Hi,

I´m back from the RSA, had a great time and will post a detailed description of the hunt (which did take a turn for the better) i a few days.

I did have a a case of PSD but that was cured by an oppurtunity to hunt Namibia in October -leaving on the 10.10.

Which brings me to my question: My 9.3x62 should be finished soon and will be scoped with a Helia Compac 1-6x42 with an illuminated dot. I´ll be loading Barnes rounds, 250gr. Species will be gemsbuck, springbuck, duiker, steenbuck and ostrich.

Most of the hunt will be in the Kalahari and I´m wondering if anybody has any thoughts on choice of caliber? This will be my first trip to Namibia so I really don´t know what to expect.

I wish I were more experienced, so that I could offer some good thoughts. However I would love to hear about your recent hunt...just encouraging you to share it with us! =)

My PH for Namibia told me my 30-06 is plenty for everything we will see and shoot including the above mentioned animals. He actually prefered I bring the 06 loaded with 180gr Nosler Partions. I will also drag along my 9.3 for a backup rifle..

John

Have been to Namibia twice. Used a 300WM for almost everything except for black wildebeest and eland. For these I used the 9,3x62.
If you are taking only one rifle with you, and eland, kudu, orix, are in the menu then the 9,3x62 would be the perfect choice IMO.

B.Martins

Some of the shots I took while on two trips to Namibia were well over 400 yards. If the terraine will allow for closer shots in the area you are hunting then the 9.3 will be fine. It might limit you on longer shots should they be necessary.Some of the shots I took while on two trips to Namibia were well over 400 yards. If the terrain will allow for closer shots in the area you are hunting then the 9.3 will be fine. It might limit you on longer shots should they be necessary.

Cewe,

I used a 375H&H in Namibia a few years ago, and was happy with it, but to answer your question I would say it depends a lot on where in the Kalahari you're going. Some areas I've been in have had dense bush, and thus a 9.3x62 would be great, while other parts were very very open, and I'd think most shots would be at rather long distances. Maybe so long that a flatter shooting calibur might be better if you have one from before?

Can you tell us more about where in Namibia you'll be? Have you asked the PH what distance the shots in that area usually are?

Cewe,
I'll be back from Namibia on July - 9.
I'll be in Khomas area then i'll hunt for a week in Kalahari.
My friend Giuseppe and I will hunt only with 9.3x62 rifles.
We decided to bring cartridges reloaded with RWS TUG,H-Mantel and DK bullets,
I bring also some loaded with Nosler Partition and Forex bullets.
I'm still thinking about an another rifle in a more flat and fast caliber... but I decided to hunt with the 9.3 only

Cewe,

None of the critters I shot in Namibia with my 9.3x62 complained. All one shot kills at distances range from about 50 yards to around 250 yards. I used Nosler partitions and they did well.

Thanks for the feedback.

I was thinking of taking my .375 and loading 270gr bullets but I suspect the trajectory of a 9.3x62 with 250gr bullets might be much the same.

Right me if I´m wrong.

Another possibility would be to take the 6.5x55 but that´s a bit light on gemsbuck and I really don´t want to take two guns.

I´ll be using the TSX (I hope that stands for Barnes Triple Shock), anyone have experience with that?

The 250 grains wil have much the same drop at longer range than 180 grain in the 30-06, I think you will be verry happy