When one thinks of taking a stroll through the north woods, fishing in Alaska, or maybe just trailing or camping in the hinterlands, one might be inclined to take along some sort of firearm if legal. The 10mm cartridge has experienced a resurgence of late. This is due in no small part to those intrepid venturers who carry one, usually a pistol, for protection. But…

• What if you could take along a longer gun, something that would pull every last ounce of ballistic goodness out of that cartridge?
• Would an on-board ammo capacity of 45 rounds help?
• How much better would a large, rifle-sized optic be?
• And, how much better it would be if that longer gun could fold up to make a shorter gun and reside in its own case while you’re walking?

That’s just what we have here. A folding 10mm carbine from S&W, the M&P FPC 10mm.

Smith & Wesson M&P FPC 10mm Auto

You see it extended above. Now, let’s fold it up…

Pretty sweet! If you use the case that comes with it (below), the large optic can even stay on the Pic rail. Or, you could find a backpack where the carbine could live.

The gun comes with a nice carry case with external straps, so you can carry it if you want to. The case has pockets galore to store whatever you need for your trek. Interior tie-downs are included as well. Here it is…

The Carbine

This carbine is interesting. It has a 16 ¼” barrel, so velocities will be good. The long Pic rail on top and the M-Lok handguard mean that you can mount just about what you want on it. This one wears a rifle red dot from Bear Creek Arsenal, an inexpensive sight worth looking into.

Before going on, let’s look at the specs from the M&P FPC 10mm website.

Specifications

• Width: 2.5 In
• Length: 30.6 In
• Height: 8 In
• Weight: 91.2 Oz (5.7 Pounds)
• Caliber: 10mm
• Size: Rifle
• Capacity: 15, 3 Magazines Included
• Action: Blowback
• Barrel Length: 16.25”
• Grip: Polymer
• Sights: None
• Optic Ready: Yes
• Safety: Cross-Bolt
• Color/Finish: Black

What Else Is Out There?

I know of a couple of other carbines that fold, but only one is in 10mm.

Ruger’s LC carbine in 10mm has a folding butt stock, which isn’t quite the same thing. Ruger also makes a carbine that comes apart, a take-down in 9mm, but it only comes in that caliber. For .22 fans, there are 10/22 takedowns, as well. Kel-Tec makes two folding carbines, in 9mm and 5.7×28. This S&W is the only 10mm carbine I know of that folds in half, not just the butt stock.

But There’s More, as they say on TV…

Kel-Tec announced its new 10mm folding carbine, the SUB2000 Gen 3. It is set to ship by late summer 2025. It will take Glock 20 mags and will list for $599. So, the field has another player!

Features

This thing utilizes a very clever design. First of all, it folds… duh. (That’s probably why they named it “Folding Pistol Carbine”, huh?)

Here’s something that few designers think of. What happens when your 15-round magazine runs dry? You’d better have a spare. Two spares would be even more advantageous. So, where do you store the extras? Why, in the butt stock, of course! There’s room and spring-loaded clips to hold two extra 15-round magazines. The best part is, they come with the gun. You get three magazines, enough to hold 5 shy of a full 50-round box of 10mm ammo. Nice!

Live Inventory Price Checker

	M&P Fpc 10mm Auto Semi-Auto Rifle - M&P Fpc 10mm Auto 16.25'''' Bbl (3)15rd Mags Black	Brownells.com	$ 629.99
	Smith & Wesson M&P FPC 10mm 16.25" Semi-Auto, Black	Palmetto State Armory	$ 695.99 $ 631.99
	M&P Fpc 10mm Auto Semi-Auto Rifle - M&P Fpc 10mm Auto 16.25'''' Bbl (3)10rd Mags Black	Brownells.com	$ 629.99
	Smith & Wesson M&P FPC 16.25"10mm 15rd Rifle, Black -- 14167	Palmetto State Armory	$ 711.99 $ 646.99

Shooting The FPC

Our Hoosier weather is up to its usual tricks… the saying in Indiana is, if you don’t like the weather, wait 15 minutes. We’ve had little rain until recently. So, I ran out between clouds and set some targets up. I kept the range close, around 25-30 yards, because the red dot had not been zeroed on this particular carbine, and I wanted to make sure everything I shot hit the paper.

I took a sampling of the 10mm ammo I had to my backyard range. Here are some representative targets. This gun is most likely more accurate than I am able to shoot it… I’m not the best shot in the room, but I get by. The velocities were interesting, but not interesting enough to record for posterity. None of the 10mm ammo I tried here produced any velocity over 1230 f.p.s. That’s pistol range. You would have to experiment with several different loads to get anything resembling decent rifle/carbine velocity. Of course, there’s always Buffalo Bore and Underwood among others who produce loads more in line with the original 10mm loadings from when the cartridge debuted. I did not have access to any of those, but they are out there in many areas. I would love to find some to see how they did in my 4.5-inch Springfield Armory XDM Elite. Maybe one day I’ll run across some, or… gulp… order some online!

Summing Up

Are you looking for a very useful carbine that doesn’t take up a lot of room? How about something as a backup for the deer woods? 10mm is legal here. You could fold this carbine and stick it in its case or a backup and not even know it’s around. Take it out closer to deer season, sight it in with your favorite load, and have it handy if your main rifle goes down. Or, use it AS your main rifle… 10mm out of a 16” barrel is nothing to sneeze at. We hunt close-in around my house, and 10mm is more than adequate (with the right bullet) at the typical ranges we encounter.

S&W has a winner here. With its folding ability, long Pic rail for optics, M-Lok handguard, decent carry case, and 45-round capacity, I’m not sure you could beat it… at least in 10mm. Adding in S&W’s excellent customer service and their limited lifetime warranty only makes the deal sweeter. Speaking of deals, you have a package that you can buy for a real-world price of $599 from several vendors. That’s great, considering how useful 10mm is and how practical a folding carbine can be. Let us know what you think below, fellow shooters!

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About Mike Hardesty

With experience spanning over 45 years, Mike Hardesty has long enjoyed shooting and reloading. An inveterate reloader, he casts bullets and reloads for a diverse array of firearms, each handled with long-practiced precision. Living in rural Indiana, his homestead boasts a personal 100-yard range where he shares his love for guns to his four sons, their wives, and eleven grandchildren. As a recognized author, his writings have been featured in notable platforms like Sniper Country, Bear Creek Arsenal Blog, Pew Pew Tactical, TTAG, Dillon Precision’s Blue Press, and Gun Made, revealing his ongoing passion for firearms at the age of 72.