Out of these three which is the best non-magnum medium bore if you had to pick one to use on all of the larger North American game, short of the big bears?

The Mauser. Nothing wrong with the Whelen, but if you can't put a critter down with a 286 partition you might deserve to be eaten!

Any of these three would work. I've never hunted the big bears but would think that all three would work well with the right bullets...

The one fed the best bullets.
😬

Most versatile would be the 338-06. Flatter shooting, less WD and better impact velocity at longer ranges due to much higher BC of .338 bullets (similar sweet spot as 7mm but in a medium bore). Plus bullet choices from 160-275 grain. For power up front the 9.3x62 Mauser for sure. However the Whelen is a proven killer of large critters as well.

Talk to cz550 8n the 458 win mag thread. He has done a lot of work with the x62 and has some interesting data on it at long range.

Yep.

Can we throw the 9.3x57mm mauser in with these? It's very popular in Canada and Sweden. Norma still loads ammo for it. Probably runs 200 fps behind the X62. Hard to beat for a shorter range woods gun where 125 yds is a long shot.

That said I got my buck this year with my Whelen and it's a fantastic round. Barnes load data can send a 200gr TTSX at 2900fps for a very flat shooting load. B.C. is middle of the road at .369 but still way better than .2 for a round nose. It's trajectory is similar to a 150gr 30-06 but with a bigger payload. Switch to 250grs and it's power is inspirational. Fed a premium Woodleigh, or Partition and any brown bear is lunch. If going after the biggest bears tomorrow I'd grab my Whelen.

The 9.3x62mm was developed to take heavier boned beasts on another continent at typical hunting range. I often wondered if Otto Bock used the 30-03 case (shortened to the present in 1906) to make this famous hunting cartridge in 1905.

You can buy factory ammo for the 9.3x62, somewhat easily, depending on where you live, but it's almost always 285 or 286gr, all running 2200 to 2300 fps. Though you can sometimes find Nosler factory 250gr loads, which are pretty wimpy and run around 2400 fps, at least in my 24" rifle.

You can buy ammo for the Whelen, in my experience, much more easily, and in more places. There are several very good and commonly available 225gr loads@2700 fps (Fed trophy bonded and Nosler accubond), some 250gr loads@2450-2500 fps (partitions, here and there, and corelokts), a ton of 200gr loads at 2800-2900 fps (TTSX, corelokt, federal fusion, Hornady) and one common 180gr load (TTSX) at close to 3,000 fps.

There is no factory ammo for the 338-06.

If you're shooting something that needs a 286gr bullet at 2200-2300 fps, it's an easy choice.

If you want the option of shooting factory ammo from 200-250gr, you're probably looking at the Whelen. The 225 accubonds have a very thick copper back end and a very soft front end. You'll probably get expansion out of them out to 500 yards if you're in the mountains. I've run them to about 750 yards and they were still flying straight. The 225 Trophy bonded are a little harder and tougher.

If you're handloading, the 9.3 will show the biggest difference between the factory loads and what you can handload, often 200-250 fps.

Most of the Whelen factory loads are either at or fairly close to full pressure. You often have to use fancier powders or really step on it to get much faster what you can buy pre-made.

Long winded but hope that makes sense.

When looking online, I seem to see way more x62 than Whelen. Brick and mortar I don't see either.

For NA, I would pick the 35 Whelen. More whump than 338-06 and better low weight bullets than 9.3 for smaller big game hunting. 9.3 likely better for Africa where legal minimum for some scenarios

Lou

Why low weight bullets? The 250 does it all in the Whelen as the 286 does in the x62.

200 gr bullets drop animals much faster than the 225's or 250's do, in my experience. But yes, the 250's kill well.

Pick 1 bullshit strikes again fug that I have all 3 they are all different but dead is dead.

For plinkers and tinkerers the Whelen has 1 up on the others for being useful with mousefart loads and pistol bullets. Or pistol bullets at high speeds for varmints, or anything else imaginable. Mine is very accurate with cast bullets and it's a hoot to show up with it at the pistol club. Several threads on here have discussed these capabilities to the finest details by better scribes than me.

