It's the off-season and time for "projects". I have a Model 70 (actually it is a Sears Model 53.....but it's REALLY a Model 70) chambered in .30-06. Since I already have 6 .30-06 rifles in the gunroom......this rifle is begging to be re-barreled to something new.

I have lots of rifles in the smaller calibers and don't want to go through the hassle of opening the bolt face.......so my thinking is toward a medium bore rifle. The leading candidates are the 9.3x62mm and the .35 Whelen.

What are the thoughts on these (or p0ossibly something else)???

I can think of no more emblematic names than Winchester and Sears when it comes to American industry and trade. To me, the Whelen cartridge just fits right in with those associations. The 9.3x62 is a fine cartridge that I plan on getting later this year in the Ruger African, and I see no significant advantage in the field for either round over the other. It just seems that the .35 would "seem" more right in that rifle if it were mine.

Flip a coin.

Go American with the Whelen. Not that there is any thing wrong with that Jimmy Carter metric thing.

Yep. Though I'm a wee partial to the Whelen.

I agree on the American theme...nice SeeDepp.

If one of your other 30-06's is on a Mauser action turn it into the 9.3!

Yeah, on an American action I'd do the American round.

9.3x62!!!

After near 2 decades with the 35whelen I would go with the 9.3 just because those 250gr AccuBond's are that good on game and have a BC of .494

I just went through the same decision process and landed on the Whelen. Thought through the Africa DG thing for the 9.3, but if I was making that trip and had DG on the menu, I'd probably do up a nice rifle for that trip in 375 or bigger.
I like the aura of the Whelen, also using my pistol bullets in there if I want, but when in compliment to my 308's and below - I couldn't think of anything better that the Whelen project I got going now.

Put 'em in a hat and shake 'em up. Add in the 338-06 if you please. Draw one out and go kill stuff.

I've been beating this around for a couple years myself. Since Ruger's release of the African in 9.3 that's what I'll be doing. I made that decision because my 375 H&H is an 11 lb. pig. It's a M70 Super Express with better sights n such added, but she's going for a rebore/chamber to 458 Lott. I already own a 416 Rigby on a Ruger RSM, so the 9.3 would make a workable backup/light rifle for either of those 2 on a DG hunt, and also make a fine medium for any North American game.

If not planning anything DG in African, probably would go with the Whelen myself. Plenty of bullets, and cheap ones, available. And ammo is probably much more available nationwide.

David

I'm beginning the final stages of my Whelen project on a VZ24 at this moment. My smith "lost" the project (he was fitting the barrel for me) for almost three years! Now, thankfully, the "lost" has been found and I'm ready to finish things up. A semi-inletted Boyd's laminated stock is to arrive here by brown truck on Tuesday and I just stumbled on a lovely Leupold M8/4X post reticle scope on the cheap at a gun show today! Things are looking up!

PC

+1

-Bob F.

I admit I was really leaning toward the 9.3x62mm.....just to be different. However, most here seem to be advising the .35 Whelen.....which I admit is so close to the 9.3 in performance as to be equal.

Africa is probably NOT in the mix....unless I win the Lotto (which I'm still hoping for) and it seems a re-boar (or rebarrel) is easier in the .35.

I actually have no "NEED" for anything new as I have almost everything smaller (.25-06 to .30-06) covered and a .338 Magnum above......but what does that have to do with anything anyway.

Never really thought about the American action-American round thing before.....but it kind of makes sense. I will admit that I've never been a big fan of the Model 70 (seems to me the '98 Mauser is what Winchester was trying to copy....poorly....and the Ruger 77 is a better effort).

But I do have this action waiting to be made into something useful. It is a push-feed post '64 version (which I've never thought was a "bad" idea....except that it wasn't a pre-64. Couldn't Winchester have called it something else.....cause it wasn't a Model 70.

I've already restocked it in with a modern snobble-tip Featherweight stock.....which is maybe the "best" stock design introduced in the last 50 years.....I really LIKE that design. All I need is a caliber that I can like as well.....and a medium bore seems "right".

Although I'm sure the whelen is a great round, I built a 9.3x62 on a model 70 action and couldn't be happier thus far, but I've yet to kill anything with it.

