Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunting Rifles 338-06 vs. 9.3x62

I have owned a 338/06. I loved the caliber, just not the rifle, but I have most of the stuff to build another. I have a whelen, and love it, won't be gettin rid of it. And I have a Mark X mauser tucked away for a 9.3x62. Do I need all 3? nope. Does it matter? nope.........

Nice Sock O

I own a T3 Lite Stainless in 9.3x62 and was sold on the cartridge early on.
I don't think you can really even compare it to 338/06.
There's approaching 30 thou difference in calibre and meplat means a lot on a big animal.
You'll get flatter shooting from a 338-06 as lighter bullets are available but if you want to go down that route you may as well get a 30-06 or a 338 Win Mag.
I really like the fact that in 1904,the same time the US was cooking up the '06 as a service round, Otto Bock, a German designer, was developing the 9.3x62 as an all-round rifle for German farmers in Africa and there that means dangerous game too.
And the approach was not in pursuit of speed but as a stopper for all game.
The weakness, if the 9.3x62 has one, is that the range of bullets for the non-European hunter is less wide and more expensive.
I use 270gr Speer Semi-Points and am very pleased with them.
But I wouldn't mind using Norma 232gr Oryxs, if only they didn't cost a mint.
But the other guys are right about ammo.
Lapua also make great cases for 9.3x62 and they're quite affordable.
Besides 9.3x62 is cooler because it's metric.

You guys do know that there are a ton of .338 bullets that are heavier than 210 grains don't you?

There are many 250 grain .338's including some from all the major US bullet manufacturers.

There are also match bullets that sport a .670 BC for a 250 grain .338 and an astonishing 300 grain SMK with a BC in excess of .760!

The SD of a 250 grain .338 is also a bit higher than a 286 grain .366 bullet.

Because ultra common and ultra cheap 30-06 brass is often necked up and used for the 338-06 you have your choice of ANY brand of brass you choose and can form it in a single pass.

The 9.3x62 is a venerable old and truly great cartridge but to minimize the 338-06 is a mistake since it is much more versatile than the bullet limited 9.3.

A 300gr SMK at 2200 fps doesn't interest me.

Exactly. Instead of getting a 338 I should have gotten 220gr bullets for the ought six barrel it wore.

A 220 grain roundnose at 2500 out of a 30-06 doesn't interest me.

A 250 grain spitzer at 2600 out of a 338-06 has some interest however.

A 180 grain NAB at 3000 out of a 338-06 is also interesting.

Only need 1 good bullet.

By this reasoning you only need 1 good rifle!

Sure am glad they make a whole bunch more than 1!

I like having a lot of choices in rifles, cartridges, and bullets.

That rational is flawed but I ain't surprised. Guessing you head afield with a bandoleer stuffed with 160's to 300gr bullets for every occasion. Of course you'll need turrets and 47 different cards to dupe drop. I only hunt with ONE bullet, but I'm kind of silly that way.

No, I like to tailor my load to the game (or target) I'm pursuing.

For whitetail the 180 NAB, 200 NBT, or the 185 TSX, works well and provides a trajectory advantage.

For moose or Elk I'd load the 225 NAB, 225 TSX, or 250 SGK.

For punching paper or steel at long range any of the 225-250 BT's work well.

I guess I'm kind of silly in that I like to load, experiment, and shoot alot of different cartridges, loads, and bullets.

I rebarreled a new Sav 111 Lam from .30-06 to .338-06 back in the day. It is still a great shooter. If I had the option of the .338 Fed or the .325 WSM back then, I probably would have went with one of them in a short action. I do not feel that it is comparable to the 9.3x62. I usually never disagree with HawkI, but I do believe that the 9.3x62 is a stronger cartridge than the .35 Whelen. I don't have either, but the 9.3x62 has a very strong track record in Africa. I have always wanted it in the CZ 550 full stock. Good luck.

Cant comment on the 9.3x62

I built a 338-06 Ackley Improved on a Sako m75 Greywolf rifle...love it. Shoots 225gr Accubonds and TTSX's. Might try some 210gr Sirocco's. I'm partial to the Accubonds from the performance on big game and at the range out of my 300WM and 270WSM. I too am a one-bullet guy for my calibers.

Weatherby has factory ammo for a 338-06AS.

Tempted to build a 330 Dakota...something different again.

MP just do a 340 and make life easy...

Dober

225 vs 210 yields a very small diff in trajectory, more energy and SD/BC. Now a 250 is great, but out yonder it falls faster, how far do you need to shoot.

For me, a good 225 PT/TSX, or 230 FS is a great all around bullet.

Steelhead has it right. You can only shoot one rifle, and if you have ONE good bullet, it WILL handle all duties from Deer to Grizzly IMHO. Choices are fine, a 200 BT/NAB will shoot flat at 2900, more than the 225 at 2670, but I'd keep the light stuff for deer in this round and prefer the extra payload of a 225 on big stuff, 250s would be find up to say 300 yds or so, as would a well loaded 350 RM or Whelen.

Not played with a 9.3 yet so no opinion on 'go to' wt. but I could be happy with either round on a big game hunt. I believe the 338 I feel has a tad more reach, if one truly needs it.

They ALL will kill just fine when steered properly.

A CZ 9.3 might be a solid choice given economics if money is tight as most 338/06 are custom. A rebored Sako pre-G '06 might be an option to consider.

Good point - does anyone sell a 338-06 in a production rifle?

Weatherby was the only one I remember did or still does. Plus they make factroy ammo for the caliber if reloading is not an option

Maybe it was a 340 I was thinking about...I'll have to look back at my info I was saving.

I picked up a CZ american 9.3x62, thing shoots very large bug holes.

I did have to put a lighter stock on it.. it's a nice rifle.