In 2006, I purchased a 9.3x62 after studying the cartridge in my various reloading manuals for many years prior. My first 9.3 rifle was a full-length stocked CZ carbine. I began accruing ammunition locally, which wasn’t cheap. I gathered mostly Lapua and Nosler Custom ammo. I used this rifle with 286 grain partitions exclusively for caribou and moose hunting from my various canoes. On one particular moose hunt, I had this rifle in hand when my hunting partner and I were within 25 yards of a massive grizzly that stood well over 8 ft tall, observing us with lack of patience. He looked like an upright sheet of plywood with a head on top. I have never seen a larger grizzly since, and that was over 8 years ago. Neither did I feel under-gunned.

One boring winter range session in 2011, I decided to fire the three factory loadings over a chronograph. The results were depressing to say the least. The 285 grain Lapua Megas barely registered 2125 fps, the 286 grain nosler partitions, 2200 fps, and the 250 grain accubond 2300 fps. Though sufficient, I knew that modest ammo would represent my last $86 dollar box of factory ammunition. Handloading was the only way.
In 2012, I began researching the optimum powder for the case. Being larger in bore than a 338-06, I felt that the slower powders like reloader 17 or reloader 19 weren’t ideal especially from a carbine. Reloader 15 is a tried and true, versatile powder, but chose to use a slightly slower burning powder due to my bullet choice: the 300 grain Swift A-frame. After a great visit with Ted Wagner in 2011, his assertion on the 9.3, "it is like a 375 H&H, but with 5 in the magazine". So, fitting to Ted’s great 9.3 slogan, the 300 grainer didn’t disappoint.

The powder I chose, was the new (at the time) 2000-MR made by Alliant. I chose this powder, because of my great luck used in a heavy 200 grain Nosler partition load in 308 Winchester. It was very dense, metered well, and seemed ideal for my heavy 9.3 load. Starting at 53 grains, and eventually working my way up to 64 grains, which filled the case, the results were impressive. At 64 grains, it registered 2460 fps over the chronograph. Firing these long, stoutly constructed, soft copper jacketed A-frames exhibited no signs of dangerous pressure on the Lapua brass at this velocity. Due to the long throats, typical of two 9.3 rifles I’ve owned, I’m certain that extended length hand-loads are possible, with a few grains more of this great powder. Regardless of what some narcissistic handloaders might believe, the 9.3’s performance afield isn’t affected too much by chasing the last foot per second of velocity, or the slightest deviation in velocity. All my incrementally-charged rounds typically hit the same point of impact, from 53 grains, all the way to 64 grains. At 2460 fps, the deviations in velocity from round to round, was too minuscule to mention, as previously stated, doesn’t matter a damn thing in my book, when dealing the ole nine-three.

The recoil from these loads is tolerable, but stout. I wouldn’t want my current 9.3 rifle any lighter than its 7 lbs. 4 oz unloaded.
For many hunts, it’s very hard for me to part with a 358 Winchester, which is one of my favorites and my first Alaskan big game rifle(used since 2004). Between the two rifles, I generally reach for the 358 when hiking mountains is involved or deer hunting back in northern Maine, weighing in at 6 lbs 4 oz unloaded. I reach for the 9.3 for everything else.
I have two exclusive loads, both very effective. My standard/affordable load that I use for practice as well as caribou and moose hunting consist of PRVI brass, PRVI 285 grain bullets, CCI standard benchrest primers and either 60 grains of Alliant 2000-MR, or 58 grains of reloader 15. I like the reloader 15 better in my standard load, as it’s always available, even during the powder shortage. Regardless of all the hoopla of chasing every last foot per second with the latest/greatest/rarest powder, good ole reloader 15 will never disappoint. Just like another old stand-by: Alliant Unique for our handguns. Both the Serbian brass and bullets, are cheaper in price than any comparable domestic brass, Hornady interlocks, or speer hot-cor bullets. With a much thicker jacket than any of our domestic cup/core bullets, and two deeply swaged cannalures locking the jacket to the core, they hold together immensely well, and certainly not near as frangible as some of the domestic bullets I’ve witnessed fired into Alaskan game. They simply hold together and expand well even on smaller caribou. Two seasons ago I caught a two caribou using this bullet. One at 25 yards, the other at about 350 yards. Clean holes in both and never a recovered bullet.

My last bull moose and three caribou were shot using my full-power 300 grain swift A-frame load. Due to harassment by a couple of hunters, crowding in on my camp site, I was forced to take a roughly 500-yard shot on a 40” racked moose that I called into my camp. With the crowders wallowing around 50 yds behind my campsite, the bull was real spooky. With no time to close the distance of this departing bull, I let out one more cow grunt, stopping the bull at a distance upriver and very uncomfortable for me. Holding the crosshairs flush with his back, I sent one his way, observing a spray of water directly under him. I then held the thick part of the crosshair flush on his back and let one loose. The fat bull began to struggle to catch a stride and crashed into the water along shore. After processing the animal, I found that the 300 grain swift A-frame expanded remarkably well to 62 caliber, with an impact velocity all of 1500-1600 fps. The bullet hit low behind the shoulder upon entry, and was found against the hide on the offside, in the forearm of the bull!:

http://forums.outdoorsdirectory.com...via-Clipper-Canoe-and-8hp-Evinrude/page2

Low on 358 ammo, I decided to use the ole nine-three again to catch winter caribou by dog team a couple months ago. After letting a small herd pass by me along the trail, I closed the distance from the rear, the dogs eager to follow. I chose the three fattest cows, unaccompanied by calves. It all happened so fast: I slowly set the snow hook, crouched off the runners, quietly walked in front of the lead dogs, took a knee and took the first one at 75 yards. A quick shuck of the bolt, I took the second at about 200 yds on a full run. Struggling to regain her footing, I let go another into her neck. Some 400 yds off, the third cow turned around to find the heard. With the crosshairs held at the top of her head, I let another go. A miss! Finally, my last and fifth round, I pushed the trigger into the single-set mode, held the thick part of the crosshair square on her nose, and squeezed the 13 ounce trigger. Down she went. After processing these three caribou, I found another 300 grain a-frame from the caribou taken by the long shot. The bullet had traveled through the entire caribou resting against the hide near the groin. It too expanded wonderfully, this one to 61 caliber retaining 289 grains. I have learned something about these swift a-frames. Though many a marginal internet “gun writer” have opined that these stoutly constructed a-frame bullets may not expand on smaller game or below 1800 fps, nothing could be further from the truth. I’ve never found a bullet that has exhibited such reliable, controlled expansion, all the way down to 1500-1600 fps. In 20 below zero hunting, the 2000-MR still had enough oomph for the long shot, even with a standard primer:

https://www.24hourcampfire.com/ubbt...78682/3-caribou-by-dog-team#Post13278682


I find no interest, loading the ole nine-three with lighter bullets. I’ve asked a lot from the cartridge and I’ve eaten well due to this rifle. My last 6 animals over the past two years have been caught with this 9.3x62 carbine. Hardly a coffee can full of blood-shot meat was ever lost from all six animals combined.
If there’s a hunter out there on a budget like most of us, send off any ole 270 or 30-06 to Jesse Occumpaugh for an affordable rebore, load up some of those equally affordable PRVI brass/bullets, and never look back. That combo will be the most affordable, effective combination for even the largest game in North America. If I’m as lucky or as tough as ole Yukoner Ted, I have another 40 years of hunting the north country with my nine-three. From as far back as 1904, this chambering isn’t dated in the least, it was an “improved” case, before parker Otto Ackley soiled his first diaper.

Great post. I really enjoyed this.
I have the CZ 550 American. Although I like the rifle I wish I would have gotten the full stock model instead.
The chances of me getting to use the 9.3X62 of large game is getting slimmer each year. Probably the only justification for keeping it is it is fun to shoot and very accurate.

Typical story for the 9.3 - it just works, has worked, and will always work. I am just getting my 9.3 finished up, a Husky 640 (Mauser 98) with a Mauser Model A profile barrel at 25”. Just trying to get some feeding roughness sorted out.

As to the PO Ackley mention, it’s ironic that the inventor of the 9.3 was called Otto Bock. Hmm

Great post! I'm becoming more and more convinced I need a 9.3! So far, only my 35 Whelen has been stopping me.

I have a CZ in 9.3 and appreciate the story and loading data.
While I might never kill moose and caribou in Alaska, I did
take it bear hunting in Georgia this year but didn't get a bear.

Yes! I have eyed up the sako black bear rifle in that caliber, but then there's my 35 W.

That’s actually a compelling reason to pause...the 35 Whelen today can match the 350 Rigby of old with a 225 at 2625. The 350 Rigby is another “been there and done that without a lot of fuss” round...

Good story and great tasty results. Could you please expound on the 308 load with 200 partitions?

Good read! My 9.3 is the next up project after my 376 Steyr gets home. Mine will be on a 1909

Excellent read! I too have a CZ 550 carbine (full stock). But all I've ever killed with it are paper targets and water filled milk jugs! Bought it in the hope (9 years ago) of going to Africa to hunt plains game. Life interfered and now at my age wonder if I'll ever blood my rifle. So I very much enjoyed your accounts of game you've taken. I'm curious as to what scope you use?

I find my rifle accurate and relatively easy to shoot. Glad to hear about the PRVI brass and bullets as that is what I started with and I still have some around.

CKW,

The 9.3x62MM (which I love for most everything that exceeds 100#) excels as a "feral hog killer". = MY treasured Remington 760 gets used in that role more than any other hunting. = One decent shot, & it's "ADIOS, Porky Pig".

yours, tex

LOVE my 9.3mm Mauser M12 Extreme with irons. Modern meets classic as I see it...

Great post.

Gunwriters,,, well you are talking about some that will say one thing today then the complete opposite when its suites them.
How some ever got a job writing and advising the broad [and somewhat gullible] hunting fraternity public I don't know.

Hello miner,

Very good and well written story! I also have a 9,3x62, a BRNO ZKK 600 with 60 cm (23,6") barrel. I love the cartridge and the rifle! Like your CZ 550, their magazine length plus the long free bullet travel and low angle of the begining of the lands, allows to use a long cartridge OAL without touching the lands. Agree, as you said, it IS a so called "improved" cartridge by modern standards.

Best wishes!

PH

I enjoyed reading your write up. Have long thought the 9.3x62 to be a legendary cartridge. I once owned one of the CZ 550 FS chambered thus, but somehow let it slip away before using it to bag any game. Wish they were as common now as they were 15 years ago.

CrimsonTide,

At the risk of stating the obvious, Jessie at JES will be glad to reformat any number of rifles, witch have a standard length receiver (for example, most any .270 or .30-6) into a 9.3x62mm "dangerous game rifle" for about 225.oo complete. = Jessie's work is PEERLESS, reasonably priced & your rifle will be completed & returned to you with alacrity.

yours, tex

My favorite rifle to take when walking thru the bear woods. Ruger African 9.3x62, bobbed to 21" barrel and McMillan stocked. RJ

rj308,

NICE LOOKING rifle, imo.

yours, tex

Thanks tex. RJ

Mainer, what twist are you using to spin those 300's?

