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

When God churns up a North American critter in his chemistry set that will shake off a 200gr Barnes or Partition from an 8x57, I'll move up the ladder.

That's how I see it. I am a big fan of the 9.3 x 62 even though for anything in Idaho I am way overgunned. Ideally, I would love to use that with a 286 Gr Partition for Alaskan brown bear. No personal experience with the 8 x 57, but I can't see why it wouldn't be a great cartridge for most any kind of big game hunting you can do shy of dangerous game in Africa.

I think they are both cool rounds but I would lean towards the 8x57 for an all around gun. Use a 150 gr Sierra or Speer for open country deer and for heavy stuff you could use one of the tough 196-220 gr bullets. I have thought for quite a while that the 160 gr Barnes TTSX would work great for almost anything in N.A.

Planning a build for this summer, kicking back and forth between an 2nd 8x57 or a 9.3x62...thinking I'm just going to build another 8x57. Going to do one in a satin walnut stock with a #2 1/2 barrel. Shouldn't be too much overlap my other 8x57 has a stepped barrel and a McMillan. I guess the only question now is bead blasted 416 Stainless or 4140 parkerized.

I think the question is unreasonable. A 9.3X62 OR an 8X57.
That's horrible. Should be "and" not "or."
Build both! (I am)

And I threw in a 9.3X57 too, along with my 9.3X74R Ruger #1.

Why so many?

Why not!

I have no other hobbies so building guns that I like is fine, and cheaper then race cars, boats, motorcycles or even golf if own was to play all year.

My "experience" with the 9.3X62 is building them, and seeing them used on elk and deer as well as a few antelope in the hands of those I made them for. But so far I have not personally shot any game with one.

I have killed a good many head of game with my 9.3X74R however, and the ballistics are very close.
I also have killed game with my 8X57, antelope, deer and elk.

Well now Tim, you have the ingredients on hand to build the perfect compromise....a 9X57! You know you want to, and it would be so cool!

Got pretty much everything but the barrel for either an 8 or 9x57, both reamers are in the same box on top of the safe. Keep thinking that if I build a 9x57, it will be a small ring(or Kar.98) carbine with a 20" barrel.

I have been shooting a lot of 9.3x57 lately.

232 Norma's at 2,450, I'm taking them out to 300 yds and they smack steel real good.

Easy cartridge to load for.

A 20" carbine would be a winner.

I really love the 8x57.

I've never even heard of a 9x57 till now. Sounds interesting. What make of rifle do you have in that, SU?

Picked up a Husqvarna m46 in great condition for $325.00. It's a blast loading a shooting it!

I should say though I have a 9.3x57. 36 caliber, hardly a difference between the 9x57 which I believe is a 35 caliber.

Both based on the x57 case.

I got a 8 x 57 and a 9.3 x 62.

If one had to go it would be the 9.3. I think the correlation of 3006 to 35 Whelen is spot on.

8 x57 a little more variable , and versatile.

I’m the proud owner of a very nice customized M98 in 8x57 so obviously that is my choice. The double set trigger and my handloads with the now extinct Remington Cor-Lokt 185 grain PSP are accurate and deadly.

That's the bullet I'm now loading and Remington still does limited runs so they aren't totally extinct, just on the endangered species list

If I ever buy a 9X57 reamer I am going to do it in "American style"
By that I mean I will have it made with a live pilot and set up for American .358 barrels. The original German and Austrian guns used .356" bullets. Easy enough to size down a .358 to .356", but why bother?
Making the rifle with an "American spec barrel" just means you load any .358" bullet and you have ammo. You need only swap out the expander ball from a .355" to a .357"

So far no one has asked me to make them a 9X57. I have done a few 9.3X57s however. In fact I made the last one for myself.

But I have friends who use 9X57s with re-sized bullets or European factory rounds, and no one has told me anything bad about the guns or the rounds.

It would be a cool little powerful gun to build on a Small Ring Mauser with a 7X57 length magazine. I could make it very light and quick. The only thing to remember is that in physics, there is no "free lunch" and a 7 pound rifle of that power will kick some. I am assuming it would be a rifle loved by the same lot of hunters that think the 350 Magnum M600 Remingtons were cool.

I've got that reamer, let me know if you need it.

Oh very cool Tim!

Who made if for you?
I have kicked around the idea a few times. PTG says they can do it.

I got it from Hook here on the 'fire. Guess it has one chamber on it from when he built his 9x57.

I've only shot factory Federal(round nose) and PMC(spitzer) 170's from a 8mm 98 carbine. It was more like a 30-30 than a 30-06 with those rounds.😁
I don't know it'd be so much fun out of that little rifle to shoot some hot loaded 200's.

Dang............this is going to tempt me.
I have a Belgian FN Small Ring I was about to make a 257 Roberts on, as a spec gun. 257s are easy to sell. But the idea of a 9X57 is just too cool. Much harder to sell because there are a heck of a lot more deer hunters around then moose hunters (or deer hunters who just like moose rifles)
I do have a good .358 blank with a 1-12" twist.

Maybe I'll make a take down with 2 barrels, a 257 AND a 9X57.
Or a 6.5X55 and 9X57.
Or even a 7X57 and 9X57.


This could be a sweet combo gun.

I am so far behind right now I think I''m first, but this gun has enough merit that I may just have to make it.