Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Express Rifles and Big Bores Only 9.2x62 v .375 Whelen variant for a build?

Have around 50 Xtra 9.3 286 NP bullets

A few years ago I saw an ad for a Custom LH 9.3x62 on one of the forums built on a Zastava Mauser Action that looked very well done so I bought it.

The stock was built by Dennis Olson and the metalwork was done by a couple different smiths including custom bases.

The gun shoots great and has accounted for a few whitetail and several pigs.

It has shot everything I have tried in it very well.

Personally I'd have no interest at all in a wildcatted 375 based on a 30-06 case simply because there would be some added expense in making such a rifle and when I was done I can't see ANYTHING it would do any better then a stock 9.3X62. I own a 375H&H and I have used it so much in the last 50 years I had to re-barrel it because I shot the throat out of it. About 6 years ago I made a 9.3X62 and before that about 5 years earlier I made several form customers and friends and went out hunting with them, seeing how well it works on game from deer up to moose and bison. Here in America I have to say I see no real difference in it's effectiveness and that of my 375&H. Perhaps I could see some difference if the game was 2 tons and over, but in the USA and in Canada, we don't have game much over 2000 pounds.
Now, given the fact I see no real-world difference in the killing effects of the 9.3X62 and the 375H&H, I can't see ANY reason to go with a 375-06 in any wildcatted configuration. Sure, the 375H&H shoots a 270 grain bullet at about 2675 fps and that's faster then my 9.3 shoots a 286 grain ("only" 2400 FPS) but bullet HOLES do the killing. Both guns make a good sized hole clear through game up to moose size, breaking bones as they go, and the wound size looks pretty much the same from both rifles.
I have a 50 year love affair with the 375H&H so for me to say I see the 9.3X62 as an equal feels almost like was was cheating on my wife, but the fact are facts and I can't say anything bad at all about the 9.3X62, even in comparing it to the 375H&H.

As a side note:

I also own two 9.3X57s. Loaded as I load mine, they are also remarkable effective game-getters. I have used the Speer 270 grains bullets (good for deer, but prone to break up badly, so I'd advise avoiding them for faster shells, or any animal over about 250 pounds) and also the PPU 285 grain bullets which have proven to be excellent. The Hornady 286 grain seems to be a bit less strongly jacketed then the PPU, but so far it's given me excellent results on all game I have killed with it---- from all 4 of my 9.3 bore rifle. The best bullet I have found for the 9.3X57 is the Norma 232 grain Oryx, but they are hard to find and often quite expensive when I do.

But I bring it up simply because one of my 9.3X57s is made on a KAR Mauser M98 and required no modification of the action at all. I make it with an 18.5" barrel and a full stock "Mannlicher" style stock and it's a wonderful carbine for hunting in heavy brush. The9.3X57 gets very little attention in America, but it's equal or a bit better then the 358 Winchester (also largely ignored by most shooters) but not for any lack of merit. And I have used my 9.3X57 with great success for open country Antelope hunting, so the idea that it is too limited in it's range is simply not true if a man knows how to actually hunt at all.

The brass is made from PPU 8X57 and one pass through the sizer is all that's needed.

My 9.3s are two 9.3X57s, one 9.3X74R and one 9.3X62. I have no criticisms of any of them.

I decided to put a scope on my 375WAI. The following are the groups/loads were shot with a suppressor:

375W AI M98, 235 grain SPEER, 61 grains H335, 0.73" group with aperture sights at 54 yards = 1.29 MOA (no suppressor)
375W AI M98, 235 grain SPEER, 61 grains H335, 1.97" group with 4x M8 Leupold at 100 yards = 1.88 MOA
375W AI M98, 235 grain SPEER, 61 grains H335, 1.72" group with 4x M8 Leupold at 100 yards = 1.64 MOA
375W AI M98, 270 grain Horn SP RN, 57 grains H4895, 0.82" group with 4x M8 Leupold at 100 yards = 0.78 MOA
375W AI M98, 270 grain Horn SP BT, 57 grains H4895, 0.66" group with 4x M8 Leupold at 100 yards = 0.63 MOA
375W AI M98, 270 grain Horn SP BT, 57 grains H4895, 0.66" group with 4x M8 Leupold at 100 yards = 0.63 MOA (second group - I couldn't measure any difference)

The 57 grains load with 270 grain bullets are maximum - if you have such a rifle chambered for this cartridge, work up carefully. The good news is the above loads hit at close the same POI at 100 yards. The 61 grains H335 with 235 grain SPEER load centered at about 1/2" higher than the 270 grain loads.

235 grain SPEERS traveling at ~2,800 fps, 3" high at 100 yards, -1.5" at 250 yards, -6" at 300 yards.
270 grain Hornady traveling at ~ 2,600 fps, RN 3" high at 100, -3.9" at 250 yards, -11" at 300 yards.
270 grain Hornady traveling at ~ 2,600 fps, SPBT 3" high at 100, -2.3" at 250 yards, -8" at 300 yards.
The 270 grain Hornady SP BT should be good for anything I'll be shooting at. I have a few hundred of the RN 270's - seconds from MidwayUSA - they should be good for most anything I'll shoot at too. More work to be done with the 235.