Short of the big bears, I doubt there’s much difference between them. Actually , a plain vanilla 30/06 would probably do as well. Not trying to discourage anyone. I’ve owned two of these options and am considering the third.😁

I’ve owned all 3. Without a doubt the 9.3x62. None of them however are good choices for me for an all around rifle. Less would be more.

I grew up with a model 70 30-06 being in the closet since I was 13 years old. Bought the first 35 W model 700 classic I could find. In my experience There's really no comparison. Deer hit with the '06 run the usual distance and pile up. Deer hit with the 35 go straight down or a very short distance. Same thing on steel targets out at 2-300 yds. The Whelen hits much harder.

I went through this few years ago.
Ended up with 9.3 in case I ever make it to Africa or big bears or a moose hunt up north.
I didn’t think I was recoil sensitive, but my 9.3 kicks harder than 300 win mag.
If I was to do it again, I’d probably go with 338-06 due to less recoil.
But if you don’t reload, 35w for sure.

Ditto!

and I probably like the 376 Steyr even more.

ya!

GWB

Probably the 9.3
I run 250g Accubonds at 2700fps, .497bc
Got a bull elk this year w it

I run 286 western cast lead bullets over trail boss for plinkers

I have an MC Ace chamber adapter to run 9mm Markov for small game

You used to be able to get cheap $20/bx PPU ammo for deer to 250y.

I have a 35 Whelen also, run 225g Accubonds at 2800fps, 0.44bc
There is a bunch of newer powered published loads that make the 35w pretty hot
I have 180g XTP pistol bullets for exploding milk jugs
The 35w sits in the safe usually

You might work on finding a rifle that fits you best, then see what caliber you can get

I have a 338-06 and a 9.3x62, but have never felt a need to own or want to own a 35 Whelen. If your ranges aren't too long the 9.3x62 shooting 286 grain bullets at 30-30 velocities packs a wallop. When I put together a pair of rifles to take to Africa, assuming that I ever actually go again, I settled on a matched pair in 7x57 and 9.3x62.

I'd settle for just the 9.3X62. It'll reach about anything anyone takes a whack at in Africa.

Years ago I took a 12-12/9.3X74R drilling and shot everything with it from Steenbuck to buffalo. I had a 35 Whln in a very early Rem 700 Classic and never warmed up to it. I got a scruffy looking Huaqvarna 9.3 from Simpson and never looked back at a 35 Whln. Nothing wrong with it, but it's like the 16ga guns I shoot, neither fish nor fowl.

Gotta love those Swedish Husqvarna's. My Model 46A is all original in 9.3x57mm Mauser. It's iron sights are regulated for one load. This one is so new to me that I'm still trying to figure out what that one load is. I'm getting closer. So far it likes 286gr PPU, and Norma bullets. Actually, it likes anything 286grs. Factory ammo shoots low, but handloads are bringing up the POI incrementally.

Where are you finding factory ammo? (I've been looking at a 46 but don't need another reloading project in the lineup!)

My choice made long ago is the .35 Whelen, I've only used it for Whitetails it has always produce great results. I like the Whelen's ability to use a broad variety of bullets, cast, pistol bullets and jacketed. My deer load is one of Ken Waters Pet Loads, it uses a 200gr. Hornady RN bullet and IMR 3031. This load is incredibly accurate often producing 3 shot cloverleaf groups. I've only recovered one of these bullets from a whitetail, it was perfectly mushroomed and retained 66% of its original weight.

🤫🤫
It's all on the Fire baby. Right place, right time, right people

If a family member asked me I'd have to pick the .338-06 dead last, since none of them handload, and they'd have to custom order the ammo.

Otherwise, take all 3 rifles with you hunting, shoot 3 of the same animal, and you wouldn't notice the slightest difference in performance within 300 yards.

Great, now the Grinch shows up to throw the cloud of logic over everyone‘s fun. C’mon, man, we’ve got hairs to split! At least if I followed your advice I’d get to shoot 3 animals. 😁

I forgot to also mention about those three animals.... I've yet to bump into a game warden or a check station...

Truly a pick' em as far as performance goes.

I am a huge 338-06 fan, and would not hesitate to use it on anything with the exception of elephant and rhino.



