I've read with envy while all of you guys have been relating tales about your 9,3's. Well I finally ordered mine today. A CZ 550 Lux. I was amazed at how NOBODY in the gun shops have heard of this round. I have wanted one for several years now but have been pissing my money away on things like college and food. Now for business, where do you guys get your Lapua brass and are Lapua bullets difficult to come by? What about Norma pills? What company did you go with forming and reloading dies? As always any help will be much appreciated.

Lapua brass is best. Get if from Grafs. I have RCBS dies. I neck size only for the brass I use in each rifle and segregate it. I lasts a long time. Nosler partitions are my favorite bullet and I use only 286 gr in my 550Lux I have a 550 FS sighted for 232gr bullets. The Norma factory load is 54.7gr N201 with a 286 gr bullet.
I have an old Husky FN action that I'm thinking about rechambering to 9.3x64.

We stock RWS and Norma for all 9,3's. We have never had a complaint with Norma brass. The RWS seems to last longer in the 9,3 x 74R, but in the 9,3 x 62mmm the brass lasts about the same.

Aleko

I have been tempted to join the 9.3x62 club as well except for the 300Win Mag i bought a few months ago.I believe it would be the ultimate sambar caliber for use in thick bush.

I have ordered a cz 550 lux to and can't wait for it to get here. What scope are you mounting ?? I am placing a 2-7x32 leupold Vari X11 that I have here and putting it in cz 550 mounts which I have had leupold Torx screws fitted to.

I have purchased 100 pieces of Lapua brass and have ordered a set of RCBS dies.

I am stressing over what bullets to use it looks as though it will be 232 grainers or 250 gr at this stage.

I think you have made a great choice of both rifle and caliber

My Lyman die set cost around $30 direct from Lyman (don't remember exact amount). The other popular brand was over $90.

I have formed my own cases from 30-06 brass. I ran them over the 9.3 expander, trimmed to length, and seated bullets long so they headspaced on the rifling leade (no intermediate shoulder). I also have some Norma brass but am saving them for foreign hunting excursions. My '06-based cases weigh 197 grains whereas the Norma weighs 180. I suspect this means the Norma brass has greater capacity. The only load I have shot so far is Speer 270 over 50gr RL-15 in '06 cases. I used this load to fireform and for practice. I'll likely use heavier/better bullets for hunting large game, but the Speers should do well for deer and practice. Haven't killed one with it yet (just got it) but I gotta believe a 270 grain bullet at 2200 fps will kill a deer handily!

Live well

[ 05-11-2003, 17:00: Message edited by: Big Redhead ]

PC, I think I will mess around with the iron sights for a while before putting a scope on it. However I want to get a low fixed power in one of the German reticles. How are the CZ mounts? I've heard some people aren't too happy with them. Then again I have heard some people aren't too happy with the iron sights either. I can see that to shoot this gun much it will be a hand loading proposition. I'm sure that will be torture The factory loaded stuff will jerk a knot in your keister.

PC, I use a Burris Safari with a taper post and fine cross hair. A year ago I would have bet against it but I can tell you the post reticle is the fastest way to get on a live target. I wouldn't have gotten several animals on my last trip to RSA if not for the post. The old Burris leaves a lot to be desired but the new one is nice and bright. I used the stock CZ mounts and they worked fine but I also have used Warne and Talley.
I found it an easy cartridge to reload. I took the stock Norma load and used a Nosler Partition instead of the Norma 285. It shoots MOA or better with no tweaking and gets an honest 2300+fps. IMR 4895 is also a good load and shoots to the same point of impact as the Norma factory load.

[ 05-12-2003, 07:54: Message edited by: Dr. Duc ]

Car,

I agree with DR Duc that the cz mounts are fine I had mine on my .416 Rigby and they never moved, just a little high, I have had torx screws added to mine. They will work fine on the 9.3 if they worked for 100 or so rounds of .416 Rigby.

I have only shot something once with a post sight and that was with a .25/.303 80 gr bullet at around 2500 fps I think and I whopped a hair under the spotlight but it worked nicely I thought.

[ 05-12-2003, 16:48: Message edited by: PC ]

CARR4570, I got my RCBS dies, Speer bullets, and Norma brass all from Midway. However when i first bought it, the dealer I went through managed to grab me a box of Norma Loaded ammo.

