.357 Silvertips?

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Panzerschwein

Panzerschwein

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Hey all!

As some of you may know, I'm a HUGE, HUGE fan of the .357 magnum round. I've got a Ruger GP 100 that is my go-to primary defense gun. I have amassed some defense loads for the gun to test, as well as reviewed ballistic tests. I've settled on the Winchester Silvertip .357 magnum 145 grain load.

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But, I can't find much of it ANYWHERE!!! The rounds I've shot came from a gun show, one old box of Silvertips in the old style orange and red box.

So I'm wondering, did Winchester do away with this classic load? I sure hope not! I have been looking online using ammoseek.com for months, but it doesn't ever show up. I have seen package are for this load in the new modern looking designs from Winchester, so it seems like it was made at least relatively recently. But I can find none of it!

Can someone out there point me in the right direction? Has Winchester really discontinued the great Silvertip 145 grain .357 magnum load?

Thanks for the help!
 
Naw the Golden Sabers are lighter and slower. I much prefer Silvertips for the balance of bullet weight, velocity and energy.
 
I used these before I started handloading. They worked great for killing deer out to 45 yards which was my longest shot, 6" taurus 66. I have a few left over but my handloads work better now. I know a lot of folks don't carry handloads yhough, so good luck. From what I saw on deer these would be a great defense round.
 
I'll have to follow this, I bought one box silver tips about 5-6 years ago and 2 of them projectiles looked to have rolled the edge of the case when they were seated. They would not have chambered in anything, I threw away the whole box and never bought anymore. And until you metentioned it I hadn't thought of it but I haven't seen any for sale since then, in any caliaber. :scrutiny:
 
I'm a .357 Magnum/.38 Special carrier. It's been a while since I recall seeing any Silvertip ammo at all, and that was 110 grain .38 Special. My issued duty ammunition (I carry a 4 inch S&W Model 686-6 at work; last of the revolver guys.) is Federal 158 grain .357 Magnum HydraShok. Don't know how long they'll be able to get that, but the Gold Dot 135 grain .357 Magnum "Short Barrel" works great in my 3 inch S&W Model 13 off duty gun. I carry Monarch 158 grain JHP .38 Specials (PPU headstamp) in my nickel plated S&W Model 37 Airweight Chief's Special back up gun. (At close range in gelatin, they actually expand!)
 
I'm a big fan of the 145gr Silvertips and that round is extremely accurate in my S&W M640. Problem is, since all the "new and better" ammo came about not a lot of shooters look for the Silvertips so Winchester doesn't produce the year-round. They only do a run every 2 years now but if I am right they should be available soon. Last time they were available I bought 100 rounds. I would have bought more buy @$52/box I could only buy 2 boxes at the time.

Look around online and put yourself on the email notify lists if they have that service. That's how I got them last run.
 
I like the 357 Silvertip too...and haven't seen a round for a couple years.
I emailed Winchester a month ago. They said they planned to make some "sometime" this year.
 
That's good to know at least, I've got e-mail notification set up for several sights with this round out of stock.

Hopefully they make more of it relatively soon!
 
I just sent an e-mail to Winchester asking them when they're going to make more and when it will be out.

I'll be sure to relay and information I get to you fellow .357 magnum Silvertip 145 grain fans! :)
 
UPDATE: Just got this from Winchester customer support:

Answer:This product is currently out of stock. It is scheduled for production later in 2015, although no loading date has been currently assigned. The best way to obtain this product would be to place an order with a local dealer in your area. As soon as this product is made available, that dealer would receive a shipment.
Best Regards,
Technical Services Dept.
Click to expand...

How about that? Looks like they're going to be making some later in the year. No firm dates yet but hey, at least it's not discontinued.
 
When my dad died in 2010, his old Service Six came back from the ranch to my house. Along with it is a box of this load with about 35-40 rounds in it (including the six that were in the gun.)

I keep the gun loaded and locked away, but it comes out sometimes for home defense. I keep it loaded with a .38 +P round for "in the home" use, though.

I'd be interested in following this thread, too, as the Winchester STHP does sound like a good load for Magnum applications.
 
I had some given to me a few years back, seemed to shoot well and felt fairly warm. I did run some over the Chrony from a 3" SP101 and they were clocking around 1250 fps, not bad.

Hornady offers a 140gr XTP bullet but strangely enough do not offer it loaded in the .357 Mag, which is a shame because it's an awesome weight for the .357. Hornady does have a 135gr Critical Duty .357 that lists 1275 fps and a 140gr FTX that lists at 1440 fps.

Water isn't a good test medium but a 145 Silvertip came completely apart in water jugs I shot it through. It's not as good as flesh and blood but if a bullet stays together in water there's a good chance it will stay together in flesh.
 
Cooldill said:
UPDATE: Just got this from Winchester customer support:



How about that? Looks like they're going to be making some later in the year. No firm dates yet but hey, at least it's not discontinued.
Click to expand...
Like I said in Post #7, they are due to make some this year. Put your name on several lists and they will email you when they are in stock.
I have shot Silvertip ammo in:
60gr 32 Auto
145gr .357 Magnum
110gr .38 Special
125gr .38 Special +P
115gr 9mm
185gr 45 Auto
225gr 45 Colt

I like the 145gr .357 Magnum, 125gr .38 Special +P and 225gr 45 Colt Silvertip ammo.

