Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Ask The Gunwriters 30-06 with Heavies 190-220+ against the medium bores

I have been toying with the idea of buying a 9.3x62 for some of the bigger critters in North America and African plains game with the notion of having a substantially greater effect when the bullet collides with said animal in comparison to the 30-06 with 210 LRABs or 200/220 NPT.

Is there really a huge difference between the two when it comes to putting the bullet in the right place?

I am also curious as to which cartridge offers the cut off point where you will truly see a noticeable difference from a 30-06 with heavier bullets?

I've had considerable experience with both the .30-06 using 200-grain Nosler Partitions and the 9.3x62 using 286-grain Partitions. There's not a huge difference between them, but I would say the 9.3x62 kills quicker, especially on game larger than deer. Of course, there will be some overlap in performance, with the .30-06 putting some animals down quicker. But on average the edge would go to the 9.3x62.

My general observation is that once caliber is .35 or larger, it really starts to make a difference. Below that, not so much. But that impression isn't nearly as firm as the difference between the .30-06 and 9.3x62 with the two Partitions mentioned.

That's been my experience , sent 10's of moose to the freezer with a 35Whelen /250gr, a few with a 9.3/250gr a few more with a 375HH, a few more with a 30-06 168gr,180gr and 200gr bullets, and black bear and Mule Deer with them as well. Lately I've been using the 200gr NAB in the '06 @2700ish fps mv. I have to say I've been impressed.

Brad,

Yep! The .30-06 with the 200 Partition isn't a pop-gun.

Thanks fellas.

I keep reading that touching off a 9.3x62 is similar in recoil to a heavy loaded 06. I can only guess in rifles of similar dimensions and weight. I've also read that the availability of ammo is scarce with the 9.3 but I've seen it online without any real issues with normal inventories considered. Where I see the limitations is in the rifle platforms available. This will lead me to extra costs trying to modify whats out there to fit my needs or rather wants (Model 70ish features).

The 06 is easily dressed up in anything you could find, of course, but my thinking leads me to think its better to use the larger bore size if they're coming back at you in a similar fashion. Hence the conundrum!

In my experience the 9.3x62 comes back somewhat harder than a .30-06 of the same weight, but a lot depends on the load used. My heavy bullet load for the 9.3 gets around 2500 fps with the 286-grain Partition, at just about .30-06 pressures. The standard factory 286-grain load is listed at 2360, which still develops more recoil than the .30-06 with a 200 at 2650-2700.

That said, there is something to recoil velocity as well, and the 9.3x62 comes back less violently than any .300 magnum I've shot with 200-grain bullets at 2900 fps or so, even though recoil formulas show the .300 to come back with a similar amount of foot-pounds.

I just can't not like the 9.3x62; it's an appealing round and has a slim edge closer in if you're limited to using conventional bullets and willing to trade-off range, but not as much as larger bores where a big difference is important.

By comparison, heavy 30-06 loads are hard hitters as well... Placement trumps any difference that can be measured between the two, but I'd prefer an 06 loaded with 150-165 ttsx over any of the above loads for all around mayhem.

If going to Africa is on the platter, I wouldn't waste time with the 9.62, I'd really want to have a 375 HH for a lot of different reasons.

I think the next step "up" above a 30/06 or 300 mag is to a 375 caliber...I hear the 9.3 is pretty similar.

338 Win mag or 9.3x62mm...

I made 8 safari's to Zimbabwe during my hunting days. In those hunts I carried only 5 rifles, a 416 Rigby, a 375 H&H, a custom 7x57, a custom 30-06 and a Valmet 9.3x74r/12ga . I shot everything up to and including Elephant. I never used the 9.3x74r but did use the 12ga barrels. I have had absolutely no trouble taking up to Wildebeest with the 30-06 using 220gr partitions. I found it to be particularly effective for everything. Would not try it on Buffalo or Elephant but it worked well on Eland,Kudu,Wildebeest and such.I tried some Swift A-frames in it once but they just sailed right thru the Impala I was shooting for bait so I switched to 220gr Partitions and ended that problem. Never tried anything else since that one time. Except for Elephant I really never felt under armed with the 30-06 at any time when in Zimbabwe. It is effective without exception in my opinion.

I should probably also note that in 2011 I hunted Tanzania with several other people. My partner during most of the hunt used a .300 Winchester Magnum with 180-grain Nosler AccuBonds as his "light" rifle. I used a 9.3x62 with 286 Partitions. With a couple of exceptions, we shot the same basic array of plains game, including blue wildebeest and zebra, considered among the toughest plains game animals.

We were hunting in the Selous, not the more open country of northern Tanzania, and the longest shots were maybe 250 yards. There was no difficulty with the 180 AB's penetrating on any of my partner's animals, and we both shot pretty well. But after the trip he ordered a CZ 9.3x62 very soon after arriving home.
Maybe he wouldn't have if his rifle had been a .30-06 with 200's or 220's. I don't know.

JB, I think your old fave load of 200 NPTs in the '06 would just about be the shizzle. I had good luck with Hornady 190s out of a .300H&H and would not hesitate to use them, or any other good 190 in the '06

Yeah, the 200 Partition works really well. I've also used it some in the .300 Winchester and Weatherby, and it has never disappointed.

But then again neither has the 286 Partition in the 9.3x62. The very first animal I shot with it was a big British Columbia bull moose, Moose are notorious for taking a shot and just standing there, but he staggered a few steps and fell before I could even get the crosshairs on him again--and I'm pretty fast. He rolled down the hill, breaking a few medium-sized quaking aspens on his way.

My guide was a Cree named Donny Davis. He wasn't all that impressed with the moose falling so quickly, but as we butchered it he said, "That's a good cartridge! It kills good but doesn't shoot up meat!"

As it so happens, I just got done re-reading that story in " Born to Hunt" while I was on the John�.John!

Not to derail the thread but does the .35 Whelen also offer a noticable advantage over a heavy loaded .30-06? I hear conflicting reports.

That's probably because you'd have to kill a LOT of animals with each to come to any conclusion--and even then you might not.

Actually, about the only thing I know for sure anymore is putting the bullet in the right place is at least 90% of the deal.

My experience is the 35Whelen with 250gr bullets @~2600 fps does 'stagger' big animals better. But , the '06 with the 200gr NAB is right there for performance , the advantage of the '06 with a 200gr NAB is its ranging ability( technically a 500 yard set up) and many more choices of rifle off the shelf.

What about moving up even more in the '06? Specifically, I'm referring to the 220-gr. Partition (semi-spitzer) and the 240-gr. Protected Point that Woodleigh offers. For some reason, both bullets really appeal to me and Woodleigh designed their heavy with '06 performance in mind.

I used to really like my 35 Brown Whelen when I was in PA. Seemed like there was not so many bullets and no commercial ammo back then, so I got it real cheap.

I often used cast bullets and it has to be one of the most cast bullet friendly rounds there is...less recoil than a 338 Mag but a hard thumper to 400 yards no problem.

It got traded in on a 300 Weatherby so I could do justice to the 200 Nosler screw machine bullet.

The Weatherby had much better paper ballistics.

pinotguy,

Both the 220 Partition and 240 Woodleigh are very good bullets. The 220 Partition will normally out-penetrate the 240 Woodleigh, because it doesn't open as widely. (Contrary to popular belief, retained weight isn't the major factor in penetration of expanding bullets. Instead it's frontal area of the "mushroom.")
But if you want to make a big, pretty deep hole in something, the Woodleigh will do it.