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Cheers!

Jason Schwartz

Founder/Senior Editor

REVIEW: Winchester Elite Defender 10mm 180gr Bonded Jacketed Hollow Point - Great self defense ammo for when you're off the trail

 

Winchester recently sent me some test samples of their new Defender Elite 10mm 180gr Bonded Jacketed Hollow Point to try out in my Glock 29 Gen 4 10mm Semi-Auto Sub-Compact 10-Round Pistol. 

The Glock 29 is what I carry for dangerous game defense when I'm out in the wilderness. In that role, I keep the gun loaded with full power bear protection loads such as the Underwood Xtreme Penetrator and/or Underwood 200gr Hardcast rounds. 

But when I'm not in the wilderness, I also carry my Glock 29 as a CCW pistol. 

In a CCW role, bear defense rounds grossly over-penetrate for self-defense use. So I usually switch to jacketed hollow point ammunition to avoid overpenetration once I'm off the trail. 

After spending time at the range with the Winchester Defender 10mm JHP rounds, as well as checking out ballistic gelatin tests on Youtube, they have impressed me to the point where I have started carrying them as my main CCW carry round. 

The Winchester Defender rounds are not quite as powerful as the typical Underwood and Buffalo Bore JHP's that many are familar with. However, they still feel like real 10mm ammunition when shooting them. 

The plus side of this slightly lower power is that recoil and muzzle blast are less intense. In a small gun like the Glock 29, it definitely makes a difference in shootability compared to shooting the larger Glock 20. 

The Glock 20 handles full power loads quite well. But the smaller and lighter Glock 29 can get a bit squirrelly in your hands while shooting full power loads, reducing accuracy during rapid fire.

But you are still probably saying to yourself that if these are less powerful than the Underwood and Buffalo Bore rounds, then they are probably less effective in stopping a threat. 

However, the Youtube ballistic gel tests below should quickly dispel any notion that these are not effective self defense rounds. The Defender round is quite literally devastating:

How's the accuracy?

Excellent. I tested the Winchester Defenders at common self-defense distances. The targets with the groups trending towards the left were because of high wind conditions that were literally pushing my arms to the left as I fired.The last target was done under calm conditions. 

Rapid fire while freestanding:

Slower aimed fire at 15 yards:

As mentioned, the winds were intense and were pushing my arms (and the shots) to the left while doing the tests above. But I was still able to shoot good groups.

Once the winds died down after dark, I did another test using an LED flashlight for illumination:

Without the wind blowing me around, the Defenders shot straight and accurate. 

Reliability Testing

I fired a total of 100 rounds of the Defenders through my Glock 29 and it functioned 100%. There were no feeding or ejection issues of any kind. 

I also tested the Defender ammo to see if it would cause a jam in my Glock 29 by "limp-wristing" the grip. 

A limp-wristing test simulates a scenario where your hand, wrist or arm is injured and you are not able to hold your semi-automatic pistol tightly like you would under normal circumstances. This is always a possibility in any self defense scenario, so I always test my pistols first to make sure they won't do this with my preferred carry ammo.

I've found that with my Glock 29, any 10mm ammo that's putting out less than 500 foot pounds of energy will induce a jam when limp-wristed. 

The Winchester Defenders passed this test with flying colors. I ran an entire box of Defenders through my Glock 29 and was unable to induce a jam no matter how lightly I held it. This gives me confidence that the Defenders will function even in the worst case scenario. 

Conclusion?

As a CCW round for carrying in a compact Glock 29 10mm Pistol, the Winchester 10mm Defender Jacketed Hollow Point strikes an excellent balance of controllability and reduced muzzle blast while also having very effective stopping power. The round is accurate and the nickel plated cases help with long-term feeding reliability. I like the Defenders so much that they have become my main CCW ammo for when I'm not out trekking on tree covered trails in the Rockies. 

5 out of 5 Stars (Highly Recommended)

About the author

Jason Schwartz is the Founder and Senior Editor of Rocky Mountain Bushcraft and a US Army Veteran. After serving in the Army, Jason joined the 175th Security Police Squadron of the Maryland Air Force National Guard and served during the Gulf War. He was selected as an Honor Graduate at the US Air Force Security Police Academy and completed two active duty operational support tours, which included guarding A-10s and C-130s which were flying federal overseas missions. Email him at rockymountainbushcraft @ hotmail.com (without spaces)

Recommended Book: The Lost Frontier Handbook by Suzanne Sherman

 

Hey friends, if you're in the market for a book to help you survive the apocalypse, check out Suzanne Sherman's The Lost Frontier Handbook. 

The Lost Frontier Handbook is part of the popular "Lost Ways" book series. 

It is filled with practical food preservation techniques for when refridgeration is not possible. It also has lots of interesting historical examples of how food was preserved hundreds of years ago as well as tips on the types of tools and firearms you should keep on your homestead to make it through hard times. 

Suzanne has years of preparedness experience living in the mountains of Utah and it shows in this book.

The section on preserving eggs is worth more than the price of the book itself!

Available in traditional book form or as a digital download for your phone.

Highly Recommended.

-Jason

Tips & Tricks: Use Shock Cord to Hold Your Bushcraft Knife Securely in its Sheath

Photo credits: Jason Schwartz/Rocky Mountain Bushcraft ©2023 All Rights Reserved

Is your fixed blade knife too loose in its sheath? Here's a trick I've been using for many years.