I'm interested in what the twist rate is as well. My Savage was rebored by JES before I purchased it. I can only guess though, what one was chosen. Still need to develop loads for several rifles. The JES bore rifle is one. I also wonder how many rounds down on a mag full. Better get off the net if I'm going to figure these guns out. Rusty

If you have a cleaning rod, marker, and tape measure you don't have to guess at your twist rate

That’s a great post on a wonderful caliber. Thank you. I, like others, enjoyed the read very much.

1:14" twist, SU35.

rj,

Thats ah good carbine yah got there. Accrue some scratches and wear on that darn thing, aye?

Hard to find of photo of mine in captivity, but real similar. Its that bell and carlson stocked CZ carbine with a 1.5-5 vari x-3 in Alaska Arms quick release ring. Blueing is getting worn, and so is the finish on the stock, from stuffing it in the dog sled, and stuffing it into a canoe over the top of gear and moose/caribou meat. Back in November, my dog sled was so full of caribou, I jammed the rifle into the cavity of a gutted caribou cause there was no more room left in the sled. Pulled the rifle outta the caribou, took the rifle in the wash-basin with me when i got home! Then set it near the heat to dry it off/oil it.

When in canoe, one tied release-loop atop of a thwart, for quick use. Pull a tail end of a piece of rope, rifle is ready. Same on dogsled when meat hasnt been caught:

Thanks for the awesome write up

We had a lot of 9.3x62's turning up in Oz back in the middle, late 80's. I got to play with it as a few of my mates carried them on sambar hunts. It is a very practical cartridge once you step past a .30/06 and still maintains a full 5 round magazine in a portable rifle.

Only used my CZ 550 on deer, hoping I will be able to hunt others. I will say on White Tails and Mule deer it has been a hammer, never more than 25 yards and little to no bloodshot meat. That using the Norma 232 Vulcans.

Hell yeah slinging lead like champ!

smithrjd,

TRUE. Moreover in Denmark, Finland, Norway & Sweden, where commercial hunting for moose/reindeer/caribou is lawful, the old 9.3x62mm & its "little brother" the 9.3x57mm are popular as neither caliber destroys much salable meat.

Fwiw, I use either my home-brewed 280 grain GCCB at about 2,000FPS or the 286 grain grain factory ammo for every sort of big game, that a big-bore rifle is suitable for. = Either sort of bullet hits "like a sledge-hammer between the eyes".

yours, tex

I have a Mauser GEW custom in 30 06. When I use 220g round point cartridges I have feeding problems with the large ring Mauser action. The spitzer point cartridges work fine. Is this something that the 9.3mm solved? Is there anything I can do to my custom to fix it?

MM879,

My GUESS is a magazine problem. = Before spending any more money, I'd do a detail, strip & relubrication & see if that solves the problem.

yours, tex

Thanks. I realized it would seem like a stupid question because the Mauser probably was a 8mm to start with. The 30 06 220g RN core lok is just a little longer than the 150's I normally use. I got the 220's just to try and they hang on front of the mag. The Mag box is custom. It is a hinge door that was modified to eliminate the door. My gun is a Flaigs custom built in the 40's

MM879,

IF the Mauser will feed .30-06 "factory" ammo, I suspect that Jessie at JES can convert it successfully to 9.3x62mm,
(My reformatted Model 760 was once a .30-06 & it feeds/fires 286 grain Prvi Partizan FINE.)

yours, tex

Loved reading that post.

I own four 9.3MM rifles and I have wanted to read someone account of how well the PPU 285 grain bullet work on game. I have 2 9.3X57s one 9.3X62 and one 9.3X74R

I have used the Nosler 250 grain Accu Bond, (Seems perfect)
the Speer 270 grain Hot core ( which come apart baldly but have been freakishly accurate in my 9.3X74R)
the Hornady 286 grain Inner-Lock (so far so good for all my kills - but have read a few complaints from other users)
the Nosler 286 grain Patritions (also have been 100% perfect so far)
and some RWS 225 grain bullets that a friend sent to me which expand very quickly and violently, but have exited all the game I have shot, so they were not too bad.

The PPU bullet shoot quite well for accuracy. Not as good as the Speers, but still under MOA. I have yet to fire one at meat. So anyone else who has personal knowledge of this bullet, please post your results.

Recovered from the Bull moose at 500 yds, probably all of 1500 fps:


Recovered from the cow caribou at 400 yds, near the a-frame you can see some slight swelling, so probably a little faster speed of 1600-1700 fps:
No boattail or ballistic tip, you'd think that bullet wouldn't have worked in the new age.

[align:left][/align]My 9.3 is a 1988 year model Ruger 77 that started out life as a .30-06. Mile High Shooter talked me into doing it. I bought the rifle used to build a Whelen but he twisted my arm (OUCH!) and so I had it rebarreled to 9.3. It cost me about $450 to rebarrel because at the time I was ignorant of this rebore option. Anyway, I'm glad MHS talked me into the 9.3. He's always given me good advice. It's now one of my favorite rifles. I've only killed one deer with it but it knocked it down at 50 yards like I hit it with a bowling ball, a true bang-flop kill. If that deer kill is any indication of what it can do then I made the right choice. I later went on a Nilgai hunt and took it.. I was really hoping to get a shot at one, but it didn't happen. If I had I know it would have knocked it on its ass.

I need to check out some of those heavier bullets. I currently use the Speer 270 grain and that's way more than enough for what I've done with it so far. But someday I may get an opportunity to try it on something heavier and I might want a heavier bullet.

Those Swift’s look excellent, especially for the distances the shots were taken.

I see this bullet and think "Hammer of Thor"

My M70 classic stainless just got it's new McMillan yesterday, an Edge fill Winlite. With the peep sight it weighs 7lbs 2 oz, and 7lbs 14 oz with the VX II 2-7. The old standard fill Winlite developed a tiny crack. When McMillan said they were replacing it under warranty I upgraded to Edge fill. This rifle gets used on brown bears, goats, deer, and grouse with either 286gr Noslers at 2430 or 286gr cast bullets at 1350. Perfect cartridge for Southeast Alaska.

mm879,

I seriously doubt you'd notice a difference in killing power between a 9.3x62, a 9.3x64, a 375 h&h or a 375 ruger. What you will notice though, is a much lighter rifle, and five in the magazine. Twice now, I made my last and final shot on the fifth round. I do miss on longer running shots. Stakes are too high to not bring home meat. A five down gun is ok.

I don't shoot a 9.3 to be a 338. I shoot a 9.3 to nip at the heals of a 375. No 250 grain bullets for me: 300 grainer all the way. In an old Barnes shooting manual of mine, I saw that Doctari wrote up the description of the ole 9.3, and claimed back then, to have shot over 600 cape buffalo with it.

I honestly feel that the 9.3 poseses a slight excess of power and capability all the way out to 500 yds. My 358 carbine is just right for everything out to about 400 yds, when in the mountains.

pa,
We practically carry identical rifles, weight-wise. Mine is 7 lbs 4 oz with open sights. Whereabouts in southeast do you live? I've been to ketch, klawock, hydaburg, annette island, juneau and haines. Loves those big trees and that warmer weather down there. Rough hiking down your way, I don't blaime yah for going for a lighter carbine that packs ah punch, aye?

I have used the 286 grain partition on caribou, they expanded good on 200 yd shots with a muzzle velocity of 2200 fps (underpowered factory ammo). This was back before I started hand-loading the ole nine-three and before I ran that nosler custom ammo over the chronograph:




Oh forgot another observation: Factory Lapua megas don't expand on black bear, lead too hard. Would work better on thicker skinned game.

Mainer, I'm in Sitka. You're right about the punch. I used a .375 almost exclusively for well over 10 years before making the switch. I cannot tell a difference except the rifle now holds six instead of four and weighs alot less. There are at least five guys here I know of who have switched over to the round. It's perfect around here. You can make 300 yard shots on deer and goats and then deal with a grumpy bear at five yards on the way out with the same load. A seven pound rifle for hiking, scouting, and fishing with enough power to handle any bear around is a true comfort. I can't wait to get this new stock all marked up!

Well, Mainer, since you have mentioned your visit here in 2011, it's time we did that again. I'm sure we both have a few more 9.3X62 stories to tell since then.

Pretty sure I have posted this picture since you were here, a 270 gr Speer started off at well over 2500 fps taken from under the skin of a 60+" moose shot at about 25 yards.



Have heard they are too soft for big game, but this bullet broke ribs on each side, and still weighs close to 200 gr.



Having said that, most of my hunting is with plain vanilla 285 gr or Matrix 270 gr bullets started of a well over 2300 fps. Your 300 gr Swift is obviously a reliable hunting bullet, and the lest expensive part of your hunt, as well. Good stuff!

Let me know when you are coming over. The burbot are moving! Called this one up from seven feet.



Best,
Ted

Cartridge is a great one with historic pedigree. I always thought the 376 Steyr would challenge in that class of cartridge. It is a dandy, hard hitting chamber as well with a great many more bullet choices. I suspect the challenge and non success of the cartridge was due to the crowded and more powerful 375 centerfires. Hornady perhaps looked at the platform and then introduced the 375 Ruger. The Steyr is in the same realm and use as the 9.3x62 and would make a fine 20” or 21” carry rifle in rough and dangerous country. Recognize it’s pretty much a reloader’s cartridge, it still somewhat backed by Hornady.

DarlaG, my Northman cast lead 285 gr FB are just the ticket for fireforming '06 brass to 9.3X62.



They shoot into about two inches at 100 yards, but have never tried them on game. I'm sure they would work, and wondering if you have you have used your cast loads on any big stuff?

Ted

The cz 550 medium was discontinued a number of years ago. So too, the 9.3x62 chambering also dropped. Though the magnum action is still offered, the latest standard action is some sort of push-feed deal that is cheaper for cz to build, as opposed to sourcing a forged steel mauser action. From here on out, if you want an affordable mauser rifle chambered in this great mauser cartridge, might be better to send a used model 70 or ruger 77 to get rebored by Jesse.

If you have a cz 550 in 9.3x62. Better hold onto it.

I looked at a Parker Hale Mauser style bolt action 30-06 today with this in mind. Now do I send this or my Interarms Mark X 30-06 full stock to Jesse.

Have you cold weather tested 2000-MR? My buddy says it's been pretty sensitive to temps.

From 50 degrees to 20 below zero, I've not had any change in POI with my rifle in cold weather, nor in taking animals on the long shot. 2000 medium rifle has been temp stable in my environment.

