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

9.3 has over 100 years of success behind it. I don't consider it a long range cartridge but for a black timber elk cartridge it has few peers. Especially when teamed up with a "three shots quick" Merkel SR-1 and a Trijicon.

Cooper do

Boy this pains me to say, as I am a pretty big 338-06 fan.

Since you already have a 30-06, I think the 9.3x62 is the way to go in your situation.
Woodleigh does make a 320gr soft/solid.

Not that it matters, but I also have a couple of 9.3x64's and a stable of 270's with no 30 caliber anything.

Skip the 338-06 and go either .35 Whelen, 9.3x62 or .375 Ruger.

Yep!

I would like to know what your load is for doing that. You've got 125 fps on a Nosler factory load and 100 fps over the A-square load.

The extra 30 grains and 100 fps isn't enough for me to bother with the 338-06 again. I'll go straight to 9.3.

I've found at least 10 250gr loads that run from 2569 to 2645 so it is doable.

Rifle #105 has 6 loads in that range.

Hornady 5th has 2.

Reloadersnest has 2.

Handloader #184 has 1.

I don't get 2600 with my current 19" 338-06 but 59gr of IMR4350 under a 250SPBT gets me over 2500 with no pressure signs. 60gr H4350, same bullet, gets me just under 2500.

The highlighted portion of your post is where we differ. I don't use, nor like, any .30 caliber so the jump from my .284 to my .338 is .054" which is similar to the gap from .308 to .366.

Is there something wrong with owning both?

Absolutely not, I heartily recommend it!

There is something to be said for those century old+ cartridges.

nsaquam,

The only problem with your comparison is that there are just about as many sources that credit the .30-06 220 with 2600 fps. Nosler's manual, for instance, lists 2602 for the 220 .30-06--and that's sticking to the SAAMI pressure maximum for the .30-06. In my experience it's easy to get 2650 or so out of a 220 in a 24" barreled .30-06.

Plus, many shooters think that roundnose bullets drop like a rock. The Nosler 220 Partition, however, has a BC of about .350, which in my experience is pretty close to reality. Plus, out to 300-400 yards muzzle velocity has a greater effect on trajectory than BC.

Let's compare a 220 .30 Partition and a 250 .338 Partition, both started at 2600 fps. Sight them both in 2" high at 100 and they're both close to dead-on at 200. At 300 the .338 is an inch or two lower than the .30 caliber, and at 400 around 4-5" lower. This doesn't amount to any practical difference in the field.

Yeah, you've got another 30 grains of bullet weight in the .338, but penetration will be similar. In fact I'd bet the .30 220 would win a penetration contest. It wouldn't be by much, but then 30 grains (and 1/32nd of an inch in diameter) isn't much either.

If somebody already has a .30 caliber of whatever variety, I haven't found all that much difference in going up to .338. This is based on plenty of experience with the .30-06, several .300 magnums, the .338-06 and the .338 Winchester Magnum. I'm not even all the sure that going up to .35 or 9.3 makes all that much difference, 95% of the time.

The reasons most hunters see some difference in field performance between, say, a .30-06 and a .35 Whelen are (1) they tend to use 180's, at most, in a .30-06, and (2) they're easily convinced by one or two animals that there is a real difference. Otherwise why did they buy a "bigger" rifle?

But if they simply loaded 220's (or even 200's) in a .30-06 they would probably be amazed at what it can do. However, there's no real fun in simply buying another box of bullets instead of another rifle, especially when we can make believe that the new rifle is A Really Big Rifle.

Unless you're one of those hunters who simply has to have a rifle to fill every little gap in the picket fence (which sort of resembles me) it makes more sense to step up significantly in bullet diameter and weight. To me that means 9.3x62--or a .375 H&H.

Excellent post JB and much appreciated.

I agree with each of your points and since the OP stated he already has a 30-06 then your 200+ grain .30 caliber bullet recommendation is supremely valid and logical.

In my instance however, since I don't own any .30 caliber rifle, the diameter and weight difference between my beloved .277's and my .338 is sizable and useful.

