Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Handguns Underwood 10mm 220 grain HC

I received 3 boxes of Underwood’s 10mm 220 Grain hard cast ammo a few weeks ago and went to a local range yesterday to try them out. I was a little apprehensive after reading reports on the web claiming high SDs and worries that Underwood was too hot. I have 4 10mms, a 2011, two 1911s and a P220. I figured if any of them would handle the recoil it would be the P220, so I tried it first. No problem. Completely controllable and accurate. Next up was the 2011. If I were to have trouble with one of my 10s it would be this one.. I’ve bulged brass using heavy hard cast with this one in the past. Again, no problem. Brass looks fine. No issues at all. Primers were somewhat flattened which I expected, but no more than normal. Case head expansion was the same as my reloads which are not nuclear: new case .420 fired case .465. All cases compared were Starline. I’ve read that Underwood is using 800X for this load. I’ve always used Longshot, Blue Dot and AA#9, I guess I’ll give 800X a try.
For cost and quality I’d say Underwood is a good buy.

I shot 150 or so of that load this winter. Shoots pretty good. Im fairly recoil sensitive in handguns and it took a little getting used to, but I do like the load.

Pull a bullet and check before you assume Underwood is using 800X, it'll be pretty obvious because 800x is made of huge flakes. There was a company using 800X long ago, but last I checked (admittedly it's been a while) I don't think Underwood was. I think I remember they were using AA9 or something close to it.

AA9 will do everything 800x can in the 10mm anyway, with safer pressure and it meters easier. I have no reason to bother with measuring cornflakes (800x) for my 10mm loads.

I have never had trouble with Underwood ammo. Or Buffalo Bore and Double Tap for that matter. I have had trouble with CorBon in both 9 & 10mm. I think Underwood is more consistent than the other boutique loaders and usually less expensive to boot.

When I first bought some Underwood ammo with the 140 grain Xtreme Penetrator bullet I got HUGE smilies with my G40 a friend's G20 and a RIA 1911...the first round over the chrono with the 6" G40 was 1701 fps...! Contacted Underwood and they sent a pickup order...they replaced all the ammo and the next batch was 100 fps slower which is about where it should have been....

Have been using their ammo in .38 Super, .380, 9mm as well as 10mm...will be ordering more soon...

Bob

Super pleased with the 220 HC especially for the price. My friend, and fellow fire member made me some wicked 225 HC that I carry now.

Glad they are working for you NM.

I've used 800X, was disappointed in how much variation in the amount of powder dropped from the Dillon measure. I'd never use it again if there was anything else available. WAP (Silhouette) and #7 have been my favorites, never tried #9. I loaded 215 gr with Blue Dot, but weighed each charge.

This post reminded me...last fall traveled to Maine for a bear hunt. Picked up a couple boxes of Buffalo bore for my .454 SRH. At the range I noticed that my cylinder tightened up (significantly) on rounds 5 & 6. I’ll have to pull the box to see which rounds it was. I made a mental note to contact Buffalo Bore and advise them off the issue. I forgot to do it then but now I will. I ended up using Hornady because it shot more accurately in that gun.

Have shot about 40 rounds of the Underwood 220 grain 10mm and it's a pussy cat compared to large revolver loads. Go forth and fear not.

Blue Dot is what I used in the past loading Double Tap hard cast 230 grain Gas checked I think. Mike of Double Tap gave me the load data. Like you I weighed each load. I use a RCBS Charge Master, which has trouble with Blue Dot. I haven’t used 800X, but I’m going to give it a try. I thought AA#9, BD, and Longshot all did pretty well. I don’t shoot a ton of heavy HC bullets, just enough to know where they hit.

Primers backed out? I had that happen on my S&W460, also pierced the primer. New brass, 2 grains under max. That pistol keeps you on your toes. The Casull rounds seem to kick as much as the 460s. I haven’t shot factory rounds out of it. Good luck getting ahold of anyone at Buffalo Bore, I’ve called numerous times and emailed- no response.

No the bullets pushed past the crimp. I’m not sure if it’s a bad batch or this is a common problem.

Definitely not common in my experience.

Looking over the 10mm I have on hand - factory loads - found Underwood 200 gr JHP, and Buffalo Bore 220gr HC. The Underwood claims 1250 fps on the box, the BB says 1200 fps. Right now I have an RIA 1911 and two EAA Witnesses - one blued, one "Wondra" finish in 10mm. Would like to try a Sig 220, as I have one in .45 ACP I really like. My handholds are normally a bit "slower" than these factory loads. I am a BIG fan of 10mm in semi-autos as a woods-hunting gun, and I also tend to prefer heavy HC lead bullets. Some time back, I had a problem with some Double Tap ammo in a Glock G20, otherwise 10mm has been "good" for me, both factory and handholds. I have tried Power Pistol, Universal, Unique, and Titegroup powders with no problems.

Mike Holmes

I use 800X for 45ACP loads with 230 Gold Dots. 800X is a powder you should weigh and not throw. It has large round flakes which do not lend well to simply throwing. It also spikes quickly which makes it all the more a candidate for weighing.

Be very careful working up hot 10mm loads with 800X. You won't know it's too hot until it's way too hot, and you do need to weigh each charge like RickyD said. There are several much better powder choices for heavy 10mm.

Dang, 220's at 1200 is smoking, I'll happily get by with 200's at 1200 fps in my DW 10mm, would like to see a penetration comparison between those two hardcast weights.

It happens, but usually not with a roll crimp. I don’t know how Buffalo Bore does their crimp on the big magnum loads.

Yeah Mike, you’d like the Sig. The Short Reset Trigger is great. Not a 1911 trigger but pretty darn good. It handles recoil better than my1911s. Good accuracy, but wish it had an adjustable rear sight. 1200 is what Underwood is claiming on the 220. When the days get a little longer I’ll have to drag out the crono and see what I’m getting.

Underwood hits their advertised velocity.