Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Express Rifles and Big Bores Only 9.3x66 (370 Sako) Load data

Looking for the above. Thanks, Jerry

Here is a link to some data developed by Lapua:

9.3x66 Sako Data

I've always been interested in this cartridge and recently acquired a 9.3x62, with the intent of punching it out the x66. (I even ordered a x66 reamer, head-space gauges, and picked up dies.) However, after some additional research, I have decided against this planned conversion, at least for the time being. It just doesn't warrant the added head-aches.

Thanks pinotguy, Bought the rifle right and looked like a challenge. Can't believe there isn't more data on it. Guess it was a dud in the US. The Lapua data will give me something to work with. Jerry

I have two 9.3x62's and have no desire to punch them out. If I had a 9.3x66, I'd shoot it, just don't think the difference is worth that much trouble. I do have a .375 H&H and am building a .404J, so if I want more punch than the '62's, it's in the gun safe.

IMHO.

DF

Amen. So many of these discussions amount to counting the number of fairies on the head of a pin. Other than for justifying a marketing budget what precisely does the x66 offer over the x62 or the x64? Both do the same thing as does the H&H. Just inherited a x62 and a boxful of handloaded 250 ABs. I suspect given identical variables there would be precious little to note in a difference of performance in all these calibers on game.

Now, that beats the heck out of having to buy one...

DF

All the x66/370 did, was basically achieve what handloaders have already been doing with the x62 when pushed to modern pressures. Typical Euro/Metric round in 'Merica....dumbed down. Load it up to 60-64k psi and it meets/beats the x66. Of course no telling if the 370/x66 could be pushed harder. Either way, I've seen folks on here, and AR, give up some recipes to get 286's up to the 2500 mark, and 250's up to 2700fps. More or less what the x66 is doing.

Powder capacity rules the day, so the '66 could probably be pushed even harder and should beat out the '62, both at the same or similar pressure.

Although they approach the .375 H&H, pushing the bigger ctg. to the max, it will beat them both.

DF

The 9.3x66 might beat the 9.3x62 by 1% or so, when loaded to the same pressure.

The 9.3x66 was primarily developed so factory ammo could be loaded to 60,000+ psi, thus providing handloaded 9.3x62 ballistics to people who don't handload. A pretty small market niche, but no doubt bigger in Europe than here.

Can't load factory 9.3x62 ammo to that sort of pressure (though a few companies load it a little hotter than others) because of really old rifles that might not handle it.

I totally agree with Mule Deer ! The velocity gain is perhaps 1%.....the main reason is that magazine length and COAL is exactly the same for 9.3x62 and 9.3x66 so the bullet only goes deeper in the case with the 9.3x66........here is a pick that explains it very well with 286 gr bullet. So punching the x62 out to x66 is just a waste of money !



This is the tiny area for more powder in the x66 case !



The 9.3x66(left) & 9.3x62(right) :

Great comparison and graphics.

Thanks,

DF

also interested in this, American Rifleman article has chrono velocities for Fed. factory loads as:
-Nos. Part. 2486
-TSX 2409
-Barnes solid 2500
-Federal has since replaced the Nos. with a Swift AF
-these are all 286 gr. 24" barrel,Fed. listed at 2550 up to 140 fps low,so John is very close comparing it to top end reloads for the 62 or what you would likely get reloading the 66

I wouldn't buy a X66. It'll be totally obsolete in a few years. Buy a .375 H&H (100 years so far) or a 9.3x62 (107 years so far) and you don't have to worry.

Or just get a Whelen.

Well, I have a whelen and a 9.3x66 Sako. The 9.3 will run a 250gr bullet 2700fps and a 286gr bullet 2550fps using VV550 powder. The real expense in this is the brass and dies. I have 200pcs of brass and dies, the rest is easy to get off the shelf. It is good on moose and other big animals

Yesterday, I ran 286 NPs through my T3 (9.3 X 62). It was a cold day using RL-17 at an avg. of 2560 fps/4161 ft-lbs.

Yes, a .375 H&H will likely get 2600 - 2650 fps from a 300gr AND a 24" barrel... but perhaps not from a 22".

Either way, I think any one is about as good as the others. I told a friend who was looking hard at the Sako "Bear" 9.3 X 66 that at nearly $1500 he may want to reconsider and get a X 62 which would do exactly the same thing at a lot less $$.

Bob

www.bigbores.ca

How much RL 17 did you use?

That's top secret but enough!

Let's just say that all the bolts and pieces held tight!

Somewhat less than what an "expert" told me many years ago when I was getting started in this handloading business... I asked about loads for my M70 in .30-06 using a 180 bullet. He said: "Load 'er rounded full of IMR 4350, take a business card and swipe it across the mouth of the case, stick a 180 in and call it good". He continued: "You can never get too much 4350 in a .30-06 case to cause problems with 180s or anything lighter."

No, I didn't use that method with the 9.3, but I doubt you could get enough RL-17 in with a 286 bullet seated to cause problems. It's burn rate is similar to IMR 4350.

Bob

www.bigbores.ca

I use 71 gr of VV550 with the 286gr bullets and 74gr with 250's. VV550 is hard to get in my area , although I do have 2+lbs on hand. Wuold I be looking at 68 or so grs to get 2550 fps? Or PM me , I am a long long time handloader

Furprick, you have a PM.

Bob

www.bigbores.ca