What do you think of this rifle's quality and reliability? Is it good enough out of box for African plains game and maybe a buffalo or two?

Is this caliber allowed for all animals in the continent, or is it restricted in some places?

Merry Christmas!

For starters this:

http://forums.accuratereloadin...2101325/m/2301093651

will help

My plains game experience is with a .300 H&H so I can't really comment much on the 9.3 X 62.....as to dangerous game with the 9.3 X 62, I'll leave that to others as well. That said.....if you think of it as a .35 Whelen, it might help a bit.

The 9.3 is dandy for some of the larger plains game bit is not ideal for some of the ones you may have to reach out on kille a klipsspringer.

I have used it on elk and will be taking one on my next african trip.

A 9.3X64 Brenneke was my choice for Namibian plains game this year. I almost took a .300 Winchester instead.

I shot tiny antelope up to Kudu and Gemsbock. Either rifle would have been fine, but I am glad that I had a 250gr 9.3 bullet on my kudu.

My kudu was hard quartering away, and I shot for the last rib. The bullet (a 250gr Accubond at 2775fps) went through 40" of kudu before ending up at the skin just behind the off side shoulder. He ran all of 30 yards before tipping over. The recovered bullet weighed 234gr.

I am sure that my .300 would have killed him, but I am also sure it would have taken 2 shots.

No, the 9.3's are not legal for dangerous game everywhere. Check the regulations for the country you are looking to hunt in.

The 9.3X62 is a little slower than my Brenneke, but it is a solid 300 yard cartridge with 250gr bullets.

I wouldn't hesitate to take one to Africa for plains game. I can't comment on dangerous game, but can say that I have a .416 to take on my planned trip for buffalo.

Jeremy

I owned a M 70 Zastava in 9.3x62 a few years back. The basics are all there. They are a bit rough as they come out of the box, but functional. I would suggest that if you are thinking about one, that you anticipate doing a bit of work on the stock to make it fit you. The stock is a bit like a 2x8, lots of wood. But I think some time with a rasp and sandpaper would make it work. I would also suggest figuring on putting a couple hundred rounds through it to smooth it up and taking it deer hunting a time or two to get comfortable with it. Mine seemed like a good solid gun for the money, not fancy, but solid.
I've only been to Africa once, so don't feel I'm qualified to comment on your caliber selection.
Bfly

I think it is an acceptable starting point. The 9.3x62 is great for bushveld plains game. In the more open areas it will work but I guess there are better choices with flatter trajectories. The 9.3 is not legal everywhere for DG, but it is in certain parts and I understand in Zimbabwe for example it is, but check with PH's from where you would like to hunt. Kevin Robertson talks with praise of the 9.3 in The Perfect Shot for use on buffallo, but you need to read the context.

The 9.3x62 remains a fairly popular bushveld calibre here in South Africa and in that application it is simply superb.

Personally I would hunt any animal on this planet with a properly hand loaded 9.3x62. It kills buffalo about as good as anything else as far as I can tell and with a 250 gr. GS Customs bullet at 2700 or so FPs it shoots as flat as a 180 gr. 30-06 and kills a bit better it seems..whats not to like about this old girl they call the 9.3x62..

Its been said its not a charge stopper, but I have never noticed that in that a charge stopper is a bullet to the brain or spine for the most part, short of that I wouldn't trust any big bore 100% with a body shot.

there is a really neat picture in van der Walts book "African Dangerous Game cartridges" of Ganyana (iirc) dropping a charging bull Elephant at about ten feet with his old Mauser in 9,3x62.

What was the question...?

it's funny that I have a 9.3x74r DR and am now looking to augment it with a 9.3x62. I suppose there is a 100 fps velocity gap there somewhere...

I'm quite the fan and intend to take a 9.3 to africa next time around.

quote:

Originally posted by rnovi:
I have a 9.3x74r DR and am now looking to augment it with a 9.3x62. I suppose there is a 100 fps velocity gap there somewhere...

The 9,3x74R is low pressure loaded for SxS application, but in reality it has larger case capacity that 9,3x62
(75gn vs 85gn H2o?)...it was orig. designed with larger cap. to give 9,3x62 velocities but at lower pressure.

9,3x74r chambered in a strong single shot action, should by all rights be able to trump the 9,3x62

A great cartridge that you cannot go wrong with. I would suggest that you get the rifle soon & get the action & trigger sorted so that it is smooth and then practice a lot so that you can shoot instinctively with it.

IMHO - The right bullet and familiarity with the rifle are most important - after the shot placement of course.

quote:

Originally posted by Trax:

quote:

Originally posted by rnovi:
I have a 9.3x74r DR and am now looking to augment it with a 9.3x62. I suppose there is a 100 fps velocity gap there somewhere...

The 9,3x74R is low pressure loaded for SxS application, but in reality it has larger case capacity that 9,3x62
(75gn vs 85gn H2o?)...it was orig. designed with larger cap. to give 9,3x62 velocities but at lower pressure.

9,3x74r chambered in a strong single shot action, should by all rights be able to trump the 9,3x62

It's amazing how many make recommendations one way or the other based on theory and hearsay without ever having owned or used a 9.3 X 62.

But you can take the word of Atkinson, Dr. Kevin Robertson and Don Heath, the last two as authorities having been PH's and personally taken hundreds of Cape buff with the 9.3 X 62 using conservative, original ballistics.

Personally, I'd use the 286 Nosler Partition at 2600+ fps using RL-17, and I have on black bear. If there's any difference between that and a 300gr/.375 at 2500 fps, I'll have to apologize to thousands who read my blogs.

And that's 77 grs water vs. 82 grs for the '62 and 74R respectively, according to Hornady. I've a friend in Yellowknife who shoots many rifles. Among them is a Ruger No.1 in 9.3 X 74R. He recently shot a decent bull moose with it using the 250 AccuBond at 2700 fps. But he says he would have preferred the '62 because the brass is better and cheaper. I'd have no problem at all getting 2750 fps from that bullet from my Tikka T3 in 9.3 X 62.

Bob

www.bigbores.ca

.458only

Simple truthful ballistic science will tell a person that it stands to logical reason
that a higher case capacity 9,3x74r can trump a lower case capacity 9,3x62.
all for the same reasons a higher cap. 9,3x64 can trump the 9,3x62.

but of course if you have some alternate universe ballistic science, please share.

Q./ Your friend has a problem with the quality of which 9,3x74r brass,... the Norma, RWS, Nosler, or Hornady?
best if you could be specific on that.....since the grade of 74r brass between brands can vary some.

As long as one has appropriate quality brass and an appropriately strong firearm,
the rimmed rounds can run pressures as we see in the likes of modern high pressure rimless rounds.
Ive done it and so have numerous other people on various forums.

Have had great results with the 9.3x62 on several Buffalo, Eland and the like over the years and will be happy to continue to do so.

I have always loaded my 375 at 2500 with a 300 gr. bullet....I have always loaded my 9.3x62 with a 300 gr. bullet at 2500 FPS or a 320 Woodleigh at a bit over 2400 FPS...I can't tell, see, or confirm any difference in their killing power.

I know the 375 has a broader cross section and I put some value on that, but how much I have never been able to determine until you get to about 40 or 45 caliber, hard to say.

That said, I have not hunted elephant with the 9.3x62 but have observed its use on them and like with most DG calibers a brain shot is hard to determine which bullet is best.

they all worked well on buffalo. The 9.3x62 with a NF cup point is deadly for sure.

All that said, the .375 is legal and the 9.3 may not be, but it should IMO.