300 H&H Mag SILVERTIP on plains game

[Hunter-Habib]

Photographs kindly provided by my friend & former employee, Jabbar Mollah.

Pre 1970 .300 Holland & Holland Magnum Winchester Super Speed 220Gr Silver Tips

Left= Hand loaded .300 Holland & Holland Magnum round employing 220Gr round nosed steel jacketed FMJ Hornady solid
Centre= Pre 1970 .300 Holland & Holland Magnum Winchester Super Speed 220Gr Silver Tip
Right= Pre 1970 .300 Holland & Holland Magnum Winchester Super Speed 180Gr Silver Tip

Pre 1970 .300 Holland & Holland Magnum Winchester Super Speed 220Gr Silver Tip recovered from lion shot over bait in Zambia. Note the perfect mushrooming with the old Winchester proprietary jacketing material made from mixture of copper, nickel & zinc

 

[PerH]

That was quite a good expanding bullet recovered there , and it shows the quality in materials as it was used before the big shift .

 

[Hunter-Habib]

That was quite a good expanding bullet recovered there , and it shows the quality in materials as it was used before the big shift .

Always remember this golden rule, Per.

Whenever companies want to make a product with cheaper manufacturing costs... you know that quality will definitely suffer.

 

[grand veneur]

I am not sure about the age of my ammunition. I bought Winchester cartridges caliber 300 Win Mag with Silvertip bullets in the seventies which were already packed in yellow boxes.

 

[Hunter-Habib]

I am not sure about the age of my ammunition. I bought Winchester cartridges caliber 300 Win Mag with Silvertip bullets in the seventies which were already packed in yellow boxes.

Send me a picture of a cartridge and the box. I'll tell you.

 

[Tra3]

+1 on use them for practice, not hunting.

That looks like ammo for 5-6 range sessions where you can do multiple drills of 3 shots quickly off the sticks at steel plates. That will be perfect for practice, you will be happy you used them up and much happier to not risk a failure.

 

[sgt_zim]

So I just found three boxes of 300 H&H SILVERTIP that I had stashed in my collection that was probably bought in early 90s…
It has been stored properly so not worried about its condition but just wondering about your thoughts on it for my upcoming hunt?
The 300 will only be used for Kudu and lighter game…
Should I take this classic load with my classic Pre-64 Winchester and hunt with it!?!?
Or should it go back into the vault?View attachment 632497View attachment 632498

It was just such bullets, fired from that exact rifle, which was the genesis of "premium" bullets.

Ever read about John Nosler's moose hunt, circa 1947?

I would not bet money on clean kill from 50 yards on a kudu/wildbeest/zebra with those.

 

[Doug Hamilton]

So I just found three boxes of 300 H&H SILVERTIP that I had stashed in my collection that was probably bought in early 90s…
It has been stored properly so not worried about its condition but just wondering about your thoughts on it for my upcoming hunt?
The 300 will only be used for Kudu and lighter game…
Should I take this classic load with my classic Pre-64 Winchester and hunt with it!?!?
Or should it go back into the vault?View attachment 632497View attachment 632498

I'm pretty sure they would work, but there are better loads with more reliable bullets available now. With the cost of a safari I cannot see any reason to pinch pennies on a couple of boxes of ammo. Splurge on a couple of boxes with 180 grain premium bonded bullets. You can always use the Silvertips to practice shooting off sticks.

 

[CZDiesel]

So with all the feedback and my initial hesitation I’m going to take TBBC or AFrames or the sort…
But it was worth asking?!?! I didn’t know if hunters have had some good feedback on them? So I thought I’d ask…
Thank you everyone for the feedback!

 

[375Fox]

So with all the feedback and my initial hesitation I’m going to take TBBC or AFrames or the sort…
But it was worth asking?!?! I didn’t know if hunters have had some good feedback on them? So I thought I’d ask…
Thank you everyone for the feedback!

Good call. In 2021 I’d be glad to have any bullet. In 2024 there isn’t an excuse to use anything but the best. It’s still cheap compared to the cost of hunt.

 

[HENRY GRIFFITHS SAFARIS]

I wish i could find a few boxes for my H&H …..

Use them they will work just fine for plainsgame!

 

[375Fox]

I wish i could find a few boxes for my H&H …..

Use them they will work just fine for plainsgame!

Do any South African companies produce 300 H&H? It’s becoming increasingly rare in US. If I needed it now I can only think of two custom loaders that would have it available. Nosler apparently still makes factory ammo but not in stock. I bought 8 boxes hornady interbonds from a member here that was too good a deal to pass up when it was available.

 

[gbflyer]

Put those on Gunbroker and grab your popcorn.

 

[FlyGuy]

Do any South African companies produce 300 H&H? It’s becoming increasingly rare in US. If I needed it now I can only think of two custom loaders that would have it available. Nosler apparently still makes factory ammo but not in stock. I bought 8 boxes hornady interbonds from a member here that was too good a deal to pass up when it was available.

No…
PMP used to make them, but that’s ancient history.
My rifle absolutely loves the Hornady 180gr IB factory ammo, but that’s history too. I’ve never been able to improve on the accuracy with hand loads.

 

[ActionBob]

Save Valley, Zimbabwe… The Cheskwe and Sango

That alone says don't use them in Africa. Expensive trip to a wonderful place. Why risk all that?

Use that old ammo on whitetails, pronghorn, mountain goats (where you want an explosive bullet) or better yet practice shooting off sticks with it!

Take quality ammo with bonded or TSX type bullets for any hunt in Africa. Or elk, moose, grizzly, etc.

 

[rookhawk]

So I just found three boxes of 300 H&H SILVERTIP that I had stashed in my collection that was probably bought in early 90s…
It has been stored properly so not worried about its condition but just wondering about your thoughts on it for my upcoming hunt?
The 300 will only be used for Kudu and lighter game…
Should I take this classic load with my classic Pre-64 Winchester and hunt with it!?!?
Or should it go back into the vault?View attachment 632497View attachment 632498

Probably the world's worst bullet. I would hunt white tail deer with them, a perfect use case for a "terrible" bullet.

From the 1960s well into the 1990s, the 375HH silvertip was a favorite ammo of Professional hunters. They'd pluck the tips out of them with a pliers, making a terrible bullet even worse. It was considered ideal for leopards over bait at 50 paces because they'd expand instantly after being manhandled with a pliers.

TLDR; shoot them for the brass, target shoot them, or use them up on deer that would suffer greatly on a franging, fragile bullet.

 

[Doug Hamilton]

Probably the world's worst bullet. I would hunt white tail deer with them, a perfect use case for a "terrible" bullet.

From the 1960s well into the 1990s, the 375HH silvertip was a favorite ammo of Professional hunters. They'd pluck the tips out of them with a pliers, making a terrible bullet even worse. It was considered ideal for leopards over bait at 50 paces because they'd expand instantly after being manhandled with a pliers.

TLDR; shoot them for the brass, target shoot them, or use them up on deer that would suffer greatly on a franging, fragile bullet.

I liked the Silvertip 150 grain when I was using my .30-06 to hunt blacktails in California in the '70s. I would not use them now, especially on larger animals and at higher velocity. Too many better choices.

 

[TERMINATOR]

Just hunted Humani in Save last July, you are going to have a great time, I would also look for Nyala and Eland!!

Good luck in Zimbabwe

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Love your animals

Especially the "Dugga Eland"