Old Winchester Silvertip Ammo - 300gr .375 H&H

[TERMINATOR]

When I bought my .375H&H the guy I bought it from gave me a box of ammo. I was a box of Winchester .300 Grain Silvertip Ammo from like the 60s or 70s I would guess.

Now, as I understand it, in it's day the "Silvertips" were considered "Premium" ammo vs. the standard Pointed Soft Point but the question I have is this: How did the old Silvertips perform?

I don't know how fast or slow they expand or what type of game animal they might be good for? I know I won't be risking my life on 40-50 year old shells with Cape Buff or Brown Bear but what about Moose or Elk or Eland?

I am trying to figure out where these old shells might be used other than target practice.

I also have some Winchester .270 grain Pointed Soft Points from like the 80s or even newer which I think would open up fairly quickly and probably be a good Lepord or Lion load???

I know that when I take my .375 on a Cape Buff hunt I will be pushing Trophy Bonded Bear Claws backed up by solids and when I hunt Brown Bear it will probably be Nosler Partitions but I would like to find a way to use these old bullets without risking my life so I am wondering if somebody out here has some experience with the old Winchester Silvertip ammo and what degree of expansion/toughness to expect from them.

Thanks for your thoughts.

 

[enysse]

Well they still make Silvertip Ammo. I like it! It should be fine for moose, elk and eland. I would compare it to a step below the Accubond.

 

[sestoppelman]

It was fine bullet in its day but compared to todays premium bullets it would be considered pretty soft. Capstick used to pry the tip off and use them for leopard because they opened up real quick but it was still a lot bullet. Whatever Silvertip is made today is doubtless a lot more bullet than it once was. Are you thinking of the Ballistic Silvertip enysse?

 

[James.Grage]

I still have one box from the 80's for my 338 Win Mag in 250 grain.

I liked using them on Caribou, Moose & Black Bear while hunting in Alaska...

Tested the 338 Win Mag - Winchester 250 rounds on Prairie Dogs in Nebraska, Wyoming and South Dakota. Making sure my rifle shot where it was sighted for...

 

[tacticalbladeworks]

Use the same on leopard and lion, and it was ok. Good penetration, good expansion. But I think it's a lot dangerous to shoot ammo of 60'S. It's not always safe

 

[TERMINATOR]

Use the same on leopard and lion, and it was ok. Good penetration, good expansion. But I think it's a lot dangerous to shoot ammo of 60'S. It's not always safe

I think the ammo from Winchester would be safe enough. I am probably more worried about if the primers still will fire

 

[Nyati]

From what I ve read, the old Silvertips are a bit soft.

I agree with your choice of Trophy Bonded Bear Claws for buffalo, that s what I used last year for a one shot kill

 

[TERMINATOR]

From what I ve read, the old Silvertips are a bit soft.

I agree with your choice of Trophy Bonded Bear Claws for buffalo, that s what I used last year for a one shot kill

Yea, the TBBC are a tough bullet. I have a .270 that shots unbelivable groups with the 140 grain TBBCs and the only problem I have is that they whistle right through deer and antelope inside 300 yards. All dead 1 shot kills but the exit holes are barely larger than the entrance hole and the animals took a bit to expire but I have never recovered one as I have never had one stay inside a deer or antelope. I shot one end to end through a doe whitetail in through the chest at the base of the neck and out the rear hindquarter and this was a big ole Michigan farm country whitetail doe.

I think they would be great on Elk (I have only killed them with Nosler Partitions) and in the .375 perfect for Buff where you want deep penetration on the first shot but still want expansion.

 

[enysse]

It was fine bullet in its day but compared to todays premium bullets it would be considered pretty soft. Capstick used to pry the tip off and use them for leopard because they opened up real quick but it was still a lot bullet. Whatever Silvertip is made today is doubtless a lot more bullet than it once was. Are you thinking of the Ballistic Silvertip enysse?

Sorry, was thinking of the Ballistic Silvertip.

 

[sestoppelman]

No worries, I thought thats what you meant.

 

[trigger creep]

Use the same on leopard and lion, and it was ok. Good penetration, good expansion. But I think it's a lot dangerous to shoot ammo of 60'S. It's not always safe

Why is it dangerous? I have shot ammo from the 1960's and ammo from the 1970's out of my rifles with no problems at all. In fact, my Ruger M77 really liked a box of Winchester that was manufactured in the 1970's.

 

[sestoppelman]

I recently had some .300 H&H made by Rem that was bad. Poor storage can lead to problems. The primers fired but the powder was all caked up in the case and clumpy and ignition was hit or miss. Some of the cases had verdigris on them and one was actually corroded thru the case. It pays to closely inspect old ammo but if its clean and been kept dry it should OK to shoot. There is much surplus ammo out there stored in steel "spam" cans that is pretty much sure fire and some has been sitting around for 30-40 years.

 

[TERMINATOR]

Sorry, was thinking of the Ballistic Silvertip.

Funny thing is this discussion led me to go to the Winchester website and besides the newer Combined Tech (working with Nosler) Ballistic Silvertip they do still make factory Super-X ammo with the original Silvertips in limited chamberings.

They might not be exactly the same as the older ones (may have changed them somewhat) but the 200 grain .358 Win is what I shoot in my "swamp rifle". I just didnt know they still made them (I have abouit 5 boxes and shoot a couple a year to kill deer)

"Specially alloyed aluminum nose cap protects the lead core and allows for deep penetration delivering controlled expansion."


http://www.winchester.com/Products/rifle-ammunition/super-x/silvertip/Pages/default.aspx

 

[RayAtkinson]

From the get go, the Silvertip has been changed from time to time, sometimes for the good and other times it was a disaster..Its hard to say what you have because of that..

I would use them to hunt deer size game, even a totally failed 300 gr. bullet kills deer with aplomb or as well known old PH once told me, "300 grs. of failure kills quite well on the smaller species old boy"

 

[TERMINATOR]

"300 grs. of failure kills quite well on the smaller species old boy"

 

[AlSpaeth]

I have a lot of 375 ammo and Silvertips from that era. Use them for target practice or smaller game. My experience is bad. Bullet breaks up on bone. Poor penetration and weight retention. Get some modern ammo.

 

[CTDolan]

The Silvertip ammo I have left from the 80's has entered my collection of interesting, old stuff. Used to love shooting it out of my .375 H&H, but then I found Federal's Trophy Bonded Bear Claw (and then Swift's A-Frame).

Today, Winchester doesn't even load the big Holland & Holland. Times have changed...

 

[spike.t]

Shot a lion in 1991 with 220 grn silvertip in a 300 win mag......side on it exited and lion went bout 50 yards died mid stride...think only animal I used it on

 

[Bullthrower338]

I shot a cow elk and a deer with the old silver tip and they killed both animals but the bullets exploded almost identically to the Nosler Ballistic Tips of the day. I have several boxes of several calibers and they are resigned to a display shelf with other antique memorabilia. Why risk a failure when there are so many quality choices available. The old boxes give me pleasure to look at though!

 

[flatwater bill]

I am not a big fan of this bullet. I used them on Australian buffalo years ago, and they were a bit soft. Ok on careful shots behind the shoulder. I shot one bull under the chin while he looked at me. the bullet making a perfectly centered hole in the wind pipe. It did not break his neck, and precipitated the only Aussie buff charge I saw during the 3 years I lived there. While they may not be as dangerous as cape buff, it would have been difficult to convince me during the moments following that shot. They are a fine bullet for elk. Get something tougher for larger beasts. But if they have been stored correctly, I think they will shoot just fine.........m2cents...........FWB