Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Ask The Gunwriters 9.3 x 62 and big bear?

Ted, been thinking about a 9.3 to replace the 338/06 I had, and your experience certainly is persuasive.

Gunner, JB has some experience w/250 AB on bear in a 9.3 B-S IIRC, the 350 RM case necked up. Said the 250 AB is one heck of a bullet for retention, penetration, and expansion. Even had a write up in one of the gun mags at your newstand.

If I get a 9.3 I will be looking at the AB and the 286s.

Go to the Norma homepage and then ask Don Heath if HE has faith in the 9.3x62 on big game..........

Norma lists their factory 325gr load at 2300 fps.

Just read it. Pretty exciting stuff, and don't doubt for a moment it could do it, however don't see where it indicates he used a 9.3X62.

Ted

I think Phil is right, 2400fps is optomistic as I haev loaded 286gn Woodleighs to 2330fps and called that max.

Irrespective of the paper ballistics, that 320gn Woodleigh will deal will any bear situation.

JW

yes I would , I run them 2700fps out of a 370 sako aka 9.3x66. There supposed to retain 80% weight, don't know this as I never recovered a bullet, this bullet will sink deep into any animal at spitting distance and shed 20% for good collateral damage.

On the forum that had the link, they talked about him using a 9.3. A later post said it may be a 450. I'll go check.

Thanks for all the advice and opinions gents,

I did a little comprative figuring on the 9.3 w/ 320 woodies, its only 50 thou. smaller than .416 and 90gns. lighter than a 410gn. woodie for the 416 rigby. IIRC the 416 rigby w/ 410gn. bullets is a phenominal penetratior. Thats startin to usher in the comfort level using the 9.3x62 for big bears.

I do my part and it should be good.

Anyone ever use the 285 Norma Oryx on game? This bullet shoots very well out of my CZ550 while I don't get as good of accuracy w/ Nosler 286 bullets. Only thing I've shot with it so far is a buffalo.

I was in South Africa in March. Had to borrow a rifle and ammo from the PH. It was 286gr Norma Oryx and worked just fine on warthog, impala, blue wildebeest, and kudu. All were complete pass throughs except the blue wildebeest. Rear quartering shot came in behind the right shoulder, through the heart, lungs, and left shoulder, and was recovered as a bulge under the hide on the front of the left shoulder.

Thanks 257

My bear taken with a 250 AccuBond from the 9.3 BS (2600+ fps) was a 7-1/2 foot interior grizzly, not a coastal bear.

If I were hunting the big ones, I'd go with the 286 Partition. It does penetrate extemely well. The load I use (65.0 Ramshot Hunter) gets around 2500 fps in 24" barrels and has been pressure-tested at 60,000 psi. But I sure as hell wouldn't worry that it would bounce off if started at 2300-2400.

Correct me if I am wrong here, but the case capacity of the 9.3 BS is virtually identical to the 9.3x62. What kind of velocity can you get with it out of a 20" barrel? Is the 65.0gr load compressed? Have you tried RL19? The 9.3 BS is a very interesting cartridge (as is the .375/350 and .416 Express).

Ganyana uses a 9.3....

Some of the posts said 9.3 and one mentioned 450.
There was no definite call.
What ever he used, he knew how to use it.
I have read the story several times.
He is a master craftsman with the proper tools........He got the job done.

I noticed Don did not have his double and when I asked what he used and he said it was one of the Parks .416 Remingtons.

But back to the original question. Here is a photo of 9.3 bullets recovered from large bears. In all my testing the 286 gr Partitions gave the deepest penetration



Here is one of my 9.3x62 rifles shown above an original 350 Rigby

I love that Rigby! I love the minimalist approach to the stocks on those rifles.

Funny, I was at the zoo w/ the kids last night. It was cold/snowing and the place was basically empty. The animals all got up when got to their exhibits. I stood in front of a pacing grizz for about 10 mins with about 5 inches of glass between us just mesmerized. A truly impressive animal. I hope to see one in the wild some day....from a distance.

I like that Rigby! Thanks.

arac,

Yes, the powder capacity of the 9.3 BS is virtually identical to the 9.3x62. The loads I use in the BS get about 2650 fps with a 250-grain bullet and 2450 with a 286.

Those velocities are from a 23" barrel. I've never tested them in a 20" barrel and don't even know if Charlie has ever built a 20" barreled BS. (He says he's built about 20 rifles for the round now.) But based on some experience with a 20" barreled 9.3x62 I would guess that very little velocity would be lost.

The 65.0 grain load mentioned should have been Ramshot Big Game, not Hunter--and that is only in the 9.3x62. TAC works better in the BS with both 250's and 286's.

In my experience, Reloder 19 is way too slow and bulky for use with either round.

Very informative, nice rifles there 458

Gunner