Home Forums Reloading Big Game Rifles 9.3 bullet test

I'm also interested in any experiences anyone has with the Lapua 9.3mm 285g Mega. I have a bunch of both loaded factory ammo and a couple hundred bullets I got almost for free. Early in the project I found a penetration/expansion test of them on YouTube, and don't recall being particularly impressed, but now I can't find the video link any more.
Just realized I emailed to a buddy of mine so maybe I can find it in my sent items. I'll link it up here if I can.

Cheers,
Rex

EDIT - found it, and I had misremembered, it's a test of the .308 Mega. Here it is anyway.
.308 Mega test

What's the latest and greatest?

So far the PRVI 286gr 9.3mm bullet is the only bullet I've purchased for my 9.3x57mm Husky Swedish mauser. It's accurate and regulates well with my iron sights. My 46A is not tapped for scope sights. At 2020fps they land slightly high on the target at 100 yds. In Iowa it's 35 cal and up so hopefully this year it'll go hunting with me.

Huh. Blast from the past so to speak.

Put down a Cape Buffalo recently using 300 grain A-Frames in front of RL-15. 9.3x62mm. MV just barely over 2,300 fps.

As soon as the rifle gets back from the gunsmith I have the same load ready to test but using Big Game and RL-17.

You think there's an advantage to the 300s over the 286s?

For the largest critters on the dark continent, yes I'd want a 300gr projectile. The 9.3x62mm Mauser is the poor man's big bore over yonder. For my irons I'm stuck with 286gr weight, or maybe 270 if necessary. The 232gr loads are lost on me being without height adjustment. The load must match the sights and the previous owner told me he believed the only load these sights work with is 286gr.

I'm still trying to decide if there's an advantage to the Norma 325's over the 300's.

A data point of 1 is most certainly not a trend, therefore I've volunteered to shoot several more to sort out the question.

Very interesting stuff.

I'm at the opening stages of my 9.3X62 project having had my M70 modified by JES. It has been set aside and this may help to re-ignite the project.

Encouraging to see the PRVI do well as I have several boxes (factory loaded). Discouraging to see the Hornady results as they are so readily available.

Thanks for sharing the data and to all, carry on, I'm learning.

Yea, I just so happened to ping Hornady the other day asking why do they offer a 300 grain DGS, but no DG-X Bonded in either 286 grain or 300 grain?

This time their response was a tad bit more reasonable than last time as they simply said they're always looking at the market to see what makes sense to offer.

Having owned my Tikka T3 Lite in 9.3 x 62 since 2011 - all handloads: I killed a crippled bear by my young friend who wounded it in two legs, a front left and rear right. I caught up enough in tall grass to finish it going away with a shot to right flank that made exit just back of the head after taking out 6 - 8 inches of spine. Bullet off into the surrounding trees. No fragments in exit wound or channel. MV 2400 fps. Bullet: Hornady 286 SPRP.

Next animal another bear (larger) at 6' nose to tail. Over bait at 68 yds. Facing me in tall grass (same private property). I was in my tree stand. Same Tikka rifle: Load: 286 Partition at 2622 fps from 70 grs RL-17. Hit bear frontally at ~ 2500 fps as it faced me. Bear dropped in grass out of sight close to bait barrel. Couldn't see it. Got out of stand, walked to where bear dropped - no bear! A search found it at the bottom of a close by escarpment. Bear went a total of 20 yds to top of escarpment and tumbled to bottom. A partner 3 km away at another site heard my shot and gave me a hand to field dress it and get it upout of there where we hung it for the night at the back side of the tree my stand was in. Next morning we skinned it and the Nosler 286 was just under the fur and part way through the hide in the right flank. I thought it was a piece of bone until it fell to the ground. It was travelling backwards according to a couple of "wings" that were pointing forwaRD - IT HAD TUMBLED! Bullet retained 211 grs/74%. Penetration est = +30 inches.

Last bear shot with the same rifle, another 6-footer. Bullet: 250 Nos AB at +2700 fps (same load as for the 286 NP), range to bait barrel 85 yds. Bear climbed up on top of bait angling away from me in my tree stand, and I shot it high in mid ribs on right side and bullet made exit between forward left ribs and leg after taking out heart and lungs. Bear went 20 yds. Was DRT. Blood trail and loss was massive. Based solely on those two Nosler projectiles from my 9.3 x 62 I almost prefer the 250 AB over the 286 Partition. If I needed a heavier bullet for anything, say a brown bear, I might go with the 320gr Woodleigh that leaves the 22.44" barrel of my Tikka at +2400 fps over a "good" dose of Rl-17 - my only powder for hunting big game. If I was "stuck" from some reason and could only use one bullet and one powder: either the 250 or 286 Nosler and Rl-17 as powder.

Loads: Hornady brass, WLRM primers, 3.37" COL. Lately have purchased Lapua cases (100), very expensive, thicker, and 1 gr less is about equal to results from Hornady brass.

Bob
www.bigbores.ca

For my 9.3x62 I loaded 250TSX over Varget per JB's book. I put down a very large, crippled bull moose at 385 yards with a shoulder/lung shot. The bullet was recovered against the hide on the opposing side and it had opened but not fully.

tag

Thanks for the data Biathlon Man. A little more redneck testing. Bullet prices are going up so I have re-looked at the Speer 270gr Mag-tip Hot Core. Over the years I have shot almost all the lead core 9.3s and some monos including Speer's bullet. Today I compared the Speer 270gr with Hornady's 286gr Interlock using sifted dirt as the test medium. Historically I have shot both of these bullets through up to 7 1-gallon water jugs with no bullet capture. I have heard the Speer bullet praised for price and precision, but dinged for being too soft - hence the dirt. I filled three boxes with dirt screened (1/4") of debris and shot at 25 yards. I wanted to assure the bullet would not blow at close range. My rifle has a 20" barrel.

Data Results:

Bullet, Velocity fps, Penetration, Retained Weight, Expansion (x original)
Speer 270gr, 2323 fps, 17", 59%, .59" @ 1.61
Hornady 286gr, 2300 fps, 17", 50%, .70" @ 1.91

Penetration was identical, Speer had greater retained weight, and Hornady greater expansion. This loading provides 225 yard maximum point blank range (6" target diameter). I have no aversion to hunting with these bullets, but maybe "soft" is a fair conclusion. Different medium than Biathlon Man, but similar result.

Am using the HDY bullet for initial load development and acclimation for the same wt. premium Oryx and A-Frames, as they are junk, but produce the same recoil.

Settled on the Speer bullet for general purpose.




GR