Winchester Super-X 185 gr SilverTip HPs (45 acp)

[SHusky57]

Having recently purchased a .45 to round out my collection, I've had a rude awakening recently. Nobody has any ammo.

I originally wanted a 10mm, but decided the 45 would be a better choice because the ammo was more common. But Wal-Mart, Cheaper Than Dirt, MidwayUSA.... they are all out of stock, and very few allowing backorders. It's like nothing I've ever seen before, even when working at Academy in the Fall of 2008. My local wal-mart was cleared out of everything except a few boxes of 22 and 300 win mag. I mean everything. Same with cheaperthandirt.

So MidwayUSA had some Hornady XTPs and some Winchester Silvertip HPs. I figured I should order a few (well, back-order) while they were still around. I've had great success with Hornady TAPs in my 9mm, but the reviews on the Hornady XTPs were unfavorable. The Winchester Silvertip HPs got great reviews. I am just wondering if anyone has any experience with the Silvertip HPs and what their opinion is?

1. Do they lack the corrosion resistant coating and waterproof primer stuff that the Hornady TAPs have?
2. Do they expand and penetrate well? Would you feel comfortable carrying these in the woods where large animals would be present?
3. Will they kill a werewolf? Or, why the silvertip instead of other materials?

 

[Leanwolf]

If you need your .45 ACP for self defense, so long as you shoot accurately, I'd not worry about whether or not the .45 Silvertips would be sufficient. You do your part, shoot accurately, and they'll do their's.

Large animals?? I doubt you'd have any trouble in Oklahoma as its my understanding that not many "large" animals attack humans. I know a man who's killed several mountain lions with a .22 Mag. revolver, so in a very rare case where you had to shoot a mountain lion, the Silvertips would work just fine... if you shot accurately. (Notice the recurrence of that word "accurately.")

I don't know the answer to the other questions... but I'd not worry about them.

JMHO.

L.W.

 

[SHusky57]

In Oklahoma, no large animals other than boars.

But I'd like to go hiking up north someday.... and Montana and Alaska have some big animals.
Speaking of which, I don't know that a .45 would really be remotely big enough for a Grizzly.

 

[Ala Dan]

I don't think I would take on a crazed griz with a .45 ACP; unless of course,
it was all I had at the time of encounter~!

 

[sm]

Win STHP 185 gr are great loads.

My experience is, they have fed in any platform I have used them in.
These do have less felt recoil, which is a great load for new shooters, and those with arthritis and other physical limits. Simply put, the shot to shot recovery times, afford them quick effective hits.

I do know a number of folks that choose to carry this load, for Home and Office defensive purposes.
This loading has put down cows, and finishing shot on deer.

I like to handgun hunt, with bone stock, simple guns. So I have used this loading for swamp rabbits, and for pest control of rabid critters such as feral cats, dawgs, raccoons, armadillo's, Plymouth Barracuda, AMC Gremlin, and Ford Pinto.
The last three were not hard to stalk and yes, they stayed right were they were, did not move after being shot.

 

[SHusky57]

Thanks for the reply SM. The less felt recoil will be good as I am mostly used to 9mms.

Is there anything lost by using 185 gr vs 230 gr? Do the 185 have more velocity but less mass? I guess I could pull up the ballistics.


And is there any reason to use silvertips instead of lead or copper? Just random curiosity. I figured that if I am going to prepare for the zombocalypse, I might as well have a plan for werewolfs as well. Okay, just kidding.

I am still waiting... it will probably be a month before they actually get shipped out due to the massive backorders at midwayusa.