I like those sporterized mauser. I've owned both a Parker hale, and a golden state arms sporterized mauser. They're a good value, especially for anyone contemplating the latest budget plastic-rifles

mainer_in_ak,

Thanks for putting another idea in my head on which caliber of rifle to buy next. I have a new .338 WM I've got to test out first, but if I could find a 9.3x62 at a good price, I might buy one after reading of your experiences.

mainer in ak,

Great write up on your experiences and the 9.3x62mm. I really enjoyed reading it and all of the following posts by fellow 9.3x62mm fans. Keep the stories coming.

Does anyone have additional input on the Lapua Mega bullet performance? I saw one comment above indicating the lead was a bit hard for smaller game? Also any experiences with the Norma Oryx or Alaskas? Just for my own curiosities.

I am also fortunate enough to have two 9.3x62mm rifles. Both Husqvarna 1640 models. I have taken the one elk hunting but, I did not get to shoot one unfortunately. I reload for them now but at the time I was shooting Norma factory 286 grain Alaska ammo. It was unbelievably accurate from the rifle.

Regards,
sixfive

Hey wgg, I sent my mark X and had it done to 9.3 somewhat recently and just had a 338 federal done by Jesse as well.
May be sending another his way soon to become a 338-06. Jury is still out on that but I have wanted one for several years.
Good luck with yours. Both of my rebores seem to be shooting quite well.
Take care,
Les

Impressive guys. Affordable bank-vault reliable commercial mausers or sporterised k98 mausers sent to Jesse. The husqys, jc higgins with fn receivers, sears n roebuck, parker hale, golden State arms, interarms, whitworth, zastavas etc. Heck, even a ruger 77 can be had used for $300-$400.

He'll even cut the barrel down to 20.5" if you ask him to. A little weaver 1-3 power straight tube scope, and you've a serious tool for the biggest of game. The 9.3 mauser was meant to be an affordable alternatove against the fancy British magnums. That purpose still rings true today, it's the 30-30 model 94 of bolt actions. Except present day, $1000 for one of these things new from Winchester. Wow, is our world ever changing.

Mainer, thanks for sharing your AK hunting stories and information about the old 9.3. Interesting that two of your favorites are mine as well. I have a CZ 550 with kevlar stock that I bought several years ago for hunting elk in dark timber in CO, and hogs in OK. I also have a 358 Win (Ruger M77) that I too use more than any other rifle I own. This past Nov. it took a small mulie in South Dakota. I hand load and have had my best results accuracy-wise using NP's in both rifles (286 gr. for 9.3 and 225 gr. in the 358).

I doubt I will ever have an opportunity to hunt in AK as age is quickly catching up with me but, I sure like reading the chronicles of those who have. Thanks again for sharing.

Speaking of ™affordable bank-vault reliable commercial Mausers," I am surprised that no-one has mentioned the Serbian Zastava Mauser rifles.

Back in 2012, K-VAR Corp., an outfit in Las Vegas, NV was able to order a shipment of left-handed (!) Zastava controlled feed Mausers in a variety of calibers that sold out quickly. It turns out that the Serbs don't like the US very much for reasons based on then recent history, and were reluctant to fill orders, but that one got through, for some reason, and folks on the Campfire and on Accurate Reloading quickly placed signed up.

Frankly, the wood stocks were not anything to write home about since in some ungodly European design and undefined species of tree, but the Mauser actions were forged steel built on original Mauser machinery!

I got one in 9.3x62 and the price was only $600. I think that I was one of fairly few who ordered that caliber. Mine is called a Model M-70 Hunting Carbine [Lovacki Karabin] Z98 LH bolt mauser. Its serial number is only 11,xxx, which suggests a relatively low production amount.

I haven't had reason to shoot it yet, since I have several other rifles in various calibers that equal its performance, but I'm going to load it up soon to see what it can do. After all, while I am getting a bit long in the tooth to see Alaska or Western Canada again, or climbing up steep hills, living in New Mexico today places me in a great area to put it to use.

Norm

Ted sorry had to post this pic of young Ted again. Ted,s a bad influence hang around him and you will be buying a 9.3 X 62 and maybe a freighter canoe. Ted tell us about your old 9.3 X 62 that had no safety as I recall. Kurt

Kurt and Ted, that's one of the neatest pictures, should be on a calendar or at least hanging on my wall.BTW I now have 2 9.3x62s one a rebored 1917 done by Classic gun works holds 6 down so a seven shooter. The other is a newer Mark X not Interarms CZ maybe not sure of the barrel maybe a A&B. UNFORTUNATELY I haven't hunted with either as old age and be knees have pretty much limited me to a little rabbit hunting. But the shoot good and after a little work on the feed rails (thanks Art) they're both pretty smooth. --- Mel

Great write up and an outstanding recommendation for the good ol' 9.3 cartridge!

Thoroughly enjoyed the read. Thank you!

FYI,

Lipsey's just received an allocated shipment of Hawkeye's in 9.3x62. They're out there somewhere.

FAMILY:77 Centerfire Series MODEL:M77 Hawkeye TYPE:Rifle ACTION:Bolt Action FINISH:Polished Blue STOCK/FRAME:Wood Stock STOCK/GRIPS:Walnut w/ Ebony Forend Tip WEIGHT:7 lbs. 6 oz.
CALIBER/GAUGE:9.3 x 62 CAPACITY:4+1 BARREL:24" RATE-OF-TWIST:1-in-10
SIGHTS:Gold Bead Front/Folding Rear SAFETY:3 Position Safety ADDL INFO:Blued Bolt Handle ADDL INFO:Barrel Band/Open Sights ADDL INFO:Red Recoil Pad EXCLUSIVE:LIPSEY'S EXCLUSIVE

Well, yes, there have been a few guys ended up with 9.3s and freighter canoes over the years,

IIRC, all my 9.3s had safeties, but there was a 35 Whelen that did without.

Heading your way tomorrow. Will give you a call when we get there.

Ted

Excellent and timely post for me, I am here in Oz and a new member, hello everyone.

I just bought a M77 Hawkeye in 30-06 to rechamber to 9.3 x 62 and found this post searching the net. I own a Ruger No 1 and previously owned a Tikka both in 9.3 x 62 but sold it due to the magazine length restriction, I really wanted an all weather repeater workhorse, options are limited so I will build one.

Here it will be used for Boar and the odd Buffalo only using hand loads of the heavy projectiles, Barnes or Woodleighs.

just my 2 cents worth. I finally found the steyr I have looked for over 8 or 9 years. a model m professional . the only thing I have shot with it yet was a bunch of hogs. got 3 with one shot by lining them up just right. still haven't caught a bullet yet. I am shooting the ppc factory 286 gr. all up with scope and sling it is 8#1oz. speaking of scope it is a 1 3/4 to 5 marked on the scope body as being a mannlicher any idea who really made the scope????? I think I am up to about 20 hogs at this point. got a bear hunt in mind and the nosler factory pt will get the call. nice article and keep the 9.3 brother hood talking! D O M I T !!

Hi folks, hope everyone had a good hunting season. Hauled another bull moose off the river by freighter canoe. I used the ole nine-three again. 42 inch racked moose popped out (September 18th) when I least expected. I always get in the habit in the late season of throwing out a cow call when I pull ashore to check motor or boat or take ah leak. Was two river bends away from my camp and out he comes across the river 100 yds away.

Got ahold of the 9.3 and hit him three times in the front end as he ran for a swampy ox bow. Two hit high and went clear through scapulas and passed through. It slowed him down. Finally got a clear window in the thick willow brush: one more hit square through front shoulders, ribs and found against hide on the offside. He dropped 20 feet from the swampy oxbow. I'm glad I didn't have to quarter him in that bottomless mess. The 300 grain swift A frame expanded to 71 caliber and weighed 295.5 grains.

Nice post Mainer! Really enjoyed reading this.

Nice writeup..I may just have to add one to supplement my 35 Whelen 😊

Mainer,
I'm getting ready to have a 308 rebored to 358 as a "do it all" light weight rifle. Can you tell us a little about your experiences with the 358 and some favorite loads.

Good on yah, here you go:
https://www.24hourcampfire.com/ubbthreads/ubbthreads.php/topics/13268585/2

Caught my two biggest bull moose with a 275 grain woodleigh over 42 grains of Alliant 10x. This was a savage 99 rebored to 358.

A gent from Whitehorse used a 250 grain nosler partition load in his 358 winchester on a large bison. A 250 grainer at 2300-2400 fps is a lethal power house. 275 grainer isn't necessary, I just loaded it because I could. Pics of the moose in the review of the bullet:

https://www.midwayusa.com/product/101085496?pid=912361

Thanks for the link.

Here's our 9.3X62 moose from this year, Mainer. Took my neighbour hunting, and he got his first moose last Friday using his old Husqvarna Model 96 sporter.



Matrix 270 gr Bonded Core and CF8506 handload at a bit over 2500 fps.

Standing broadside at around 120 yards. Took two steps and he was down.

No shortage of meat this winter.
Ted

Hey ole friend, congrats to you guys on the moose! Always nice when they're on the dry bank, aye? Is that the same type of bullet you handed me a few years back? The mushroomed bullet pulled from that big griz you shot?

Same bullet, but no recovered Matrix this time.

Ted

Thanks for the write up I’m hoping to get my Sako Blackbear 9.3 bloody this year on a bull elk permit.

Shot my 9.3 yesterday . Ready to pack it all winter again . Thanks for keeping this thread going

I've been making some observations on the original 9.3x62 chamber dimensions. This would be our 1922 Waffenfabrik Mauser Oberndorf Type B sporter:

The throat dimensions are fairly long.

The neck dimensions of the chamber are also very generous.

The rifling is six lands and grooves and the twist rate is about 1:13.5"

Using my standard 58 grains reloader 15/285 grain prvi handloads, the primers look like fired 30-30 primers, not flattened whatsoever. The same fired cases from my CZ 550 show higher pressure.

Clearly this almost 100 year old rifle was designed for harsh environments and sweltering heat like in Africa.

I stumbled on a seemingly NIB Cz American today. I've been keeping an eye out for one but the ones I have seen for sale have fetched a premium. I've always regretted selling the first one I had so I hopped on this one. I'd since purchased a Ruger 35 Whelen but there's just something about that CZ.. I sure don't need both but I'll cross that bridge when I have to

I've wanted a 9.3x62 for a while. I have several JC higgins model 50s and thought about rebarreling one to a 9.3.

At other times I think about doing a more modern version. I have a fluted take off barrel in 30-06 from a 700 Alaskan Ti rifle. I thought about sending it off and a stainless 700 action to be rebored to 9.3. I'd have to see how much shorter I cut cut it down before getting into the flutes. I'd like it 22" or shorter.

Bb

This is a good thread to revive, and has been a good read on the 9.3 in its natural habitat. I was able to find a mint CZ550 American 9.3x62 last summer. I’ve now got it set up with a Meopta 3-9x40 with the #4 reticle shooting 250gr Accubonds in Lapua brass and Varget. I just got some 250gr TSX to work up a load for.

A great thread. The kind of stuff that makes the Campfire different from facebook.
Continues to fascinate me that guys that actually take a Whelen or 9.3 hunting seem to return with slight amazement of just how effective they work on game. Again and again.

