Ed Brown 1911 10mm LS10 Review

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December 11, 2019 By James Tarr

Ed Brown believes its new LS10 perfect for long-range target shooting or handgun hunting, and the 10mm cartridge is well-suited for hog hunting. Tarr tested the LS10 with only a handful of loads, but the choices in 10mm ammo have never been greater. You can find everything from soft “10mm Lite” loads to hot offerings meant for hunting.

The original uber-stout 10mm loads from Norma featured a 200-grain bullet whizzing out of a 5-inch barrel at 1200 fps, and a 180-grainer at 1300 fps. That is smoking hot, and the original 10mm guns just couldn’t handle the pounding, either because of poor design or inferior metals and fitting. But that was 30 years ago—firearms companies have been improving every aspect of firearm construction. With the advent of CNC machining, the average factory gun today has tighter and more consistent tolerances than the hand-fit and assembled guns of the 1980s, and the steels are better as well.

Adding to the longevity of modern 10mms is the ammo side of the equation. Most of today’s ammo, even the “full power” 10mm loads, doesn’t equal the original Norma loads. Also, most people choosing the 10mm today like it for its hunting potential, so they’re not pounding nearly as many rounds through their guns as the guys in the ‘80s, who were thinking the 10mm 1911 was the ultimate semi-auto defensive handgun.

I chronographed the 6-inch Ed Brown alongside the 5-inch Ruger 10mm SR1911 reviewed elsewhere in this issue. If you’re interested in a long slide because you think it’ll provide huge velocity gains, I’ve got bad news for you. Adding that extra inch of barrel only adds 30–75 fps to your speed, depending on the ammo. “That’s not nothing,” I believe is the pertinent phrase, but it still might be less than what you were expecting.

To be honest, cartridges with higher pressure tend to benefit more from extra barrel length, so all things being equal, you’ll see more of a velocity jump with 10mm because of that extra inch than you would in a pistol chambered in .45 ACP.

Traditionally, the draw and usefulness of long slide pistols has been the increased sight radius, which provides for improved practical accuracy when using the iron sights. The longer the sight radius, the easier and quicker it is to point a firearm, whether you’re talking about a pistol or rifle. That is why competition handguns are often so long—when a hundredth of a second separates the winner from first loser, you want every advantage you can get.

However, unless the battery goes out on the red dot, the sight radius on this pistol is immaterial. That is one of the great things about red dots; instead of lining up the front sight with the rear sight with the target, keeping the front sight in focus, you just put the dot on the target and pull the trigger. So sight radius doesn’t matter. However, if it is a piece of electronic equipment powered by a battery, at some point it won’t function, which is why iron sights are a must.

The extra barrel and slide length add one more thing that is an important consideration when dealing with the 10mm—recoil-absorbing weight. A 1911 in 10mm isn’t the bruiser that a magnum revolver is, but it does provide some significant recoil, especially if you’re shooting loads that approximate the power of the original 10mm ammo.

Shooting the LS10, I found the recoil was stout, but not nearly in a class with some of the crazy magnum revolvers out there. With the longer barrel, some of the loads I tested neared the original Norma offerings in oomph, and there are far more powerful choices in ammo out there if you’re interested in maximizing the cartridge. Some of the loads from Double Tap Ammo and Buffalo Bore exceed the original Norma ammo stats.

Some people might consider a long slide 10mm 1911 the “ultimate” home defense pistol. And it definitely wouldn’t be a bad choice, even though it doesn’t have a rail for a weaponlight. However, Ed Brown doesn’t see this as a defensive pistol, but rather one suitable for “long-range target work and handgun hunting.” The 10mm is more than powerful enough for hunting white-tail deer or hogs, both of which are often encountered in wooded areas, so the shots will be within easy pistol distance. It also seems like a good choice for a backup gun in bear country, both prettier than a revolver (to my eyes) and holding more rounds.

Also, please remember this—Ed Brown Products is a custom 1911 shop. You can order your LS10 with all sorts of options not on the standard model.

Al Allen, the admittedly jaded owner of the gun store/range where I picked up this and all of my test pistols (www.doubleaction.com), tried out the trigger as I was filling out the requisite federal paperwork. “Ooh, nice,” he said.

“It better be, for the price,” I responded.

It just seems like common sense to me, that cost should equal quality, but so many of the 1911s I test from custom and semi-custom shops don’t seem like custom guns, but rather hand-selected factory pieces. The Ed Brown LS10, on the other hand, looks and feels like the custom gun that it is. You’re paying a lot of money, so it only makes sense that you should get something great, or unique (or both) for your hard-earned cash. With the LS10, you do.