Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Africa Swift A-Frame Bullets

What happened to the .366 286gr. A-Frame bullets? Discontinued already??

I don't see them listed on Swift's web site, but did notice Cabela's and Grafs has remaining inventory.

I was also under the impression Federal was going to offer 9.3x62mm loaded ammunition. 286gr. A-Frame as well as TSX and the Barnes Solids.?? Doesn't seem to be available....

Swift has focused on the 300gr A-Frame for the 9.3. I just wish that they would come out with a matching solid bullet to go with it.

Woodleigh was considering coming out with a 300gr. solid (new Hydrostatic bullet) in 9.3, but they chose the 286 gr. bullet as it is both most popular and/or matches the S.D. of the 300gr. .375 bullets. Woodleigh does offer their heavier 320gr. bullets too.

If you're looking for a substitute to the 286gr. A-Frame in 9.3, the following three choices are what I would try first:

1. 286gr. Northfork
2. 286gr. TSX
3. 270gr. Lapua Naturalis (at least the same penetration as 285gr. Lapua Mega); consistent

A classic European and American choice are as follows:
1. 285gr. Lapua Mega
2. 286gr. Nosler Partition

Other top choice in 286gr. come from RWS in loaded ammo. They have the UNI, DK and many others: RWS Ammunition

There are dozens more bullets for the 9.3 from 180gr Impala bullets to 320gr. Woodleighs. Run a Google search. I'm particularly fond of the 9.3x64 cartridge and I am considering building a custom rifle chambered for one.
Cheers!

I believe they are on the way, Swift might not have updated their website yet.

Federal is also using the 286-gr. in the 370 Sako (9.3x66) and the 9.3x74R.

I bought my Swift 286gr. from Cabela's.. Didn't see them anywhere else in stock..

MM

Those 270gr Lapua Naturalis's would work real well in a 9.3X64!

I'd prefer them over the Swift

Tell me a bit more about the Naturalis. I'm not familiar with them. From what I gather, they're similar to the Barnes TSX?

Yes - the Naturalis is quite similar to the Barnes Tipped TSX. It has a polymer plug to aid in expansion. They are fairly long, like the Barnes, and at least in the 9.3 caliber, are somewhat lighter in weight - 220-gr. and 270-gr. They are very expensive as component bullets. IIRC, the 270's run over $100/per 50 from Midway (special order only) and Grafs. Lapua loads these in some cartridges, including 9.3x62. Remington has also started using these in some of their premium ammunition. These are very high quality but because of cost, I'd look at North Fork, Swift, and even Woodleigh. North Fork especially aren't cheap but are more readily available. If you are set on having a mono-metallic, Barnes is a good choice and GS Custom would be another option.

The 300 gr. Swift is a fantastic bullet in the 9.3x62, at least in my 26 inch tube and a gun with a long throat, it will equal the .375 H&H IMO...I have used it and I like it and I'm actually not much of a Swift fan except on very large animals, as they seem to ball up into a nice pretty but smooth mushroom and thats not my cup of tea as I like the ragged edges of the Nosler and Woodleighs. but on big stuff the Swifts have worked well enough.....I have never used the 286 gr. swift, but have used the 286 Nosler and Woodleighs a lot on plainsgame up to Eland with perfect resulets everytime.

The 300 gr. Swift is a fantastic bullet in the 9.3x62, at least in my 26 inch tube and a gun with a long throat, it will equal the .375 H&H IMO...I have used it and I like it and I'm actually not much of a Swift fan except on very large animals, as they seem to ball up into a nice pretty but smooth mushroom and thats not my cup of tea as I like the ragged edges of the Nosler and Woodleighs. but on big stuff the Swifts have worked well enough.....I have never used the 286 gr. swift, but have used the 286 Nosler and Woodleighs a lot on plainsgame up to Eland with perfect resulets everytime.

Well FO, they are and they aren't. They tend to be a semi round nose or round nose in shape. A monometal with a green tip, but the hollow point behind is shaped differently with a "step" or as Lapua refer to it as, a "valve" in it. They mushroom more like a bonded bullet, no petals, much bigger frontal area......and without doubt are one of the most accurate bullets in most of the guns I've tried them in. They tend to be a bit cheaper out here in Oz, than the prices Pinotguy quoted, but that seems to be common with European gun/ammunition prices.

Here is a 231gr 338 recovered from a frontally shot blue wildbeeest at 283 yards with my 338RUM (it never got up). Note the mushroom shape, frontal area and the long shank on the projectile.

Man, that's like driving a stake through them.

Can't see why anyone would need an AFrame when the great Nosler Partition is available at 286 grain.

They really work! Best bullet, I've found. And super accurate to boot......though they are ugly; the marketing department at Lapua, sure didn't design them.

Because the AFs stay together, retain more weight yet expand significantly. Probably not a big deal on deer but an advantage on Cape buffalo, eland, big bears. YMMV

Here is what the Lapua 9.3 Naturalis looks like up close:


Description:


My friend in Portugal uses them in 270gr. in his 25" barrel 9.3x64 Mauser and gets about 2820 fps and always gets complete penetration no matter the angle on Red Deer and Wild Boar.

Serious doubts here as to whether the AFrame in question will penetrate anywhere near what the 286 Partition will. Plus it maintains most of its weight in that particular bullet.

You might want to contact JB about that bullet.

Not according to my research.


I spoke with several PH's with years of experience hunting and guiding for DG, and to a man their preference and recommendation was the A-Frame over the Partition.

The 9.3 is arguably on the low end/edge of suitable DG calibers... my thought (and enforced by the advice and opinion from experienced DG PH's) is why push the envelope even further when better bullets are advised (again I must stress, by men that earn their bread and butter hunting and guiding for DG) and readily available?

Source, data? I doubt it.

NOW that is a BEAUTIFUL bullet....................

Heard from both Swift and Federal this afternoon.

Swift stated that since they were new for 2010, they were in the process of changing/modifying their packaging. Supposedly they have everything sorted and in place, and will have them listed on their websight soon. The 286gr. A-Frame is available and in stock.

Federal stated high demand over the past two years on their ammunition and components. They are operating at full capacity 24/7 but are still behind. The new loaded ammunition they announced for the 9.3x62mm is back logged, with no projected availability date.

Doesn't make sense to announce something if they're not going to actually make it available in the foreseeable future....