That’s a great looking cz. Which height Talleys did you need to clear the Meopro eyepiece?

While those appear to be Talley's, they are not. They are Alaska Arms QD mounts. I tried the Talley's (.410) AND Warne Medium (.425) and they both lacked a few mm to clear the bolt handle. The ocular clears, its the rubber eyepiece that hangs up. The AA mounts are .500, and give me just enough room to cycle the bolt rapidly with no contact or binding. I had almost given up (not wanting to change scopes), but found these on sale at Brownells over Christmas and decided to give them a try.

What a cool thread, I read it this morning while lurking, had a damn sat call coming in at anytime and didn't sign in, call over, dug my 9.3x62 out of the safe and gave it a good wipedown, it's a custom built on a 98 Mauser action that only says Heym and Germany on it, no serial numbers. all the steel is black matte cerakoted, it sits in a Accurate Innovations walnut stock with aluminum chassis.

320gr Woodleigh Weldcores leave at a very accurate 2400 fps with RL-17 powder, also have some 285gr BBW #13 solid loads at 2500 fps for fun shooting with the quarter rib express sight, went to the shop and only have two boxes of the 320gr protected point Woodleighs left, I understand they quit making that bullet, I need to contact Karl at Alaskan Bullet Works and have him draw down about four boxes of 300gr 375 cal bullets, those along with what I have should be a lifetime supply for that rifle.

Have also heard really good things about the 320gr Woodleigh solids, apparently they plow straight AND deep in heavy African game, it would be a fun one to take over.

Four Horsemen of the A-Bock-alypse




Recently been playing with Missouri Bullets’ 270 gr coated pushed to 2000 with H4895. No leading so far and great practice round. So fun to shoot I may have even let out an actual giggle...

I pretty much shoot open sights exclusively now so cheap, fun practice is nice.

Otto would be pleased, MJ.

I have been using 285gr Northman bullets cast from straight wheel-weight metal.



Loaded with CF8506, cotton wad and COW under bullet.



Getting over 2200 fps, shoots into close to two inches at 100 yd, and no leading.



Ted

Nice set of rifles! All 9.3x62?

My favorite 9.3 is waiting for a new McMillan. It had a edge fill fwt. pattern that cracked behind the lug. A call to McMillan about a warranty replacement had them claiming they'd give me a new stock, but not warranty it for use with such a hard kicking cartridge. Long story short, one of their guys and I had a long phone conversation about ballistics, torque, and recoil calculators. He decided the problem wasn't 9.3 recoil, but rather their poor information provided about what's the proper torque for their stocks. I was advised by someone there to go 35lbs when I got the stock originally. Come to find out if should be 47lbs.

I can't wait to get this rifle back in action, as it's a constant companion. More of a working rifle than a hunting one actually.

Yes.

PA,
I seriously doubt that a few ft lbs difference in action screw torque is fault of you or the recoil of the cartridge. I go through hundreds of gallons of epoxy resin every year. The problem is the lack of compressive strength of their lay up and the brittle nature of their resins in the action area.

Layups need to be somewhat flexible to survive the compression of action screws and recoil.

Nothing will teach you about the importance of flex, than laminate dog sled runners at 20 below, supporting 600 lbs of caribou or green birch over low snow areas.

Or a canoe being leveraged off boulders down a fast chute of whitewater river, full of moose and camp.

There's no freighter here, but I did buy one of those buck69 Zastava barrels from Tradex in 9.3x62 this weekend. I blame you.

Nice rifles!

Can you tell me more about the second one from the left, green and camo. That looks fantastic!

Two CZ 550 9.3s on gunbroker right now. A 550 American Kevlar, and an 550FS.

Someone please grab them up!

Jwood,
There's also a Waffenfabrik Oberndorf Mauser on there too. About the price if a new Sako. Those dmn sporting mauser originals, they are stunning to hold.

One thing I've noticed with these 9.3x62 originals:
They never were fed corrosive surplus ammo like the 8mm and 7mm military chamberings. The bores are always nice.

Secondly, they were hardly fired at all probably for lack of ammo. 90-100 years of sitting in some doctor or lawyers or city slickers collection.

Now the ones in Scandinavian countries and Africa, they always look well worn unlike the American vintage 9.3's:

https://www.gunbroker.com/item/851024979

Thats a really interesting thought that I have to admit has never occurred to me.

I have 1 9.3X57, 1 9.3X62 and two 9.3X74 o/u rifles. And I took a 308 Scout rifle for feral pigs in Texas last year. Guess I need to get around a lot more meat targets. Be Well, Rustyzipper.

Well, just came in from the shop, loaded up some more 320gr Woodleigh PP's with a new bottle of RL-17, loaded one a bit under max load from the last batch to check consistency with new powder lot, Yup! 63.5 grs RL-17 went 2394 fps, close enough to 2400 fps for me, this is an easy setup for the 9.3x62mm, just remember 329, +3 at 100, +2 at 200, -9 at 300 yards, same/same for my 400 H&H firing 400gr A Frames at 2400 fps, we have a damn fun hobby here gentlemen.

Yep, my 290 gr Matrix at a bit less than 2500 are almost the exact same trajectory. Easy to remember, easy to handle, and they get the job done well when they get there. I have only shot one sheep and one moose farther than 300 yards anyway in more than fifty years of hunting big game. Everything else has been considerably under that, so just hold dead on and squeeze.

Ted

Yes sir Ted, that will work, i'll bet with either of our bullets at a long 300 yards, even down to 1850 fps, there's not a bull moose or caribou out there that would shrug one off, I really need to put those big Woodleighs to work on some heavy game, I have no doubts I will NOT be disappointed.

That’s a helluva combo Gunner!

Old Buddy, I believe it is, I like to load my cartridges to be yanking at the coat tails of the next cartridge up in power, in other words, I have a 338WM and 358NM, I want my 9.3x62 to be chasing a 375 H&H mag in killing power and effectiveness, with 320 grains at 2400 fps it's not too terribly far behind, experimenting in the load shop and picking a powder to get that done on an '06 sized case hull is all the more better.

Wife saves all her ladies magazines for me, when the pile gets big enough, i'll stack em tight in a wax cardboard moving/shipping box, with random cow leg, rib, pelvic etc bones inside, wet em all down and let it soak for a day or two, I can tell you that a 320gr Woodleigh bullet can be beat to hell in that box, but, it has never lost it's core or more than 20% of it's original weight, the damage it does to the box and contents getting wrecked all to hell is more than impressive to say the least.

It's a damn good tough bullet that I'd have no hesitation using on a cape buffalo at 20 yards, or any other game animal save brain shooting an Elephant.

That’s a hammer of a Bullet. I’d like to see a few bullets run into that torture box!

Great post. Mainer in AK I would like to hear about your boats, especially the flat bottom canoe. I am looking for an easy to build freighter canoe plan.

The 9.3 is 90% or more of what the 375 H&H is and the H&H is a legendary all around round to me.

Tejano, pm sent. Yep, we're talking about 285 grain -320 grain bullets here.

Ole Yukoner Ted said it best: It's a 375 H&H, but with 5 in the mag.

Yes Sir. That it is.

Ted

Bet I can find some of them around here somewhere, I have a chitpile of recovered bullets from home testing, pistol and revolver too.

5 in the box 1 in the pipe!

I’d like to see em! Always interested in that stuff..

Good old caliber for heaver game. American version very similar is called .35 Whelen. It's considered less potent only because twist rate in rifles so chambered is suitable for lighter projectiles and heaviest commercial ammo is loaded with 250gr bullets. Frankly in America I would pick .338 WinMag instead. One of the finest chamberings in pre-64 Winchester is .338 Winchester Magnum (right next to .270 Featherweight) , avant grande!.

Except that the 9.3 kicks less than the .338 and is more powerful than the .35 Whelen. It's literally 97% .375 in a lighter gun with more capacity.

I'll pass Slavek, but thanks for the education lesson.

Ol joe want legendary bear guide used a double rifle down on kodiak when guiding clients. Here we are worried about 5 in the mag, here is a novel idea learn to shoot better, and make the first shot count. Pass me a model 70 classic in a 30/06 with either 180 partition or 200gr partition for kodiak i will use a model 70 stainless classic in a 375 H&H.

That bbl came in today from Tradex. Looks good, no markings but was shocked to find that it was only about 0.552" at the muzzle.

That is one lightweight barrel!

SuperCub,
Yes the originals had a very thin contour barrels. Our 1922 oberndorf sporter with 23.6" barrel is lighter than my CZ 550 kevlar carbine with 20.5" barrel. So, your new barrel is on par with tradition.

Pic 1:
This year's 42 in. racked moose and camp being loaded out in an 18 ft freighter I built by hand. I used the CZ 9.3 Carbine. 300 grain swift A-frame recovered bullet posted back a ways in this thread.
Pic 2:
7 lb oberndorf sporter with redfield 2-7. Original stock barrel and receiver:

Awesome!
thanks for sharing.

Nice moose and boat. You don't see those freighters here in eastern Canada. Ted had two of them the last time I was in Whitehorse. They are cool boats.

I have a JC Higgins here that will probably get that barrel someday and will be similar to yours but a lot less classic than an Orbendorf. Don't think I will be cutting that skinny barrel any shorter or saving weight overall with that bbl.

Supercub, you need to get out more! Looks like you're in New Brunswick. Go to the Miramichi River country and you'll see them in the river. Drop an hour or two south into Maine. You'll see them there too. If you look close, you'll see a hand weaved pack basket made by a gal in my tribe who was originally from Red Bank reserve in New Brunswick. My grandmother came from Eel Ground New Brunswick. Lotta canoe and basket makers in your neck of the woods.

I've seen the big river canoes on the Miramichi but the ones I saw weren't the big heavy freighters like I saw in the Yukon.

I did notice that basket. You see them up north on the river not so much down here in the south.

Those 18' and 21' square stern freighters used to be fairly common in Alberta when I was still stomping around there. Good craft for moving water, with the right motor. I mostly paddle so had little use for them... but I once teamed with a few other guys in a paddling freighter (pointed at both ends), and let me tell you, 6-8 good paddlers can make one of those beauties really move, and haul a big load to boot!

I do have a husky 640 in a 06 I’m probably going to send to JES for a rebore to a 9.3x62..

Your thinking is generally sound but there are some festivals where six rounds of .375 level power are handy, such as an aggressive sow brown bear with older cubs that decide to follow momma’s aggression. Six rounds are also nice when four deer come in to the call at once, or you meet a family of river otters.

When I hunted in the Yukon, my host required that I hunt with an empty chamber for safety sake. I had no problem with that but was down by one round count in my 375 compared to his 9.3x62.

With an empty magazine, it was a real advantage to have the smaller case and thus more in the magazine.

So you are saying you can get 5-6 rounds off accurately at a charging brown bear? With cubs?

