Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunting Rifles Velocity tests for factory ammuniution in 9.3x62mm

I have accuracy and other data, but wanted to quickly share detailed results of the Norma 325g load since I've seen some questions about it, and to also share my other velocity data as it was all shot on the same day in the same rifle.

NOTES:
- Shooting took place at 6200 ft elevation, Air temp about 45f.
- Chronograph was about 10' from the muzzle. All velocities are at chronograph and are not adjusted for muzzle velocity.

I shot several kinds of factory ammo today in my CZ 550 American in 9.3x62 caliber with 23.6 in barrel -- CZ-USA tells me that the twist is 1:14. Pillar bedded in B&C factory stock by CZ; front and read action screws torqued to 55 in lbs. Optics: Nightforce 2.5-10x32 scope in Warne/CZ QD rings; QD levers tightened as tight as possible by hand; ring screws torqued to 15 in lbs.

One of the loads I tested for velocity and accuracy was the Norma 325g Oryx No 19316.

5 shot group as follows (in order fired) - velocity in FPS:
2031 (Low)
2048 (High)
2043
2044
2014
SD: 5.0
ES: 17.0
Average: 2041

I was a bit surprised at the actual velocity of 2041 fps (23.6" bbl) vs. Norma's claim of 2300 fps (24" bbl) especially given that I was firing at 6500 feet of elevation. As with some other ammunition manufactures, Norma's other claimed velocities were higher than my results as well (see below).

Why manufacturers continue to make these claims when so many shooters own chronographs is interesting.

However, this was one of the most accurate loads in this rifle (YMMV).

Group characteristics: Shots 1, 2, and 3 in 50% overlapping cloverleaf; shots 4, 5 about 1 inch to the right of shots 1-3, one above the other, about 7/16" of vertical separation. Group size for first 3 shots about 1/4 inch; entire 5 shot group size about 1-1/8" wide by 7/16" high.

This rifle tends to group three shots well, then disperse additional shots, but not with all ammo.

By comparison, note the following average velocities in fps for 5-shot groups:
Federal 286g Barnes TSX P9362C: 2201 fps
Lapua 285 Mega E433: 2198
Lapua Naturalis 220g N522: 2551
Midway/Nosler: 286 Partition: 2168
Norma 232g Vulkan 19317: 2487
Norma 250g Swift: 2200
Norma 285g Plastic tip 19314: 2185
Norma 285g Oryx 19313: 2226
Norma 285g Alaska 19315: 2203
Prvi 285g @ 2206 fps

Overall, this rifle shot its best groups with the 285/286g and heavier bullets, but not universally so. For example, the Federal 286g TSX bullet did not shoot particularly well.

375HH,

Very interesting. What comes to mind is either the manufactured ammo is "all" shooting low velocities or you have a slow barrel.

Alan

Could be - I'd love to see a similar list of results from other people using these same factory loads in rifles with 23-24 inch barrels.

I second your wish for more people to Chronograph factory ammo for the 9.3x63. I think this is a great cartridge. I have a CZ550 FS in the same caliber and like it a lot, I don�t have a Chronograph so can�t measure the velocity of the rounds. Your results seem typical since in a similar test in the realguns.com web site, they got 2163 ft/sec on the 285 gr. bullet for a 20.5� barrel on a CZ550 FS. This is only 43 less velocity on the shorter barrel, a loss of less than 14 ft/sec per inch. I think that long barrels will do very little on the velocity issue due to the fact that it�s a relatively small case for the diameter of the bullet.

That could be as well. I would also note this for your comparison: I also have a 375-06 or 375 Whelen -- it is of course very similar to the 9.3x62 in almost every respect. It is built on a high serial numbered 1903-A3 action, with a 23 in Shilen match barrel and is bedded in a Brown Precision synthetic stock.

My pet hunting load for the 375 Whelen is 58g of H4895 with a Win LR match primer and a 235g Barnes TSX. I get 2630 fps and 3-shot groups of 3/8 inch and 5-shot groups not much bigger. I did not develop a load for heavier bullets.

I got the 9.3 because I like the hunting performance of the 375 Whelen but the process of making the load is laborious, and I need proper head stamps on the brass to hunt internationally.

Gunsmith Lex Webernick (Rifles, Inc.) did the metal work when I build this gun about 23 years ago (now he limits his practice to Win 70's and I think Remington 700's); I have a few of his rifles and they are all excellent -- Lex is a superb gunsmith.

I understand the issues with comparing the velocity of factory ammo with reloaded ammo; my point is just that I know that with that .30-06-ish sized case I can move a 235g bullet at 2600 fps (at sea level) plus with no pressure signs at all, at least in that gun, so I hope that my 9.3 will perform at that level with reloads as well. I have not tried reloading for my 9.3 yet -- the action needs feed and extract "improvements" first.

I will say this about the 325g Oryx ammo: Sierra ballistics calculates that the muzzle energy for the 325g Oryx is 3005, and the ME for the 286g Oryx is 3146, but my notes on firing the 325g are "recoil noticeably more substantial than any other round fired today -- closer to 375 H&H."

I did not do the recoil calculations and I have not weighed the gun, I can just tell you from my experience firing hundreds of 375 H&H rounds last year that for me, it's pretty close to that level, so I would expect the effect of the 325 vs the 286g bullet to be enhanced on the receiving end as well!

Again, this load gave the best accuracy in my rifle, so I wondered, with the rainbow trajectory, what game would I use the 325g bullet on? If I thought an animal required that bullet, I'd probably have my 375 H&H not my 9.3.

I'm also hoping that I can find a premium 235g hunting bullet that will achieve about 2600 fps and deliver 5-shot accuracy at or below 1 inch as that will fit my needs. For now, the gun does not shoot these lighter bullets well despite the 1:14 inch twist.

Maybe the throat length? So much work remains.

375HH,

Not a 235 gr but try the 250 Accubond with Varget. Very good velocities and accuracy to boot too.

Just a couple to show you.

Top accuracy



Inbetween



Top velocity


Oh, and from a 24" Pacnor barrel.

Alan

I'd love to have those groups with the Accubond!!! I'll give that a try when I reload for this. For my purposes, any good bullet in the 232-250g range would be great. In the limited experience I've had with the Accubond on Elk and below I'm really happy with the results, and the bullet's BC, too. I have had good experience with the Accubond in the lighter weights in my 375 H&H on Elk, but I would not take a Texas heart shot on Elk with that bullet myself, but would with the 300g TSX based on field experience with other large, tough animals.

I'm shipping the rifle to Wayne at AHR today to get his thoughts on the questions others have raised here.