Underwood 220gr Hard Cast Flat Nose

[The_Shadow]

highxj, thanks for the info, that is definitely IMR800X with the tan smaller flakes mixed in, demystifying the various loads is intriguing!

[Yondering]

   Then offer the suggestion up to the man. I know I have helped Kevin where I could but all you seem to do is attack probably our best ammo supplier and members here. I wouldn't feel at all bad if you had kept to the Glock Talk board where such things are welcome and common.

Wow man. Sorry you feel that way. FWIW, I've bought ammo (not 10mm) from Underwood and like their product, it's good stuff. I commented in this thread because I'm qualified to do so. I've spent the last few years working on heavy bullet 10mm loads, mostly 220gr just like this one. I've learned what works well and what doesn't, and why. I'm very surprised Underwood is getting this bullet to work well at this velocity; but like I said, good for them.

[REDLINE]

Maybe he has found the magic meter.

I'ld like to locate me one of those!

[harrygunner]

Any business that wants to stay in business appreciates customer feedback. Helps them navigate through cloudy skies. A smaller business can find it difficult to afford marketing research and surveys to stay on top of market demands.
   
As a business owner, I would be dismayed if I heard nothing from my customer base. Listening to their suggestions helps my company give them what they want.
   
I suggested 200gr hardcast bullets to Underwood, a while back, because I carry a Glock 29 in woods with black bears and smaller predators for self-defense. If the bullet won't stabilize to the point 'hickok45' misses, I'd be SOL.

'Yondering' says the issue was not with weight, but with Double Tap's 230 bullets. So, I'm going to buy a box of Underwood's 220gr hardcast and shoot them for precision from my Glock 29. If they work, I'll buy more.

[REDLINE]

I'm going to buy a box of Underwood's 220gr hardcast and shoot them for precision from my Glock 29.

Any chance you would chronograph a few?  I'ld be especially curious to know what they do from a G29.

[harrygunner]

Yes.

It's about time I bought a chronograph.

[REDLINE]

Oh, my bad.  For some reason I was thinking you had one.  Well, if ya get one sooner than later, it will be fun for you for those rounds to be the first you run through it.  Best of Luck!

[harrygunner]

Nah, I'm going to get one. I'm in a place now with lots of open space.

I've been donating some of my ammo to people like 'Intercooler' who chrono'ed them as part of  videos. So, that's how I know how some perform. Such donations were "win-win".

I also want to get into handloading and a chronograph is very important for that.

[Bro KV]

Seeing these has me realizing how many options there are for the 10mm round. I have some 180gr HPs and FN that I need to load up. I really need a crono.

I just bought an EOTech 553 for my Sig AR that took up some money. I still need a melting pot and the rest of the goodies to go with it.

[REDLINE]

I'm in a place now with lots of open space.

I wish I was.

[Yondering]

'Yondering' says the issue was not with weight, but with Double Tap's 230 bullets. So, I'm going to buy a box of Underwood's 220gr hardcast and shoot them for precision from my Glock 29. If they work, I'll buy more.

I think it was on the glocktalk forum where somebody measured a bunch of the DT 230's and found .004" variation in bullet diameter. I'm guessing there might be some big variations in hardness that goes with that too; and of course those 230's are too long for a decent load, by all reports. (This may have been Any Cal, but I can't remember for sure. I know several other members there had bad results with this one too.)

If you don't cast your own and reload, this Underwood 220gr load looks like the best thing available for a heavyweight 10mm load. I really don't think there is a better bullet commercially available; and very few options even for those who do cast, unless you go with a custom mold. Just so everyone's clear on my earlier comments, I think Underwood is doing a great job with what's available; but the bullet design is far from perfect, and could be improved a lot if a casting company was interested in selling a better bullet designed for the 10mm.

[REDLINE]

...somebody measured a bunch of the DT 230's and found .004" variation in bullet diameter. I'm guessing there might be some big variations in hardness that goes with that too; and of course those 230's are too long for a decent load...

I've heard they vary in weight quite a bit and that most didn't even weigh 230 grains.

[Yondering]

...somebody measured a bunch of the DT 230's and found .004" variation in bullet diameter. I'm guessing there might be some big variations in hardness that goes with that too; and of course those 230's are too long for a decent load...

I've heard they vary in weight quite a bit and that most didn't even weigh 230 grains.

Yep, I heard that too. Kinda weird, since it doesn't seem to be the case with their 200gr bullet?

That DT 230gr load is a bummer, because it gave the heavyweight 10mm a bad rap, since there was nothing else like it to prove people wrong. Lots of rumors about heavyweight 10mm's got started because of this load; like the one about not stabilizing in the Glock rifling.

The one danger I see with this Underwood load is that inexperienced handloaders will start to think they can grab any old 220gr 10mm bullet and load it to this kind of velocity; they'd be in for some real surprises.

[REDLINE]

...it doesn't seem to be the case with their 200gr bullet?

Not that I've heard either.

That DT 230gr load is a bummer, because it gave the heavyweight 10mm a bad rap, since there was nothing else like it to prove people wrong. Lots of rumors about heavyweight 10mm's got started because of this load; like the one about not stabilizing in the Glock rifling.

I think there is a lot of truth in that.

The one danger I see with this Underwood load is that inexperienced handloaders will start to think they can grab any old 220gr 10mm bullet and load it to this kind of velocity; they'd be in for some real surprises.

I'm afraid you're probably right, sadly enough.

[sqlbullet]

Variations like that in weight and size scream to me that someone was not watching the temperature of the lead while casting.  Probably made worse by a mold with cavities that weren't really close to each other in size.