Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Africa Want to use my 9.3x62 on Buff with TSX bullets

Would I be better off with a 286apx2400 or the 250apx 2600? All comments will be appreciated!

286 @ 2400


Ingwe

+1 on the 286-gr. at @ 2,400. One of the all-time great cartridges and a classic for Africa.

I've used the 250 TSX over H414 and have found it to be excellent. I've taken several with this combo, and was on hand when my dad took several more. It really does perform.
This guy was taken with that load in Tanzania.

Either TSX will be fine in that round. Remember that a 250TSX will outperform any lead core 286 and lots of buff have been sent to the great pasture in the sky with 286gr lead core bullets. Good choice of cartridges and bullets. Good luck and good hunting.

Hatari, that is a cool mount. Was it done in the US or Africa?

It was done in the US by a talented guy here in GA named Michael Vaden. I think Jonas Brothers was the first to popularize this zoologic art.

That is Jonas Brothers Taxidermy, not the teen heart throb Jonas Brothers.

http://www.jonasbrotherstaxidermy.com/gallery.php

I wonder how many threats they have received after someone accidentally googled and found them instead of the singers!

Good cartridges and bullet choice either way, me thinks, but I am curious about the velocities quoted.

I doubt them to be achievable out of the x62 case.

Load developement got me to 2450 fps out of a 22" barrel with the 286 gr. TSX in a 9,3x64.

Factory loads with the 250 TSX for the 62 leave at 2350fps from 24" test tubes (S&B data, test measured).

That said, and having a TSX .366" 286 gr. right next to me, I would stick with the 250gr. for the x62 for powder space conservation.

I used a 286 grain Woodleigh at 2300 fps to take 2 buffalo in September, but it was a 9.3X74R.

My CZ 9.3 shoots Nosler 286gr. Partitions like a target bullet in a target rifle. I know that kind of accuracy is irrelevent for buffalo, but it doesn't hurt your confidence.

cmg,
RE your post about velocities. Out of my 23.5" custom Mauser I easily reach 2400fps with 286gr and NO pressure signs. I would bet that 2500 is reachable, but why try. I havn't tried the 250 yet but 2600 doesn't seem like an unreasonable figure. I guess it falls into that area of "each gun is different". Thanks for your thoughts.

Hatari,
Did you try the 286 and 250TSX and then pick a winner? If so, how did the 250 outperform the 286? Thanks for your thoughts.

The 250 TSX hammered game so well that the deal was done. One shot kills. Off the top of my head I recall four cape buffalo, two NW Red buffalo (Cameroon), Lord Derby eland, Sable, three waterbuck, and a roan. Hell, Arnold couldn't surpass that with his plasma blaster in 40 watt range.The performance with the TSX was much superior to that of the 286 Barnes solid. The solid killed, but they ran a bit.

I will say that I was also very, very impressed by the performance of the RWS 256 H-Mantle, but they are impossible to find and cost mega bucks. Not for plinking.

Ramshot Big Game and a 286 Nosler partition will go 2475 fps from a 23.5 barrel with no problem. A lot of us have used that load, great accuracy as well.

I have shot quite a number of animals with the 9.3x62 and a few with the 9.3x64 including buffalo.

In my 26 inch barreled Brno mod. 21 9.3x62 I can get 2400 plus with a 320 gr. Woodleigh so that is my favorite buffalo bullet. This however may not work in a shorter tube and according to a well known PH he had trouble with it using African powders and a short tube 9.3x62.

My choice for buff would be a 320 gr. or 286 gr. Woodleigh, 286 gr. GS Customs, 286 Northfork, 286 BarnesX, 286 Nosler, or the 300 gr. Swift. I have always thought the 300 gr. bullet would be the best DG weight and the Swifts work well. I would love to see a Nosler in 300 gr.

I would have no problem with the 250 gr. Barnes X or any like bullet for a broadside shot, but in hunting buffalo you need to stick him broadside, then try and get one or two into his keyster as he departs, that is your best insurance to get him down quickly.

I have seen the 250 gr. monolithics with their rather high velocity and fast expansion fail to penetrate the 50 gallons of packed wet chewed grass in a buffs stomach, and I saw one come apart on a buffs head..I think you need a little more weight and penetration than the 250 gr. of any kind has to offers. Like I said it will work on broadside shots and it will stop on the off side shoulder as a rule and normally won't leave an exit hol.. I personally like two holes.

Killing a buffalo most of the time is no big deal, they run off a bit and die. BUT, a fail proof bullet is real handy when things go South, and it had better work...Killing a buffalo or two without incendent tends to make some over confident in light calibers, light bullets but it only takes one incident to change your mind 110 percent.

I have shot buff with the .308, 7x57, 8x57, 30-06, 338, and they worked really well, and I was quickly proving a point about bullet placement and bullet constuction, then after 3.5 of them tried to eat me..I went to my .416s and never went back and never intend to again..It was folley on my part.

Buffalo guns begin with the 9.3x62 and .338 win. where legal, but they are definately minimum, and barely on the good side of minimum in that they can fail on frontal shots and going away shots on ocassion, same for the .375 H&H..Avoid frontal shots and make all going away shots follow up only shots and they will work..

Just some food for thought, based on my personal life experiences with quite a large number buffalo kills and a lot of observation of kills., others may have different opinions.

Could I ask how much this kind of work runs cost wise?

Hatari, may I ask what kind of velocity were you getting with that combo?

2600+ fps. I know guys that really like R15 with this bullet, and might get 50 fps more. I used H414 on one of the first loads I took to the range, and was pleased with the accuracy. I fooled around with R15 and few other powders, but I can't find a better combo in my rifles.

I can't recall off of the top on my head, but it was much less than a full shoulder mount. I had two done at the same time, along with two impala, so I have forgotten how the prices broke down. Sorry.

These Art mounts with buffalo also look great over a fireplace, and take up much less room. A big buff over a fireplace can dominate a room severely.