That is something to consider, but a 375 H&H or 338 Win Mag would be more logical? If going down that rabbit hole.
All three benefit from handloading.

Big “+1” on the handloading vs factory ammo argument. A handloader can make a .338WM or Whelen a versatile rifle that can also digest factory loads when the need arises.

338-06 is not exclusively a "reloading project" At one time it was in the Weatherby factory line, don't know if it still is. Brass is still just as damn simple as 1 stroke in a Redding sizing die with a once fired 30-06... mb

Finn Aagaard wrote an article for American Rifleman in the 1980s(?) that compared the performance of the 35 Whelen vs 338-06 vs the 30-06 (loaded with a 200 grain jacketed bullet).

Result?

The 30-06 loaded with a 200 grain jacketed bullet was as good as any of them, if not better. Can't remember if it was a Nosler Partition or Speer. My memory is ?like a steel trap, "old and rusty."

Findings were based on muzzle energy at various distances, trajactory, bullet ecpansion and penetration. I THINK there was some "real life" game performance in the article too. Typical high quality Finn Aagaard pragmatic reporting.

Bottom line? You may want to include the 30-06 loaded with a 200 grain jacketed bullet in your cartridge selection.

I have reamers for all 3 but the only rifle is a 35 Whelen. I doubt I'll ever build myself either of the other two just because I don't feel the urge. I had built a 35 Whelen, based on a 98 Mauser, in the early '80's. It came out pretty good and I decided I should have one like it; so, I built another for myself. I still like it. GD

I would not include the 30-06 in this lineup. Powders are a little different than when Fin pinned his article. Granted one can sneak RL-26 in the '06 and run those 200's at 2700fps, but the Whelen easily does 2900fps with the same weight. The '06 would be better at long range where the 200 fps difference is erased, but that's only with RL-26...and I haven't seen that anywhere. Real world the '06 is 300 to 400 fps behind the Whelen with similar weights. In my hunting experience the Whelen drops game quicker than a tough 200gr '06 bullet

I have all three, but would unhesitantly go 9.3 if forced to choose.

I have made quite a few of each and I have owned and killed game with the 338-06 and the 9.3X62. (I also have killed game with two 9.3X57s and a 9.3X74R)
The only one of the bunch I have not made for my own use is the 35 Whelen and for NO good reason. Those I have made for clients have all be very pleased with the performance of the 35 Whelen.
These days bullet availability and pricing are both factors that can't be gotten around as easily as they were 30 - 40 years ago. So in discussing theses things we can take 2 paths.
The first is to discuss the merits or each with the best ammo that can be loaded for any particular game animal.
The other is to discuss what we can actually buy and use today (which should include the consideration of a mold and the making of bullets yourself because in today's world what you want to use and what you can actually buy are often very different)

I have made probably 35 338-06s and I kept 3 of them for a while and used 2 of those 3 to hunt with. It is simply a wonderful cartridge. It can handle bullet all the way up to 250 grains, but my experience has shown me it's at it's best with 200-225 grains. I know several people who love the 185 grain Barnes and a few who use the 250s but from what I have seen the low end and the high end don't seem to give any advantages over the 200-225 range. No that there is anything bad to say about them mine you. Many worked well. The bullets I have personally used that didn't hold up well when hitting heavy bone were the Speer 200 grain and the Hornady in 200 and 225 grains and one that was a shock was a total failure with only about 5 inches of penetration against a mule deer's spine was the Hornady 250 grain RN bullet. All other bullets I have used or seen used by other hunters worked very well. Partitions, A-Frames and every bonded bullet I have seen used. The 185 Barnes TSX is also quite good, but possible not quite as quick to kill elk (so far) as the 210 and 225 grain Partitions

35 Whelen: I get a call to make a 35 Whelen fairly often and have been making them since the 70s for men who wanted one. Less today then years ago, but there are many who still love the Whelen. Many of the older .358" bullets seemed to be made more for lighter and smaller game and so going back 40+ years getting a tough bullet was a bit harder to find then it is today for use on heavy game. Today many companies make a .358 bullet that will chop off a moose upper leg bone and still do a good job. The 35 has (in theory) bullets available from use on any animal from Moose to buffalo and so if you can really find them, it has a lot of versatility as a cartridge that covers a LOT of ground and can be used with very little compromises in the game fields for many applications. Buy the bullets that suit your needs and go hunt.

