Have an opportunity to purchase one of these built on a Ruger with a McGowen 20 inch barrel. Don't really know alot about the caliber but the rifle is set up very nice.
All comments are appreciated.

9.3x62mm can be best described as the german version of the 375 H&H. Both are considered the minimum cartridge for dangerous game in many countries. Some will argue the 9.3 does it job with less recoil. Ammo is less prevalent in the US, but European and African venues seem to be fairly well stocked. If you reload, I really wouldn't worry about it much.

John

Midway carries Norma and Prvi ammo.

Have taken a 9,3x62 to Africa twice and used them in the US. Have taken Impala, Warthog, Wildebeast, Kudu, Bush Pig and Reedbuck as well as deer and piggies.

Have seldom seen a chambering that yields so many DRTs with such moderate recoil. Has literally knocked over several large pigs. Is a great cartridge at 200-250 yards.

Graf has cheap brass that holds up as well as Norma or Lapua. I personally like the 286 gr Nosler Partition. Others like 232-250 gr projectiles. My CZ and my VZ.24 with a Douglas barrel both shoot cast bullets well.

9,3x62 is widely available in Africa. As a result I usually take one so if my ammo is lost I can find something to shoot.

I would not be without one.

Mine absolutely loves that cheap Privi Partizan ammo.

Terry

quote:

Originally posted by Snowwolfe:
Have an opportunity to purchase one of these built on a Ruger with a McGowen 20 inch barrel. Don't really know alot about the caliber but the rifle is set up very nice.
All comments are appreciated.

Fine caliber, more bullet choices coming available every year it seems.

I have loaded 200,232,250,286,300, and 320's.

Accuracy is good with all, particularly the 250 AccuBond,( though for Gizz it would not be my first bullet choice).

Great power to powder performance ratio.

quote:

Originally posted by mstarling:
.....
Have seldom seen a chambering that yields so many DRTs with such moderate recoil. Has literally knocked over several large pigs. Is a great cartridge at 200-250 yards.
.....

Mike,

I've yet to get mine to Africa, but, I've had similar results (like you report) on deer and hogs here in the states!

So far (knock-on-wood) it's the only 100% DRT rifle I own! It's knocked everything down I've shot so far and they don't get up!

The 250 grain triple shocks will put the smackdown on anything in North America. Great round with moderate recoil.

quote:

Originally posted by mrfudd:
The 250 grain triple shocks will put the smackdown on anything in North America. Great round with moderate recoil.

+1

A 20 inch barreled 9,3x74R would be a great hunting rifle.

That 20" barrel sounds just great. My CZ550 American 9,3X62 is going to get that treatment this winter. It's a great, handy barrel length and you don't loose much velocity especially in the 9,3.
Shotgun

Oh Randy just buy it. I love mine. Its a little 20" mauser.

If you buy it I will give you a box of the 285gr PRVI ammo that I bought off the same guy.

I havent killed anything with mine yet but it is a joy to carry.

Going to look at it tomorrow night. I keep on telling myself I do not need this rifle as I have a 35 Whelen, 375 Ruger and a 375 Wby but then the little voice in my brain reminds me that common sense has nothing to do with buying another rifle.

Snowwolfe,

Well said! At the time I got my first 9,3x62 I already had lovely M70s in .338 Win Mag and .375 H&H ... didn't matter

Now I have 2 9,3x62s, a 9,3x74R, and a .376 Steyr as well.

quote:

Originally posted by Big Bore Boar Hunter:
9.3x62mm can be best described as the german version of the 375 H&H. Both are considered the minimum cartridge for dangerous game in many countries. Some will argue the 9.3 does it job with less recoil.

John

.
.
. The 9.3x64 Brenneke is the German version of the 375 H&H mag .....
But thats not really right .... Tho the bullet in the animal is similar ......The cart is quite different .
. The 62 is a great round .. if I found one in a SS Ruger I would be very tempted to get it ... It,s a very useful round and in a 20 " barrel you should be able to get 2400 fps from a 285 gr bullet .. But you will be able to get 2550 from a 250 gr TSX .... And thats really great ...Very easy shooting for the amount of power you get ...

If you buy it let me know. I work at the airport here in town and I'll get you that box of ammo. worse case its some brass.

Or if your gonna see milkman soon, I'll give them to him to get to you.

Picked it up tonight and it looks like a handy rig. 20 inch barrel with nice iron sights and the NECG peep site that mounts on the Ruger bases. Also came with three sets of rings including some Warne QD's that I will sell. Plus a set of Hornady reloading dies.
Box of ammo is always appreciated, just pass it along to Milkman if you could and ask him to give me a call.
To bad I only bought a couple 100 of the 286 gr partition seconds when they had them a couple of months ago. Now, I gotta find something to kill with it!

