$100 Field Pistol

[Risto]

Everything looks okay in those pictures. Does the loaded round fall out of the chamber under its own weight?

Yep. I checked like 25 of them.


Also, Underwoods response to my ping:

“ Yes, can you please send pictures of the gun and box of ammo to get the LOT. I am wondering if the chamber support is not there for the capability, and you may be better off ordering the 115 grain Xtreme Penetrator, however, not in +P+ due to the lack of chamber support. ”

[revchuck38]

Yep. I checked like 25 of them.


Also, Underwoods response to my ping:

“ Yes, can you please send pictures of the gun and box of ammo to get the LOT. I am wondering if the chamber support is not there for the capability, and you may be better off ordering the 115 grain Xtreme Penetrator, however, not in +P+ due to the lack of chamber support. ”

Well, it sounds like everything fits correctly. I don't understand Underwood's concern for chamber support, one would think that all current production pistols have adequate chamber support...but I've been wrong before.

My SWAG at this point is that there's an issue with the chamber end of the barrel (not the chamber itself) being undersized. A visit to a gunsmith who has a finishing reamer might be in order.

[flyrodr]

Interesting post on Enos from a couple of years ago that explains the general nature of this problem, {etc.}


https://forums.brianenos.com/topic/2...omment=3075308

Apologies to @fatdog. Didn't see this excellent post!

[fatdog]

Risto, when you do the plunk test, instead of dropping it in, push it with your thumb hard until it is fully seated and won't go any farther.

Then turn it upside down and see if it falls out easily from just gravity....that may tell the tale if it does not fall easily.

Apologies if that is what you already did.

[Risto]

Risto, when you do the plunk test, instead of dropping it in, push it with your thumb hard until it is fully seated and won't go any farther.

Then turn it upside down and see if it falls out easily from just gravity....that may tell the tale if it does not fall easily.

Apologies if that is what you already did.

No I didn’t do that, but I will as soon as I get done teaching tonight.

In the meantime this is Underwood’s response to my pictures and request for a detailed guesstimate as to what the issue may be:

“ Looks like you are hitting against the rifling, potentially and unfortunately we have seen this become an issue with compact and micro compact pistols. However, I looked up your order and price. One time we will accommodate, however, this projectile in a micro/compact pistol is not ideal. ….”

They went on to include a code for my original purchase price. I feel like that’s pretty damn good customer service, but wish they engaged a bit more in the explanation of whats happening. Like how is a ring produced if its the rifling its the issue?

Also reached out to the fella Catshooter mentioned and he said he not longer does that sort of chamber work on hardened steel barrels. Recommend getting a stainless barrel for cast boolits.

[maximus83]

A low round count so far, but here's a small data sampling in my two 365's.

Loads:
* Buffalo Bore +P 147gr hardcast
* Underwood +P 147gr hardcast

Fired 20 rounds of each load through each pistol, no issues at all.

[Risto]

Risto, when you do the plunk test, instead of dropping it in, push it with your thumb hard until it is fully seated and won't go any farther.

Then turn it upside down and see if it falls out easily from just gravity....that may tell the tale if it does not fall easily.

Apologies if that is what you already did.

Pushed as hard as could and it still dropped free.

[Risto]

A low round count so far, but here's a small data sampling in my two 365's.

Loads:
* Buffalo Bore +P 147gr hardcast
* Underwood +P 147gr hardcast

Fired 20 rounds of each load through each pistol, no issues at all.

Awesome. I also shot 20 more through today just trying to see if i could figure anything more out. No problems except the ring shavings. I manually stopped the slide and tried to carefully eject the round to see if I could observe any of the shavings or anything looking in the chamber and at the brass, I could not see anything. I racked the slide vigorously and low and behold on the snow a ring appeared. I then loaded and fired single rounds and then tapped the muzzle onto some cardboard and out fell the rings and partial rings for the remainder of the 20 rounds.

I dunno. This 365xl has about 2500 rounds of norma124 and hst147 with no gun related malfunctions. a couple norma primer issues.

I wont be shooting anymore underwood147s through this particular barrel. But i may do what Doug recommended and get a stainless aftermarket barrel throated and just keep that with a mag of underwood in the truck glovebox.

[fatdog]

Risto, thanks for your testing and reporting these results. The ring shaving has alerted a lot of us to potential problems with this round in certain chambers, and certainly reinforces the need for testing/proving that is often repeated and sometimes not heeded.

[Hambo]

No problems except the ring shavings.

I think what you're shaving is the coating, not lead (although it could be). The only time I've seen either was during reloading, when case mouths weren't belled enough prior to bullet seating. I've fired tens of thousands of coated bullets, including 150gr SWC through Berettas and have never seen rings, but the B92 has a fairly generous chamber. The edge of your chamber has to be pretty sharp. If that is in fact the case, I wouldn't be able to resist working on that, but I don't encourage anyone else to do it.