I have started looking for 9.3X62 load data for the 286 grain Norma Oryx bullet. In particular, I'm interested in loads using Reloder 15, Varget, or Ramshot Big Game as I have a supply of these powders on hand. Thanks for any pointers!

not a direct answer but it should be a good start :

http://www.norma.cc/sortimentladd.asp?Kaliber=9,3x62&Lang=2

Try around 65 grains of Big Game--working up from below, of course. This load has worked very well in several 9.3x62's that I know of. Muzzle velocity is usually in the 2400-2500 fps range, depending on the throat and barrel length, and accuracy excellent.

I have always used 54 gr of 4064 for the 286gr bullets. The powder seems to be made for the 9,3X62 and the 9,3X74R. This gives about 2,450 fps.

Will second Johns load advise. Had been loading 58.5 Gr of RL
15 with 286 Gr bullets @ 2380 to 2400 FPS tried RS Big Game
and have better accuracy @ 2500 plus FPS 22" barrel.

My 9.3x62 gets me 2520 FPS in my 26 inch barreled Brno Mod 21, that is a 10 shots chronographed with the high and low velocity taken out then averaged...I use RWS or Lapua brass, Fed. 210 primers, and 58.0 grs. of RL-15...

I certainly intend to try RS Big Game as suggested by Mule Deer and KK Alaska, and see where that goes, when and if I can find any, so far I cannot get it, nor can I find any fed 210 primers.

I am mildly surprised that my gun gets more velocity a bit less RL-15 than KK Alaska is getting, even with my 26 inch barrel, but its a Brno and they tend to be tight and I have seen more than a few variations between guns with the same load.

I also get 2400 plus a tad with a 320 gr. Woodleigh and a rather stiff load of RL-15, that I don't care to share for fear of blowing one of you gents off the face of the earth!! My gun has a long magazine and a very long throat btw. I better also edit my post to the effect that I use a 286 gr. Nosler partition, not a Oryx bullet.

Thanks for all the replies.

I took my new-ish CZ550 FS 9.3X62 (~20.5 inch barrel; 1:9.5 twist) to the range yesterday with a variety of loads. I used new resized Lapua brass and WLR primers for all. All screws were tightened to spec using a FAT torque wrench and the rifle cleaned every three rounds. Distance was 50 m, and 3 rounds per load were shot. In general, I was unable to get anything smaller than 0.8 inches with 250 grain Accubonds using Varget, and in all cases groups were strung vertically and in many cases larger than 2". In contrast, I had some very pleasing cloverleaf groups using 286 gr Noler Partitions with 59.5 gr of Big Game (0.2 "; COAL 3.291; chrono 2185 fps), 55 gr Varget (0.4"; COAL 3.317; chrono 2189 fps); and 57.5 gr RL15 (0.57"; COAL 3.291; chrono 2240 fps). Norma oryx factory loads also produced a lovely cloverleaf (0.4"; COAL 3.21; chrono 2250 fps).

I'm wondering what others have found with 250 grain Accubonds with respect to accuracy. Perhaps the Accubonds are not stabilizing in my rifle?

Thanks again!

Any factory rifle out of the box that shoots as good as yours is exceptional.

If you getting vertical stringing then you either have too much torque on the front action screw or you may need to releave a tad of wood from the front portion of the forend. You may have a bind somewhere due to bedding. Glass bedding usually helps any factory rifle. If you want to send me pictures of your stringing groups ([email protected]) I can tell you what you need to do to the bedding as groups are pattern equated to bedding. As a stock maker I deal with this all the time.

Thanks very much! As soon as I figure out how to post images I will do so.

The images are located (hopefully) at:

http://picasaweb.google.com/mmarra3006/93X62mmShootingResultsFebruary252010?feat=directlink

All groups are 3 rounds at 50 m with a dime shown for scale. Images 1 and 2 are 250 gr Accubonds with different loads of Varget. All others are 286 gr Partitions except the last image, which is the Norma Oryx Factory Loads. Image 3 is 57.5 gr of RL15 (group data posted above). Images 4 and 5 are 55 gr Varget. Image 6 is 59.5 gr of Big Game. Image 7 shows Norma factory loads.

Thanks once again for looking at these.

You can download Vihtavuori's complete loading data here.

Of course, the cartridge in question is included.

Fine choice of bullet, by the way. A friend has killed about 9 moose during the past 3 years with that bullet. Perfect performance every time. As far as I can see, the bonded Norma Oryx closely duplicates the fine Woodleigh bonded bullets.

John

genehunter.....the 250 AB loaded by nosler were the most inaccurate loads i've tried....but i mean to say that they still shoot to about a 2.5" group at 200yds. from my CZ 550FS....they do land alot higher on target than anything else...but they do fly the flattest of them all....they seem to be a horse of a different color for that gun....every other loading from norma or nosler(286 PT) were more predictable on the target....bearit....

Thanks bearit...what load do your favor for the Accubonds?