BTW, Wecolme to the Fraternal Order of the 9.3.

[ 05-12-2003, 20:35: Message edited by: Curtis_Lemay ]

Welcome to the club!
I have a Husky in a beautiful custom stock with the Leupold 1.75 to 6 on top in the heavy duplex. Love this rifle.
Son has the CZ 550 American with Leupold 2.5 to 8 with a Premier 3A inside. This too is great.
The Norma 286 grn. with the Alaska bullet is not to my liking...the bullet construction is the problem.
I now have both 250 Barnes X and 286 Nosler Partition but have yet to shoot an African critter with them. We shot several with the Alaska bullet in RSA. All the critters are coming home but...still not the best bullet.

May I post although I sold my CZ? Still got lotsa brass and dies.

A great rifle and caliber,congrats!!!

I passed the moving target test (required here for big game every three years) and also hunted with iron sights using Norma Oryx. Afterwards I had an old Weawer 1.5-4 x 20 on it,fits nice and sturdy with CZ mounts,easy sight.

But I do not collect so after I went nuts with Marlin 1895 with Buffalobore level loads I sold the CZ away. Can�t carry two,tried it.

Good rifles those CZ:s,they take a moose down nice!

[ 05-13-2003, 02:07: Message edited by: Petander ]

Thanks for the info guys. I was wondering about those Speer 270 gr. bullets. I have heard they were too soft. Now I know that is a relative term to be driven fast and this too is relative.
Are peoole saying they are too soft for 9,3x64 on an elk shoulder soft, or 9,3x62 on a deer shoulder soft? I notied those Speer bullets would be a little more accomidating to my wallet also. A question about the moving moose target, how fast is it moving and how far away is it?

Ken Waters make the point that the Speers are good cheap practice bullets if nothing else. He did get excellent accuracy with them. See "Pet Loads" from Handloader.

It's late--Rough Notes:
1. Almost everyone says Speer is soft; call them and complain like I did. This cartridge is ideal for a good un-premium bullet, so call Hornady and Sierra, too. I shot a 550-600lb feral cow behind the shoulder with a Speer at 2,350 fps (2,280 fps at impact). It exited from a mushy hole about the size of a nickel or a quarter without any hitting big bones and the cow dropped in a few feet. I've read that it does really well around 2,100 fps, so I'm going to work with it at reduced velocity a bit more before I write it off as just a deer bullet.
2. I use fireformed 30-06 brass but I don't load very hot. When Graf's gets their 9.3 brass in, I'll get a bucket full and retire the '06 stuff.
3. I got the 250 Nosler BT up to 2,535 fps with RL-19 and a mild load. I want to do more work with this--I think it's going to be THE long-range choice in the 9.3x62.
4. Load development has been straightforward and everything has been pretty accurate.
5. We need a WIDELY AVAILABLE domestic 232-gr bullet.
6. email Hornady, Sierra, Federal, Savage, Ruger, Remington and Winchester. Let them know what you bought and what you're going to buy.
7. Magazines have more 9.3x62 data than manuals.
8. I wish I'd done this a long time ago.

Hope this helps, Okie John.

I would like to see Hornady produce a 286 grain spitzer in .366, and a 300-320 grain round nose would be useful as well.

We are working on some 9,3 stuff will keep you posted.

Aleko

Carr,the "Big Game Test" is quite easy. The reason for the whole test is simple: many hunters do not practise at all. They just come to hunt moose for a few weekends in October. So at least every three years they need to do something,there are lots of people watching and that alone is a good thing, gives some stress to us shy countryboys. Miss the test:season goodbye.
I do the test every year because I am a gunnut. 338 Lapua this year,yum!

Facts:

The real size moose figure is at 75 meters (82 yds). First you must place three shots in the 65cm (26") kill zone in 20 seconds while the moose is standing. Then you get three "runs",a double headed figure passes 23 meters (25 yds) in four seconds. You shoot once in each run,must hit the kill zone each run. Passed.

