Home Forums Reloading Big Game Rifles Winchester silver tip bullets

Want to ask a couple of questions. First does anyone here still load these bullets. Second how do they perform on the range and on game, and finally is there a good place to look for them or does any one have some they would like to part with? Thanks

It has been several years since I've shot any Silvertip ammo, many guys preferred them as they had no lead to become deformed in their rifle's magazine. I bought Power Point or Silvertip ammunition whichever was available. Don't recall Silvertips being any more or less accurate on target. I have handloaded since 1973 and have seen Silvertip bullets available as components but have never used them so I cannot speak to their performance on game. They may be stocked by Midsouth, Graf's or any of the several others sellers of handloading components. A vist to Winchester's website should tell you if they are still selling them as components. If you're looking for a supply to try and ad in the classifieds here may be productive.

I used the .277 140g Silver Tip Boat Tail in my Ruger No. 1 .270 Weatherby Mag. and Sako AV .270 Win. for several years. I thought I traded them all off a while back but I recently found some more. Accuracy was good as well as on game performance. I will admit that the on game performance was better out of the .270 Win. than the .270 Wtby. The ones fired from the Wtby. rarely exited, which was fine, MOST of the time.

I have a stash of 130gr 270 Bullets that I bought mostly for nostalgic reasons. They are the bullet that my dad used in his M70 in the 50s when I was just starting to hunt. I just like the way try look I have used them in several 270s and found them to perform much like other CnC Bullets...no problems on deer. MD has stated that SilverTips varied over time..perhaps I got some of the good ones.

Also have a few of The 140gr SilverTip BTs from the early 90s, IIRC. They have also performed well on deer at 270WCF velocities.

i have stash of 150g .30cal's and use them in 30-06, 300 savage ,.308 win and 30-30. strike deer down like lighting.

Winchester no longer produces them. Component or loaded ammo

I still have some factory loads for 30-06, and will use them up. They are pretty accurate out of my Abolt and 7600.
But on a few boiler room hits on deer, the bullet ruined ALOT of meat. It does knock them DRT.

I use to shoot the 115 grain silver ballistic tip factory ammo in my 25-06 for whitetails. I hated the way they performed on game. After nearly loosing a few deer with them, I stopped using them.

When I was a kid just started handloading, I used Speer and Hornady for my everyday shooting but used the pricey premium Silvertips for my hunting loads. Killed my first antelope, deer and elk with them. Knowing me, I probably still have a few boxes stashed somewhere if I look for them.

Is it a sign you are getting old when you discover that half of what you own is valuable antiques?

I have a stash of 180 grain silver tips... 30 cal.
'
All good

Killed my first deer with a 180gr. .308 load, blood trail looked like someone with a bucket had just poured it out for about 25 yards. Those had no trouble expanding. I shot another with the 130 gr. 270 load, neck shot, dropped there, but still alive. had to use a second round. It was the favored bullet for my dad's old .30-30, and I still have some 150's in .308 to load, I like the bullet, and have no argument with its behavior, but I think there are better ones out there.

About thirty years ago I bought a .270 and it came with 200 rounds of 130 gr. Silver tips. I shot a few deer with them but preferred some other stuff at the time. Six or so years back I started using them again. Got 30 left right now. On whitetail deer they are good performers. They don't seem to kill as quickly as SST bullets but none I have shot went too far. They are accurate in my rifle as I have bagged a few coyotes at 250 yards. I have been looking a gunshows for a box or two but have not found any.

I have used them in 30-30, 30-06, and 270. Never had anything but great results. The silver tip was my go to bullet up until they stopped making them. I liked them so much that when I ran across a bunch of 150's, I loaded a lifetime supply for my 760 30-06

As somebody mentioned earlier, I've mentioned here and there that Silvertips could vary considerably in construction over the years. One shot a forkhorn mule deer buck quartering toward me at around 200 yards with the 150 ST, using a factory load which got around 2850 fps from my rifle. The bullet hit the shoulder joint, but the buck staggewred but never fell, running over a ridge before I could shoot again.

I tracked him for half a mile before putting another in the ribs behind the shoulder as he stood broadside. That one penetrated, and I found the empty, flattened jacket from the first bullet lying against the ribs, only having penetrated the shoulder.

Good luck with your 150's.