Hello , I just bought my 10mm Colt delta elite a week or so ago and of course I wanted to shoot the "full loads" so I field stripped to check the barrel support.  Guess what It is fully supported . There is the usual "smile" at the bottom of the barrel ,but much smaller than the pics I've seen online of previous  models. My spent casings have zero bulge with the underwood "full load" 155gr .Did Colt finally fix the problem? I admit that I'm having trouble with the feeding . All I've shot is the fmj Remington and the Underwood 155gr FMJ's . My close friend is a hard core colt 1911 junkie and he is stumped also. I've can't find any info online concerning it. Could a Colt employee not properly throat the barrel ? I need to try my Hornady 180gr's hp and see how they feed  . Let me know what your opinions are  . Thanks  , I attached a pic but not sure if it will post since I'm on my phone and will have to figure the sizing part out  , But I do have pics . I'm either lucky that i can shoot the good stuff or unlucky if I can't find good feeding ammo. Usually 1 out of 10 will hang on the frame ramp until I warm the gun up after a few clips shot ,then no touble .

My guess is your barrel was cut just at the right end of the tolerance.  I don't know if any change.

There are guys who say a frame ramp barrel design can be just a strong with regard to case head support as an integrated ramp.  The 10mm is the test of that, and so far I don't know of any barrels that consistently pass muster.

 Here's a pic that I resized to fit . It's hard to see but you can barely see the throat around the top (which is actually the bottom ). Sorry about the quality.  My galaxy 5 phone has a poor photo edit app.

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Quote from: hikfromstik on March 08 2016 06:44:40 AM MST
Here's a pic that I resized to fit . It's hard to see but you can barely see the throat around the top (which is actually the bottom ). Sorry about the quality.  My galaxy 5 phone has a poor photo edit app.

That's a typical (infamous) DE unsupported chamber. No support there. I suggest heeding the cautions in this regard. The pic is fine, BTW.

Ya.  I think you just were lucky.  It is also not like Underwood will balloon or blow out on every shot in a DE.  Temperature can have a big impact too.

Congrats on a fine 1911 hikfromstik. I also have a Colt Delta Elite that I bought just before Xmas and now has about 700 rounds put through it. I to was kind of worried about running the hot stuff through it so I talked to Kevin from Underwood before I bought my Delta. As of right now I have had zero problems with the gun and I run the hot stuff through it from Underwood plus the Sig ammo which is up there in fps and my reloads.The only smiley faces that I have had, and that was a total of 4 is with Underwood 155 gr, that stuff comes out of my Colt @1551 fps!!! the 180s @ 1350 fps and no problem's with them. So  then mine must be the second Delta Elite that seems to handle some of the hot loads
So enjoy your Delta Elite, I know I sure do!!

The barrel  has a "smiley" from 5'o clock to 7'o clock . Most of the pics online show the case sticking out a few millimeters but mine is flush until the smiley,  which is about 1 millimeter deep . I feel safe shooting the Underwood. Absolutely no case bulge to the naked eye.  I've seen were some people state that Underwood has a disclaimer about how Colt delta elite's can't shoot their ammo exept the delta elite load , but I can't find any info on their website about it . Any who , I'm very pleased with my purchase  and will eventually get another 10mm for a woods gun.  Last weekend me and my friends were shooting our 18"x18" x 3/8" thick  "gong" at 200yds with our rifles . I decided I would try my 10mm, and what do you know , I hit it 2 times out of 7 . It was fun because I could tell exactly were the bullet was hitting when I missed , so I could tell where to aim next shot.

That's why I called Kevin before I got my Delta Elite and it handles all the Underwood loadings but the 155s are the only ones that gave me any high pressure signs like the smiley faces. Just a few hours ago I was out testing some of my reloads, and chrono the loads with a healthy charge of 800x that had a avg of 1340 fps and all the brass looked good from what I could see but I want to say that I worked up carefully to achieve that kind of Vel. Would I shoot that load in someone else's Colt or Kimber No!! but both of my 10s handle Underwood and Healthy charges of Blue Dot and 800X, and them loads are not standing still!! my steal knows when it gets hit by a 10.

I can vouch for the fact that Underwood's 155 grain loads are among the hottest they have in 10mm.

There is a difference between them and the others that is clearly noticeable to the shooter.

   Those 155gr's are hotter than the gates of hell . Last Saturday we finished the 50 count box up. We picked up all of the hulls to look for over pressure signs and found none. Next order I'm gonna get a box of the 180gr delta elite loads and some more 155gr , then compare the hulls . May get some 180gr nosler or gold dots too.

Yes they are hot!! They chrono out of both my Kimber and Delta @ 1551 fps!! But man when they hit my steel targets WOW!!