Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunting Rifles Need hard data on the 9.3x62 vs. 35 Whelen

Seems like some believe the 9.3x62 has a big edge on the 35 Whelen.

I always figured they were virtually the same gun, much like the 270 and 280.

But I am willing to learn. Has anybody got hard data on the comparison?

358 Norma.......grin

I agree with you. The shocking power edge to the 9.3 is probably insignificant, even if actual. That said, if I were hunting big bears, and I had both rifles, I'd probably go with the 9.3.

Ditto on the big bears. I'll take any edge no matter how slight.

I am seeing 2350fps for the 9.3x62 with a 286gr. bullet (.301SD)

I also see warnings to keep impact velocity between 2000 and 2350 to get good bullet performance from the available 9.3mm bullets. Apparently 9.3 bullets run toward the "solid" side. This makes it a 150 yard rifle. Of course, heavier bullets are available, but the effective range is shortened further.

Experience says I can easily get 2500fps from the Whelen with a 250gr. bullet (.279SD), and typical 35 cal. bullet construction is perfect for these velocities.

Just don't see much advantage.

Well, I can't really offer any "hard data" but here's a look at the factory ammo specs:



I have both a .35 Whelen (Rem 700 CDL) and a 9.3x62 (CZ 550). I've taken some plains game in South Africa with the 9.3x62. I haven't hunted with my .35 Whelen. I like both cartridges. IMHO, ballistically I think a slight edge goes to the 9.3x62 over the .35 Whelen. Personally, I think the .35 Whelen is more akin to the 9x57 Mauser than the 9.3x62. No biggie.... both the .35 Whelen and the 9.3x62 have proven track records in the game fields. Pick the one you like, go hunting, and be happy.

Some articles that may be of interest:

The 9x57 Mauser
http://www.african-hunter.com/9x57_mauser.htm

The .35 Whelen in Zimbabwe
http://www.african-hunter.com/35_whelen_in_zim.htm

The 9.3x62 Mauser
http://www.african-hunter.com/the_9_3_x_62_mauser.htm

A Most Marvelous Metric
The 9.3mm holds the light heavyweight crown among European bore sizes and should be more popular stateside than it is.
By Craig Boddington
http://www.gunsandammomag.com/EUR/

-Bob F.

I have had both and while they are very similar there is an edge for the 9.3x62 for when bigger bullets come into play. When I had the whelen, ruger MkII, My main hunting loads where 225gr sierra @ 2650fps, and 250gr hornady RN @ 2400fps. The only load I haved hunted with in the 9.3x62 is 286gr Nosler Partition @ just over 2400fps. This load works well even at some longer ranges. I shot a moose two years ago @ 280 yards with it.

I also had a winchester 70 rebarreled to 35 whelen for my dad. He used it with 225gr trophy bonded loads on the same hunt. I am equally sure it would have worked just fine for moose and even brown bear.

They are both excellent cartridges. I think mainly if you needs are mostly lower 48, like deer to elk the 35 whelen is right up your alley. If your needs might take on larger animals, moose/brownbear, or larger african game then the 9.3x62 with heavier bullets might show a substantial edge over the whelen.

A 9,3x62 will do 2600b-2650 with 250gr bullets. 2650fps vs 2500 fps with a 250gr bullet may not be a huge difference but it's a signifigant difference nonetheless. MD did some pressure testing on this and found that it was well below normal pressure limits in modern rifles. Factory 9,3x62 ammo is loaded to lower pressures in deference to some old Mausers out there. In modern rifles it can be safely loaded to the same pressures as newer rounds and easily exceed factory velocities. It's abilities with the 286gr bullet are what really set it apart from the 35 Whelen.
I like to think of the 9,3x62 as a 36 Whelen improved, a 30-06 case in 36 Caliber with the shoulder moved forwards for greater capacity. Not a huge difference but an improvement.
Plus it's a classic African hunting round and has a lot more history to it than the Whelen......................DJ

Finn Aagard (spelling?) once calculated the slightly larger case of the 9.3 was worth about 30 fps.

In reality , they are both 36 calibers with only 8 thousenths difference in diameter .

The way I see it , the advantage of the 9.3 is about 10 grains in bullet weight......the Whelen will do with 275 s what the 9.3 will do with it's 286 s . Whelen factory loads are also held to very moderate pressure for whatever reason .