Nothing difficult,you can learn to aim at the beard and get constant 10:s with .308 match loads.
Here is the problem: I see people coming to that test with the smallest deer legal rifle (.243),legally pass the test and then go hunting with eg. 9.3 and flinch and/or shoot guts! I see no point practising with one rifle and a light target load and then go hunting with another,especially if one is new to the rifle. The rule should be changed."Expensive ammo"...,BS from someone who drives to the test with a new Range Rover.

Anyway,I have warm memories of that caliber,there were lots of .308 people asking "what the hell you gonna hunt,dinosaurs?" when they heard the first Norma talking. And after all,the moving thing is easier with open sights, I seldom shoot at a running moose that far at all,only if it�s been wounded. And I always shoot with my both eyes open,any gun,any scope.

Still,partly because of that test I have seen newbies shooting the beard off a standing bull. Go figure.It is good practise though, bunch of us sometimes get the whole range and turn it in a "moose practical". You can easily place three shots with a bolt action in one run,keep it on shoulder,follow and relax. Get to 20 yds and then 100 yds,vary the run speed randomly,that�s what I call practise. Add a Super blackhawk... CAS-moose?

Long post again... still,I question that test. Why to teach young people to shoot at a running moose figure while everyone knows you better not shoot a running healthy one,not from that far at least?

Back to the topic: 9.3 x anything is a great moose rifle. Refinish (if you like) the CZ stock and you may find really beautiful wood.Mine turned a real beauty. I also made sure that the barrel floats free,some finishing touches may not be exactly hi quality but hey,we take our guns apart right away,don�t we?

I switched to Marlin for practical reasons,I have a dog and walk a lot in bruses and swamps. 1895 is lighter and faster to me,still I do not shoot trough a brush. Done that,never perfect.

I missed a standing,already gut-shot moose once,my dog was holding it good.Tracked it for some time already. Open sights,just a little brush in between,lots of time kneeled down. Bang-ZINGGGG... then I put the scope back on,with it I could have seen all that brush near the beast and shoot between them.Another three hour tracking,got him then.

Brush guns exist but there are no brush bullets.

Happy hunting! Sorry for the long post,I get carried away when I talk moose.

CARR4570,

I have bought brass for the 9.3x62 from Midway, Huntington, and Graf & Sons. Midway offers Norma (very expensive) and Lapua (not cheap, but less than the Norma, and excellent brass). Midway also offers Speer bullets and Nosler bullets. Huntington offers Lapua brass (for less than Midway) and Lapua bullets. Graf & Sons offers Lapua brass (for even less than Huntington) and their own Graf headstamped brass (actually made by Hornady, and for prices competitive with common run of the mill U.S. cartridges). I haven't tried the Graf brass yet because the Lapua brass is such wonderful stuff.

Enjoy your CZ550 9.3x62! I drooled over one for over a year before I finally realized some things are just more important than food and shelter.

By the way, I have worked with several powders from ones as fast as 3031 to ones as slow as 4831. Most published loads for the 9.3x62 seem to use the faster powders. When working up loads for a new cartridge, I always measure case expansion (I'm too cheap to buy a strain guage). I have found that, at least for this cartridge and my gun, the slower the powder, the lower the pressure with no loss in velocity. H4831 has worked great for me.

Enjoy!

I have settled on RL-15 and H414 for the 9.3x62, Norma, Lapua and RWS brass, Nosler and Woodleigh bullets, but I now have some GS Custom FN solids and some GS Custom HV bullets, that should turn my crank when I get loads worked up for them...I use Fed. 210 primers BTW...

I have a Sako AV in 9,3X62 that I use for nearly all my big game hunting. I use either Barnes 250 grain X bullets or RWS H Mantel 258 grain bullets. I load 60 grans of H-414 under the Barnes bullets or 58 grains of H-414 under the RWS bullets. I use Norma brass and load to an overall cartridge length of 3.370. Primers are Federal 215's.
For several years now I have been trying to talk Barnes into bringing out a 230 grain boattail X bullet, but, so far no luck. Since I can drive the 250 grain bullet to an honest 2650 fps from my 23.5 inch barrel, I think 2700+ would be possible with the lighter bullet and would serve better when used on lighter game such as deer.
I disagree with some of the statements made about the Speer 270 grain bullet,I have found it to have to stout a jacket for deer size game. I have punched several 36 caliber holes through deer size animals with no expansion at all.