I wish they made 124gr 9mm and 200gr or 230gr 45 Auto Silvertip ammo.
 
357 magnum ammo is spotty all over the place. You may have to settle for what is available and affordable. Lately I have been shooting Fiocchi 158gr HP ammo. You can usually find Fiocchi HP ammo for a litle more than $20 for a box of 50. Otherwise you are stuck with the boxes of 20 rounds or paying $80 for 100 rounds of Remington economy HP ammo.
 
One thing I can tell you about the Win. 145gr SilverTips is, don't use them for deer hunting! I did, and while I killed 2 deer with them that were classic behind-the-shoulder, thru-the-ribs chest shots, they fail miserably for anything else. One opening day I heard a shot and a deer came limping over (guy shot it in the hind quarter) and lay down right under my tree stand. So, I figured I would do the guy a favor and put it down for keeps for him with my 686. Made a perfectly placed shot into the back angling down towards the chest. The deer promptly got up and ran off. I was shocked!. Later that afternoon while hunting on the ground in the same area, this same deer came by me and I dispatched it with my 12 gauge. When I got home and was dressing the deer out, I found a perfectly mushroomed .357 jacketed slug that after penetrating the hide and heavy layer of fat that this deer had on it's back, but was stopped by the strong back muscles. I no longer hunt with a .357 Magnum. My deer are now shot with a .45 Colt 265gr LSWC HP that puts down deer like the hammer of Thor.

Don
 
I remember it was back about 2006, a Winchester LE rep mentioned that the company had recently revised and made some changes to their STHP line.

This comment was the result of a couple of us attending a hosted gel demo event asking about the STHP. None of the loads brought for the demo were STHP, and a couple of us asked the reason.

The answer was basically that Winchester didn't really consider the STHP to be intended for LE sales anymore, but more for civilian sales. He said they'd recently made some revisions to the bullets in at least some of the calibers, but he didn't keep close track of the STHP line since it wasn't part of their Law Enforcement lines. He also said something about the STHP lines not being optimized for the sort of penetration being requested by most LE clients at that time.

Anyway, one of my previous favorite duty/off-duty loads for my .357's, back when I carried revolvers much of the time, was the 145gr STHP. My others was the Remington 140gr SJHP and either the Federal or Remington versions of the 125gr hollowpoint. I think the last bunch of 145gr STHP I bought was when a local store was clearing out their stock for something like $15/box. I picked up close to a case of it. I'm down to a box or two of it, although I still have 3-4 boxes of the Rem 125gr SJHP left.

I seldom carry my 6-shot .357's anymore, but I do like to keep some of the 145gr STHP and 125gr SJHP on hand for my Ruger SP101DAO, and every now and again for one of my M&P 340's (but I much prefer +P in those lightweight S&W's ).

I suppose when W-W gets around to making another run, I'll pick up a box or two, but paying a buck a round either it or the Rem load does sort of grate. :scrutiny:

Just the other day I was in the area of an old gun store I used to frequent (starting about '82). I didn't see any W-W 145gr STHP, but asked anyway. The older gentleman (meaning he was my age) with whom I was talking looked at his shelves, containing all the eye-catching boxes of now-current popular & newer designed .357 Magnum loads, and told me that the 145gr STHP was 'old school'.

Come to think of it, I may be into my last remaining box of the 210gr STHP .44 Magnum, too. (I haven't carried one of my .44's as off-duty weapons in many years, though.)
 
An improvement on the Silvertip might be the Speer 158 grain in 357MAG. I've had that round fired from a three inch barrel go through a foot of wet newsprint, leave a perfect mushroom star upon exit and bury up in the dirt where it could not be found. It's what I carry in the woods for hog and human critter protection, and it is labeled for self defense. Just a suggestion.
 
A local detective checked on the 145 ST .357 load used in several police shootings in this area. He told me that it performed in an absolutely devastating manner. I think this was all or mostly from four-inch barrels.

I have about half a box, which I'm not shooting until I get more. I esp. want it for the three-inch SP-101, as it'll often exceed 1200 FPS from that barrel length. That's impressive. Note that earlier in this thread, a man clocked it from his SP at 1250 FPS!

A Federal PR man told me that their 158 grain Hydra-Shok is a good deer killer. I believe that, but don't know how it performs on men. Probably quite well. The PR guy didn't know their LE line well, so hadn't studied any gunfights.

Their LE rep wasn't available at the time. And the LE reps often don't want to reveal shooing details.
 
I made a great buy on these a few years back, emptied all of them into a 50 cal ammo box probably have close to 3/4 of a can left. Been shooting my hand loads and these sit for a just in case time. All three of my .357's like them but in my 19-3 snub nose with the stock grips they are a real handful.
 
I used the 9mm Silvertip when I was a competitive shooter. It only had to penetrate a cardboard target, so I can't comment on gel performance. But it was a very accurate round and easily controlled. I still have a few hundred rounds stashed as I haven't been able to buy it locally for a number of years.
 
I used Silvertips when I had a Ruger .45. They gave me the best accuracy. Sold the gun however because it was so expensive to shoot. Regret selling it now.
 
leave a perfect mushroom star upon exit and bury up in the dirt where it could not be found.
Click to expand...

Just wondering here, if it buried in the dirt and could not be found, how do you know it expanded to a perfect mushroom star?

Don't get me wrong, I love the Gold Dot. I'm just not sure how to interpret your info.
 
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