Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Express Rifles and Big Bores Only 9.3x62

Well, with a nice 1917 action or Remington commercial equivalent you could have more rounds in the magazine, should you ever need them!

9.3x62 threads (oughta answer a lot of questions):

Reloading the 9.3x62

9.3x62 Experiences

9.3x62 Shooters

? for Mule Deer 9.3x62 CZ 550 FS loads

This has been an interesting and entertaining thread to keep track of, though I have to admit I'm surprised that with all the energy expended (pun unavoidable) on the merits of the 9.3x62 versus the .375 Ruger, nobody suggested taking a look at the 9.3x66 (370 Sako/Federal magnum). Just like the 9.3x62, you can have 5 down and 1 up, and energy and velocity (comparing factory loads) are enough above the 9.3x62 to sneak a bit closer to the Ruger.

Back to the gent who started this thread - I have two 9.3x62s on 03 actions; one is a double heat treated Springfield and the other is on a Remington 03 (not A3). Both feed slick as can be and are a pleasure to shoot; the only game taken to date have been blacktail deer over on Kodiak Island.

Let us stir the pot a bit...

The 9,3x62s claim to fame was its inability to drive heavy (286gr) bullets (hint : sectional density) above ~ 2250 to 2300 fps target velocity - in essence below the tensile yield limit.

In short - its bullets did not fail...

This feature it shares with all other classic cartridges, that somehow, mystically, kill better than their paper rep. would indicate (says something about paper reps.)

Check these combinations (cup and core only):

.30-30 170gr. FN
.30-06 220gr. RN
.318 Westley Richards 250 gr. RN
9,3 x 62 286gr RN

In all there is lesser bullet weights available - fame came to just these combinations. The Sectional density theory was born.
It is a lot nicer to say: "Cartridge fires a bullet with high SD" than to say "go up in bullet weight until they do not blow up anymore". This not to say that SD is a fallacy; it just does not tell the whole story on bullet performance, as indicators seldom do.

To get back to the 9,3x62. A cartridge still in wide use in our parts for red deer, wild boar, roe deer, fallow deer and mufflon.

It works - why would it not. I shoot 286 gr. Barnes TSX at 2450 fps out of 22" barrel of my 9,3x64. This chambering allows me to reach 9,3x62 performance with the heavy and long copper bullets out of a short tube - lets compare:

9,3x62 : 286 grain TUG (Torpedo Universal Bullet-flow steel clad, two cores of differing hardness) at 2400 from a 25" tube
9,3x64: 286 gr. TSX at 2450 fps from 22" tube.

This works. Backed up a client on brown bear with it. Why would it not.

In real life - the 9,3x62 is everything the .35 Whelen is, and a bit more perhaps, as slightly heavier projectiles are the norm.

And that is nothing to sneeze at.

By my book, only guys who do not need a 9,3 are those who have Whelen or a Holland. These poor souls must "want" it.

Carl, glad to see you say the 9.3x62 is equivalent to the 35 Whelen. I've shot the Whelen quite a bit and I'm about to start shooting the 9.3x62, but the ballistics seem very similar. By the same reasoning, the 9.3x64 seems very similar to my 358 Mag, a 250 gn bullet at 2800 fps from a 22" bbl and the 285 gn Swift AF around 2550 fps. Although most compare the 9.3x64 to the 375H&H, the 358 Mag comparison seems most apt to me. I confess a bias to the 35s, so maybe that's influencing my thinking. What do you think?

Moe,

I do not have firsthand on game experience with the .358 Mag. For that we should turn to jpb. The number do point in the direction you described.

Best of luck with the 9,3. You owe it to yourself to own one...

Although I've shot the 358 Mag a bit, so far I've only used it on 1 bull elk, with a 250 grain Hornady SPIL. It worked well enough, but it needs a tougher bullet, esp for close shots and heavier game. I've always wondered what it would do on the big bears? Maybe we'll find out one of these days.