That doesn't mean I'm not still hoping for a 9.3x62 in addition to my 338-06!

Toldjaso

Yep.

Some folks try to make more outta Steelys Quick Replys; oft times its all there already....

FWIW Swift makes a 280 A-Frame and Woodleigh makes 310 softs and solids for a properly twisted Whelen. If a bullet need be bigger than a 225 TSX in NA, I can't see going up in weight and one caliber to make anything deader; A 250 Partition doesn't seem to have any mystic over it, but its a grand bullet as well. Pick one and know its path.

It was designed as a "cheaper" big bore for heavy game and DG in NA, much like the 9.3 was for use in Africa.

I'm still in the Whelen camp, even though some Africa regular will prolly tell me a .423 kills better than a .416...

Time to build that 375 Whelen; it must have it all over the 30-06. 338-6, 35 and 9.3......but I'm skeptical.

No one has considered the 370Sako aka 9.3x66, 250gr bullets @2700+fps and 286's @ 2550 fps. I have been a long time 35whelen hunter/shooter and from field experience the 370sako is a bit more than the whelen, especially in the ranging dept, using 250gr Accubonds. its on an 06 case that is a bit longer '2.6' inches as opposed to 2.5". Its easy shooting and is accurate in a M85. Dies and brass are expensive though, dies 150+ and 200 brass cases 400+ dollars, i am set up for the rest of my days with this caliber, i use a 3006 for everything else, using a 200gr AB in that.

If I already had an 06, I would get the 9.3. If I didn't have an 06, I would go with the 338-06 if I wanted to use it in semi-open country or for smaller game. If the rifle was dedicated to larger game & close cover I would go with the 9.3.

Lou

I'd still like to know what a 9.3 with it's 286 or whatever will do that the 338/06 with the 275 won't do? Plus I feel it'll penetrate just as far or further...think..grin

Dober

370 Sako basically equals the 9.3x64 Brenneke.


If I was to ever get rid of my 338-06's, they would be replaced with a 30 caliber something. Say a 30-06, or maybe even one of those fancy new WSM's.

JB,

"But if they simply loaded 220's (or even 200's) in a .30-06 they would probably be amazed at what it can do."

Can you really see the difference between a 180 and 200/220gr bullets?

I can't imagine using 250gr bullets out of my 338-06's for anything. Just like I can't imagine 220gr 30 caliber bullets for anything. There are better choices for both cartridges and calibers.

I am currently trying to sell some Hornady 250gr RN and FMJ in the classifieds, because I will never need them. If I ever needed to use them, it would be on what? Polar/Brown bear? Cape Buffalo? If that day ever comes, I have better cartridge choices and bullet selection to choose from.

I'd imagine the 280 358 begs the same question.....if using an SD and frontal expansion basis.

Spotshooter, concerning the 338-06 and 9.3 x 62.

"Now if you've already got a 30-06, which one of the two..."


Soundls like you already have the donor materials to do a re-bore for a 35 Whelen. <Big Grin>

I always hear this from guys who don't hunt the 35's about,
"problem with the 35's is bullet availability...."

Seriously..?
Everything from 125gr Hornady XTP's to 310 Woodleighs is available.

"Pistol bullets are not acceptable..?"
Okay then, so let's just stick with everything from 150 Remmy's up through 310 woodleighs...

I think the "bullet inavailability" arguement went out for the 35's a long time ago...

As far as choosing "between" the 338-06 and the 366 Euro, I would do just that, "choose between" them, and go with the 35 Whelen.

Steelie and others have said it well, all you need is one good bullet.
I have used two good bullets with unbeatable success out of my 35 Whelen (a couple others out of my 358 WSM)


I have found that the 225gr TSX would be that "one good bullet" for everything in NA that one would want to eat, from 100lb whitetail, to 1200lb Moose.


But the beauty is, we are NOT limited to just one good bullet in the 35's.


Now the little 338 RCM is growing on me in it's Compact rifle.
And the 9.3 x 62 is...well.., it's ok.

If I were to choose "between" the 338-06 and the 9.3....
I'd go with the 35 Whelen, and never look back.