,200 FPS for this load, but the chronograph proved it fell slightly lower with guns used in testing.
Standard deviation proved excellent, with a Ruger Blackhawk having a Standard Deviation of only 4.6 for five shots during one string. This displays consistent loading of the ammunition tested. Also, the barrels after shooting the hard cast slugs showed no leading whatsoever, showing proper bullet dimensions and alloy are correct for the velocities intended for the 200-grain slugs.
Close-up of the truncated style 200-grain hard cast slug used in HSM’s 10mm Bear Load.
Famed Alaskan bear guide Phil Shoomaker showed that a 9mm handgun can kill a coastal grizzly during a full charge using hard cast bullets weighing 147 grains. The job requires a cool head, vast experience, and being a skilled shooter. Speaking of Phil, for years his favorite backup piece was a stainless S&W loaded with 180-grain FMJ, stating he wanted a gun that allowed fast follow-up shots without a lot of muzzle-rise, or blast. It makes sense, and HSM’s 10mm Bear Load with 200-grain hard cast bullets is just as controllable.
Shooting this 10mm load is pleasurable. Recoil is tolerable for the guns in which it’s carried, and muzzle-rise is negligible, allowing fast follow-up shots. The 10mm may just be the perfect “heavy” for weekend warriors enjoying playing in the same places bears do. Whether you’re a hunter, hiker, fisherman, or camper, having a gun loaded with the proper ammo, meaning one up for the challenge of stopping old Ursus Arctos Horribilis, just makes sense. And there are plenty of different types of handguns chambered for the 10mm, as shown below.
The Guns
The guns used for evaluation were as follows:
1: Springfield Armory 6-inch TRP Long Slide 1911 with a Trijicon RMR sight.
2: A Tyler Gun Works-tuned Ruger Blackhawk 10mm single-action revolver.
3: A new S&W 10mm Mountain Gun revolver.
HSM was consistently accurate with all guns used, as these 50-foot targets show.
Shooting
Shooting was performed at 50 feet using a Ransom Multi Cal Steady Rest to ensure as many human factors as possible were negated when testing the accuracy of both gun and ammunition. Shooting results went about as expected. The Springfield Armory TRP 1911 with the Trijicon RMR sight was the most accurate, probably because of the red dot sight. A five-shot group went into a single ragged hole, just under an inch. This gun and ammo combination shot like this for several groups. Average velocity was 1,137 FPS with a SD of 8, and an extreme spread of 23 FPS.
The Springfield Armory 6-inch Long Slide TRP was particularly accurate with the HSM Bear Load.
The next best shooter was the Ruger Blackhawk with a 6.5-inch barrel. The longer sight radius was probably the biggest factor in these results. Five-shot groups went just over an inch for several groups. Velocity averaged 1,106 FPS, with a SD of 4.8 and an extreme spread of only 11.4 FPS.
The S&W was very accurate, especially for a 4-inch-barreled gun. Groups were under 2 inches, due mainly to the short sight radius. Velocity averaged 1,070 FPS, with a SD of 16 and an extreme spread of 40.
The new S&W Mountain Gun in the Ransom Multi Cal Steady Rest is a great option for those recreating in the backwoods.
The new S&W Mountain Gun in the Ransom Multi Cal Steady Rest is a great option for those recreating in the backwoods.
These results display very consistent loading practices by HSM. There were no misfires with any of the guns.
Garmin Xero chronograph displays the consistency of the HSM Bear Load with the Tyler Tuned Blackhawk.
I found recoil to be very controllable in the guns used, and all make excellent options for woods carry. Look no further than HSM’s 10mm Bear Load for peace of mind in the back country, backyard, or bedroom.