9.3X62 (and 9.3X74R and to a large extent the 9.3X57 also) The 9.3s all seem to have few week spots. If there was one thing I dislike about the 9.3MM is that in the lighter range of bullet weights they are very hard to find and as with all larger bore sizes, fairly expensive. One bullet that was the exception to the cost was the PPU 285 grain which seems to work extremely well to kill game, was easy to get (maybe not anymore) and in my four 9.3s they were accurate. Not the most accurate 9.3 bullet but shooting very close to MOA and in 1 gun a bit less then MOA, that's good enough to kill game with.

I am a bit shocked at the popularity of the 9.3X62 in the last 8 years or so. Custom rifle and re-barrel jobs in this caliber have become VERY much in demand here in Wyoming and to some extent in near by Idaho, Montana and Utah as well as a few from Nevada. 15-20 years ago a lot of American hunters had not even heard of the 9.3X62 and now it's seems to be the one that I am getting the largest call for.

Norma makes some 232 grain bonded bullets that allow faster speeds in the 9.3X57 (I have 2 of them) and they are simply great, (in all 3 of my 9.3 cartridges, the X57 the X62 and the X74R) but finding them is a problem and when I do, affording them is a bigger problem.

The Speer 270 grain is the most accurate 9,3 bullet I have used in all 4 of my 9.3 bore rifles but also has a tendency to break up very badly. It's basically a vary big varmint bullet and I have had extreme blow-up many times on smaller game like antelope does and white tail deer. It is better then the 9.3X57 because slowing it down a bullet does seem to help some, but not enough. I killed several antelope with my Ruger #1 in 9.3X74R with that bullet out at around 350 yards and they still blew up about 50% of the time. They kill deer and antelope well enough just owning to the size of the bullet, but it's very hard on meat.

The Hornady 286 grain has been good for me in my experience, but 3 times I have seen it break up badly too. Those were elk shot with guns I made for friends on hunts I was along on, so I have seen a few problems but for my own kills so far I have had good results with the Hornady.
Nosler Partitions; The gold standard. Very accurate and superb results on all game. The down side is expense and lack of availability (like man other bullets in many sizes today)

Nosler 250 grain Accubond; In the 9.3X62 it's wonderful and it's accurate. I made 3 kills with this bullet also from my 9.3X57 and at close range its ok but at range out close to 200 yards the bullet's jacket is too thick to let it open much at lower impact speeds.

So, from the list above which do I recommend? All 3!

Take your pick and if you can get the bullets you want, all 3 will be "the one you love".

If you like some complexity in life get 2 or maybe get all 3. At the time to grab a rifle and go out the door to hunt it's a problem choosing which you want to take.

It's kind of nice problem to have.

Never owned any of them, or shot one.

If you buy bullets for the 9.3 they were likely designed for it, and it's performance level.
Most any, from light to heavy, CC or Mono.

That can be a big deal, and issues avoided.

Throw all three up in the air. Catch one coming down and you’ll be well suited for all of NA including big bears.

And my 270 will do anything the 06 will do, and the creedmoor will anything the 270 etc, etc, etc.

OP was about 338, 35, and 9.3. lol

Have owned both 338-06 and 35 Whelen. You specifically ruled out big bears and confined your use within NA.

THEREFORE, forget both of those and get a 30/06.

For African use the 9.3-62 is by far the best choice as well as for use on “big bears” but you ruled both of those out.

You can’t go wrong with either one of the 3 cartridges. I have one of each. The problem is deciding on which one to use that day.

Since the PPU container docked both 285 gr. bullets and ammo have been available from just about anywhere. I've a pile of both via Graf's.

I also have an article by Finn talking about the .338-06. He liked it enough to rebarrel his .30-06 to it as a better back up rifle. IIRC.

