Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Express Rifles and Big Bores Only Finally, a 9.3 rifle in hand

DF,
That is a beautiful rifle!
Wayne did my 9.3 Carbine earlier this year and I couldn't be happier with the work.

Safariman, Clear our some of you PMs and tell me about the stock Karnis did for you. My CZ 9.3 need a little upgrade. Its already been to AHR for sights, banner smoothing, trigger and bolt handle. Next is the stock...

Solgardener,
Take a look at the Cutting Edge bullets. They might suit you- link

I happily run Nosler bullets for all NA game with MD's loads with zero problems.

That said, I have also taken a liking to the PRVI bullets too. Nice and soft... super cheap. Yeah they weigh in at 285 grains but for skinny animals I have yet to get better results.

I would like to see reports on Cutting Edge performance.

DF

I have never used them myself. I know they are around and he mentioned lathed brass bullets...

Honestly, I can't even work up the gumption to use mono metals on game until forced. Much like I am weary of expandable broadheads. I like to eliminate variables that I can control and use what I have confidence in.

The notion of turned bullets would be for target shooting mainly, at least until I saw some effect in ballistic gel. The thing about the CEB projectiles is the BC is low compared to the Nosler 250 AB.

The stock looks great. I didn't really WANT the 550 American, but itll do. I'd rather have had the FS for the style, but I'll likely end up putting irons on the American.

The American stock is designed around our likes. The Euro stocks have a lot of drop. My CZ 550 FS is a 7x57 and I like it a bunch. It does have a lot of drop, but that doesn't bother me as much as it seems to bother others. This one has the butter knife handle which I really like. Opened, the handle is positioned much like a 60* bolt throw, not too close to the scope like so many 90* guns. I like the gray metal finish and the Turkish Walnut furniture. I installed a Timney to replace the CZ single set trigger which broke. No down side to this Timney, it's just great.

DF

I haven't used the 210-grain Cutting Edge Raptor on any game yet, but have used other Raptors and their terminal performance is impressive. But my range testing also indicated the BC's are lower than CE lists, and they're not all that high in the first place.

The 210 gets around 2850 fps with 66 grains of Reloder 15 in my CZ 550. Accuracy is plenty good enough for big game at "normal" ranges but not outstanding in this rifle.

The 232-grain Norma Oryx (essentially the bonded version of the 232 Vulkan) gets a little over 2700 with 64.0 RL-15, and groups under an inch, but again the BC is so low it doesn't shoot as flat as the 250 AccuBond at 2650 fps.

For a low-cost deer bullet I would go with the 270-grain Speer, since it will usually group in the same place as 286's.

Congrats on the CZ. Have owned a number of them (including 3 full stocks)and have found all to be good shooters. I also am fond of the set triggers.


Don't know how big or tuff the squills are where all ya'll are from, but a 286 gr. Nosler Partiton out of a 9.3 x 74R will sure do for all but the biggest 'hoppers we have here in the Texas Hill Country.............




Best,

GWB

I cleared out enough PM's to be able to recieve a new one or two, thanks for the heads up.

Here is the stock Karnis did for me using the FACTORY CZ stock! Who knew that varnished piece of wood had this much beauty hidden inside of it?









I especially appreciate the wonderful, open, slender grip he cut out of that hunk 'o wood that CZ sent the rifle out with. Also the flush fitting or fully recessed 'super grade' esque sling swivel mounts. The one up front for sure, as this rifle would, when I first shot it, cut a brand new groove into your hand with its originally placed sling swivel stud out there in the open on the forend. My first solution was mounting the sling swivel out from the forend tip.

My metalwork was done by Ed LaPour (model 70 safety, single stage more robust trigger, slicking everything up, Wiessner bottom metal allowing for a capacity of FIVE 416 Rigby rounds down in the magazine etc. Jim Rector of La Grande OR did the bolt handle turn up.

I take this hunting for North American game now as my chances of going back to Africa and AK are not so good these days. But, with a 350gr TTSX at 2750 (my 100gr of powder load above) it is pretty flat shooting etc. With the proper stock now, the FELT recoil is much less. Probably has something to do with being abel to grip and hold onto the rifle better!

Nice.

Always love seeing Karnis' work.

DF

Damn, who uses a 9.3x62mm for target shooting anyway?

I know they drop critters just fine:

THANK YOU! I am SO proud of this rifle, it is truly the crown jewel of my safe. Karnis doing this for me when I first got sick, on the cheap like I could not turn down as a get well gift, gave me inspiration to do all I can to get BACK to Africa and keep my dreams alive through all of this health crap. I have been tempted to sell it, but doing so would mean I am giving up on a (seemingly far fetched right now) dream.

Yeah, Karnis does way awsome work to be sure.

BSA1917hunter,

GREAT photo! I want to get back into Elk hunting, too. Keeping my 340 around for such a day.

Cow Elk taste, mmmmmm....mmmmm.... GOOD!

Yup via the original 250 gr X in 2002.

Ed,

VERY nice Eland!

I used more than a few original X bullets in Africa as well, back in the day. These including my lone, true 40 inch cape buffalo. 416 400gr original X right through the front of the chest and into/through the heart. He was dead, but it took a while for him to figure that out.

It worked on kudu or two as well. One shot and two down.

Awesome Ed. I'll keep practicing on elk around here until I have enough money scraped up to go on that dream hunt in Africa. Looks like the 9.3x62mm works on just about everything

9.3x62 just might truly be THE best all arounder cartridge. Sort of like the Kawasaki KLR 650's (been hangin out in GunGeek's motorcycles we love thread a bit too much ). Not specatular, or headlines grabbing, but capable of doing really everything, world wide, and pretty darned well!

A person also has to factor in history, romance, just plain cool factor, the fact that it is easy to put into a standard length action without a bunch of additional cost. The final fact is that it Performs and always has like an '06 or 7x57......it really gets the job done well.

Factor in when you bump into someone out hunting and they ask what you're carrying, and you say 9.3x62 and they either get a confused look on their face ( always rewarding ) or they say " man I love that cartridge or I really want one of those ".

9.3x62......all sides are up, there are no downsides.