So between the both of you, you had 9rds for whatever went sideways?

I guess you're right.

I guess.



Ted

But 10rds would of made it better?

Can you all hunt brown bears in the Yukon Territory? So far from what I read only thing killed were moose's and caribou's? Let's be honest we all know, they aren't hard to kill..

Why don't you take your vitriolic trolling elsewhere?

Each situation is different, but yeah, as needed I can and have put multiple rounds on charging brown bears. I've not yet fought one with the 9.3x62, but have used the H&H with 300gr Noslers alot. In my experience you shoot the middle of the brown blur coming at you with something big enough to make a difference. They don't like that. I always expect one to keep coming after they take a hit, and though it's happened to a couple guys I know, mine have always gone ass over elbows and then tried to run off. That's when I find it a good idea to keep shooting, alot, to prevent tracking. The exception is a sow with big cubs, in which case you should get the first bear incapacitated or dissuaded and then be ready to deal with the others. In these scenarios I find one can empty a bolt action rifle quite quickly. One time when a medium boar came at me I centered him at 12 yards. He fell down and tried to run off, whereupon I raked him with the remaining two rounds. He was still kind of ambulatory at that point so the quickest thing to do was throw another round in without pushing it into the magazine (thank you Model 70 classic stainless for your beveled extractor design!), slam the bolt closed, and shoot him again before he got out of sight, then reload.

So anyway, when I say I like more rounds available it's based on some experiences........

You'll like that 640 as a 9.3x62, I'm sure.

Yah that 640 rifle will be nice. Id like to see it when its done up 79s.

I too have rattled through five rounds in quick order and have been happy it was a five-down rifle.

Up Northwest Arctic on the Baldwin Peninsula: Stopped the dog team in from of a small herd. 20-30 mph winds. Ambient temps around 20 below. First caribou down at 100 yds. Another at a good distance further and needed a finishing shot. Another caribou some 400 yds off with a clear miss. That open treeless country is deceiving. Last and final shot I held the thick part of the crosshair square on the nose. Final round rang true.

3 caribou, empty rifle.

We do hunt them, and the '62 is more than enough.



One round with a 270 gr Matrix and it was all over.



Ted

Great pictures, Yukoner!

Loving this thread.

Here's another nice one that was taken with the 9.3x62.

How about it being a Hamms beer poster.

Really enjoying this.

With light loads using a cast 286 from an NOE mold, the 9.3x62 makes a dandy grouse rifle. I tumble lube quenched ww metal with alox and apply gas check. Both Trailboss and 5744 have given great accuracy. That bullet at 1350 knocks them dead and you can eat right up to the hole.

That Ted !

Kurt, our friend Ted really is something else. --- Mel

CZ 550 9.3x62

Nice piece for sale on GB.

This thread made me buy a gun.

I’m just about in the same boat.

If I rolled my own, would certainly have happened!

Good looking knife. Who makes it and what model? Thanks.

It's a Bark River Featherweight Fox River with ghost green G10 handles.

Thanks!

First animal I shot with my CZ 9.3x62 FS was a whitetail buck at about 40 yards with privi 286 grain softpoint. Bullet penetrated thru deer and thru the 8 inch apple tree trunk behind him. Dug the slug out of the dirt behind the apple tree found a perfect mushroom with jacket still attached. Got it in my gun cabinet somewhere. Will see if I can find it and post picture. Oh yeah and the buck nose planted right up against the tree. No tracking required. I love this round. I had read that those bullets have problems with jacket seperation. Maybe if you try to hot rod it but at factory velocity about 2200 fps no such problem.

Back in the early 2000's, I made contact with a German gunsmith in the city of Freiburg, which I was quite familiar with, having attended the university there. He came highly recommended, and I was expecting great things from our relationship. Unfortunately, it didn't turn out that way, and after exchange after exchange of emails, I decided to meet him in person on one of my periodic visits to Germany.

He was very apologetic about having disappointed me with reference to the various projects I had charged him with, and finally we agreed to part amicably. As I was leaving his shop, I noticed a bedraggled looking Mauser he had in his rack. He showed it to me and said that it was an original Mauser sporter in 9.3X62, which he had acquired for a song from one of his customers. He offered to give it to me to make up for the disappointment I had experienced in his response to my projects. I told him that I couldn't accept under those terms, but if he would tell me what he had in it, I would be glad to pay him that price. He admitted that he had only paid 500 Euros for it. I paid him his price and gave directions to send it to his successor in Suhl.

His successor proved to be a totally different kind of person to deal with and when he received the rifle, he immediately went to work on it. The photos show the result of his efforts. It is a standard Oberndorf Type B Sporter, with a half round, half octagon barrel. He added the scope, a modern Zeiss Diavari 1.5-6X, to the pre-existing claw mount bases. It is one of the prides of my gun room.

MS,
Thanks for the story on your experience with the prvi bullet. I like them better than our domestic cup/core bullets. Like you, I've no reason to push them faster that 2300 fps. They and the prvi brass are cheaper than our domestic offerings.

They are fitting to the original intent of the ole nine three: a safe, affordable gun for bush people living among large and dangerous game.

XAUSA,

Very nice original yah got there. Any idea on the year of manufacture? I'm guessing 1920-1930 Type A Oberndorf Mauser. Do you have the John Speed Oberndorf Sporting Rifle book?

According to the book, my Oberndorf Type B Sporter was made in 1922.

Just bumping this thread because it’s one of my favorites, and I dumped a whitetail with my 9,3 yesterday. Look forward to more hunting stories from you northerners

Jmd,
Congrats on the deer. And thanks for your contribution to this thread.

Yes very good thread .... last years 9.3x62 victim
I didn't even get honorable mention in the dink contest... oh well maybe this year

Just in case anyone missed it...that is what a hunting rifle is supposed to look like.

Had a 338-06, VERY nice round.......but the 9.3 has been on my short list if I get a new mid-bore.

Irfubar, great job! I bet the ole nine-three left a cleaner hole, than a 3000 fps 20 something caliber with less bloodshot meat.

That's a cool dog, cool rifle and a cool dink. Digging that pic.

Is that an older Ruger 77? My 9.3 didn't get out of the gun cabinet this year as it was the savage 99 in 308's turn in the rotation this year. It took a nice 5 point for the freezer which I was very happy for after my bout with Covid 19. Made dragging him out more difficult, but that much more appreciated. I had loaded up some new old stock speer 165 grain round nose bullets that were made in the 1960's if I interpreted the lot number on the box correctly. The Mannlicher Schoenauer in 9x56 is first up next year and if I fill a tag with it then the 9.3 is up next. My gun cabinet is full of enjoyable choices. Loving and appreciating life more every day. Happy hunting.

Well, it’s that time of the year again, Brethren. Been up to the range recently to check a couple of rifles and all is well. The 9,3 put a young bear in the freezer this Spring, and hasn’t changed POI at all since then. Going to be using the Matrix bonded core in the 9.3 again.

However, have a lovely 303 sporter that has never had blood on it since I got it. It has an old Weaver K3 on board, and the 6” clanger at 200 meters has been taking a beating from 174 gr bullets started off with a generous load of #44, I may just give the 9.3 a day or two off this Fall, if that’s okay with you guys.

Ted

303s are classic as well. Probably killed lots of stuff like tigers, lions and others because it was what they had. One guy was saying his father used a 240 gr bullet? And he couldn't find any to load up. I like the 303 and the 9.3 and most anything that goes bang. Be Well and thanks for sharing. RZ.

I have never seen a 240 gr bullet for the 303 Br, but have seen and used a lot of 215 gr soft points.

Some guys up here remove the expander ball in the sizing die and load 220 gr .308 bullets when they cannot find 215s.

Please excuse the brief hijack, Mainer.

Ted

I made up a LH ss Ruger in 9.3x62 a few years ago. A little heavy with the laminated stock which may one day be replaced with synthetic but far and away my favorite cartridge to hunt with as it puts game on the ground with workmanlike efficiency and little fuss.

You guys are killing me!
In my modest rifle collection are 2 LH m70s that go unused. One being a 30-06 that I have toyed with turning into a 9.3x62. Are we talking new barrel and done or would the action have to be worked on?

Why not do the JES re-bore?

I had an Husqvarna FN 98 in 8mm Mauser turned into a 9,3X62 by JES, and it worked perfectly. The cost is about 1/2 what a re-barrel would run, and you keep the original barrel and sights.

Old thread, but still a great one...

I use jacketed 95gr Makarov bullets over Trail Boss for small game loads in my 9,3s...9,3X74R, 9.3X72R, and 9.3X62. Like about anything ammo/reloading, they're on backorder.


https://www.lg-outdoors.com/Product/Details/1002071?fs=1

Luv2safari, Good call. I just worry that this project will wind up in the "dumb gun decisions" thread. I don't have a good track record!

WTH YOLO

I have two as well. Are yours blue steel or ss? I would rebarrel as the factory barrel would be a little thin in my opinion. I would always have feed and function checked but should be no problem.

Mine are blued and walnut.
Was thinking the same thing on barrel thickness.

The 9.3 does well in a no 3 contour. My Ruger is a no 3 Douglas and it's good.

You can't go wrong having a 9.3X62 in the safe. They're a great woods gun, work fine to 350 yards for most shooters, kill well, and don't splatter blood and guts all through the dead animal's carcass.

Its renewed popularity was inevitable. It just took 100 years for us to find it again.

I get the appeal.
Need to start a new thread so as not to derail this one.

That's a great idea on the Hornady bullets pushed by trail boss. Thanks for sharing it.

^^^THIS^^^
IF, that is, the barrel is thick enough. Jess wants a minimum of .100" thickness after the rebore so .566" would actually work, but I agree that would be would be thin. That said I have seen aftermarket CZ 9.3x62 Mauser barrels for sale and they are no thicker than that.
I had Jess do a 1903 Springfield original barrel and it feeds just fine with no other mods to the action, so I think the question of "is there more work than just rebarreling [or reboring]?" is no. My Springfield is a genuinely sub-MOA shooter now, but it had a .640 muzzle to begin with. YMMV.

$250-$275 total cost is hard to beat though to take your 30-06 to 9.3x62 - almost worth a try even if it does have a thin barrel - you can always rebarrel later if it doesn't work out.

Cheers,
Rex

Ted my friend, congrats on the spring bear!

The lady's 1922 vintage Oberndorf sporting Mauser is always in the canoe. Paper thin barrel on that original:
.552" at the muzzle.

303 Sporter, that takes me back a bit.

Perhaps this will remind you even a bit more.



Ted

Thanks Michael.

I'll bet that was some pretty fine caribou meat the lady put in the freezer. Great cruising photo, too!

Ted

That it does. Started out with a Simpon-Sears sporterized Lee Enfield and in the years since, there's usually been a Jungle Carbine in the safe. Have one now, MINT with all the trimmings. Cleanest one of the four or five I've had over the years. From a local site member, I recently acquired a model 95 Winchester in 303 I hope to 'try out' on Island Blacktail this season.

