Both the 357 magnum and the 10mm have earned a place in the hearts of self-defense shooters in America. But there are some big differences between the two calibers. So, what separates the 357 magnum vs. 10mm cartridge and why would you pick one over the other?

In this article, we analyze the .357 Magnum vs the 10mm Auto. By comparing these two powerful rounds for market conditions, handgun differences, velocity, energy, and more, we help you make the right decision for your specific needs.

Both the .357 Magnum and the 10mm Automatic, usually called the “10mm Auto,” have earned a place in the hearts of American shooters, including target shooters, hunters, and self-defense enthusiasts.

They are fast, reliable, relatively affordable, and have enough knockdown power for nearly any threat, even grizzly bears. But, despite these similarities, there are some major differences between the two rounds. So what separates the cartridges? Why would you pick one over the other?

By analyzing the market conditions, firearms, and ballistic performance, we’ll help you make a decision when weighing the .357 Magnum vs the 10mm Auto.

Fast Results: .357 Magnum vs 10mm Auto

Need answers in a hurry? Here are the important differences between the .357 Magnum and the 10mm Auto…

Advantages of the .357 Magnum

• More ammo choices
• Simple, reliable revolvers
• Slight speed advantage

Advantages of the 10mm Auto

• Less ammo cost
• High-capacity semi-auto handguns
• Slight energy advantage

Getting to Know the .357 Magnum

The .357 Magnum is one of the most historically significant cartridges in the country. Released in 1935, at the height of of the “gangster era,” this cartridge was intended to give law enforcement greater firepower against well-armed, and well-armored, criminals.

At the time, criminals were using vests, as well as car doors and other protections, to shield themselves against lighter and slower police rounds. The .38-calibers being used by law enforcement were unable to penetrate these barriers, creating the need for more velocity and power.

Although there were other slight changes, the .357 Magnum is essentially an elongated .38 Special. With a longer case, the cartridge can pack more force behind the bullet, which creates greater velocity and energy, as well as superior terminal ballistics and trajectories. The result was a stronger weapon for the good guys and a cartridge that has remained extremely popular among the gun-owning public.

Used for hunting, target shooting, and self-defense, the .357 Magnum remains a common sight at gun ranges and hunting grounds across the country.

$42.95

50rds - 357 Mag Remington UMC 125gr. JSP Ammo

$92.95

100rds - 357 Mag Remington 125gr. Semi Jacketed Hollow Point Ammo

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Getting to Know the 10mm Auto

Like the .357 Magnum, the 10mm Auto was also adopted by law enforcement to stop dangerous criminals. But in this case, after development it basically sat on the sidelines. After a violent and tragic engagement between FBI agents and bank robbers, the cartridge was given new attention and adopted by federal organizations.

Although the cartridge had been released six years earlier, the 1986 shootout between FBI agents and bank robbers in Miami created a new need for the 10mm Auto. After the shootout, which left two agents dead, authorities determined that if the agents had been using more powerful weaponry, the shootout would have likely ended before two agents were killed. This led to the adoption, as well as the adaptation, of the 10mm Auto cartridge.

The 10mm Auto is a cartridge designed specifically for semiautomatic pistols, one of the main reasons it was adopted by the FBI and other law enforcement agencies. It generally carries a bullet ranging from 150 to 200 grains, although larger bullets are available. It does not have the massive overall adoption among private users, making it one of the most underrated cartridges in the American collection.

$27.95

20rds – 10mm Hornady Custom 180gr. XTP Ammo

$27.95

20rds – 10mm Hornady Custom 155gr. XTP Ammo

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10mm Auto vs .357 Magnum: What are the Differences?

.357 Magnum vs. 10mm Auto: Price Differences

While some put more importance on it than others, price-per-round is an essential consideration for any gun owner, and you need to consider the cost of shooting, as this can impact how often you use the weapon for target practice and training.

When this article was written, the lowest per-round cost for a .357 Magnum ammo was $0.51, while 10mm ammunition could be purchased for as low as $.32 per round. (Numbers from ammotogo.com.) At the high end, the most expensive .357 Mag was $2.50, while the most expensive 10mm Auto round was $2.75. Based on this information, it seems like the 10mm Auto has a larger range of prices.

