Appreciate all responses.
Shot placement should not necessarily be the same, depending on the bullet. This is very important. It's why people who shoot monolithics at the shoulder are just as successful as people who shoot Bergers at lungs. There are many ways to skin a cat. However, that's the topic of another thread, and one that comes up often.
Underwood sells their 200gr hardcast at 1250fps. They sell their 220gr hardcast at 1200 fps. If there is a winner here, it's the 220gr offering, and at best (or worst), you could say they are practically and for all intents and purposes identical. So... what are we arguing about?
The intent of this thread is
not to decide whether or not the 220gr bullet is the "best." They are what I chose.
They are what I want to shoot. I'm
going to do it. I have them, I'm not sending them back, and I'm gonna get all the velocity I can out of them. Underwood and Buffalo Bore are both making and selling this product for a reason, and one of those reasons is because a 220gr bullet moving upward of 1200fps is good.
As far as "making the cartridge something it isn't," I'd argue I'm trying to load this cartridge to its potential. I'm not trying to make the 10mm into a 44 mag. I have a 44 Mag. I have a 45 Colt. I load them anywhere from low potential to full potential, and there are various reasons to do each.
I'm going to get full performance out of this pistol and this bullet weight.
A 220gr hardcast 10 bore bullet moving at 1200+fps in a 6-shot L-frame revolver is appealing to me. It doesn't appeal to everyone. Underwood and Buffalo Bore have BOTH done it in this cartridge, and for a reason. I think the fact that there are two producers for this
niche product speak to its popularity, or at least, the popularity of the idea.
And one more thing regarding what a cartridge was "designed" to do... look what we have done with bullet shape and construction, and gunpowder, and case shape and etc etc. Sometimes you can discover new potential with what you have. Sometimes you have to create something new to get what you want, based on what you had. Look at how far the 9mm has come!
P.S.
Full disclaimer, I may come back in a month and say screw this, I'm gonna buy a 41 mag and dedicate this pistol to semi-stout 175gr SWC loads. This is somewhat of an experiment, but it's the main reason I bought this pistol.
I just picked up a can of Longshot