What diameter cleaning jag do you guys use for your 9.3 bores? I imagine a .358 would be pretty close but I have no idea what diameter they are. Could someone measure theirs and let me know so I can cut one on the lathe?

I've got two weeks until I go deer hunting and would like to take my as yet unfired (by me)Huskvarna 146 9.3x57 along. I have 285 Privi bullets with new Norma cases and RE15, Varget, IMR 3031, H4895, and IMR 8208 powders available. What would be a nice factory equivalent load that would be likely to shoot to the barrel mounted sites at 100yds? I've gleaned a lot of load data off of this and other sites, but I've no idea how they shoot to the sights so I'm looking for a little insight from those with some experience with these rifles.

If'n ya cain't find a .36 cal jag then use a .375. IMO, the jag is less critical than a brish. For a brush I prefer to use a size larger if the proper brush can't be found. As far as jags, a .35 will work. The patch usually provides the tight fit you desire and can be adjusted to provide that fit.

I have used AA2460 behind the Prvi 285 on many occassions. 41.0 grains has been my load and is plenty safe in my rifles and produces MOA groups in my 46's and 146's.

Somewhere I had some load data of RL15 I have used but can't find them right now.

Norma has load data on their site. Use as a reference and interpolate.

I have a Husquvarna m46 rifle on a Mauser 94/96 action in 9.3x57 Mauser. This is the older and some consider a weaker action than the Mauser 98 action. So I use a somewhat lighter load. Approach any load with caution.

For the jags and bushes use what Z1R recommends.

I use a load of 40 gr of Hornady H4895 with a PRVI 285 gr. bullet velocity of 1900 ft/sec. according to my chrony chronograph. This shoots to a 3 inches high at 100 yds. The PRVI bullet has a ballistic coefficient of 0.332 according to PRVI. The above mentioned load is very light, the maximum if supposed to be 45 gr. Approach with caution.

The Husquvarna rifles are known for cracking the stock, so don’t use heavy loads on the rifle. Here is as link to the different rifles.

http://forums.gunboards.com/sh...A-bolt-action-rifles

Below are some links to loads for the 9.3x57. The last one is probably the definitive work on this caliber.

http://www.reloadersnest.com/q...ll.asp?CaliberID=227
http://forums.gunboards.com/sh...ndloading-the-9.3x57

The Powder is Hodgdon H4895 not Hornady, sory for the mistake.

The bore is .366 so use a 33 or 35 and one or perhaps two patches, depending...No big deal as long as its working..I don't see how you can use a .375 with a patch in a .366 bore? that goes against all thats holy.

My favorite 9.3 bore cleaner is a .375 cal. bore snake, that gives you a very tight pull through and IMO more bores are ruined from cleaning rods than shooting or anything else..I use boresnakes year around with perhaps one good, very careful with a guide rod cleaning a year. You don't need a bore squeeky clean, that is detrimental to accuracy as a rule.

Thanks for the additional info on H4895, that will probably be one I try. I'll pick a load in the middle because I'm planning on using this short range and the deer haven't fully developed their bullet resistant coats yet. The tang on my stock has a short crack starting so I am giving it a quick bedding job on the recoil lug and will relieve the tang slightly before I shoot it. Then I'll do a proper job after the season and think about floating the barrel, depending how it shoots. The serial number puts it from the 1939-40 period, so I am surprised it is as good as it is.
I guess I'll go pickup a 358 and 375 jag so I can measure them. Having the .375 jag will be a good excuse to build the 375 H&H I've been thinking about. I know some folks love the bore snakes, but I've never taken a shine to them.

I use a 35 jag with mine, finding a .375 too tight.

I don't think you have to worry about "bullet resistant coats" with a 9.3 shooting a bullet in the 270-286 range, it's going to plough right on through and keep going.

Where do you guys get brass for that caliber, and what parent case can be used to form your own brass..

I have a good friend that is frustrated with that problem..

Also bullets can be problematic in some cases and I have gleaned out that one should first slug these 9mm bores before fireing 358 bullets in them..

I have no clue how to make this caliber functional and it seems to be more trouble than I would care to take on..but I have seen some nice rifles in this caliber and the balistic are quit nice for a short range hammer.

I have been making my cases from plain old 8x57 brass. Never had a problem with headspace during fireforming yet. I have loaded 48grains of W-748 behind the 250gr. Nosler Accubond that went into one inch at 100yds. Scope is a Schmidt & Bender 1 1/4x-4x. Who could ask for more? I have not chronographed the load but will. It should be enough for 100 yd. deer here in WNC.

quote:

Originally posted by Atkinson:
Where do you guys get brass for that caliber, and what parent case can be used to form your own brass..

I have a good friend that is frustrated with that problem..

Also bullets can be problematic in some cases and I have gleaned out that one should first slug these 9mm bores before fireing 358 bullets in them..

I have no clue how to make this caliber functional and it seems to be more trouble than I would care to take on..but I have seen some nice rifles in this caliber and the balistic are quit nice for a short range hammer.

This is the 9.3 not 9 mm caliber we are talking about. 9mm or 358's will rattle down the bore.

Graf and Sons carries Norma brass and Hornady dies. There are probably other European manufacturers, and you can simply neck up regular 8x57 by lubing well and running into the FL sizer. Privi Partizan makes a nice 285gr, as does Hornady and Speer has a 270gr. Then you get into the Nosler and Norma bullets, or cast. Getting supplies for the caliber is easy, finding the time to use them is hard.