Any recommendations for type of brass? Norma?

quote:

Originally posted by Snowwolfe:
Any recommendations for type of brass? Norma?

Lapua is darn nice brass, and a bit cheaper than Norma. Graff's list Lapua 9.3x62 as available. Get it while you can, though, Lapua has a bad habit of discontinuing brass lines...

Otherwise, Norma is also good brass - if somewhat spendy. RWS is also great - if you can find any.

Graf's has proprietary brass (headstamped Graf's, probably manufactured by Privi). This is a good deal cheaper than the top Euro brands and very serviceable.

- mike

The Lapua and Privi brass are both really good.

I shoot a Blaser R93 Tracker (19") barrel a lot. It's really become my go to hunting rifle. Very handy to carry and PLENTY accurate.

While the 9.3x62 can be loaded pretty hot, I've kept my loads pretty mild. Shooting 250 Swift A Frames at only 2500 fps. That was my cartridge of choice on a couple trips to Africa and I used it for one shot kills out to 287 yards on a gemsbok. Also used that load for several deer and wild hogs in the USA. Really never failed me yet.

You don't really need to hot rod the x62, but it can easily be done.

The Privi ammo is a good alternative for thin skinned game and it's still listed for around $23 a box. I still find it at gun shows for under $20 a box if you look.

The 20" barrel rifle you have will be a very handy and powerful package.

Snowwolfe,

The Norma and Lapua brass are both excellent ... but I've had wonderful service and equal accuracy from the cheap stuff from Graf. I've stopped buying the expensive spread for the 9,3x62 ... just isn't needed.

Great acquisition. Have a ball with it!

My PRVI 9.3X62 brass is some of the best I have ever loaded. It seems to last forever.

What is the case head diameter of the 9,3x62? If one were going to rebarrel a rifle to this caliber, what donor caliber does one need?

30-06 brass can be used, although it has a slightly smaller head diameter.

Cliff...the 9.3x62 has a "standard" 0.473" case head size...just about ANY brand rifle with that size bolt face and a magazine length that will hold a 3.4" cartridge length will work ... a "standard" long action receiver in other words.

The 9.3x62 is nothing more or less than a necked up 30-06. and bullet size 0.009" smaller than the 375-06 wildcat.

I originally bought 2 boxes of RWS 9.3x62 brass from from Cabelas...it was the only factory 9.3 brass available I could find online or anywhere else at the time I needed brass...I also bought 200 Rem 35 Whelen cases to use...simple run'um through the 9.3 sizer, loadup and go shooting. There are some slight dimensional differences as far as drawings are concerned between '06 and 9.3, but none that cause any problems as far as shooting is concerned.

As far as loads, groups etc are concerned it makes no difference which brass I use, mixed or per brand...the groups are the same...open sights with my poor eyes 1.5"-2 at 50 yds and slighly more than twice that at 100...with a scope 1" to 1.5" at 100 yds...a bit smaller if I didn't drink my usual 5-6 cups of coffee before shooting.

Slowly the present crop of American shooters are finding out just how good the 35/366/375 cals and 250 plus grain weight bullets are for hunting the larger game...and you can eat right up to the hole.

Luck on your projects.

that's not true foobar. the 9,3 has different case dimensions and is, therefore, a different case rather than a necked up 3006. in terms of a pure necked up 3006 have a look at the 35 Whelen.

for reference purposes I'll direct yout o the Barnes reloading manual, No. 4 pages 239 and 327.

quote:

Originally posted by Snowwolfe:
.....

To bad I only bought a couple 100 of the 286 gr partition seconds when they had them a couple of months ago. Now, I gotta find something to kill with it!

Any recommendations for type of brass? Norma?

Snowwolfe.

Just wanted to add my 2 cents on the 286 NPT seconds. I got 150 seconds along with a box of 50 NPTs couple of years ago. Since this was my first purchase of the seconds, so I numbered and weighted 'em. Of the 150 - 8 weighted signifcantly high and 13 weighted significantly low compared to the new box of 50. So I culled both the low and high ones and ended up with 129 seconds weighing as good (or better) than the new box of 50.

quote:

Originally posted by Remington720:
My PRVI 9.3X62 brass is some of the best I have ever loaded. It seems to last forever.