In the 99 year old Oberndorf sporting Mauser, a moderate pressure hunting load was developed for the season. Keep that ole walnut crack free!:

59 grains of reloder 16, 300 grain swift A-frame, standard cci large rifle primer:
2200 fps.

Really mild recoil.

Might be an unconventional 9,3x62 but o have a stainless 700 action and a stainless fluted 30-06 barrel that came off of a 700 Alaskan Ti. I've thought about sending them in for a rebore to 9,3 and putting them in a synthetic stock. It's not controlled feed and not blued and walnut but might make a good rough weather rifle.

I saw my first 9,3x62 in South Africa in 1993 and I've been intrigued by them ever since. My South African friends were big fans of the 9,3.

Bb

I think that 700 would be perfect as a 338-06!

As for the ole nine three, a little more rifle weight is your friend

Just keep your eyes peeled for a commercial Mauser sporting rifle floating around out there in some used gun rack or pawn shop. Many to choose from, for a cheap rebore.

I have several JC Higgins 50's and 51's but the barrel contour is too light to rebore to 9,3. I've often thought about rebarreling one but I'm always distracted by other longer range projects.

Bb

This is a great idea!

What are thoughts on the 286 Partition vs the lighter X bullets for the 9.3?

A fine candidate for a rebore to a 9.3x62 is a later model 1903 Springfield. Muzzle diameter runs around .640 on the original barrel and the rebore and rechamber cleans up the entire chamber and bore so there is no need to set back the barrel. So if you can find a sound, sporterized (because originals are too valuable as is) '03, with its barrel shot to crap, and thus cheap, that works nicely. JES did mine and it shoots sub-MOA.

Good luck,
Rex

Alas I do not have a 9.3x62, but I do have a beautiful custom Mauser in 9.3x64mm Brenneke that needs to draw blood. Unfortunately I am at work and don't have pictures of it at the moment. Love the 9.3's

Alright, you guys win.
Boxing up the LH M70 to be transformed by JES.
Already picked up some ammo and 5 fit nicely in the mag.

Good move. You won’t be sorry.

Wow great pic's and the read is making me profoundly regret selling my CZ 550 American 9.3 x62 to a neighbor, a retired Sea Captain with an All Oceans ticket, when the VA doc's in Dallas kept saying I needed to have a major surgery on my right right shoulder to get rid of a fist sized possibly dangerous tumor. I had traded for CZ couple years earlier with a shop in Arlington TX when my old friend, the SAKO Collectors Assc guy from Ft Worth was putting together another Africa trip for Cape Buffalo and thought there might be space for me if I wanted to go.

That CZ was the most accurate NIB BIG caliber rifle I had ever shot. Back then I had been a SAKO Rep for Stoeger in 5 states for 6 years and shot a lot of new to me rifles. Retired and moved to the lake cabin when the medical issues I'd become saddled with became a problem . When I first brought the CZ home I scoped it up and found some Privi ammo on line to go with the small stash the dealer had sold me with the rifle, found a small private range in a guys back yard, outside of Sherman TX only to get there and find No Range Master and nothing a very muddy field & backstop with no tables or any shooting stands. Found a piece of cardboard to lay down on and set up some targets at 110 paces. First 5 rounds went 3 touching and 2 @ half a bullet width away and called that good enough, with a couple AH's raining hot AR brass on people everywhere. Never got to go to Africa, and sold most of my rifles after the surgery proved to be what the VA doc's had predicted.

Couple years I won a TxP&W hunt as last hurrah before any doable recovery from the surgery on one of the premium State Parks where you have to shoot to qualify being allowed on the Hunt at this Park...and had a major laugh at listening to the side bet's by the Park Rangers about the tiny size of the 5 round group of my "elephant rifle" and the size of the bullet holes. Told them to just show me the supposedly monster sized hogs they were complaining about and I'll handle it. My neighbor later showed me pics of a sounder of some very very large porkers he'd laid down with a minimum of shots.
Ron

Thanks to mainer_in_AK for starting this thread. A lot of great information here from experience, not regurgitated “internet folklore”. My 9.3 and I are ready for bear season here in the Commonwealth. Little black ones, but that will have to hold me until I get back to Kodiak Island.

That reminds me, I need to put my “excess” Sako AV in 375 up for sale . . . Don’t really need it any longer!!

Conversing about Bill Wilson's (wilson combat) favorite rifle, a ruger 77 in 9.3x62, I recieved a reply from a feller up in the northwest arctic.

Please excuse the english and grammar. Having lived in the Northwest Arctic, yah dont need good grammar up there:


Rom:
"Guiding in the arctic preserve 1 mile from the Red dog mine for Moose with a stupid client that was told don't bring a deer gun 30-06 which he did bring then shot a Hugh Yukon moose with 69 inch spread horns, this moose fell over only stunned because the 180 grain Nosler 30 cal partition bullet only traveled 4 inches into the moose never even coming close to any vital organs . I walked up to the Bull Moose that looked dead but then it got up charged me at 20 feet, I raised the CZ 550 in 9.3x62 from the hip with no time at all I was hit in the face with the horn as I jabbed the CZ 550 9.3x62 rifle barrel into the moose brisket and FIRED ! The old Moose died instantly falling dead on top of me injuring my leg that folded behind my back . It took 45 minuets to get the moose off of me as I was pinned from the waist down under the moose. At that time my 9.3x62 CZ 550 was loaded with commercial Norma 232 grain Vulcan bullets. We found this Norma bullet under the skin in the hind quarter expanded to 50 caliber . The bullet had traveled from Brisket to hind quarter stopping under the skin leaving a 2 inch bulge. After that hunt again the 9.3x62 Mauser saved my life and clients life's against wounded Brown bears . I have a love affair with Big large bore rifles but that 9.3x62 Mauser I can't explain why it is so affective in killing really bad angry animals ! ??? I want to warn anyone going Moose hunting in Alaska, these moose are horrible for looking dead until you walk up to them, then all hell comes to you in 1500 pound of angry moose, over and over I have see moose that looked dead get back up then come at us . When a moose is down and you feel something is right shoot the freaking moose again !! I had a client turn [bleep] on me because I insisted he shoot his bull moose again because I could see it breathing, so I shot it with the 338 win mag then it got back up charged us then took the clients 300 win mag 2 more bullets to drop this moose, it freaking terrorize us for that fast moment ."



My appologies to the 180 grain nosler partition fanatics, that it only penetrated 4 inches before turning to a fragmented pancake

Good advice mainer, people don't understand how big these animals are. They're reading too many magazines about moose taken with a 243 or 270, which they are. But if going to Alaska, why wouldn't you bring a big boy. Down here in Colorado we have moose in many of the mountain towns and if you see one on the path or road, you basically turnaround. Seen many tourists get charged, one hurt bad. And these are lower 48 animals, just sayin.

GREAT THREAD!

Hip

Tikka T3 Forest in 9,3x62 with Aimpoint Micro: 6.3lbs

To light?

Mainer- you still shooting that .410 wildcat?

Notice any difference between it and the .366 bullets on animals?

Is that a Boyd’s on the 2nd rifle from right?

Madmooner,
Here yah go:


https://www.24hourcampfire.com/ubbt...41-vs-358-9-3-on-bull-moose-observations

Little rant about the 9.3 bullets from PRVI:

Though I recommend these affordable bullets and have had great luck with them, there's one thing I don't like about them:

Occasional flyers due to inconsistent jacket thickness. It's not enough to matter within 150 yards. But it's enough to be a clear miss or a bad shot out at 300 yards, like what's commonly found here in treeless Alaska, caribou hunting.

If yall think a hunt might require a shot beyond 200 yards, double check the accuracy of your prvi handloads before you have to rely on them. We all know factory bullets can go sub par when machines, tools and dies go awry by a mere thousandth of an inch or a tenth of a grain.

i use the Husqvarna m46 in 9.3x57 with 275gr WFN GC and 280gr RN GC in IMR4895 with 8x57 Prvi cases necked up. i hunt for 150lbs + whitetails and black bear up close. i have been taking it out for 4 years and i got 3 doe (25+/-, 30ish and 55ish yards). every deer didn't go anywhere but down after the shot. i guess it is going 1800-1900fps, i never chronographed it.

i had the bolt bent, D&T for a scope mount, Leopold 2-7x, Bueler safety, Dayton Traister replacement cocking piece with spring and a recoil pad. the Dayton Traister is a cock on opening, the original cocking piece is a cock on closing. it was just to hard for me to do a COC, i had a stroke about 11 years ago and that left me without the use of my right arm/leg.






i used 286gr Prvi RN when i was fireforming 8x57 Prvi brass to 9.3x57. i also have some 30-06 brass that was reformed and fireformed to 9.3x57. i never knew about Prvi bullets as i like cast. i like the Prvi brass, 7x57, 8x57, 6.5x55 and 7.65x53 Argie.

in my groundblind my furthest shot is 150ish yards, but it is really like 30-40 yards. i set up in the brush and trees.

North man let us know what you think of 9.3x62 in that 6.3 lbs Tikka. I would be very interested to know. Thank you.

I have recently go into 9.3 myself. I enjoyed your post and thanks to some fellow campfire members I’m all
Set up with dies brass and a bunch of bullets
I have yet to find an owner of this chambering who doesn’t love it
I listened to a podcast with Kevin Robertson
An old Africa PH. He had one in a loaner rifle
That took somthing like 500 Buffalo. Sorry not sure the exact number
His take on it was it outperforms a 375 in the field
Maybe not on paper but on meat for sure.

Loved this thread. Been considering a 9.3x62 for several years and am finally gonna bite the bullet and sent my 270 down to JES for a rebore. Should have it back just in time for bear season and will probably take it to the coast to try on Roosevelts this fall. This thread was a fun read. I plan to load the 258gr Hammer Hunter in my rifle. I really like the monos. The Hammers have all shot excellent in every one of my rifles and load work up is quick and easy too. There's a gentleman hitting accuracy at 2765fps with that 258gr bullet and running ballistics shows it's still pushing 1800fps/2000ft-lbs out past 500 yards!
Should be a fun rifle to chase bears and elk with this fall, especially after reading about how y'all have used yours over the years.

Resurrecting this, as I’m planning a 9.3. I’d remote, but afraid my 270 barrel won’t have enough meat, as I’m hoping to thread it for a suppressor, too. I guess I can double check it.

Good idea! This guy caught a 286gr Nosler the other day, quartering to at about 30 yards while I was still-hunting. What rifle is the .270 you're thinking of re-educating?

FN M70 Stainless….you might be familiar with those.

What scope? Thanks.

It’s more than plenty for a rebore.

A Trijicon Accupoint 1-4 with the German #4 reticle. Here's a better view of it:



HH4whiskey, if your donor has a sporter barrel I bet you'll have enough meat for the rebore and the can threading if you go 18" or 20"

Yes, and my custom ’62 with its twenty one inch barrel has no trouble getting 286 grain bullets way past 2300 fps with excellent accuracy.

