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Up front, I dont have a 35 Whelen so cant compare. I do have a 9.3 that i had built (re barreled and cleaned up a little) on an Interarms X action for bears and elk and absolutely love it. I've shot and had good luck with 286g, 270g, and 250g bullets but have just stuck with the Speer 270 as they have worked well on everything they hit and are accurate in my rifle. When i had mine made, the 9.3 hadn't really caught on so was kind of an oddball (which is why i chose it over the 338-06 and Whelen) but now, it's got a solid following. Mule Deer has tons of experience with the 9.3 and has written/commented on numerous threads with great advice.

Like other have said, here in the US i seriously doubt you would notice any difference on game so it's a matter of picking the one that floats your boat. I would do a quick internet search and see which is easier to source right now...that may help you decide.

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I went through a similar conundrum a few years ago. I wholeheartedly recommend both.


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My buddy has a Whelen and I have a x62. I've killed with mine and he has yet to. Up to DG they are likely equal but the x62 probably ly off err s better penetration unless super heavies are used and then they probably even up again. The 286 vs 250 but the 320 and 310s probably compare favorably. I think the 9.3 250s may fly a little bett et at long distances. Who knows though I dont shoot far.
I like the 286 NP as a standard at 2450.


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Originally Posted by GSSP
I have a passion for super quality brass. I mean, I built a wildcat based just on the fact I could use Lapua 8x57 brass. Lapua makes 9.3x62 brass. Not sure what high quality brass exists for the Whelen....duh, I just remembered Lapua makes 30-06. Forget I said anything. These 12 hour graveyard shifts at Barnes Bullets are quite difficult.

Alan


Get back to work Alan...LOL Just kidding.
While neither of these may meet your "super quality" brass criterion, both Hornady and Nosler make .35 Whelen brass, as well as Remington (which has performed beautifully in my rifle). I have Nosler and Hornady brass, but have not yet gotten around to using it, as the Remington is still doing well.
I love my 9.3x62 as well and use the Lapua brass with it. When both are loaded up to their potential they are mighty close. The new .35 Whelen loading data from Sierra and Speer for 225 and 250 grain bullets respectively with Power Pro 2000-MR powder is a real game changer, and you need to get the 9.3 up to Mule Deer's 60K load level to equal the Whelen (with those new data). And it's no big deal to do so, BTW.
So I agree with the others who said it's whatever you like the best. I have both, so I'm good to go!

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Small note, Midway frequently has "factory 2nd 250gr .366" bonded bullets" at very cheap prices. And earlier this year a lot of 250 monometal and lead tip 286 2nds. Some with white tips, some with red... so, it can be pretty cheap to load for a 9.3 with Nosler and Hornady bullets

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Here is my take, I have both
Mostly applies to hand loading

Most 35 bullets have a poor BC, most factory loaded ammo uses a bullet w a poor bC
I run 225 Nosler or 275 woodliegh in the 35
I skipped the 250’s as the BC/velocity equation didn’t suit me
2785fps on the 225’s w a BC of 0.43
2550fps on the 275’s 0.45bc
R17 powder
22” barrel
Groups less than 1” or so w hand loads
There is a ton of lead and pistol bullets available for fun


The 9.3
I have really good luck with Nosler 250’s & 286
BC’s of .497 & .48
I have really worked on the 250 AB’s and get 2700fps, clover leafs occasionally with both the 250’s & 286
20.5” barrel
Western Bullets makes gas checked 9.3 286g bullets that I shoot with trail boss for fun
Ace Dub made a chamber adapter for me to shoot 9mm Marakov rounds out of the rifle, they group spot on, 1” at 30y
PPU and S&b have every day ammo for sale at about $20/box, pre-crisis prices, whelen every day ammo is more
The 9.3 is more qualified for Africa

Summary
The 9.3 has maybe 5-7% more power if you are going all out
9.3 has higher BC bullets available
9.3 has cheap loaded ammo available
35 Whelen can shoot lighter bullets (relative) like 225g faster and better
Probably, w twist rate in mind, the 9.3 will be better w heavy bullets
9.3 is better for Africa, maybe meet a legal requirement
I am not sure if an AK grizz can distinguish between a 9.3 286g compared to a 275g 358 dia bullet traveling at the same speed, next time I see one I will shoot him with both and ask if he could tell the difference

I ended up leaning toward the 9.3, only took the 35w out 1 time in the last 4-5 yrs, I take the 9.3 out elk hunting and to the range to work out my 286g Africa loads and other ideas for the range.

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I didn’t read this thread very closely before I posted

Seems I duplicated many other comments LOL

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9,3x62. Classic, made for Africa, got 17 years on the Whelen.