What he said. Or maybe a .338/06.

If you don't reload 35 Whelen is easier to get

I was going to say 9.3x62 until I read about the gun.

A Sears Model 70 - go .35 Whelen without a doubt.

I had the same dilema a few years ago with a stainless Ruger MKII in .30-06. After comparing numbers between the .338-06, .35 Whelen and the 9.3x62, I went with the Whelen. Not enough difference in performance and Whelen brass are easily available from Remington. A 225gr TSX at 2700 fps is all you'll ever need. That's what I use on moose.

Even if you do reload , Whelen brass is readily available and easy to make from 30-06 cases !

35 Whelen

+1

Definitely go with the Whelen in the 70 and turn one of those other boring ought-sixes into the 9.3 then you can have both. You know, for the situations where one is better than the other. Even though I've already got a Whelen I am getting ready to do some horse trading for that new African in 9.3 so I'll be ready for anything.

Deciding which one to own and which not to own is above my pay grade.

So, I opted to own at least one of each. I started with the Rem. 700 CDL in the 35 whelen, but it had a 1 in 16 twist. I wanted a faster twist to shoot heavier bullets. I found this at a local gunshow. It was smithed by a local guy of some renown in the Houston, Tx. area during the 70's and 80' by the name of Wayne Barnett. It's a mannlicher stocked mauser 98, double set trigger, chambered in 35 Whelen, and it shoots better than it looks.



And it works just fine on Texas deer



and hogs



Now as to the 9.3 x 62. its pretty neat also.

Started with a CZ 550 American,

It killed stuff DRT also.



But Sakos have always been by downfall. I purchased this one from Handwerk, who posts here on occasion. This was originally a 30-06. It was re-bored as a 9.3 x 62.
It shoots as good as it looks.


Sako 75 hunter, 9.3 x 62




I don't think a fellow could go wrong with either one.

Best
GWB

I am just throwing this topic out there if one of the more experienced members would like to comment. I love both 9.3X62 and 35 Whelen and have both. In the last 25yrs I have found appropriate bullets in the .358 to be kinda on again off again. Is this likely to be an issue in the future, especially with lead free restrictions looming? I figure the international use of the 9.3 will prtect it....what say?

That is a NICE mouser.

I shot both and went 9.3

What a gorgeous find! I really need another Mannlicher stocked rifle.

Now yer talkin'! And I'll throw another vote for the Whelen on the Sears action. American indeed.

Whelen!

I just dropped my 700CDL Whelen in a McMillan Mountain McSwirly for the helluvit. I might shoot it some this weekend.

My vote is for the Whelen.

Metric all the way IMO.
9.3x62 easily over the Whelen.

Model 70 + 35 Whelen = American

Go with the Colonel's round.

ABSOLUTELY! That's what I used on my cow elk hunt in New Mexico last December. Very very impressive. in all my years hunting deer and elk, never haave I had a load smash an animal down so decisively. Bang flop does not even come close. That elk hit the deck so hard she bounced. Bullet literally traveled from A-hole to appetite. Bullet hit just behibd the short ribs on the left side and came out between the neck and right shoulder. Internal damage was massive. Gotta love that .35 Whelen.
Paul B.

"9.3x62 or .35 Whelen????"

Yes!

The .35 Whelan? A .35 Rem Improved. The 9.3X62 dropped elk sized game in R.S.A. for me and professional hunters were impressed.

Heavier bullets, same speed. Do the math.

O

Have you ever even seen a .35 Whelen cartridge? A 9.3x62 dropping elk size game, impressive. A .35 Whelen could never do that!

Which of the 2 has a better variety of suitable bullets?

Is the difference enough to choose between the two all else being equal?..................................DJ

If you do opt for the Whelen, think twist rate. 9.3 barrels are always 1 in 14" or faster and so good for 286gr or heavier bullets. The Remington std twist for the Whelen is only 1 in 16". It can handle up to maybe 250gr but only if flat base and not too pointy and therfore not too long. So if you go with the Whelen I would get a 1 in 14" twist barrel, not 1 in 16".

yessir, I have, even a 35W AI That's why I bought the 9.3.