First Look: Super Vel 10mm SCHP Ammo

In the early 1980s, Col. Jeff Cooper of Gunsite Academy fame worked to develop a cartridge that provided greater stopping power than the 9mm and better ballistics than the slow .45 ACP. This project resulted in the development of the 10mm Auto, a round that has seen some resurgence among firearm enthusiasts in recent years. Along with a number of new handguns, several new ammo offerings have appeared, including the Super Vel 10mm Solid Copper Hollow Point ammunition, a first in this caliber from the company.

Designed for defensive and hunting use, Super Vel's all-new 10mm SCHP ammo is loaded with a 160-grain bullet featuring a deep, hollow cavity in the nose of the projectile. From the 5-inch barrel of Col. Cooper's classic Bren Ten, the handgun designed hand-in-hand with the 10mm round, these rounds produce a muzzle velocity of 1,250 fps, putting it in the middle of the pack when compared with other 10mm loads.

The stand-out feature of the Super Vel load, however, lies in the design of the bullet itself. Upon contact with a ballistic medium, the bullet splays open with six different petals, expanding to a maximum diameter of 0.800 of an inch. Full expansion of the projectile occurs within the first inch after impact, and one of the hallmarks of the Super Vel SCHP is its penetration depth. In standard ballistics gelatin, the round is recorded to provide an average of 15 to 18 inches of penetration. Total muzzle energy produced by the cartridge is 555 foot-pounds, making it legal for handgun hunting in states with a ME minimum of 500 foot-pounds for hunting cartridges.

Each Super Vel SCHP 10mm cartridge is made in the USA, and the suggested retail price on a box of 20 rounds is $39.95. Other calibers loaded with Super Vel's special SCHP projectile include 9mm, .45 ACP and .380 ACP.