Originally Posted by Mule Deer
I've used a bunch of 9.3 bullets since buying my first 9.3x62 fifteen years ago, including Barnes X and TSX, Hornady Interlock, Nosler AccuBond and Partition, Speer 270-grain Hot-Cors, and Normas of various sorts from cup-and-cores to bonded Oryxes. These days I've pretty much concluded they'll all work well for most big game hunting, because of the relatively modest velocity of the 9.3x62 and similar rounds, whether the 9.3x74R or the wildcat Charlie Sisk and I developed, the .350 Remington Magnum necked up .008 inch. This of course the reason the 9.3x62 acquired its excellent reputation in Africa, long before any so-called premium bullets ever appeared.

That said, there's no real reason not to use premiums, especially if you might need to be really sure of some extra penetration, whether on moose and eland, or dangerous game like brown bears and Cape buffalo. They'll also kill impala and deer quite neatly too, which is why most of the handloads on my shelves for various 9.3 rifles feature AccuBonds, Partitions and TSX's. But there are some loaded with 270 Speers and 286 Interlocks as well.


Love the .350 Rem case. I went the other way with it and wildcatted to 8mm. It was the .325 WSM 15 years before the trade got to it. Nearly identical capacity because I have 220 grain bullets (original design) seated to the base of the neck. It hates 180s because of the amount of freebore of my throat design. To be a real rifle looney, you must wildcat something. smile

As for using Partitions, I've never found them ever to be the wrong choice. They are my benchmark.


"The Democrat Party looks like Titanic survivors. Partying and celebrating one moment, and huddled in lifeboats freezing the next". Hatari 2017

"Hokey religions and ancient weapons are no match for a good blaster at your side, kid." Han Solo