Finn Aagard was a great gun and hunting author one of his favorite quotes when he heard bullsch*t was "how do you know that to be true"?. So quoting Finn today is OK as long as you use the same bullets and vintage as he did but 35 caliber bullets have improved in quality and performance immensely since he wrote that.. so one needs to.put it in to perspective..mb

.338 bullets haven't gone backwards.

I always liked the 338-06 although I bet you couldn’t tell the difference

Well, that is boring... uber practical, but boring.


223, 30-06, & 375 H&H check all the boxes that need to be checked. But I am more of a 22-250, 270, 338-06, 416 Remington type of guy.

Bullet selection and obviously shot placement is normally more important than caliber and the 9.3x62 shooting a 286gr Nosler Partition will kill pretty much anything on the planet cleanly except Rhino and Elephant. I've killed a lot of African game with this combination up to any including Cape Buff. I would not hesitate at all to take on a big bear with this combination. If I could only own one over .30cal caliber it would be a 9.3x62!!!

The 9.3x62 has historically been the .30-30 of Africa and used extensively by farmers to feed themselves and their staff.

I've got a couple of Whelen's too, but I can't remember hunting with them much. Never shot a .338-06

I’d probably go with my Whelen, but I’ve got room for the other two as well. All three are the same for my use and ballistically seem close enough to not matter much.

CRS

I subscribe to the backpacker’s view that I don’t want to go through life lugging a pile of stuff that I will never use.

For me, the primary question is “does this thing own me or do I own it”. I am not interested in being owned by objects I don’t use. It only slows me down.

RD

RinB,

I agree 100%, if I am not using something, it goes down the road. None of my stuff owns me.

out of those three ..

the correct answer is ....... 340 Weatherby !

+1!

I'm guilty of impulse buying a rifle that trips my trigger, but eventually reality sets and it goes down the road. When hunting season comes around its either my Montana 7mm-08 or faux KS mountain rifle .338-06 that gets the nod.

I also own all three and love them all. But I hunt Africa about every year, so if forced to choose only one, it would be the 9.3x62, as it is legal on DG where I hunt the most, Zambia. Last Nov. I took (2) Hippo, Kudu, Hyena & Warthog with my Ruger African 9.3x62. I was hunting Buffalo with it also but never got one.

My favorite two-rifle battery for Africa is my 404 Jeffery & 9.3x62. YMMV.

Before the bullet manufacturers forgot about somewhat obscure calibers I bought the Hornady 95gr Makarov bullets and loaded my various 9.3s with Trail Boss and the little jacketed pills. They were great in my older 9.3X72R guns and a lot of fun in the 9.3X74R and 9.3X62.

If you have a 9.3 and run across the Makarov bullets grab some.

Edit:

Graf has them, and I ordered some just now, the 95gr PRVI. They're virtually identical to the Hornadys I've been using.

Now this is something I haven't considered. Guess that Makarov is finally useful after all. If I come by some Makarov bullets I know what I can do with them

I have all three and could be happy with any of them. Lately have been shooting the 9.3 more and it impresses me every time I shoot it. Agree that anything built on an 06 case is a winner in my book.

I recently went through the same decision process. Though, I also considered the possibility of bear. My decision was also based on 225 yds as pretty much maximum shot distance. And a re-bore of an existing shorter heavier weight barrel in 30-06. I eventually decided on the 35 Whelen. I have the brass, bullets, powder, and dies. I am still waiting on bedding of my donor rifle. Once I have it in hand, it will be going for the re-bore.

I have one of each and would recommend the .338-06 if you hand load.

I once thought about having a 35 Whelen and a 338/06.

After having a 338/06 bored out from a Model 70 in 270.. I never saw a need for a 35 Whelen or the 9.3 x 62.

Even my pair of 338 Win Mag saw a lot of time parked in the 'garage'....

I do know where there's half a box of new Norma .338-06 A-Square brass in a little antique/gun shop. That's enough justification for a new gun in my book.

Your head is in the right spot!

Box of 10 ? Or, box of 50 ? 🧐


Anyone care to comment about any relevant experience
with the 9.3x66 / 370 Sako in this context ?

I own a 9.3x66 / 370Sako also, but I have not hunted with it yet. However, this summer I am taking it along with my 404 Jeffery to rectify that situation. If I am successful with it, I’ll write it up.