Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Ask The Gunwriters 9.3...Thanks John

Hi John,

I hit the range today with new reloads and the Ruger African in 9.3x62. Loaded it with varget and 57 grains seems to be the sweetspot. Not sure what velocity but it hits the paper pretty well :-)

I used the Hornady 286 grain and Barnes 286. Both shot well. (If I wasn't technologically challenged I would post a pic of one of the groups)

Happy Easter

Matt

Good news there, still thinking about the 9.3 myself.

Matt,

Probably looks like this? Right?

Alan

GSSP,

I would love to say that it did, but it is a little bigger

Truth be told, any of the loads I played with would have worked fine on game, just that some of them will work nicer ;-)

Matt

In general, I've found the 9.3x62 to be one of those inherently accurate cartridges. I've shot a bunch of them, both factory and custom, and most seem to group well under an inch for 3 shots at 100 yards, and with a wide variety of loads.

Part of this is no doubt due to the fact that it's easier to make accurate larger-caliber bullets, since small variations in jacket thickness or diameter have less effect on concentricity.

John,

Have you ever heard of anyone having issues with RCBS dies in this chambering?


Travis

Am also anxious to hear John's answer. Seems I read someone saying something less than positive about 9.3x62 RCBS dies. The advice was to use Redding.

RCBS is much better priced and I'd rather go that way if I could.

DF

I'm curious about this as well - I've been using RCBS 9.3x62 dies for a number of years and have had no issues with mine.

Well, I hate long stories but here it goes...

Had my rifle re-bored/rechambered. Got said rifle. Used Prvi brass straight out of the bag like my lazy ass always does. Took rifle to range, shot like a whore house afire.

Returned the next week and had 10 "clicks". Rounds no make big boom.

Thought it might be the Prvi schit brass so I partial sized and all was well once again.

Then, I decided to partial size all that brass and trim using my hand dandy RCBS trim die. Then I had misfires again. 10 for 10 actually.

So I sent five cases to RCBS. They called back and stated the chamber was within specs for WTF Europe calls their version of SAAMI.

Then, they laid the bombshell on me that their dies were cut with the improper shoulder angle and that could be a source of my issues. They said they believe they have been using that dimension of 9.3X62 dies for approximately six years. He even stated "I don't know why we use that reamer".

So I primed 50 of the Prvi brass, and ran through the rifle and all fitty went "quiet boom" in the garage. So if anybody is wondering where this magical story of RCBS having dies of the wrong dimension came from, send them my way.

Jesus, that was exhausting.


Travis

It was APPRECIATED though. So take a break.

That said,I'm GLAD I bought Lyman dies for mine then.

Travis,

Well, that's very interesting!

I had never heard of the RCBS 9.3x62 problem before. My dies (which I've had over a decade) are Redding, and have worked just fine with a couple of European rifles.

The older I get ........the less impressed I am of RCBS dies.

For some reason I have only ever used redding dies in my my reloading press. Never had a problem...hope this doesn't jinx me.

I do know the redding dies for the 9.3 were horrendously expensive though...try $255 in Australia!!!

Wow! What's the price on "standard" Redding dies, such as .30-06?

$40.99 over at Graf's.

Alan

Is that Graf's, Australia?

I paid Au$200 for Redding Deluxe (3 die) in 35Whelen two years ago. Normal 2-die Redding dies retail for around the Au$80-90 mark. But they are very good dies. My last four sets of dies have all been Redding (7x57, 25-06, 35Whelen and 303B). I pay a bit more for them but I figure I'll have them for the rest of my life so what the heck?

No. Just our good 'ol Graf & Sons in Mexico, Missouri.

http://www.grafs.com/retail/catalog/product/productId/15554

Alan

My 12 year old RCBS dies have never been a problem. Odd that they changed how they cut them?

Good gravy...


Travis