I am considering the purchase of a 9.3x62 CZ 550 rifle. As I am most interested in heavy 9.3 bullets (286-320 gr), I am considering the possibility of rechambering the 9.3x62 rifle to a larger 9.3 cartridge to achieve a little more velocity. The cartridges that interest me are the 9.3x64 and the 9.3/338 win. The 9.3x64 has the advantage of being a factory cartridge, but the wildcat 9.3/338 has the advantadge of cheap brass. Any ideas or info on this conversion would be much appreciated. I know the obvious solution is a CZ 375 H&H, but the rifle weighs 2 lbs. more.

Consider the 9.3x68. 8x68 brass is available from Grafs.

Go the 9.3x64 and use 300grn SWIFT A FRAMES and 320GRN WOODLIGH SOLIDS. This is my next set up after using the 9.3x62 with good results.

If you want 375 H&H velocities from a 9,3 caliber, you may as well buy yourself a 375 H&H and save yourself all the hassle and cost of a conversion. You seem to be wanting a bigger case and the 375 H&H will provide that more amply than the 9,3 x 64 mm.

My position: I shoot 286 grainers (9,3 x 62) between 2200 and 2300 depending on the bullet in question, and I will go anywhere where angels fear to tread. Just pick a quality bullet.

Chris

Theres the 9.3x66 Sako. Fits the same action. May have to slightly open the bolt face.

Ballard 4590,
Welcome. The 9,3 x 64 will require that the bolt face be opened up just slightly. You will lose one down for magazine capacity. Recoil will be "brisk", but you will have 375 H&H class power in a light, carry all day rifle. Huntingtons sells RWS brass for it. Very good brass. I believe Natchez sells loaded ammunition, but am not sure.

The 9,3 x 66 Sako is an even easier conversion. No need to change the bolt face. Your gunsmith can just run a 9,3 x 62 reamer in another 4mm. The big fly in that ointment is that if the original chamber is sloppy, the new chamber will look, shall we say, odd. Factory brass won't be available for a while, but you can get 30-06 basic brass from Z-Hat or Huntingtons. Just run it through your full length sizer and you are ready to go. The 9,3 x 66 Sako does not have as much punch as the 9,3 x 64 Brenneke, but it doesn't recoil as much either.

Either choice would serve you well.

Enjoy.

LD

I would vote for the 9.3x64 I reckon it would be agreat conversion for the cz..................if I did not have a .375 H&H I would convert my 9.3x62 cz to the 64 version I reckon.

I would not bother with any conversion of the 9,3x62 ... works great as is. I took one to RSA in 2004 for plains game. Could not have performed better! Rifle is relatively light and handy. Great to carry all day long.

If you need a DGR get a .375 or a .416 caliber rifle. They will not be as handy.

If your not happy with your 62, then 9.3x64 seems the logical most practicle choice to me, however I do like the ideas of the 9.3x68s,9.3/338. I would not complain about any of them. But if I was going to the trouble of getting dies/reamers made
I would go 9.3x86s Imp.(Shoulder around .495"dia)
Do you really want to loose the good combination of effectiveness of the 9.3x62 with its reasonable recoil.? Once you buy the rifle, you may find you will not want to change its chambering.

I shoot my 9.3x62 with 286gr noslers at just under 2400fps. Easy kicking and hits like a freight train. Throwing some numbers around I find that with the same 286gr nosler partition and muzle velosities of 2400 for the 62 and 2600fps for the 64 it only equates to 2" less drop at 300 yards with the 64 and about 400fpe more energy. Thats not enough difference to interest me.

I heard about a wildcat based on the 8mm rem mag that is supposed to be a real hard hitter in the 9.3mm bore.

It depends what you want to do with the rifle. A couple of points: If you want to take it to Africa, you need to pick a common cartrdige for which you can obtain properly designated cases. This is becoming an issue in those countries where you would most like to take such a rifle.

As mentioned above by others, the 9.3x62 in a modern firearm does not give away anything to the .375. I published a series of articles here about nine months ago on experiments with the 9.3x62. I basically tested the 250, 270 and 286 loadings and got close to 2400 fps from the 289, 2500 from the 270 and 2600 from the 250 bullets. The 250 Ballistic Tip has a BC of about .500, which makes it very slippery. Started at 2600fps it shoots point blank to about 275yds.

I thought like you that the combination of the 9.3 and the 338 case would be spectacular; however, you have the case-head issue.

The 9.3x66 maybe the real deal. One of the benefits of the 9.3x62 is that it can be put in a light rifle and not beat you up. I haven't played with the 9.3x66 and cannot opine how it would be in a light rifle, but it should be quite manageable.

The bottom line is what do you want. The good news is that with the excellent bullet selection and several different cases to choose from, you are covered up with options. Kudude