i just got an eye opener while browsing around the internet.

i was on the Norma site and the Lapua site looking at 9.3x62 ammunition. Norma loads 3 different bullets of 285 grains, none of which have a muzzle velocity of more than 2050 fps and 1 bullet of 232 grains at muzzle velocity of 2160. similarly, Lapua loads a 285 grain bullet at around the same as Norma's. yet on this forum, i read all the time about getting 2400 or more fps from the bigger bullets. i myself have chronographed 270 grain bullets at 2400 fps with no signs of pressure.

why in the world would these fine European ammunition manufacturers load such weak ammunition in this caliber?

are we Americans getting carried away with this cartridge??

do you European reloaders load to the same velocities as Norma and Lapua or do you get higher velocities?

[ 10-21-2003, 21:29: Message edited by: bill smith ]

I'm using IMR 4350 and with 286-grain Nosler Partitions I'm getting around 2250 fps in a 60cm barrel with a full case of powder (might even be slightly compressed). What powder and charges are people using to get 2400 fps with 286-grain bullets?

I'm not sure you have the right cartridge- I just checked the Norma website and they show 2362fps for a 286 grain factory loaded 9.3x62. The velocity for a 9.3x57 with 286 grain is 2067fps. I don't think there are too many recommended loads for handloading that will top 2400 fps with a 9.3x62 (at least in shorter barrels), but I don't doubt that it can be done, and safely too.

My 9.3x62 is a M-54 Win. with 3 pos safty...and a 26" barrel...I have had a number of 9.3x62s and some 9.3x64s...both great rounds...

I get 2520 FPS with H414 and RL-15 in the guns I have and the ones I had got about that without excessive pressure..All were 26" btw.

I got 2375 to a full 2400 FPS FPS with several powder and the 300 gr. Swift bullet...H414 again seemed to be the powder with RL-15 hot on its heels..

The 320 gr. Woodliegh got me 2350 in most of the guns with RL-15...

I have been shooting and loading the 9.3x62 for many years and its an amazing cartridge and really takes advantage to the longer tubes...I have shot mine about 100 FPS behind the 9.3x64, another amazing round...

slingster: i haven't loaded the 286 grain but i get 2400 with the 270 grain Speer using IMR-4895. no pressure signs at all.

JeffC: you are correct. once again i have shown why i probably ought not to be allowed to own a firearm. i was reading the velocity at 150 yards, not the muzzle. i guess that revelation answers my question.

thanks everyone for your responses.

Thanks, Ray and Bill, for the powder suggestions. I've got 4895 and RL-15 on hand, so I'll start with those.

The A-Square manual shows 56 grains of 4895 for 2360 fps with their 286-grain Lion Load bullet in a 22" barrel.

Ray, what charge of RL-15 do you use for 286s?

[ 10-22-2003, 17:30: Message edited by: Slingster ]

I was in a hurry to work up loads for a trip a few months ago and I stopped when I got to 53 grains of H4895 with a Nosler 286. It gives 2,300 fps in my 22" barrel, and the same charge gives 2,350 with the Speer 270. Both loads hit together at 100 yards, so it's a good practice/hunting combo. Per the tech guys at Nosler, the Partition will not expand at impact speeds below 2,000 fps, which imposes a 200-yard limit on this load.

On the hunt, I shot several animals from 30-120m, with an average range of 80m. I realized that I had two great loads and I kind of stopped looking for others.

I also got good velocities with RL-15 and a 250 Ballistic Tip, but never really finished that work. Hope this helps, Okie John.

Hey bill smith,

I have a .35 Whelen that was built a few years ago that produces some very good ballistics.

With a 280 gr. Swift I am getting 2,547 fps. using RL15. These velocities were recorded using a Beta Master Chrony. The chamber is long throated in order to handle longer bullets and the barrel is 27".

Even with the characteristics of my .35 Whelen, the 9.3x62 has more powder room and the bore diameter is slightly larger. I am sure that with the powders that are available today, a shooter should be able to match or exceed the ballistics my rifle has attained. I believe that it just depends on the shooter's willingness to experiment with enough the various powders to find the right combination.

Good shooting,

Smoker*

Slingster,
You should start at about 57grs with the 286 and work up..My gun likes 58 grs. but handles 59 equally as well and I have shot 60 grs without trouble but thats getting up there, so approach these loads with caution, as a change in bullets or a tight bore or other factors could make these top end loads pretty hot in some rifles....

I use 56.5 grs for the 320 gr. woodleigh and its a mild load but a fantastic killer of big stuff...

Slingster,
And never overlook about the same in H414, the Swift manuel gives some good H414 loads..it is a winner in the 9.3s....

Thanks everyone for the load data with RL-15 and IMR 4895. I found RL-15 loading data in Ken Waters' "Pet Loads" and it's in line with Ray's recommendations (58 grains for 2330 fps out of a 24" barrel with 286-grain bullets). That 320-grain Woodleigh sounds like fun, too.

In the the Norma reloading tables (on their website), there is a load of 57,9 grs of 203-B that gives a 286 grain bullet a V0 of 2441 fps.

When the 286 grain oryx bullet was new there was a load in their news section. 59,9 grs 203-B V0 2460 fps.

I use 55 grs of 203-B behind a 286 grs Lapua Mega. A mild load for driven game like moose and pigs at short ranges (woods). Shot a moose with it last saturday.

For allround use i use 65 grs of 203-B behind a 250 grs Rhino Solid Shank. I haven�t seen any signs of exessive pressure but wouldn�t recommend starting loads of more tan 60 grs. I don�t know what V0�s i get. If i sigt in 5 cm (2 inches) high at 100 m it hits 5 cm low at 200 m, good enough for me. 5 shot groups less than 2 cm at 100 m.

58grains of VVN140 gives me 2,300fps with the Nosler 286gr partition from 24" barrel. This is 2gr over the Nosler book max but seems fine from the pressure point of view.

Ray Atkinson: when you use H414 for your 250 grain bullets, do you use magnum primers??

Bill,
I started out using Fed 215 primers then went to Fed.210s....I have not found much difference one way or the other so far...but I'm leaning towards the magnum primer but remember they will up the pressure on you a good deal in some guns..so allow for that and proceed with caution.

I got into some real trouble with the 9.3x64 for not cutting back on powder and going to 215's...nothing deadly but certainly an attention getter, a few primers fell out in the magazine box....

Does anyone have other info/velocities measured for 250 grain bullets? I have some Noslers and would like to think I could get near 2600fps with them. Any info out there?

Book max loads from Swifts new book give 2560 FPS with the 250 gr. bullet and 67 grs of H414..I get an easy 2700 with my 26" barrel and a just a little bit more powder.

I do the same thing with RL-15 where book max is shown at 58.5 for 2525 FPS...I use more than that once again...

My gun handles a good deal more powder safely than Swifts book, but that does not mean everybodys gun will do this...I have a Lothar Walther barrel..perhaps its fast, perhaps its oversize who knows..but it is very accurate and its on a Win. M-54........

Thank you sir.

befus