I have some other 375 bullets on hand. I'm not sure if I'll be getting away from the two bullets tested much though, I am especially pleased with the 270 Horn loads.


This rifle was one I did as much of the work myself, at least what I could do without a lathe. I bought a 98 receiver from a Mauser guru. (I've had Mauser 98's all my life, but I am not an expert on Mausers!) It's a BRNO VZ 24 if that means something to one who would know.
I bought a semi-blank stock - mostly inletted but needing a lot of wood removal. I shaped the stock to fit me and put a Pachmayer recoil pad on it. I bought a blank 375 barrel from Shaw. I rented a reamer and cut the chamber by hand, that is without a lathe. The reamer was available right now and the dies were available right now. I had sold my lathe 30 years ago and while I've opened up chambers by hand, I never started from scratch - uff da - it's a lot of work. (I rust blued the barreled action myself also.)
I hired a gunsmith to mount a decent set of sights, which I had. Steel Lyman aperture rear sight and the front sight from Brownells. I found I could shoot it pretty well at 100 yards, but the first time out deer hunting with it I saw deer at 200 to 250 in the trees. Those sights and my eyes were not compatible with that scenario. I had a Leupold base for a 98 lying around and once again had to rely on a smith to install the base. While at it, the safety was converted to a 3-way safety that works with a scope. I put on a M8 4x Leupold scope, which I consider about right for the cartridge. The barrel is threaded for a suppressor and with that on the rifle, the recoil is mild.
As far as why a "375 Whelen AI", I wanted something different. I've owned center fire rifles since the late 50's and had many different common rifles chambered for common cartridges. I put a lot of work into this rife and it wasn't going to be a 30-06 or whatever some dude thinks it should have been. I figured the 375 Whelen Ai was about the most powerful cartridge based on the 06 case (I was likely wrong as the 400 Whelen might well be a more powerful round.) I also picked 375 because I owned a 375 H&H, a 375 H&H AI, and a 375 Win. I had plenty of molds in 375 and had a good selection of 375 bullets on the shelf. Plus, there is a plentiful supply of bullets on the market. I'm considering a 375-444 Ruger #1 since I have a #1 action that I'd like to modify.
I didn't pick a 35 Whelen AI as I had a 35 Whelen and a 35 Brown Whelen. and felt the 35 Whelen AI was more common than the 375 version.

Absolutely gorgeous.
Slightly off-topic question for those who know Olson‘s work – did he often use that profile for a forend tip? I picked up a custom a couple months ago that has a forend tip shaped exactly like that and I’ve been trying to figure out who the maker is…

Dennis doesn't use that fore end profile unless a customer request it. I believe Rigby was the first to use that style.

Thank you. I’m not used to seeing it on model 70s. Appreciate the response.

That was my rifle I had built and yes I requested the tip that way.

9.3x62mm any day, my 98 Mauser custom chunks 320gr Woodleigh's at 2400 fps, right now ravenrocksprecision has 325gr Norma Oryx bullets at less than a buck apiece, 150 dollae order gets free shipping, you cant beat that with a stick for your purpose, if i didn't have several hundred of the Woodleigh's both round nose and protected point as well as 320gr solids i'd buy a lot of the 325gr Oryx and call it more than good.

I'd use any soft point bullet i mentioned on any animal including cape buffalo, and the 320gr solids on Ele, Rhino and Hippo head shots.

I had a 375-06 AI and it failed to provide any advantage over either a 9.3-62 or 375 H&H. It took some effort to form cases. The only worse job is making 450 Improved on 404 cases. Pick either and get familiar with it.

I wouldn’t hesitate to built either on a PF action. A 700 or clone with the ADL or BDL magazine is just fine. I have used a blind magazine type stock for about all of my international hunting with zero problems. Several very experienced elephant guides really like their rifles which are 700’s. The M70 PF is great as is a Mark 5.

If you are nervous about a 700 feeding then use a straight line clip such as H&S makes. Flawless.

There is a lot pure BS written about hunting as a form of combat. The need for 4 shot magazines is just one example. If true then explain why the double is considered life insurance when DG hunting.

Shoot whatever until you have mastered it and don’t worry. Pick great bullets.

This isn’t based on conjecture. Have owned many the most carefully crafted 98’s ever built and have hunted Africa on more than 20 trips. Have gotten 17 buffalo without a single incident.

Wow gunner,
Good find there. Heck of a deal. The 325 grain oryx, is the most deadly bullet ever offered in the 9.3. My friend Greg showed a 325 grainer expanded to.83 caliber with 96% weight retention, insane!:

Damn! hell of a video Mainer, Thanks, nothings going to walk off a hit from a 325gr Oryx bullet, am always glad to learn the choices i make/made are verified by guys like yourself and North61 who live in those places and have done that, over and over again.

Funny, i just placed an order for some 358 cal 250gr Oryx bullets with RRP a couple three days ago, i have Alberta moose and whitetail on my mind, bud said be prepared to shoot 300 yards, cant think either buck deer or moose wont be handled promptly from a solid vital hit from my 358 Norma mag and 250gr Oryx's at 2800 fps.