Ted

On your 270 conversion, did you have the bolt face opened any?….mag/follower mods?

Can't contribute any, but I'll say this is most interesting thread I've seen in long time! Interesting rifle, cartridge, game, and type of hunting!!!
Sure wish I had the health & location to join in, but one my favorite things to do is go hunting with my 30-30, 30-06 or 22lr for squirrels to deer. And either by 4w, boat, but especially my canoe! But that's OK, critter size doesn't matter it's all big game!
But I started reading half hearted, skipped a lot, but I'm going back read entire thing! Hope this thread continues!

About barrel countour and the 9.3x62:

101 years ago, when this original 9.3x62 Oberndorf Sporting Mauser left the factory new, the 9.3's had surprisingly thin countours, .570" at the muzzle:



**Do the math on that: .204" barrel thickness at the muzzle. Surprising.......I know.

Not that it matters, but mine and my boy’s both started out as ‘06s and feed perfectly without any modifications.

It’s entirely possible that I never get to use it on anything much bigger than a big hog….but I intend to. Regardless, I’m sure a deer or three won’t mind the larger hole.
I began my rifle purchases at 14, with a browning BLR in 358 in 1984. I’ve owned at least a dozen 35s of most persuasions. I’ve never owned a .36.

I got out of my 35s some years back, as I couldn’t justify the need for the time. I’m caring less about justification these days.

This will stay a 270 for a bit, as I have some accumulated 270 ammo to go through, and I don’t want to subject my faux Ti (or me) to that much.

I did a Ruger 280 Rem to 9.3x62 and it works perfectly. Done quite a few rebores now and I’ve yet to get a stinker.

If I were doing a Medium bore, the 9.3x62 is what I'd do. Might as well go all-in if you're above .308."

My factory Ruger M77 RS 35 Whelen measures .560" at the muzzle. Makes for a tidy package in a High Tech Specialties stock.

Read all the way through again. More folks should take a look at this caliber. It is mentioned in a lot of my African hunting books. RZ.

EdM, did you shorten the forend on that Banser? Good looking rifle.

Shooters Pro Shop has the Noodler 250 gr Etip available






9.3 ETip

I been debating a 9.3x62 build into an ultralight but with currently having 3 ultralight 35 whelens I could never talk myself into making one because the whelens do everything I could want and then more here in Alaska. They really are very similar.

I chambered a barrel in 9.3 just a couple of weeks ago. If i get my stock done, I'll take it brown bear hunting in A p ril

I think the 9.3-62 is really great HOWEVER I have a nice 375 H&H and I hand load it to duplicate the 9.3 if I want less recoil. I have never thought I was disadvantaged because my rifle ONLY holds 3 in the magazine.

I think it’s more an action vs build vs use between the 9.3x62 and 375….at least for me.

S&B and PPU > 375 H&H Brass.

RinB,
To broaden your point of view regarding magazine capacity:

Areas in Alaska that allow multiple caribou bag limits, the 3-down guns are at a severe disadvantage.

Twice, I've emptied a 5 down 9.3, and only had 2 or 3 caribou to show for it. 30 mph winds, animals always trotting by, rarely stopping. You will miss and with 5 down, you will recover.

3 down, you will connect only once(one caribou is only a week of food per family), then watch a herd pass by as you reload your rifle. Then, you'll go to the AC and pay $25 for a lb of beef. Or: If a snowmachine, $12(or more) for a gallon gasoline to go try again.

I've never seen a subsistence hunter carry a 3-down rifle. And this is why the WSM cartridges never overtook the 243, 308, 270 or 30-06 in the villages where caribou outnumber people.

I may have not read carefully enough, or didn't notice ... do any of you have experience with the Speer 270 gr. bullet? I have somehow accumulated more than two hundred of them, more than I need for practise, and I'd like to eventually take them hunting bears, moose or elk. I have other proven 9.3 mm bullets too, mostly 285 grains ( Norma Oryx, Swift A frames, Nosler partitions, Lapua Mega) so don't need to hunt with the Speers but I'm curious how they'd measure up.

If I recall Yukoner has used the 270 Speer in his much used 9.3 X 62 PM him.

You recall well! The 270 Speer has been very accurate in both the 9.3X62 at waaaay over 2400 fps, and the 57 at around 2300.

Expansion and deep penetration has been reliable on moose and bears, and never a bullet blowing apart. Here’s a picture of the only one I ever recovered. Broadside in the lungs, a moose at 30 yards, 9.3X62.



Ted

Thanks Ted, that gives me confidence to try them when the opportunity comes along. Good to know they are so capable and reliable. And thanks to mainer_in_ak for this thread, and for sharing your experience. I have a bunch of the cheap Serbian PPU bullets too, and your reports of success with them also are very welcome!

Anyone try these yet?

Ted

these just popped up, half price...

9.3x62 Nosler ammo

Anyone try an leveraction 9.3? Winchester 1895?

I've only had then to the range once. Working up to JB's 2650 FPS load with my slightly slower-burning lot of Varget. I'm at 2600 with 62 grains (23.5" barrel) accuracy seems good in my small sample and POI is the same as the 250 AB thought these are a fair bit longer - likely a better BC than the AB but Nosler list the same BC for them both. Probably an error since in every other bullet diameter/weight combination for which Nosler makes both and E-Tip and a BT or AB, the E-Tip is shown with a higher BC. My guess is they were just making it easy without testing it yet.

They're sure a smoking deal at SPS right now.

Rex

Mainer, where do you live in INTERIOR Alaska that gas is 12 bucks a gallon? Where is there an AC store? Where do caribou outnumber the people in the interior?

Happy new year Mt. How's the 338-06 working out?

Left NW a while back. I was just simply recalling where a 5-down rifle was an advantage: in areas with multiple caribou bag limits.

Much different here in interior, as the federal subsistence permit is 2 caribou. And now that has been canceled this year. Mighty tempted to head back northwest, where winter hunts and bag limits are more favorable than here interior.

My place is about 30 miles outside of Delta.

Are you still in the Nome area?

At lgs today I saw about 10 boxes of those Speer 270s.

And a happy new year to you, Mainer. Your always an interesting person. Left Nome in 2012. Change in my employers plan made Fairbanks the better choice. Left some good trapping, hunting, and fishing behind in Nome. Do some 40 mile hunting and time out by Ruby. Lucked out and got a wife with property in Kenny Lake. Our freezer is filled with copper river salmon.
The 338-06 is working OK. Got a longer, 24 in. barrel on it. Will shoot 250 gr. sierras at 2500. Those outdoors directory guys sold me on heavy and slow. I'm retired.
What are you doing for work and fun?
You almost had me sold on the 9.3 in the past.

Correction on my part: My rifle is a New Haven, Stainless, G prefix in 270. It’s been looped to 18” and threaded 5/8x24 for me to enjoy until I decide on rebarrel or rebore. I don’t think the stick is anything but a plastic Winchester OEM (molded in checkering), but seems stiff enough. I’m hoping I can scarf up another at some point.

I have a Golden State Eddystone M1917 with my gunsmith getting it set up for some type of scope mount. Would this rifle be considered a suitable candidate for a 9.3x62 rebore?

If it is a 30-06, it certainly will, and with very little work to make it feed and eject properly, if any.

I had a pre war Model 70 in 270 that was a mess. The rifle, including chamber and the bore, was the terribly rusted. The rebore cleaned up everything. not just the bore, but a completely new chamber as well. My son has it now.

Keep us posted.
Ted

Yes, I had Dan Pederson, classic Rifle works do one for me. It needed the rails opened a little to feed correctly. But with a little help from Sitka Deer (Art ) it works great with 7 round capacity. --- Mel

I had read a lot about this cartridge and bought my first 9.3x62 when the LH Zastavas were imported to the US years ago. Loved the the cartridge but the rifle was crude.

A while later a forum member posted on AR he had a custom LH 9.3 built on the Zastava action that looked great. When he posted it for sale I bought it, turned out to be one of my favorite rifles. I've only used it on our Texas hogs but it works great. I also have a LH Model 70 in 375 H&H, beautiful gun but it doesn't get out much, seems like when I go hunting I always grab the 9.3x62.

470Evans,

Very nice rifles (and I include the M70 .375).

A year ago this month I picked up a nearly new Zastava M70 LH in .375 H&H. Matters have improved greatly since those ugly ones. Lots of 'em available a dozen years ago in 9.3 x 62, .375 H&H and my favorite in .458 Win Mag, which I almost bought. The .375 H&H has nice wood, and fit and finish is excellent. I've been working with loads since and it has gone bear hunting without success so far. It's not my first .375 H&H.

But the reason I have it is because I became bored with perfection. I've owned my Tikka T3 Lite in 9.3 x 62 since 2011. It, along with my Ruger No.1 in .45-70 LT, has done all hunting chores until about two years ago when the light No.1 was traded for a Ruger No.1 in .458 Win Mag and I bought a single-shot in .35 Whelen (my 3rd .35 Whelen). The problem with the Tikka in 9.3 x 62 was perfection. I developed several loads that I couldn't improve on in ballistics - bot in accuracy and MV. I killed three bears in a row with it - one shot each. The first was wounded by a young friend. I chased it down in tall grass and shot it in the short ribs on the right side as it was trying to escape through 30" tall grass with two wounded legs (left front and right rear). The 286gr Hornady SP-RP took out eight inches of back bone and went off into the trees in one piece. MV was ~2400 fps. 2nd bear on the same private property was shot frontally from my treestand at 68 yds by a 286 NP at +2600 fps. A nice 6' black bear. He made 20 yds and fell down an escarpment. That bullet was retrieved in skinning - just in front of the right hip. The bullet retained 73.8% of unfired weight. On the same property (different location) another 6' bear wouldn't come to the bait at 85 yds as long as I was in my stand. But when I left to return to my van around 6 pm he came to the bait and I caught him there when I returned. He was shot with a 250gr NAB at ~2700 fps. He too went 20 yds. No CNS hits on the last two. But a blood trail a blind man could follow on the 3rd.

RL-17 was the magic for the 250 AB, the 286 NP and the 320 Woodleigh at +2400 fps, all shooting sub MOA. The 250 AB into a consistent SUB- 1/2 MOA. I was using Hornady brass and WLRM primers. And about a year ago I had to purchase Lapua brass that due to being thicker limits the amount of powder that can be used. And it's at least 2x the cost of Hornady brass.

Perfection gets boring!

Bob
www.bigbores.ca

I have an 1895 in 35 Whelen. I suspect a 9.3x62 would work too, but I'd want to test-feed a few first.

Fun fact: an FN mauser bolt will fit in an Oberndorf sporting mauser action. Both rifles in 9.3x62. So I guess an FN is darn close to the original. This is probably no surprise to anyone.

The seller had that goofy/tiny/half-flat FN bolt knob modified. It had one of those bolt knobs where half the fkn bolt knob was ground flat on the bottom side.

