Hello! I'm a norwegian guy, new on the forum. Recently back from a nice hunt in Namibia. At the "Omatako Hunting Trails" ranch we hunted for kudu, oryx, blue wildebeast and red hartebeast. We were actually in the ranch next to the place Ms Boddington had her accident, the same week..
My question; used my custom mauser 98 cal 9,3*64, with Woodleigh RN weldcore bullets handloads.
Speed approx 2600 f/s at the muzzle. Shot 4 nice trofees, but the bullets seamed a bit soft. Good weight retention, but very large diameter. Is this common with this bullets at such speed? Distance +/- 100 m.

Metric

Metric,

Your impact velocity was around 2,400 fps, being too high for the bullets threshold, and so it will over expand the RN bullet that features a very large exposed soft lead tip. Even thoughit is boned, it relies on its thicker than normal jacket walls to arrest its expansion, but it is not effective at high impact velocities. The PP version expands a bit slower. Here is another example that mimics your experience:



Warrior

What was the weight retention %? That's the question I have. Over-expansion is fine as far as I see it, as long as the bullet held together. This would be especially true on plains game. Larger expansion = larger would channel, no?

Now, that same combination on big dangerous stuff might be a different story, buffalo for example. One of these bullets pushed too fast, at a close range buffalo, could spell disaster if it struck really heavy bone. But from all reports I've head, even with massive expansion, these RN bullets generally exit or are found under the skin on the farside.

IMHO, if a bullet of this type retains 80% of it's weight and expands like the pic above, it's of really good quality. If it peels back like that and retains 40%, it's probably not gonna penetrate much at all. I'm really surprised the 500 Jeff bullet was recovered in the bushbuck.

David

There is not enough information available to judge accurately what happened with the 500 Jeffrey projectile. Velocity and range are missing.

In regard to metric's situation, the performance you got was typical. They do expand well and and you stated you got good weight retention. The animals are dead and the 9.3x64 is certainly large enough to more than comfortably take those plains game.

As stated, you were right at the very upper end of the recommended impact velocities of 1800-2200. These projectiles are probably better in a 9.3x57 or slowed considerably in a 9.3x62 or in one of the older .366 Double rifles.

The only slight advantage I see with the 286 PPSN in the x64 would have been a small flattening of your trajectory past 200 metres if required.

In two weeks I will be useing the 9.3mm 286 PPSN in a 9.3x62 at a M/V of 2,393 on similar animals as you, as well as Eland. Please watch for my report.

You got your animals well done.

I have had excellent results from 286gr Woodleigh Softs in my 9,3x74R on game from the small stuff, to deer, wild pigs black bear, to cape buff.

Also in the 450/400 and the 450 No2 the Woodleigh Softs performed perfectly on plains game and cape buff.

I think the standard Woodleigh Softs are best suited for impact velocities under 2400fps.

/

Hello Metric and welcome to AR.

I´m not an 9,3 user but have used Woodleighs both in 35 Whelen and 338 Winmag with exellent performance.

My 338 winmag loading with the 250 grs RN had a muzzle velocity of 2630 fps.
This 250 grs RN bullet is from a Waterbuck, hit right in front of the chest, bullet found in the liver.
Rest weight, 237 grs / 95%.
Distance was approx 140 yrds.




The waterbuck went 30 yards and toppled over, stone dead.

Just waiting for the 250 gr PP in 35 cal to reach the local dealers

I am a Texas hunter. I hunted "Omatako Hunting Trails" last year and took four animals with a Mauser 03 African in 404 Jeffery, 400 gr Woodleigh RN 2400fps. Shot a blue wildebeast at 80 yds low chest. It was very late and the PH and I wanted to make sure we got him, so as he turned and ran, I shot him again in the other side of the chest. He only ran about 40 yards. Both bullets recovered under the skin on the far side of the chest. Good expansion, complete weight retention. I was surprised they did not exit even though this animal weighed about 650 pounds. I also took an eland at 100 yds frontal chest. He ran only 40 yds and the bullet did not exit but was not recovered. Black wildebeast shot at 120 yds high chest and bullet exited. He only ran 30 yds. Warthog shot at 70 yds, bullet exited, droped in tracks. Yes, I was surprised at the performance of the Woodleighs on the blue wildebeast. I think you can say they are soft. But penetration and expansion are always a trade off. The killing affect on the animals I shot was excellent. This was a tuneup hunt for this rifle on cape buffalo. I would use these same bullets for cape buffalo. You can reload with bullets that expand less and always exit such as Swift A frames, but the Woodleighs are very accurate with great performance on game and I will use them again for my hunting in Africa.

All premium bullets have a niche they fit into. I have Woodleigh Softs in every caliber I shoot from 338 to 510. At times some of these are designed to expand at much lower velocities than what they could be run at. One such bullet is the 400 gr Woodleigh in 458 caliber, the Weldcore PP. This is a wonderful bullet if run at muzzle velocities around 2150 fps or so. If run to velocities in excess of that then it over expands and penetration is critically reduced. As some have said it is a delicate balance between expansion and penetration. One must be careful to not run some Woodleighs too fast depending upon the application. Expansion for thin skinned game is excellent, as long as penetration is not disrupted. In some cases one will get far better results by slowing the bullet down a bit. Example below.



A favorite bullet of mine the 340 Woodleigh 416.
At the time I really ran this bullet about 100-150 fps too fast. When used up close it left some to be desired, but as range got a bit further out it performed perfectly. Currently I use this bullet in my 416 B&M at 2400-2450 fps. For the Woodleighs always pay close attention to the working velocity on the box. They are very close to being correct in most cases, and for instance on this 416 340 Woodleigh it states very clearly that the top end velocity is 2400 fps!

Michael

Thanks a lot for your answers, guys!

The bullets from the kudu and the hartebeast were 79 and 86 percent of their original weigt. Excellent performance. The kudu went 30 yards and the hartebeast dropped dead on the spot.
I also like these bullets; tight groups and no high pressure signs at near max vel.
I've used them on moose here in Norway in 8'63(8mm-06), 8*68S, 9,3*62 and the 9,3*64.
At typical 30-100 meter range they retain 75-90%

I think I stay with the Woodleigh's!

Metric

A friend of mine has set his 9.3x64 up with 320grn Protected Points at 2350fps to combat to much deformation.
I use Woodleigh 286grners from my two 9.3x62's at a MV of 2350fps which open up well at that speed, but maybe a tad to much for Buffalo though.



top left two and bottom right one are RWS.