Silvertip.
- Thread starter Slithery
- Start date
Brutus
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
Slithery, I have to add this because for years in Saskatchewan and Alberta I used the traditional old Silvertip Winchester ammo (Not Ballistic Silvertip) for deer hunting.
In 308 and 30-30 I had very effective expansion.
I recommend these rounds whole-heartedly for whitetail deer.
(Just a side note, Once I had to use Remington 308 Core-Lokt 150 grain SP in 308, and it was very slightly more accurate on paper, but the Remy and Winchester rounds,are equally effective on deer)
There was something else, I will tell you, about when I used the Winchester Silvertip 150 grain 30-30 round!
The damage to the chest cavity was extensive.....not only smashing heart and one and a half lungs, BUT the forward 5-6 inches of tenderlions were useless.
(Totally smashed by lead fragments!)
I was flabbergasted by the damage in the chest cavity.
It was as if, a little grenade exploded in there...
In 308 and 30-30 I had very effective expansion.
I recommend these rounds whole-heartedly for whitetail deer.
(Just a side note, Once I had to use Remington 308 Core-Lokt 150 grain SP in 308, and it was very slightly more accurate on paper, but the Remy and Winchester rounds,are equally effective on deer)
There was something else, I will tell you, about when I used the Winchester Silvertip 150 grain 30-30 round!
The damage to the chest cavity was extensive.....not only smashing heart and one and a half lungs, BUT the forward 5-6 inches of tenderlions were useless.
(Totally smashed by lead fragments!)
I was flabbergasted by the damage in the chest cavity.
It was as if, a little grenade exploded in there...
Last edited:
Brutus
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
Silvertip
Exactly so, in my 308, I often found the base of the bullet, mushroomed, minus almost all frontal lead, just under the hide opposite the entrance wound.
But not quite the same in 30-30, it seemed to have a more violent upset, perhaps to do with the thinner copper jacket, maybe?
Cheers......
Exactly so, in my 308, I often found the base of the bullet, mushroomed, minus almost all frontal lead, just under the hide opposite the entrance wound.
But not quite the same in 30-30, it seemed to have a more violent upset, perhaps to do with the thinner copper jacket, maybe?
Cheers......
Before I started reloading I used the Winchester Silver Tip (not ballistic)exclusively for moose and deer in 308 180 gr and 3030 170gr. I have seen them take 12 + moose and they worked well on shots ranging from 20yards to 300. They can fragment a lot but it always seems to be after they have done thier job, a good chunk of the base always seems to survive and drives through to the other side.
They are just as good on deer.
Northman999
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
- Location
- Southern Yukon
My father and I used the classic silvertips in .338 win mag (250gr) and 375 H&H (300gr) for moose, caribou and bear for years and they were great. Definitely our fave short-medium range bullet at the time.
When a bullet slams into an object or animal the bullet will deform and the thicker or tougher the jacket is the less the bullet will deform. Some bullets may claim a sort of controlled expansion(deformation) but the tip of the bullet has little or no effect on that at high velocity. Most of the different tips/colors are to lure the shopper within range of a sale.
Many of us can probably (hopefully?) remember when the Silvertip was pretty well the cadillac of ammo - then it seemed to disappear for a few years. When it came back it was up against a whole stack of (then) primo factory loaded stuff by Remington, Federal, and so on and kind of got lost in the mix. It seems to me it was always a great choice for my .270 on deer, elk and moose out to 300 yds or so. With what's there to choose from now, I'm not sure it's a great choice anymore - perfectly functional, but there's better to be had, especially since you can match the load to the critter and the circumstances so well nowadays (I'm starting to sound like an old fart for God's sake....must be one!)
