300 H&H Mag SILVERTIP on plains game

[CZDiesel]

So I just found three boxes of 300 H&H SILVERTIP that I had stashed in my collection that was probably bought in early 90s…
It has been stored properly so not worried about its condition but just wondering about your thoughts on it for my upcoming hunt?
The 300 will only be used for Kudu and lighter game…
Should I take this classic load with my classic Pre-64 Winchester and hunt with it!?!?
Or should it go back into the vault?

 

[375Fox]

They will work but there is better quality bullets available. I’d practice with them and hunt with better bullets. A kudu is still a big animal and a 300 H&H is pushing those bullets fast. They have the potential to fragment and not penetrate well at closer ranges.

Where are you going?

 

[CZDiesel]

They will work but there is better quality bullets available. I’d practice with them and hunt with better bullets. A kudu is still a big animal and a 300 H&H is pushing those bullets fast. They have the potential to fragment and not penetrate well at closer ranges.

Where are you going?

Save Valley, Zimbabwe… The Cheskwe and Sango

 

[375Fox]

Save Valley, Zimbabwe… The Cheskwe and Sango

Sango is supposed to be an amazing hunting concession. Good luck. I’d add an eland.

 

[flatwater bill]

They're not old enough to be collector's items...........I say use them. They will work just fine for your stated quarry...........have a great hunt.....FWB

 

[Killo]

Save Valley, Zimbabwe… The Cheskwe and Sango

Just hunted Humani in Save last July, you are going to have a great time, I would also look for Nyala and Eland!!

Good luck in Zimbabwe

 

[grand veneur]

I still also have some boxes in stock and would be willing to use them again. They shoot very accurate in my old custom rifle built on a M1917 Enfield action.

 

[uplander01]

I wouldn’t use old silver tips on anything. I had bought 5 old yellow boxed 338 silver tips many years ago. Thought the same thing, vintage ammo / vintage rifle might be a cool thing……until I started sighting them in and the Chronograph was all over the place and I had a primer rupture. I proceeded to take apart a couple shells and glad I did, powder didn’t look good to me, clumpy. Modern ammo is way better option.

 

[grand veneur]

All depends from where the old ammunition is coming and how it was stored. Accordingly, you can decide whether you can use them for something or not. Making this decision is not always easy and if something is not clear, it is better not to use it. In our case but, it is about the ammunition from @CZDiesel and at first glance this ammo is suitable for hunting PG. The Silvertip bullet is an improved classic spitzer SP bullet that can still be used nowadays for some game species.

 

[deewayne2003]

@CZDiesel - I am a fan of those old Silver Tips in .270win for whitetail, now having said that I would test them by both chronograph and if possible use them for deer/hog hunting to see if you are happy with the terminal ballistics.

If your in Colorado, I would think an elk would be the perfect test/practice to build confidence in them.

 

[UpNorthMI]

I'd look at it this way: You are planning an amazing hunting trip, investing a lot of time, money and energy. I believe that there are a lot of better bullets and ammo available today. I'd use the old ammo for hunting locally and pick up something else for your upcoming trip.

Good luck on your hunt.

 

[Hunter-Habib]

I am not a fan of Winchester Silver Tips, at all. On my life’s first African safari to Kenya in 1974, I lost a very big African male lion when I made a frontal chest shot with a 300Gr Winchester Silver Tip factory load fired from a .375 Holland & Holland Magnum. Later, my white hunter followed up and finished off the wounded cat. A postmortem revealed that the 300Gr Winchester Silver Tip bullet had completely broken apart & disintegrated into pieces without penetrating some 3.5” through the lion’s adrenaline filled hardened chest muscles. That one incident immediately made me swear off Winchester Silver Tips for life.

The pre 1970 Winchester Silver Tips used a proprietary jacketing material made from a combination of copper, nickel & zinc. There were excellent. After 1970 (up until the discontinuation of Winchester Silver Tips in 1999), Winchester (in an ill perceived attempt at cutting down manufacturing costs) decided to switch to an aluminum jacket for their Silver Tip bullets. Quality immediately deteriorated overnight.

In my humble opinion, Kudu are big sized game animals and can die very hard if hit improperly with the first shot. I have always had more successful results on them with Remington Core Lokts instead of Winchester Silver Tips.

 

[Ontario Hunter]

I agree with Habib. Aluminum tipped Silvertip bullets were very high on the splatter factor scale. When/if they did kill elk, they made a mess. Silvertips had a very bad reputation in western Montana. Winchester stopped making them for a reason: they were crap. But they looked cool.

 

[Hunter-Habib]

I wouldn’t use old silver tips on anything. I had bought 5 old yellow boxed 338 silver tips many years ago. Thought the same thing, vintage ammo / vintage rifle might be a cool thing……until I started sighting them in and the Chronograph was all over the place and I had a primer rupture. I proceeded to take apart a couple shells and glad I did, powder didn’t look good to me, clumpy. Modern ammo is way better option.

Do you remember what grain weight the .338 Winchester Magnum Silver Tips were ?

 

[Red Leg]

You are spending a great deal on your trip. A couple of boxes of modern quality ammunition will be one of the least expensive investments you make. When you crater the shoulder of a lost zebra, those modern bonded core bullets will look like they would have been a real bargain. There is nothing nostalgic about old ammunition designs or performance.

 

[Doubleplay]

Save Valley, Zimbabwe… The Cheskwe and Sango

Good Luck.
When are you going?

 

[mdwest]

As others have suggested.. use the silver tips for range fodder/practice.. if you reload, that older winchester brass was really good quality and worth holding on to as once fired.. if you dont reload, Im sure someone here would either trade or buy them from you... and help finance a box of better ammo for Africa..

 

[PerH]

With North Fork 180 in US a couple of boxes like that saves much tears and cash in the bush .

 

[CZDiesel]

Good Luck.
When are you going?

I leave for Zim July 20th and will head back to the US Aug 11th 2025

 

[FlyGuy]

Agree with the comments above.
There’s far better factory ammo available.
If hand loading is an option, the world is your oyster.
High quality 200gr bullets at 2750-2800 fps, is where the H&H really shines.