+1 on the Prvi brass - Mine has been all good.

quote:

Originally posted by Cliff Lyle:
What is the case head diameter of the 9,3x62? If one were going to rebarrel a rifle to this caliber, what donor caliber does one need?

As I remember the 9.3x62 brass has a case a few thousands inch different compared to the 30-06, but not enough to matter in selecting a donor action. Practically any action that will work for the 30-06, 270, 280, etc. will be great for the 9.3x62, with little or no modification required.

I can see no practical reason to form 9.3x62 brass from 30-06 or 35 Whelen brass since 9.3x62 brass is so readily available. Forming x62 brass from 35 Whelen will require some trimming and fire forming to get the deminsions, plus the shoulder is not the same, which have to be dealt with properly and safely. Not a big deal, if done properly, but not worth the effort IMO. No matter how easy it is, instead I like working with the proper brass, and load the first loads to hunt with, rather than fire forming.

KB

quote:

Originally posted by RaySendero:

quote:

Originally posted by Remington720:
My PRVI 9.3X62 brass is some of the best I have ever loaded. It seems to last forever.

+1 on the Prvi brass - Mine has been all good.

YUP

I have a Cz in 9.3x62, but I would really like a Winchester 95 rebarreled to it. I could settle for a Browning BLR if it would be a less expensive job.

My favorite rifle -and the one I´ve probably hunted with the most- is a 50´s Husky in 9.3x62.

Shoots anything well. Simple.

Fantastic cartridge!! Buy, buy, buy!

The 9,3x64 is the german version of the 375H&H, not the 9,3x62. You can compare the last one with the 9,3x74R in the class of the 375H&H flanged, not the 375H&H magnum!

I have had my current favourite 9.3x62 for approximately 40 years. When I first got it, correctly headstamped brass was not commonly available anywhere in NA. So I have AlWAYS used brass made from U.S. .30-06 empties in it. Has worked perfectly for me all these years.

I do not believe the 9.3x62 originated from the .30-06...in fact, I suspect both cartridges in sporter form have been around about (close to, not exactly) the same lenth of time. I suspect the 9.3x62 originated from something to do with the business relationship between the originator (was it Otto Bock?) and the Mauser firm.

But I will say this: For all practical purposes .30-06 brass is as good as any other as a source for 9.3x62 cartridge cases in the day to day user's world. When you neck up .30-06 brass to .366" it shortens a wee tad anyway. So you have to trim it one m/m or less...so what? Doesn't all brass really do slightly better if trimmed to the same length at least once?

As to any differences in head diameter, well that varies from brand to brand regardless of specs or designation, but it is not enough to cause any working concerens of consequence.

In my heart of hearts, I suspect more variation arose in things like converting the original metric head-diameter of the 8x57 to the case used for the '06 when we "invented" the Springfield '03 than anywhere else. So, I'm not too impressed by drawings in handloading manuals.

Mostly, I suspect, they are conversions of someone else's drawings & data anyway, not the true average of what is found on the market shelves.

I agree with Alberta Canuck, back in 190X things like the concept of precision were still getting established. If memory serves, the 9.3x62 was introduced in 1905 whereas the 30-06 was adopted in 1906 by the US army. They're "close" as far as evolution goes.

You can make perfectly usable 9.3x62 brass out of .30-06 brass. You can convert .30-06 rifles to 9.3x62 by a simple rebarrel.

I believe the 9,3x62 was designed to provide a caliber that could compete economically with the .375. The 9.3x64 was a later development that yields a bit more.

quote:

Originally posted by Snowwolfe:
Going to look at it tomorrow night. I keep on telling myself I do not need this rifle as I have a 35 Whelen, 375 Ruger and a 375 Wby but then the little voice in my brain reminds me that common sense has nothing to do with buying another rifle.

Will common sense prevail if I tell you that Ruger-McGowan will be hard to move if it doesn't grow on you.
Ammo availability is poor in US (every good shop will carry .375 Ruger, .375 H&H,....) and it's not superior performer to what you already own so there is little reason to buy it.

The lady at Grafs told me their brass was made by Hornaday.

Slapped on a Nikon 2x7 and headed to the range today with a box of Privi ammo Joel was nice enough to pass along to me. Four shots and I was sighted in so I moved the target back to 100 yards. First two 3 shot groups both went under moa! I consider myself a terrible bench shooter so it is my impression this ammo is really accurate. I think I have a keeper!
Has anyone used the Privi 286grain bullets on game? What did you think?

Snowwolfe,

Congrats! Great to have a first experience of that quality. Tends to assure you have a live long friend.

Wait 'til you see the 9,3x62 perform on game ... is a wonderful cartridge!