I'm hoping to draw in NM or CO next year for mule deer and will be taking a 6" 10mm handgun for the trip. My question (and I understand CO's energy requirements), would you go with a hard cast or hollow point for this animal? My self-imposed limitations would be 50 yards, or MAYBE 75 if I put a red dot sight on it. Right now I'm looking at one of the 200 grain varieties from either Double Tap or Underwood.

I'm sure the answer is probably..."either will work". My gut says hollow point from a personal preference but wanted your opinion as well.

Thank you in advance.

Randy

Hollow point

I was impressed with the Buffalo Barnes 155gn tac-xp (hp) bullet in a g-40. In a 6.5" barrel they chronoed at 1540 fps and put the underwood XP load to shame with both energy and velocity. I have no worries about the barns bullet coming apart at that speed. They also shot the best of all the options I tried with 2" groups at 50 yards with a red-dot and glock trigger.

The quick answer is use whichever gives the best consistent accuracy in your gun. Either will kill a mule deer. Over the years I have shot dozens of whitetails with different pistols using both jacketed and hard cast bullets. My experience is that in the larger calibers the hard cast bullets usually penetrate better and kill about as well as the expanding types although I have had more bang-flops using JHP's...

I appreciate all the responses. Karl, I never considered anything lighter than 180 so I'll look into those as well.

Randy

I removed these from a whitetail under the off side skin. Launched at 1330fps. Deer was 71 yards. Bullet is the 10mm 180xtp.

Took this New Mexico mulie with my .41 mag which so many compare to the 10mm......The distance was farther and the velocity was faster then what you list, however, the caliber will work... The bullet was a 210 gr. XTP that exited and the distance was an even 100.....................good luck

Nice buck and rig!

Real nice buck, James.

I've heard that about the 10 as well but it doesn't really compare all that much to the 41, other than diameter. Ballistic-wise the 10 is nearer the 357 than the 41. Still, the 10 is more than adequate with a good handload or one of the high-test offerings from Griz, DT, et al.

Looks like that bullet performed as intended!

Thanks for the pics reflex. That's nice expansion and bullet retention.

James - heckuva buck with a pistola. I'd love to get an opportunity like that.

I ended up ordering 200 grain HP from Underwood. Hopefully my G40 likes it and I get to try it out on a few Texas critters this season.

Best of luck to you! Let us know how it works!