well i finally got a elk tag....i have a 9.3x62 mauser, what is my limit for distance with this caliber for elk? Gonna be shooting 286 gr. Bullets at about 2300fps.

You should go out and actually shoot your rifle at the various distances that you think that you might encounter while hunting to verify for yourself where your rifle shoots.

I many times use a .35 Whelen, very similar to the 9.3x62. While many consider both of these rounds to be "short range", I have taken several animals around the 250 yard mark and one moose in Alberta at a lasered 410 yards with the Whelen. So, it can be done, but you have to do a bit of homework first in the form of shooting at some of the distances that you think you might expect, given the area that you are going to be hunting. A vast majority of game is taken inside of 300 yards for sure, so at least doing some shooting out to that range might be beneficial. Just my thoughts.

I've shot elk and caribou, as well as heavy plains game in Africa, with my .35 Whelen. I totally agree with what you've said here, having had exactly the same experiences with it since 1993 -- though my 400 yd +/- shot was on a caribou .

Dennis

The big problem with your load is not being able to hit an elk in the right place at, say, 300 yards, but that the bullet might not expand all that well at that range. Certainly at 400 it probably wouldn't expand at all. Of course a lot depends on the bullet you're using.

Also, are you handloading or using factory ammo?

Personally, if longer ranges might be involved I much prefer 250-grain bullets in the 9.3x62. These can be easily (and safely) handloaded to at least 2600 fps. In the 23.6" barrel of my CZ my handloads (60 grains of Varget) and either 250-grain Nosler AccuBonds or Barnes TSX's get 2650 and excellent accuracy. And yes, they have been pressure tested, and are around 60,000 psi.

I also tend to load 286's a little faster than 2300 as well. The original (and present) factory loads are low-pressured by modern standards. It is easy to get at least 2400 and even 2500 or so with 286's, which doesn't make all that much difference in hitting beyond 250 yards but does make bullet expansion much more sure.

The 286gr Nosler Partition is also a tougher partition than some of the smaller caliber versions of the bullet. It will penetrate more but might not expand at lower velocities. A good bullet for 2300fps is the Speer 270gr; I shoot those in my practice loads and use them for Blacktail here. For Elk I load the 286gr Partition to 2450fps, or thereabouts depending on conditions, using Ramshot Big Game.

Naw, the 286 Partition will expand easily at lower velocities; the front end is the same softer lead alloy Nosler uses in all their bullets. The only difference between the 286 and most smaller Partitions is that the partition itself has been moved forward, so the bullet retains a higher percentage of its weight.

Hmm... I reached the wrong conclusion from my sectioning of the bullets then. I assumed the Partition being moved forward would hinder expansion at lower velocities. Oh well, should've tested them in the Bullet Tube first. Might do that later today come to think of it... Thanks for the correction MD.

I sure would like to try my 9.3X62 shooting a 286gr NP on an elk one of these days.
And holy smokes, does that bullet shoot well out of my CZ!!

Too small gotta go lots bigger.

Ja,
Need a MK 108 30mm cannon at least...
grin

Oregon45,

One of the virtues of the Nosler Partition is that it will open up at pretty low velocities and when encountering little resistance. This is because the front end does have a very soft lead core. I have tested the 286 9.3 both in the Test Tube and on deer and it opens quite easily--yet shoots up very little meat!

Nice combination to have in a bullet like that.

John, hasn't Phil S. used that bullet with some good success on Brownies??

I have found the 225 gr Partition to expand more easily than the 225 gr. TBBC in the .35 Whelen. Also had good luck with the 250 gr. Partition and 250 gr. Speer.