Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Africa Shot my new CZ 550 American 9.3x62 today...wow!

Greg,
I greatly appreciate sharing your field experience with the 9.3x62. "It is what it is" as they say, and you discovered that for you it is just not enough gun for getting the job done.

My thoughts on this splendid rifle and caliber are this:
It makes for an authoritive PG rifle at reasonable ranges (up to say 250yds for me).
It is a very potent caliber in a very manageable size and weight.
It has enough power to take care of most DG situations you might come across, though not ideal for any.

Is that an accurate assessment in your opininion?

I owned an M70 Classic Stainless in .375 H&H and sold it. It required too much of this and that to get it safari ready for my tastes.

I gave my friend my M70 .416 Rem in wood/blue, so I'm sure he wouldn't mind me using that for a dedicated buf hunt.

My ultimate 2 gun safari would be my 9.3x62 and a 404 Jeffery.
I could not imagine a better pairing for me. Pardon my romanticizing those rounds, but I've always liked things a bit different. I own a nice M70 wood/blue .30-'06 but it just doesn't move me like the 9.3x62, pardon the pun.

BTW, although I like the M70, I find the M70 cheek comb is too wide (stuck out too much) to feel comfortable when shouldering. I find the CZ comb perfect for my build (medium and somewhat stocky).

Jet: I also share your view of nostalgic calibers but the 9.3 and the 404 combo is too close for me. Personally you'd be much better off with the 06/375 or even better the 06/416 for buffalo. I don't have near the experience Greg does but I can tell you I've seen the difference even between a 375 and a 416 (in my case a Rigby). So what's my idea of a perfect combo? a 300(any flavor) and a 416. jorge

Jet,

The first two parts of your assessment are very accurate. However, I really think it is too light for elephant and just marginal for buffalo. I would much prefer a .375 if I were looking for a DG rifle that didn't rattle my fillings. It works very well on buffalo and I would have no qualms about using it again.

Jorge already mentioned that the .416 is noticeably better than the .375 on buff. He is correct. Sort of. Too many people who can't really shot a .416 carry them. Consequently, we see far more buffalo rodeos with .416s, .458 Lotts, and big double rifle cartridges that we do with the .375. Those big cartridges look and sound sexy, but few folks practice with them enough to shoot them well. If you can shoot it, the .416 is tough to beat. If recoil bothers you or you don't want to buy another rifle, be careful with your shot placement with your 9.3x62 or .375 and be patient. Go sit under a tree and BS for a while before you go after your buff and, if you shoot him well, you won't have any drama to deal with.

Thank you gentleman.

Although the 9.3 seems close to .416, it is so pleasant to shoot by comparison that I have taken it as my only safari rifle for everything from impala to buffalo. It has noticeably less recoil than the .375, but the terminal performance, in my observation and experience is equal on buffalo. I would not and did not use mine on elephant. That's were I draw the line.

The .416 (or .404) would be even better on buff. They do everything my .450/400 does in spades. That includes elephant.

If you like that combo, then by all means go with it.

FOsteology- Skip the solids in the 9.3, I went through a period where I thought the solid was king, and found the TSX out performed the solids, especially on buffalo. I had a couple of safaris where we had 2 hunters with 9.3's, one shooting the TSX and I mostly solids. The solids worked, but no DRT. I saw enough to go to the 250 TSX, and have been very pleased ever since.

I've used the 250gr. TSX a bit myself. Absolutely love it on wild hogs as the bullet penetrates completely at any angle. If the hogs cooperate, and line up just right, I can typically get two (and a few times three!) with one shot.

However, I'm leaning towards the 286gr. Partition as I'll be hunting lioness, and have found that the Partition expands quicker, and tad more than the TSX at 9.3x62mm speeds on thin skin game.

The Partition is never a bad choice. If you can ever find the RWS H-Mantle, give it a try. I've had outstanding performance with it, but they are hard to find and are priced as if made of Plutonite mined on the Dark Side of the Moon.

Just ordered a barrel today for an old heym mauser action thats been sittin long enough, Im gonna shoot 320 woodies in mine, tryin for 2400 fps w/a 25" brl, outta GED for some nice inside 300 yd. huntin.
Good luck w/ Yours
Gunner

I love my CZ very much. It is very accurate and easy shooting. So far I have only used Norma factory ammo in 232 and 286 grain bullets. It has flattened every CA pig it has come up against with one shot. I haven't used it on anything else and have never been to Africa, but given my confidence in this gun and my ability to shoot it well, I wouldn't hesitate to use it at moderate ranges on everything up to Cape Buffalo.

I used the 250 gr X (the original) in my 9.3x62 in 2002 on a bunch of plains game up through elend. Excellent performance from that bullet.

I have one, and I bet if you switch to another ammo make, or handload, it will shoot even better!

Mine is menuine sub MOA with the original Barnes X 286grns..

Regards,

Peter