Get some quality 1/8" shock cord or 3/16" shock cord (depending on the size of your knife and the amount of retention you want), cut it to length, and then use a simple overhand loop knot to fasten it onto the belt clip or belt loop of the sheath. 

You will have to experiment with how small and tight to make it to have the retention you want. 

Using this trick made my Benchmade Puukko shown above, as well as several of my Mora knives that were previously too loose and unsafe, to be safe and secure when carrying them in the backcountry. Plus, it has saved me a lot of money because I don't have to buy aftermarket sheaths to get the retention I need!

One hank of shock cord is enough for many applications, plus I usually have enough left to replace any cord that starts to wear out.

This same trick can be used on any knife that has a retention issue, or, if you just want to add extra retention to an already good sheath.

Cheers,

Jason

River stone knife sharpening at Rabbitstick 2022

Photo credit: Rocky Mountain Bushcraft ©2022

This is a class I assisted my friend Lex Rule with (shown holding the knife and river stone) at Rabbitstick in Idaho last year. 

The goal was simple -- have students bring their dull knives to the river which runs next to Rabbitstick and show them how to sharpen them using only natural stones found in the river. We were able to bring most of the knives to shaving sharpness using just the stones and afterwards, stropping them on the bark of the Willow and Alder trees that ran along the bank.

Cheers!

Jason

Recommended Book: Botany in a Day by Thomas J. Elpel

This is the book my bushcrafting guru friends in Utah swear by for identifying edible and medicinal plants. My initial impression of the book is really good. 

Highly recommended! 

Cheers, Jason

Buy this book from Barnes and Noble and stop supporting the censorship practices of Amazon!

Link- https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/botany-in-a-day-thomas-j-elpel/1006280199

Wool Blanket Tip! - Look for 100% Northwest Woolen Mills USGI Army Blankets on eBay and in Thrift Stores

Hey friends, if you're looking for a 100% wool blanket but don't have a lot of cash, look for USGI Military Northwest Woolen Mills Blankets on eBay and in thrift stores. I have owned a TON of US Army wool blankets, and the Northwest Woolen Mills are the BEST. They tend to be the largest, heaviest, softest and highest quality of all the army wool blankets out there. I'm talking on the level of the famed Italian Army Wool Blankets, only a little lighter. Northwest Woolen blankets run about 4lbs to 4.7lbs vs 5lbs to 5.5lbs for the Italian Blankets. In my experience, they are just as warm as the Italian blankets and easier to carry.

And don't let the "65/35%" thing confuse you. It is a 100% wool blanket. I currently own three of these and they are among my most prized possessions. You can use a dog hair comb to lightly tease one side to make the wool fluffier for more loft and warmth. And if you combine one of these with the USGI Fleece Blanket that Sportsman's Guide sells, it is the cat's meow. With the Northwest Woolen Mills blanket on top of the fleece, I have slept comfortably into the 20s (F) at camp.

Just make sure if you buy one from eBay to ask the seller to provide an actual measurement, because people sometimes wash them incorrectly and shrink them down. As long as the blanket is at least 80"x 60" it is still a good useable blanket. The medical versions of these blankets tend to be slightly larger, so if you can find one grab it!

I would not hesitate to pay up to $60 to $80 for one of these in good condition, but they can often be found for $25 to $45 if you look around or wait a few weeks. These blankets are one of the best kept secrets in the bushcraft world.

Cheers!

Jason

50 Yards freestanding with a Ruger 22/45 22LR Pistol and a $40 Walmart Tasco ProPoint 1x30 Red Dot!

 

50 Yards free standing (no rest) using a $40 Walmart Tasco ProPoint 1x30 Red Dot! Really digging this concept for a compact wilderness survival kit.

Cheers!

Jason

Huge Dust Devil!

 

Caught this large dust devil on my way home last summer!

Plant Identification Photos: Monkshood (also known as "Wolf's Bane") - Deadly!

Photo credit: Jason Schwartz/Rocky Mountain Bushcraft ©2019 All Rights Reserved

Friends, if you see this plant up in the mountains, observe it from a distance and do not touch it. Monkshood is very toxic and potentially deadly if eaten. In fact, even handling the plant is toxic enough to cause illness, so beware!

Cheers,

Jason

Photo credit: Jason Schwartz/Rocky Mountain Bushcraft ©2019 All Rights Reserved

Photo credit: Jason Schwartz/Rocky Mountain Bushcraft ©2019 All Rights Reserved

Photo credit: Jason Schwartz/Rocky Mountain Bushcraft ©2019 All Rights Reserved

Photo credit: Jason Schwartz/Rocky Mountain Bushcraft ©2019 All Rights Reserved

Photo credit: Jason Schwartz/Rocky Mountain Bushcraft ©2019 All Rights Reserved

About the author

Jason Schwartz is the Founder and Senior Editor of Rocky Mountain Bushcraft. He is a US Army Veteran, former Red Cross certified Wilderness & Remote First Aid Instructor, and the author of Edible & Medicinal Survival Plants of the Rocky Mountains Pocket Survival Guides. Jason has taught at the Rabbitstick Primitive Skills Gathering in Idaho and at the Winter Camping Symposium in Minnesota. In addition, he has written articles on bushcraft and survival for Backpacker Magazine and The New Pioneer. 

Email him at rockymountainbushcraft @ hotmail.com (without spaces)