But when comparing similar products, it seems the .357 is a bit more costly. For example, both of these rounds are available in Hyperformance products from Fiocchi. The 140-grain .357 Magnum costs $2.20 per shot, while the 10mm is $2.00. That’s only a $0.20 difference, but it adds up over thousands of rounds.

The difference is not massive, but we’ve found that the 10mm Auto is actually more affordable.

Winner: 10mm Auto

Available Ammo for 357 Magnum vs. 10mm

You can find just about everything you need for the 10mm Auto. That includes rounds for hunting, high-volume target practice, and personal defense. But when it comes to total variety of ammo out there, the .357 mag usually has more. This is likely because there are more users of the .357 Magnum, so producers have stocked the shelves with hundreds of different choices.

Winner: .357 Magnum

10mm vs. 357 Magnum Velocity

A “magnum” cartridge has more powder than a comparable standard round, so it’s no surprise that the .357 Magnum has excellent speed. What is surprising is how well the 10mm Auto competes in velocity ratings. This really was a back-and-forth competition, with the .357 having a slight edge when packing a lighter bullet. The fastest in our little sample, for instance, was the .357 Magnum 125-grain UMC jacketed soft point from Remington. But this cartridge also packed, by far, the lightest round.

When the bullet weights were similar, the 10mm was often faster. For instance, the 180-grain options from Federal (bottom pair) saw a speed advantage for the 10mm.

What should we make of this? It’s simple: while the .357 Magnum is a bit faster overall, the 10mm matches it step for step in many situations. Speed ratings are close, but we’ll call the .357 our winner.

Winner: .357 Magnum

10mm vs. 357 Mag Muzzle Energy

Both of these rounds are considered powerful. The .357 Magnum is virtually synonymous with powerful energies, while the 10mm Auto was (literally) created to give more stopping power to law enforcement. (The 10mm Auto is a popular load in polar bear territory; that should tell us something.)

We sorted through our comparison data, and even did a little extra research to settle the issue, but we could find no major power advantage for either round.

While the .357 may have more power on the high end, most even comparisons give a slight edge to the 10mm Auto. When they have similar bullets, it seems the 10mm Auto is more powerful, but the .357 often beats a comparable 10mm round.

The advantage may be slight, as both rounds can go as high as 1,500 ft-lbs at the muzzle, but we’re going to give a narrow victory to the 10mm Auto.

Winner: 10mm Auto

Typical Carrying Capacity Comparison

For people who carry for self-defense, there is a never-ending debate about the appropriate number of rounds for a concealed-carry cartridge. We certainly won’t settle that debate here, but if you are purchasing for conceal carry or home protection, the 10mm Auto will give you more rounds per load. Of course, this is dependent to the specific weapon, but the 10mm Auto was designed for semiautomatic pistols, which are usually capable of carrying at least nine (8+1) rounds, and there are options that can load as many as 15 total. With a .357 Magnum handgun, you are largely stuck with revolvers that load five or six shots.

Winner: 10mm Auto

Terminal Ballistic Performance

Using our self-defense ammo testing in each caliber, it’ll give us a good baseline to examine the effectiveness of each round for self-defense.

If you use the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s guidelines as the bar to measure a “good” round, both calibers present several excellent options for carry ammo or home defense. Of the loads we tested in each caliber, it does appear the 10mm provides options with greater expansion. We witnessed 30% of the loads tested expand .7″ of an inch or more when fired through a barrier into gel. None of the 22 different 357 magnum loads we tested under identical conditions expanded more than .67″. Because of that, you might give 10mm a slight advantage in this category but both represent awesome choices compared to smaller-bore cartridges.

Winner: 10mm

Bottomline:

Both are Excellent Rounds; Choose the Handgun You Prefer

These are two incredibly reliable, versatile, and powerful rounds, so it really comes down to which you prefer: revolvers or semiautomatics.

If you prefer the simplicity of a revolver, then you’ll likely lean toward the .357 Magnum. However, if you prefer the larger capacity of a semiautomatic, then pick the 10mm Auto. In this 357 magnum vs 10mm debate, both are relatively strong handgun loads and you can’t go wrong if that’s what you’re looking for.