It makes my G20SF rock!

[BrainOnSigs]

I reload for all my rifle calibers but really need to start for 10mm. I am tired of paying almost a $1 a round for stuff that chrono's well under it's advertised FPS more often than not. (This includes Double Tap and Corbon. Buffalo Bore chrono'd well but they still haven't been able to obtain Speer Gold Dot bullet and are using something like Montana Gold JHP bullets which separate big time when shooting full power 10mm loads).

In the meantime, I have found an excellent source for full power 10mm ammo.

I have shot 150 rounds of Underwood ammo. It was 180gr and 200gr in FMJ and JHP (using Hornady XTP bullets). I was using my Glock G20SF with a 22# Wolff recoil spring. Great results and the G20SF functioned flawlessly. The chrono#s were very supportive of their FPS claims

I have another 4 boxes of 50 in route. The cost is $28-$30 a box. Shipping was $13.41. The last batch of Double Tap chrono'd under their claims in most cases and cost $45-$50 for a box of 50. I am sold on Underwood ammo.

Some chrono info below:

Defensive carry 10mm

 

[medic_guns]

I just started reloading 10mm on a Dillon. The cost for XTP 180 grain on starline brass with CCI 300 is around .46/round. That's for all new components to build powerful handloads. I'm going to use all of my used brass to build rounds with FMJ or TMJ for practice. I hope to use my brass 5 or 6 times. If I can, that should bring my effective per round cost down to around .30 or so between the XTP on new brass and FMJ/TMJ on used brass. Thats' what I'm shooting for. I've considered buying some Underwood myself. I tried buying Swamp Fox, but Mike died just after cashing my check and before shipping my ammo. Poor dude.

 

[Shmackey]

Are you shooting the full-on madman loads from Underwood in a stock barrel? Or the (still hot) toned-down loads for Glock/Delta?

 

[BrainOnSigs]

Are you shooting the full-on madman loads from Underwood in a stock barrel? Or the (still hot) toned-down loads for Glock/Delta?

The stock Gen 3 barrel hasn't been an issue with several hundreds of rounds of hot Buffalo Bore ammo prior to the Underwood ammo. No evidence of bulged brass ever. I did replace the stock 17# recoil spring with a 22# on a stainless steel guide rod. No issues.

 

[hentown]

Ever since I helped a friend of mine in a startup ammo manufacturing business, I've been leery of buying ammo from the "little guys" like Underwood, etc. There are no requirements for pressure testing or other quality control equipment. Lots of posts on forums like this of smilies on 10mm brass from Underwood, BB, Doubletap, etc.

Montana Gold probably has the hardest, most durable jacket on any American-made bullet. I can't imagine their jackets' separating, regardless of the velocity. I used to use their 180gr. h.p. bullets for loading .40 Super, which is a bit faster than 10mm.

 

[PabloJ]

Ever since I helped a friend of mine in a startup ammo manufacturing business, I've been leery of buying ammo from the "little guys" like Underwood, etc. There are no requirements for pressure testing or other quality control equipment. Lots of posts on forums like this of smilies on 10mm brass from Underwood, BB, Doubletap, etc.

Montana Gold probably has the hardest, most durable jacket on any American-made bullet. I can't imagine their jackets' separating, regardless of the velocity. I used to use their 180gr. h.p. bullets for loading .40 Super, which is a bit faster than 10mm.

I do not like "TWO HANDED" ammo either preferring controlled one handed shooting with .40S&W 10mm loads. I would not try those hot loads except perhaps in 10mm Megastar or S&W monstrosities.

 

[OilyPablo]

It's pretty amazing what you find out by reloading 10mm. Like the fact that some 10mm ammo on the market is loaded the same as .40S&W. What a complete rip-off. I guess I could have found this out with a chrono before the reloading learning curve , but still just going by the any book, loading average plinking loads and seeing they are 300+ FPS better than OTC 10mm ammo is a nice reward.

I have made some 135gr JHP Montana gold loads, again just picking a middle value, and they are nice and warm. Perfect.

 

[BrainOnSigs]

Ever since I helped a friend of mine in a startup ammo manufacturing business, I've been leery of buying ammo from the "little guys" like Underwood, etc. There are no requirements for pressure testing or other quality control equipment. Lots of posts on forums like this of smilies on 10mm brass from Underwood, BB, Doubletap, etc.

Montana Gold probably has the hardest, most durable jacket on any American-made bullet. I can't imagine their jackets' separating, regardless of the velocity. I used to use their 180gr. h.p. bullets for loading .40 Super, which is a bit faster than 10mm.

When Buffalo Bore ammo migrated away from Speer Gold Dots to Montana Gold (due to availability...without informing the consumer)...is the day I quit buying BB.

Montana Gold separated in every test of 10mm ammo I have ever attempted.

I have shot and chrono'd several boxes of BB 10mm ammo and while it meets it's FPS claims, the biggest disappointment was the bullet construction. The stuff was explosive....it damn near vaporized the water jugs. The issue? They stopped using Speer Gold Dots bullets and it showed. Every bullet that I recovered had complete core and jacket separation. Sometimes the separation started before it made it thru a single jug of water.

BB admitted that they have not been able to obtain Speer Gold Dot bullets on a consistent basis so they have had to substitute using Montana Gold.

This was typical of what I found when they made the switch to Montana Gold:

 

[PabloJ]

It's pretty amazing what you find out by reloading 10mm. Like the fact that some 10mm ammo on the market is loaded the same as .40S&W. What a complete rip-off. I guess I could have found this out with a chrono before the reloading learning curve , but still just going by the any book, loading average plinking loads and seeing they are 300+ FPS better than OTC 10mm ammo is a nice reward.

I have made some 135gr JHP Montana gold loads, again just picking a middle value, and they are nice and warm. Perfect.

I hold on to some older CorBon 200gr loads for wilderness carry where black bear and wild boar can be encountered. These are not plinking loads!

 

[BrainOnSigs]

A very well-made video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sl_n_miLfbY&feature=player_embedded

 

[ljnowell]

Montana Gold probably has the hardest, most durable jacket on any American-made bullet. I can't imagine their jackets' separating, regardless of the velocity. I used to use their 180gr. h.p. bullets for loading .40 Super, which is a bit faster than 10mm.

Well, you would be wrong by my experience too. I loaded a few thouasand of thier 125gr .357 bullets. When tested in a few different mediums they all shed the jacket, into little pieced non the less. In fact, some of the bullets I would have referred to as fragmented.

 

[OilyPablo]

No wonder I got mine so cheap!!

 

[hentown]

In retrospect, maybe the fact that the Montana Gold jackets are so hard also makes them brittle, causing the separation! I never did any water jug testing, but just found the jackets to be hard and the bullets to be accurate.

The best groups that I've shot @ 100 yds with my G21 was shooting 180gr. M.G. loaded in .40 Super. I initially thought you guys were talking about jacket separation before striking an object.

Gold Dots are plated, I believe. Not much jacket separation to be had there.

 

[ljnowell]

In retrospect, maybe the fact that the Montana Gold jackets are so hard also makes them brittle, causing the separation! I never did any water jug testing, but just found the jackets to be hard and the bullets to be accurate. [/QUOTE

The 357s that I loaded were extremely accurate. The most accurate jacketed bullet load i ever made in 357 mag! I would buy more of them, just to shoot, but I wouldnt count on them for performance. In all honesty though, when pushed to full magnum velocity, even coming apart they would still work pretty good for self defense I think. Even a small game bullet, just aim for the head.