The new bolt knob, threaded on, feels like a slightly larger original pear-shaped mauser bolt knob. Much more comfortable than a tiny ruger bolt knob as well.

Thanks remingtonman, this dirt-cheap meowser is gonna get the living sht beat out of it with 325 grain oryx handloads. The throat is generous, like it should be, allowing the oryx to be seated out to full magazine COAL. 70 grains of powder under a 325 grain oughtta be spicy.

EXACTLY 8lbs even, with a leupold 2.5x in warne mountain tech rings.

Probably...15 years ago my now elderly father had a 9.3x62 sort of built. It's a CZ. It's a very accurate rifle and I did most of the load testing/development. He had intended on taking on one of our annual elk hunts, but we never got drawn again. I guess that beautiful walnut stock is lucky it was never slid into a saddle scabbard or had to push its way through spruce branches.
Almost 90 now, Dad's not much longer for this world. Maybe someday someone will buy it and take it to Africa on safari, or to Alaska on a bear hunt!

35’
That is a gorgeous rifle. It definitely needs memories added to it.

GreggH

Wow that is sexy!

35W

That is an amazing looking rifle! Wow.

I would only change the safety. That rifle belonging to 470 was mine. I put a lot of thought into the build but the stock grip came out all wrong and I knew I couldn’t keep it. Glad it is providing good service.

Just tripped over another stainless classic 70. So, I have decisions.

Bad news today, gunsmith says all 4 holes in receiver out of line with bore. Recommends finding another action. Guess I’ll be haunting the classifieds regularly for a while.

You could easily have scop bases soldered on and not worry about misaligned holes. That 1917 is big though. Maybe locate a Mauser.

Looks like an AHR gun... I truly wish I would have never sold the AHR that I had...

I have a full stock Steyr w/ 1-5 leupold. 16 rounds through her so far building brass. Recoil similar to the 376.

Cleanest kill I’ve seen on a bull elk was with a 9.3, watching that bullet hit him right behind the shoulder from about 290yds and the waves radiating from the impact was a sight to see! He didn’t even get out of his bed.

Tag

Absolutely one of the very best threads on The Fire period!!!

Who is this fking retard 'sgt_zim" from Africa hunting.com?

Get a load of this hypothetical-thinking-outloud bllshit::

"SAF 300 gr, you're looking at MV around 2250-2350, with a relatively low BC. That makes that bullet about a 150 yd bullet for reliable expansion (swift says they'll expand down to 1800, but if you look at their images at that velocity, they are underwhelming)."

https://www.africahunting.com/threads/loading-9-3x62-with-vv-n150.60864/

Tell him to look a ways back in this thread, about what a 300 swift a-frame does at 500 yards on a bull moose or at 400 yds in thin skinned game like caribou.

I just picked up another stainless classic in 30-06 that's in excellent shape. I keep looking at it thinking it would be perfect to rebore to 9,3x62. The barrels already been cut and recrowned at 22". I'm trying to decide if I want to go even shorter but it handles pretty well at 22". I'm going to see how it shoots as a 30-06 first and if it's anything less than great it'll be heading to JES soon. I had been wanting to use one of my jc Higgins 50s or 51s but I much prefer a stainless rifle. Plus it looks like I can take the spacer out of the model 70 mag box and maybe cut down the ejector and bolt stop a bit and give myself some mag length. I won't do that if it jeopardizes feeding quality. It needs to feed flawlessly to become a favorite.

Bb

Couple things. I had JES turn my M70 30-06 into 9.3X62. The re-bore made the balance better for me with the amount of metal removed. So, I'd re-bore and check feel before shortening. Secondly, never shoot the donor!

The only change I am considering with mine is to have the breech end cut and recut the chamber to get some weight out of mine.

I'm glad I stumbled on this thread, so much love for the CZ's. Here's a picture of my 9.3x62 in it's stable. This shoots well under 1" with factory ammo.
Two questions:
1. For the CZ owners, my wood/finish is soft which generally prevents me from taking it out except for when I know I'll be sitting in the safety of a blind. Are you refinishing them or just accumulating war wounds/stories?
2. I understand the JES rebore is pretty affordable, but it's not that much cheaper than a re-barrel. Why is this the preference for a conversion?

That's how I get my best shooting rifles. I say they are donors when I buy them and then go shoot them before I change anything.

Bb

That's a beautiful fiddleback on that fs. No wonder you're taking care of it.

Bb

Thanks BB, it's a double edged sword having a good looking but easy to damage rifle.

Wow, what a rifle! I’ve owned a couple 9.3’s and may or may not get another. However, if I saw THAT one for sale, I’d be rifling through the couch cushions to scratch up the funds!

We'd be in a bidding war!

Beautiful rifle...

Yep!

Great to see another thread on the 9.3x62! I wanted one ever since I first read about it in Cartridges of the World some 35 years ago. This year, newly freed from the shackles of matrimony, I finally got one (a Husqvarna). And since then I have been hoovering up additional information about loading it up and using it.

I did think it was interesting that one of the first replies to this thread commented about the rough bolt on his Husqvarna. Even after having some work done on mine, the bolt is still a bit rough. To the point where I have considered getting it completely redone. I'm concerned though, that I could practically get half a new rifle for the cost of a good repair job.

I look forward to reading every page of this thread.

Edit - added a picture of my new baby. 8.2 pounds empty. I love how slender she is, despite having a reputation for being an absolute killer. The fixed 4x B&L scope dialed in very nicely. My experience using that scope/mount combination was always good with lighter cartridges and after 39 rounds, I have not noticed any issues shooting the factory 285/286 grain bullets. I look forward to further building my confidence in her and, hopefully, one day taking her up to Alaska or Canada for a try at a moose.

What model is that Husqvarna? I'd love to have one but they are scarce.

Looks like a 46B.

There are a bunch of them on Gunbroker. They are all old Swedish moose rifles. The guy who imported them converted a bunch of old 9.3x57's to 9.3x62. Here's one of the ones he still has for sale:

https://www.gunbroker.com/item/1045111539

I think this one is a little bit nicer than mine in some ways, but not as nice in others (I don't like the modifications that someone did to the bolt on mine). A bit of beeswax did wonders for the stock on mine. Apparently the brass tacks on the stock represent moose kills. He has a pile of the rear sights for them too.

I got mine, with a pile of the Hornady factory seconds ammo, for what to me was a reasonable price (about what he is selling those for). While in my heart I would prefer to have an original Oberndorf one, I like that the one I got has already been used for hunting. It looks nice while not being so nice that I would be afraid to clamber over wet rocks with it.

I recently picked up a CZ 550 FS in 9.3X62, mounted a Meopta 1-6X24 with an illuminated #4

Was at a local shop recently and they put their 9.3X62 on clearance, bought X4 PPU & X1 Federal

Can a military 8x57 be rebored to 9.3 x 62? It seems a bit close in size. Maybe enough to make it difficult? I don't remember ever reboring anything that close doing machine work where the precision required would make or break the project. Usually had some tolerance available. Maybe should ask this in the gunsmithing forum. RZ.

I was lucky enough to find a Husky in 9.3x57 at small gun shop in the area. I did a little trading to get it, a BNIB Remington 700 in 22-250, and a FN Mauser in 7x57 for some military surplus safe queen pistols I had. They mainly do military stuff, and we’re happy to get rid of the “Fudd” rifles. So we both walked away happy.

For the husky, the plan is to send it to Jess and get it rechambered to 9.3x62.

I had an old Husky 9.3X57 rechambered to 62 a few months ago. This one is an FN Mauser 98 with the standard full length magazine. Some of these are made on the slightly shorter action and require work to lengthen the mag and make them feed well.

Checked, and it held and fed four rounds perfectly. Actually will hold five, but it was occasionally a bit of a wrestling match to feed the first one. Not anything to be concerned about, four is plenty.

So, decided Why not? Well, one reason is the 7 1/2 pound outfit with the low comb is a bit more beast than I expected. Got tagged by it twice right off the bat.

We’re getting over it a few rounds at a time.
Ted

Yes, this is how I got mine.

Nice old post
I have a 760 that I can't decide on a 35 Whelen rebore or a 9.3 rebore. This may have helped make my mind up.

Yes Rusty Zipper; a 9.3 will clean up an 8MM

I’ve a mind to try to find a Browning BLR (takedown?) long action to rebore to 9.3x62. I’ve always personally preferred levers over pumps.

You bet, and JES can do it for you for a good price.
When Otto Bock designed the 9.3x62 it was dimensioned specifically to fit and function in the standard German 98 Mauser military action.

Cheers,
Rex

But the magazine geometry is a bit different so feed and function must be addressed.

Agreed;
This is why I went to the 458 Winchester as my all around rifle. And some 416s . A 458 just Flattens bears. Where as the 375 and I'm sure the 9 3x62 will knock them down and hold them down for a bit. The 458 just kills them outright. With the same everything happening right now , Close range chest shots . And , with a 500 gr bullet at around 2100 fps , as long as you don't hit a big bone on a deer. You can litterly eat right up to the bullet hole. The 416s work like the 458.
With the Ruger M77 Mk 2 it's totally safe to pack them with a round chambered on full safe.
A lot of people haven't experienced the brown bears of the A B,Cs . They can't comprehend having to shoot for their life where if your lucky you have 18 feet of visibility. I talked to guides like Ben Forbes and Glen Morgan. Stuck with their advice and never regretted it.
I did not get the velocities from my CZ 550 Medium FS carbine that they do. I ran 250 gr X bullets at 2550. I would have liked to try a 300 gr Swift at 2400+ on a brown bear.

Possibly, or maybe not. Before you work the feed rails see how the basic 8mm Mauser mag box does with the Nine Three. It may well run just fine. Or it might need some adjustments. Obviously apples and oranges, but my 1903 Springfield rebore feeds like butter as a 9.3x62 with no other work at all. Less difference between the 30-06 and the 9.3x62 and the 8x57 and the 9.3x62, but you may find it just doesn't matter.

Best of luck,
Rex

Right on, Rex.

I have done that very thing several times before reboring or rebarreling a rifle, and never had a problem. Won’t chamber of course, but if it feeds well into the chamber from both sides of the magazine you’re in business.

Ted

Back in about 2009, I had a cz carbine in 9.3x62 and a 375 ruger carbine. Sold the 375 ruger.

Stepped up to a 416 ruger and kept it for a good while. But when a box of ammo went up to $137 per 20, I sold that rifle as well.

With PRVI 9.3x62 brass running less than $50 per 50. And 325 grain norma oryx running less than $50 per 50, the heavy nine three handloads are affordable.

Anyhow, the 300 grain Swift A-frames over 64 grains of mr-2000 was my main handload for many years. But the price of those oryx bullets from ravenrocks can't be beat.

So twice now, the trim, affordable 9.3x62 mauser has outlasted the more powerful, more popular rifles. It's obvious why, and the 120 year old cartridge still has its advantages.