BTW, I like the Norma Oryx bullet. It is a very good bonded bullet. I took a ghemsbuck and kudu with a 9,3X74R loaded with factory 286 Norma ammo, and both recovered bullets mushroomed very well and retained good weight.

genehunter.....i don't handload as yet for the 9.3....i shoot nosler's loaded ammo and norma's.....both the nosler loadings have noticeably more recoil so i presume that they are a little faster.....the norma 286gr. alaska's,oryx,and plastic point all shoot to the same spot elevation but just slightly right or left.of center....i've not tried their 232gr. loadings yrt. i think that normas listed muzzle velocities could be a little overstated just because of the difference in recoil.....i think that nosler's ballistics are a closer to reality....i don't think that the 20.5" barrel makes much difference in velocity unless you have one with a 26" barrel as i believe atkinson does.....i take my 9.3 black bear hunting in PA. but have only passed on small ones so far.....have seen a couple really good trophy quality bears but they were to far or just flying through the timber....i dont want to shoot one in the rump although in PA. i think alot of guys think thats a good shot.......regards.....bearit...

Why even mess with the Accubonds if they are not accurate and the other bullets are shooting so much better?
Just a thought.

Accubonds and Balistic tips shoot exceptionally well in my 9.3x62. I think they discontinued the Balistic tip in the 9.3 but not sure. I have about 200 bal. tips loaded...It was the bullet that worked best on deer size game for me. I have not tried the Accubonds..The Nosler works well enough but its a tad tough for deer etc., but the upside to that is it does not do a lot of blood shot damage to these smaller animals.

The only powder that I am satisfied with in my 9.3x62 is RL-15, nothing else gets me the high velocities I am getting and its accurate also...but my gun has a long box and throat so that I can set the bullets out and have more powder capacity, this works well on some calibers and not on others but the 9.3x62 and 7x57 really profit from it...The 9.3x62 in this variation also benefits greatly with a long 26 inch barrel. With this set up I can duplicate the 9.3x64...

**** I'm wondering what others have found with 250 grain Accubonds with respect to accuracy. Perhaps the Accubonds are not stabilizing in my rifle? ****

In response to this question, I've had great results with the Accubond but I have not had any good results with Varget. Just my $.02. Take care

Ray,
I am very interested in your comments about group patterns being bedding related. Would you please elucidate?

I want a short barreled 9.3 on a Winchester action. What is the shortest barrel I can have and still get 2360 from a hot load? Essentially handload to make up for the short barrel.

Metricman,
I could write a book on the subject and would have to illistrate it to show the group patterns and what they tell you..or you could send me a group with the shots numbered with a diagram of the group and I can tell you what you need to do as for as inletting goes. I have kept these records for years and their is a definatel pattern to follow..

An example is if shots 1,2,3 (no. 4 goes high)and 5 are in a group going clockwise, then shot no. 4 went high because the tang area is bedded too low and you can bet the first shot will be center....If shot no. 4 was low in the same group then the action is bowed by the tension on the front action screw, and it may or may not mean the bedding is too deep in that area.

If you have a group you want analized send me an email and I will try and help you out within reson...I say within reason because the accuracy of the barrel is a major factor, so I can only analize a group from a good barrel I suspect.

Thanks Ray,
I don't have a particular rifle in mind at the moment but I was just hoping you could find a way to pass along the wisdom you have gained over the years. Perhaps at some point you will have the time and energy to do so.

Hi Folks -

In the intervening months since my last post on the topic of loads for the 9.3X62 I have stumbled across the "Quickload" software, and in playing with it and my CZ550 FS have discovered that the farther out I seat my bullets, the more powder I can get in the case without necessarily changing pressure. (This is probably obvious to all of you, but I'm pretty green). The CZ seems to have a loooong throat, and it appears I'll run out of magazine room before I get anywhere near the lands. This got me to wondering at what point will neck tension alone fail to grip the bullet sufficiently to allow adequate pressure to build? Current seating depth appears to be .469 for the .366 250 grain Accubond. Quickload says I can get 60 grains of RL15 in there and have a case thats 98.7% full, yielding 54,370 psi (56,565psi max, Piezo CIP method, whatever that means).

As a sanity check of sorts, Quickload says the 58.5 gr RL15 that Nosler lists as their max load for the 286 grn partition is over max when loaded to COAL 3.291.

So question number 2 relates to whether others have experience with Quickload for 9.3X62 load development, and whether this experience is good....

Thanks!

I use reloading data as a guide line,once determined to be factual.I then follow what MY gun,the one in my hand tells me what it will and won't do.
As a side note,my CZ 9.3x62 has long throat as well,once the hunting load was worked up, I set OAL for reliable feeding...

Genehunter,

Though a lot of people regard QuickLoad as the final word on any handload, it is only a computer prediction. In fact the disclaimer on the QL program itself (if you read the fine print) suggests using ACTUAL data from manuals if available, rather than depending only on QL.

In other words, don't put too much faith in QL for your 9.3x62, especially with the long throat in the CZ's (all that I have ever fired or heard about have the same throat).

Simply another tool, and can be a useful one, but no more than a tool.

Both RL15 and Big Game gave good accuracy in my 550FS 9.3X62. Big Game had the highest velocity, but I went with the RL15 load because I had plenty and use it in two other cartridges.

Thanks! What sort of velocities are you generating?

Cheers!
-Bob F.

Right, thanks! I presume out of the 20.5 inch tube on the 550FS velocities would be ~150 fps less or so with comparable loads?

With 286 gr. Partitions and Hornady IL's I get 2300 fps with 57.5 gr. of RL15 and just over 2400 with 62 gr. of Big Game.
Both loads are with PRVI brass and Winchester LR primers.

Thanks husqvarna...I'm generating numbers that are close to this out of my FS with the same loads/powders using Lapua brass and WLR primers...