The 35 Whelen is basiclally a poor bastardization of a classic European cartridge.
Most likely didn't want to pay royalties... since there where rife with Mauser rifles chambered in 9,3x62 to be had.
And 9,3x62 ammunition could be bought anywhere on the African continent at the time.



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I'm firmly a Whelen guy. I have 2 of them, A Remington Classic, and a JES rebore stainless Remington. Both have done well on black bears. For the first 3 years of my life, I lived near the Frankford Arsenal and had relatives who worked there. Note that Gun Gack 1 describes the arsenal's location as "near Philadelphia". It's actually "in Philadelphia" for those interested in Whelen trivia.

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I have owned a Whelen, a 350 Rem Mag and a 9.3x62. The only one I kept was the 9.3. Hard to get 35 caliber bullets heavier than 250 gr but you can get 286 gr bullets for the 9.3 from just about every maker, assuming they have them in stock of course. Of the 3 I found the 9.3 the lightest recoiling and the best handling and when you hit game with it it tends to go "flop" right there. Truly one of the world's great calibers.


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I've hunted with a 35 Whelen for ~ 20 years and a 9.3 ~5 years.

The 35 with a 250gn Barnes FXB at between 2450 and 2650 ft/s is a very good performer on big animals, 15+ moose and many many black bear. Shots from 50' to 425 yards.

The 9.3mm with a 250gn Accubond.......same devastating performance.

Both rifles were hunting weight, recoil became an issue as I got older.

Today a 30-06 with a 200gn Accubond at ~2700 ft/s kills pretty much equal to the afore mentioned, it does range better though.

The 35 and 9.3 do anchor animals positively.

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Also, I heard long ago the Whelen had a smallish shoulder and could cause misfire's - is that BS? [/quote]

Some of the RP brass was undersized and would not fire in Whelen chamber once fire formed it was fine. Took some Laupua 9.3 X 62 brass and oversized it once and it would not fire also.

The point is, brass, dies and chamber should all match, or you will have issues.

Last edited by kk alaska; 01/17/21.

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Great posts and info folks, appreciate them all. Thanks for sharing!

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I've hunted a fair bit with 3 different .35 Whelen's. Hunting our local Canadian game bigger than deer. Using mostly 250 grain bullets at 2500 fps, I bagged a couple dozen Elk, Moose, Caribou and bears. And for a few years more recently I'd done the same with a couple of 9.3's. 9.3x62 and 9.3x74R. Using 286 gr. bullets at 2400 fps. I like the 9.3 rifles slightly better. But there is actually not much difference. I used the 9.3x62 on my last African hunt, and it did a superb job. My PH also used one. I don't think the .35 has any real presence in Africa or Europe or anywhere else actually except the USA. One of the considerations when traveling is availability of ammo. The 9.3's are certainly better in that respect.

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buttstock,

I have read a lot of the ballisticstudies.com stuff over the years, and in smaller calibers (such as the .270 Winchester) respect his experience, partly because I have a LOT of experience with the 270 with various bullets on similar-sized game, and his agrees with mine. (Of course, this is a common reason for "agreeing" with gun writers!)

But almost all of his experience is in New Zealand, and apparently not with a wide variety of bullets in either the .35 Whelen or 9.3x62. A good example is the 286-grain Nosler Partition, which I've used on game weighing from around 125 pounds to 10 times that, from northern North America to southern Africa, handloaded to around 2450 to 2500 fps It ALWAYS expands easily even on lighter game, killing quickly, yet also penetrating very deeply on heavier game.


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With all the glowing reports on the 9.3x62, I wish I had a need for one. grin

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But you do. It kills deer and.bears with aplomb.


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Originally Posted by Teeder
With all the glowing reports on the 9.3x62, I wish I had a need for one. grin


We try to avoid the "n-word" around here. It's just not polite. wink

I already had a 35 Whelen AI but still found a 9.3x62 irresistible. Of course, I took the easy way - Sent JES an old Springfield sporter and $275 and two weeks later I had my Nine-Three.
Back in the golden years only 9 months ago when cheap old 30-06s were filling the walls on every pawn shop that was (and may still be) an easy path. Find the one with the sorriest, shot-out , pitted bore you can and low-ball them.

Last edited by TRexF16; 01/19/21.
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I have a 9.3x62, an Interarms Mark X fitted with a Lothar Walther barrel that was trimmed to 20" and bedded in an Interarms Mark X mannlicher-style stock. It is half of a matched pair, the other being chambered in 7x57, that I put together for a second trip to southern Africa. It shoots good groups and isn't unpleasant to shoot with 286 grain bullets. I don't know that it is a cartridge that is necessary or even particularly useful for shooting game in the contiguous 48 States, but I like it.

I have zero experience with the 35 Whelen, having opted to go with the 338-06 in one of another match pair of rifles.

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