458 has gone into the Bush so we probably won't be hearing from him until November unless he slips into town for supplies and weakens to the internet vacuum/magnet...

He doesn't know that my latest aquasition is a little gem in that its a Jefferys 450-400 double with a rare indeed Daniel Leonard action, and 20 inch barrels he would crawl up in a ball and cry, its just his kind of rifle.

Long live the 9.3x62 and I misquoted my velocities with it and correct them as follows:

26 inch Lother Walthar barrel, Fed 210 or 215, RL-15
320 gr. Woodleigh 2409 FPS av.
286 Nosler 2553 FPS av.
250 BX 2691 FPS av..

Fully intend to try JB,s recommended powder this summer.

Since cast bullets are all but impossible to find for the 9.3, can 375 just be sized down to 9.3? Or is that a bit much of a press?

The Noslers are very tough bullets in the 9.3x62 and I drive them at 2553 FPS in my 26 inch tube..The kill deer well enough but don't do a lot of damage, but enough to kill them and not blood shoot a lot of meat...

Probably the best bullets for the 9.3x62 are the Woodleighs that are velocity specific for the caliber.....

The 270 gr. Speer is a bomb in my gun and lacks penetration, but is suitable for deer if you don't mind meat being blood shot all to hell..They are just really soft IMO..

I also like the North Forks and they perform beautifully as do the lighter weight GS Custom bullets.

I have use all the above on game a good deal...

My 9.3x62 (a custom-stocked CZ 550) has a little shorter barrel than Ray's, 23.6". I get about 40-50 fps less velocity with 250's and 286's of various makes, probably because of the slightly shorter barrel than Ray's 26".

Generally I load RL-15 or Varget with 250's, and Ramshot Big Game with 286's, and expect 2650 out of the 250's and 2500 with 286's.

These ballistics beat the .35 Whelen somewhat. And yes, I've had them pressure-tested. They all came out around 60,000 psi.

Hmmm............... those in a 9.3x57, or a 9.3x.303Brit would be interesting..........................................

BTW, I have my 9.3x62 Brno Mod 21 double square bridge for sale at a very good price in the classified section as of today..pictures to interested parties at your email. $2650 plus S&Ins. It is a fantastic rifle.

You may have noticed that I have sold a number of rifles in the last two weeks here..I am not going out of the hunting or shooting business just rounding up enough money to buy my grand daughter a cutting horse, she was rookie of the year this year in high school rodeo It is her freshman year, and some points in cutting could get her to the All Around next year. So I do what granpaws do, and with more pleasure than one can imagine.

Ray, that's really neat. I am only into cutting horses to the extent that I like to go watch the local trainer and competition, but a bunch of rifles don't come close to having a kid riding well and enthusiastically!

I have chased a few cows on horseback over the years, but never in competition....

If you need to sell a double rifle for a horse, I'll need to stay away from that enterprise! Glad my daughter swims.

Hey this is the third double rifle and a bunch of nice bolt guns that I have sold to keep these kids in good horses, but it has kept them off the streets, the grandson is a pro class team roper and calf roper and the granddaughter, a freshman in high school, was Rookie of the Year in High School Rodeo and both went to State Finals this year, both qualified to go to Fallon Nv. I also rope and when they are busy we all rope together..It just doesn't get any better than that.

"A double for a horse"? I never found double rifles necessary for horses...they rarely charge.

My wife got "charged" by a zebra last year in Africa. Actually the stallion was pretty much dead on its feet from her first shot, but it came stumbling down a slope at her and her PH--who wasn't carrying a rifle. Eileen wasn't using a double rifle, but managed to whack it again anyway with her bolt-action .308, thus saving her PH's life. (Or so they both claim. HA!)

Maybe I should get a a double 9.3x62. I was charged by a raccoon, porcupine and praire chicken, and that was just last year.

I think I would rather have Ray's 9.3x62. Its a beautiful rifle.

ddj

Too good a thread to let it disappear. Will be looking for a 9.3x62 just becuse it's a pretty neat round.