Winchester 357 Magnum Silvertip....ummm News(?)

[amd6547]

I used to shoot the Silvertip 357 load in a Security Six, and always liked it.
In the last few years, I have been shooting 357 more in a variety of revolvers. All this time, I have looked for the Silvertips, but they have been unavailable.

Finally, I sent an email to Winchester.

Here is my question, and their answer:

Question:
Silvertip 357magnum ammo...does this round even exist??? I have looked for it for several YEARS. If you are not going to actually SELL this round, maybe you should drop it from your catalog.


Answer:
This product is currently out of stock. It is scheduled for production 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


So...Sometime in 2015, Winchester is scheduled to make a few boxes of this round.
Don't hold your breath, I'm not.

 

[BCDWYO]

I've got about 3/4 of a box left that I've been hoarding for several years for carry. Haven't seen it in a couple years. Not holding my breath!

 

[Sprefix]

Have you thought of getting the components and reloading? I purchased some Silvertip bullets in 9mm and they are now in my Beretta 92 G Elite beside me.... I haven't looked for .357, but I will when I'm out and about. Seems I have some other ammo that is scarce.....Black Talons........I think I have some of them in .357 magnum.......off to the ammo room........

 

[amd6547]

Plenty of good 125gn loads...
But the Silvertip load is (was) 145gn.

 

[petepeterson]

I've run into boxes at gun shows, but it's hard to tell the age of them, if that's a concern for you.

 

[Biggfoot44]

It depends on exactly why you favored the 145 Silvertip , but you might look instead to the 158 Gold Dot.

 

[Hapworth]

Why search for a hard-to-find old design when there are so many easy-to-find, as good or better modern ones?

Old revolver + new ammo = good times.

 

[amd6547]

Oh sure, there are plenty of good loads out there.
But the 14 5 gn Silvertip always shot really well for me.
Most of the comments by people who shot it back then are positive, like mine,
I find it pretty ridiculous that Winchester continues to advertise this load but doesn't make it for sale.

 

[Yorkie Man]

I had a friend that worked at Olin and he told me that when they are making government contract ammo that is all they make. He also said that ammo is run in batches and then the line changes to another caliber. The deer hunting ammo is made 6-9 months beforehand and already packaged and in the warehouse before the fall hunting season. We carried the 145 Silvertips when I was carrying a revolver and it was good ammo. I have killed three deer with it all were 1 shot kills and none went more than 30'. I still have a couple boxes and like the rest of you have been hoarding it because it has not been available.

 

[Mike6735]

I think it's time to bring back this thread- any sightings of new production out there, or any rumblings that it might ever happen? I believe the OP had called Winchester, who said they were looking at 2015 to crank out some new rounds of this stuff.

Has anyone heard anything?

 

[SOUTHPAW]

Winchester 357 Magnum Silvertip 145gr.

My number 1 favorite k-frame carry round is the Winchester 357 magnum 145gr. Silvertip H.P....X357SHP. Lucky I still have a few boxes still on hand.
I too have been waiting on that quote of more is coming...We may never see it again.

IMO the best ever round for the magnum k-frame wheel guns.

Another really good and cheaper round for the magnum k-frame is CCI/Blazer Alum. case 158gr. JHP...3542.

 

[Yorkie Man]

I spoke with my friend at Olin a few weeks ago and he told me that all ammunition is now made in Mississippi and they only make primers at East Alton, IL now.

 

[QED]

Is this the infamous .357 Silvertip that was fired by a trooper at a guy on the ground --- hitting him 5 times in the torso, only to have the guy return fire with a .22 mini-revolver which promptly incapacitated and killed the trooper?

 

[Mannlicher]

This load used to be carried by FBI agents. A friend who was with the agency gave me 25 boxes (50 to the box) some years ago. I still have 19 boxes left, so I am set.

 

[ArchAngelCD]

I hope they do a run soon. I'm running short even though I bought a few boxes during the last run.

 

[Zebra War Wagon]

I bought about 6 or 7 boxes myself around 1990 but never shot them. They are still sitting in the safe.......Maybe I need to find a new home for them?
Chances are I'll die in my sleep and when my wife goes in the safe, they will get thrown out! HIHI

 

[badge]

Is this the infamous .357 Silvertip that was fired by a trooper at a guy on the ground --- hitting him 5 times in the torso, only to have the guy return fire with a .22 mini-revolver which promptly incapacitated and killed the trooper?

Untrue. 125 grain rounds and the return fire was if I am not mistaken was from a .25 but I may be inaccurate on that.

 

[QED]

Untrue. 125 grain rounds and the return fire was if I am not mistaken was from a .25 but I may be inaccurate on that.

There is some ambiguity whether it was a 125 gr. or 145 gr. .357 WST. Firearmstactical as well as some officers from that era claimed it was 145 grain WST; that also makes sense based on the type of wounds that were inflicted.
You are mistaken; the return fire was from a .22 LR mini-revolver, not .25.

 

[Ben_hutcherson]

I've recently bought some in 38 Super, but outside of a gun show have not encountered any for sale.

Gold dots have become my favored carry ammo in most any caliber. Since my main carry 357 is a Model 19, I tend to avoid 125gr loads. The 135gr "short barrel" Gold Dot is really an outstanding round. I keep it loaded in all my 38 specials, and have a box or two in 357 kicking around. Even though these are designed to build velocity out of short barrels, they still perform very well(in fact I was told that the NYPD once used them in their 4" service revolvers).

BTW, as far as the Silvertips in 38 Super, I'm a bit disappointed in them. I haven't had a single hiccup in my RIA 1911 shooting them. With that said, they have virtually identical ballistics to the equivalent 9mm load. It seems sort of pointless to me to use the larger gun when I can get the same performance from a smaller gun with the same capacity or a similarly sized gun that holds more...

 

[ArchAngelCD]

I wouldn't care if Winchester ever made any more of the 145gr .357 Magnum Silvertips but for one thing, they are scary accurate in my M640. It's not so much they are the best SD ammo available but it's the accuracy in my revolver. They shoot better than I do.