The real difference is the heavy bullets which also could be used in the 35 bore have been neglected for the Whelen cartridge .

The big advantage of the 9.3x62 (admitting the advantages are relatively small) is that there is a huge selection of bullets heavier than 250 grains, these days from almost any company except Sierra (Hornady should be on-line soon because it is now loading the 9.3x74R). This is not true in .35.

There is also a great selection of 250-grain bullets in 9.3, including Nosler AccuBond, Barnes TSX and North Fork.

There are also solids commonly available in 9.3x62, not so common in .35.

The 9.3x62 case has a little more case capacity than the .35 Whelen Improved. That and the larger bore allow about another 100 fps with equal bullet weights. (This is from measurements I did myself.) The top velocties possible at around 60,000 psi in the 9.3x62 in a 23-34" barrel are around 2500 fps with 286's and 2650 with 250's.

Now, in much North American hunting these differences make no difference. But for the very largest game, here or in Africa, they do.

I do believe we'll see some commercial American rifles chambered for the 9.3x62 in the next few years, and more available factory ammo. Was kind of surprised that the first American company to chamber a 9.3 was Ruger with the 9.3x74R in the No. 1, but then life is full of little surprises.

John Barsness

sdgunslinger makes some good points. I believe Remington made a mistake standardizing on a 1-16" twist for the .35 Whelen when they brought it out as a factory cartridge in 1988 (1989?). I have not tried it myself, but I have read where the 1-16" twist has problems stabilizing bullets much over 250 grains. Finn Aagaard mentions this in one of his articles, for example.

I believe with a 1-14" or 1-12" twist the .35 Whelen would be much better suited to heavier bullets. A 275 gr bullet at around 2350 fps would be very close to the 9.3x62 standard load of a 286 gr bullet at 2360 fps.



IMHO, a slight edge would still go to the 9.3x62 but the two cartridges would be very close ballistically.

I wish Hornady would bring back their .358" 275 gr RN that they used to make; a new Interbond RN would be nice. I would also like to see Woodleigh offer a .358" 275 gr round nose.

-Bob F.

Thanks to all who replied.

All of your posts were great, and gave me exactly what I was looking for.

As I suspected, the margin is small, but real.

Since I already have a 35 Whelen, I guess it only makes sense to build a 9.3x62 on the M70 action I just bought.

Unlike some guys who can't see the need for anything but a 30-06, I think it's great to have options.

Please post a photo of yourself, I want to show my wife what a REAL rifle loony looks like. . . . . . .

BMT

I don't have a clue why you would say that.

.008" is .008" AND 150fps is 150fps

Of course the best choice is to own BOTH a .35 Whelen AND a 9.3x62!!! Who cares if the two cartridges are similar... More toys to play with!!

I just thought I'd mention an idea... Since I own both, and they are so close in power ballisticaly, I decided to set them up to be a little different from each other in regard to their respective loads and uses.

Since my Rem 700 CDL in .35 Whelen has a 1-16" twist, I decided to use 225 gr bullets in it. As my CZ 550 in 9.3x62 has a 1-14" twist, I decided to make the 286 gr bullet its standard load.

.35 Whelen -- 225 gr bullet at 2600-2650 fps
9.3x62 -- 286 gr bullet at 2400 fps

The .35 Whelen 225 gr load duplicates the original ballistics of the .350 Rigby Magnum. (See the table I posted earlier in the thread.) A 225 gr Nosler Partition or Accubond should be perfect. It should make a fine load for deer and feral hogs here in Texas. And 2600-2650 fps is fairly flat shooting; that's approximately the same velocity that a .308 Win shoots a 180 gr bullet.

The 9.3x62 with the 286 gr bullet is the heavy bullet at moderate velocity load for larger game (though it certainly works on smaller game too). A 286 gr Nosler Partition or 286 gr Woodleigh should do the trick. (The 286 gr Woodleigh worked great me for on 2 Kudu, a Gemsbok and a few Impala and Warthogs.)

So, I've got one rifle with a lighter bullet at a little higher velocity for deer and hogs and the other with a heavier bullet for larger game. Both rifles stay sighted in for their respective loads. Works for me....

Just my two cents....
-Bob F.

Thanks Bob

That sounds like a nice arrangement. I can rationalize having both given those restrictions on their use.

Plus, there would be some real advantages . . . . . including eliminating guys like BMT from calling me a rifle loony.

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