Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunting Rifles 8x57 vs. 9.3x62

I (we the boys) have killed plains game in Africa (2012) with the 8x57 loaded rather leisurely given the small ring/large thread Mauser used using the 180 gr Ballistic Tip up to wildebeest. I have done the same with similar critters and larger with the 9.3x62 using the 250 gr X in 2002 up to eland. At eland level I would opt for the latter, otherwise I would have no issue with the 8x57.

I have a 9.3x62 barrel for a Blaser that I have never used. I bought it based on my experience of about five years using a .338/06, which I foolishly parted with. The larger caliber just did a really good job of anchoring stuff right there. The 9.3 should do it even better. I am stocked with components and intend to use it this year, starting with feral hogs.
Jack

I have a couple of 9x57's and both have .356" bores. I use unresized .358 projectiles, either the Hornady 200 RN or 250 RN in them and they shoot great. I purchased a 9,3x57 with several boxes of fired and unfired Norma ammo once and, after slugging and chamber casting, determined it was in reality a 9x57. Never determined whether an enterprising individual reamed the neck larger or if it was a factory 9x57 chamber that was simply generous enough to load a 9,3x57 into. In any event, the notion of the neck being so large didn't appeal to me so I rechambered it to 35 Whelen and still fire .358's down that tube. Just make sure that the neck in your chamber is large enough that it does not bind on the case neck with a seated .358" projectile. I found it interesting that the previous owner(s) had fired a fair amount of 9,3x57 loads through it with no issues.

Perhaps my favorite 9x57 is built on a small ring large thread 98 and tips the scales at around 6.5 lbs. I've a 9,3x57 built on a small ring Mexican 98 that is equally light. I have a take off Octagon 9x57 barrel that is a mere 20" which I will fit to a VZ24 with spoon handle and Mannlicher stock someday.


In the meantime I'll continue to shoot my various 8x57 and 9,3x62's whenever possible. If I had to pick one or the other, I'd probably go with the 9,3x62. Which cartridge one chooses depends I think on the type of hunting and game one hunts.

SU,
thanks for the clarification. Sounds like a nice rifle.

OK, Cowboy Tim talked me into it.

I am going to build the Small Ring FN Mauser into a swap-barrel combo gun, the big barrel is going to be a 9X57 (made to "American spec for the bore so it will use .358" bullets) and a 257 Roberts with a 1-10 twist.

The gun will be made with the take down system to swap the barrels in the field as needed, and each barrel will mated with it's own scope so when you swap over from caliber to caliber you should not have to re-zero. Just swap and go hunting. The idea is one gun that can be used for coyotes, fox, deer, antelope, black bear, caribou, elk, moose and big bears.

The old Redfield scope base I will modify to include a fixed peep sight and both barrels will have front sights adjusted to a fixed zeros.
Both barrels will come set for a certain load, but if the owner wants he can play with that a little as he sees fit. The 257 will be set for a 115 grain Nosler partition, zeroed both with the scope and the irons at 200 yards.
The 9X57 will come set up for a 250 grain Partition with the irons set at a 100 yard zero, and the scope set at 150 yards.

A set of loading died for each barrel will come with the rifle too.
The 257 barrel will be 22" long and the 9X57 will be 20" long.

If I can get time to do it, I also want to make a case for the whole set, and a separate box for housing the dies, brass, load data and so on..........for making of ammo for this rifle.

I don't expect to have it done until late spring at the very earliest, and maybe even late summer, but these are the kind of guns that make me smile when they are done. Classy to the core, ultra reliable and ultra versatile. And not something that you can go to the local Walmart" and buy. I make such guns with the intent that they last and work for many generations.

I'd take the 8x57. I've had three but currently have none.

You will enjoy the 9X57. I built a poor man's version (compared to what you're planning) and then sold the PT&G reamer to CowboyTim . I saw no need for a second 9X57 but now y'all are making me think a new 9mm bbl on my Mexican 98 action would be cool. My current 9 is on an FN action with a Shaw .358" bbl. I load 250 gr Hornady RN bullets and 246 gr gas checked cast.




Since the above pictures were taken, I've added a barrel band for sling attachment. The 9X57 works very well on whitetails, this buck dropped in his tracks. If you look closely, you can see both jacketed RN bullets in the buttstock shell holder as well as cast bullets. With the rifle zeroed at 2" high at 100 yds, the cast load shoots at dead zero. I hope the next deer taken with the 9X57 will be with the cast load.

Doggone it! szihn, if you rent "my" reamer from Tim to do your rifle, maybe I should talk with you about doing a bbl for me as well to go on that Mexican action of mine. You people get me into so much trouble.....

Hook, do you have the barrel? If so is it contoured and threaded?

Give me a call. 307 856 6431.
I could do the chamber a bit deep for you if you have a lathe to set the barrel back to correct head-space. Or I can do the chamber shallow, and you finish the headspaceing by hand with an extension .

I'd be happy to do it for you. If I don't have to turn the contours and do all the polishing it would not be a big job for me to simply cut a chamber for you. I'll do it for free.

I am going to order some barrels this week. If you don't have one let me know and I can get one for you at the same time.
PM me and let's talk over the details.

I have always had a respect for the 358 Winchester, and the 9X57 Mauser is all the 358 is, and can be more, depending on what action it's made on.

Same with the 9.3X57. A 9.3X57 on a strong action is a very powerful round and has some excellent bullets available for it too. I was surprised when I checked Midway USA and Graf and Sons both and found there are more .366" bullet available today than there are .358" bullets. It's easy for me to fire a 250 grain bullet from my 9.3X57 at 2350. In fact I am pretty sure I can shove it 2500, but so far I have seen no need to do it. My rifle is made on a 98 action and heat treated by myself and it's very strong so I can load it to 58,000 PSI with no problems at all. (well ----- except that at that pressure it wants to kick your shoulder off your body. It has a steel butt plate)

I made my 9.3X57 last year and wanted to kill an elk with it, but my truck broke down and I was unable to get out to hunt for myself. I was VERY disappointed last season. I only killed one buck deer in the whole season. (used my 8X57 on him)

I never got an antelope tag this year, and my elk tags went unused.
Maybe next year.