Gxig5

You are correct I just got sidetracked there for some reason probably old age!

but thinks for the info on the 9x57, I will pass it on..

If I had a 9.3 x 57 on a 98 action, I think the first thing I would do is run a 9.3x62 reamer in it, not much of a job and all else works. Unless it was collectable, but very few are actually that collectable.

I have a couple of 9.3x62s and its one of my favorite calibers, it works on Whitetail and it works on cape buffalo.

quote:

Originally posted by Atkinson:
Gxig5

You are correct I just got sidetracked there for some reason probably old age!

but thinks for the info on the 9x57, I will pass it on..

If I had a 9.3 x 57 on a 98 action, I think the first thing I would do is run a 9.3x62 reamer in it, not much of a job and all else works. Unless it was collectable, but very few are actually that collectable.

I have a couple of 9.3x62s and its one of my favorite calibers, it works on Whitetail and it works on cape buffalo.

I've done that very thing many times myself. But, just to point out, factory 9.3x57 is only loaded to about the same pressures as the .30-30 and nets 2050 fps with a 286. In a 98 that leaves you quite a bit of room for improvement if you absolutely have to have 9.3x62 performance. You can get pretty close without sky high pressures. Something to think about. I myself do not load my 9.3x57 to more than factory specs because I also own many built on the 96 action. Don't feel like putting that much effort into segregating ammo.

So, like Ray said, I also have some 9.3x62's.

My 9.3x57 is built on a FN commercial Mauser action, and I worked up some loads that crony pretty good, especially with the Speer 270gr, and some Nosler 250gr BTs and ABs. They show no signs of anything to worry about from pressure. I can't remember the load or the speed right now, but I was satisfied with the results, and the barrel is 20". I tried several powders, which all worked well, but I settled for now on 4064, slightly compressed as I recall, with the bullet seated no deeper than the base of the neck, maybe a little longer, since the throat and magazine allows for long seating. I also recall that RL15 worked well. My favorite bullet for that cartridge, from a handloading view and on paper is the inexpensive Speer 270gr.

KB

I got my brass and dies from Graf's.

A suggestion, get yourself a federal C&R license. It will cost $30 for 3 years and you can save quite a bit with dealer discounts from companies such as Graf's.

quote:

Originally posted by Atkinson:
Gxig5

You are correct I just got sidetracked there for some reason probably old age!

but thinks for the info on the 9x57, I will pass it on..

If I had a 9.3 x 57 on a 98 action, I think the first thing I would do is run a 9.3x62 reamer in it, not much of a job and all else works. Unless it was collectable, but very few are actually that collectable.

I have a couple of 9.3x62s and its one of my favorite calibers, it works on Whitetail and it works on cape buffalo.

Be careful re-chambering the 9.3 x 57 to x62. I think there have been several posts to the effect that the neck on the x57 can be quite large and the typical x 62 reamer may not clean it up and would end up with a lumpy neck. A chamber cast of the neck would be good insurance before putting forth the effort. If you set it back that's a different story.

quote:

Originally posted by gzig5:

quote:

Originally posted by Atkinson:
Gxig5

You are correct I just got sidetracked there for some reason probably old age!

but thinks for the info on the 9x57, I will pass it on..

If I had a 9.3 x 57 on a 98 action, I think the first thing I would do is run a 9.3x62 reamer in it, not much of a job and all else works. Unless it was collectable, but very few are actually that collectable.

I have a couple of 9.3x62s and its one of my favorite calibers, it works on Whitetail and it works on cape buffalo.

Be careful re-chambering the 9.3 x 57 to x62. I think there have been several posts to the effect that the neck on the x57 can be quite large and the typical x 62 reamer may not clean it up and would end up with a lumpy neck. A chamber cast of the neck would be good insurance before putting forth the effort. If you set it back that's a different story.

Now you are quoting me. I am the one that posted those warnings. The early, model 96 based rifles, are most prone to oversized chambers including necks. I always do a chamber cast first before engaging in any rechambering project. You have to know what you are dealing with first.

The model 146's on the whole have chambers that are smaller and lend themselves to a rechamber.

quote:

Originally posted by z1r:

quote:

Originally posted by gzig5:

quote:

Originally posted by Atkinson:
Gxig5

You are correct I just got sidetracked there for some reason probably old age!

but thinks for the info on the 9x57, I will pass it on..

If I had a 9.3 x 57 on a 98 action, I think the first thing I would do is run a 9.3x62 reamer in it, not much of a job and all else works. Unless it was collectable, but very few are actually that collectable.

I have a couple of 9.3x62s and its one of my favorite calibers, it works on Whitetail and it works on cape buffalo.

Be careful re-chambering the 9.3 x 57 to x62. I think there have been several posts to the effect that the neck on the x57 can be quite large and the typical x 62 reamer may not clean it up and would end up with a lumpy neck. A chamber cast of the neck would be good insurance before putting forth the effort. If you set it back that's a different story.

Now you are quoting me. I am the one that posted those warnings. The early, model 96 based rifles, are most prone to oversized chambers including necks. I always do a chamber cast first before engaging in any rechambering project. You have to know what you are dealing with first.

The model 146's on the whole have chambers that are smaller and lend themselves to a rechamber.

I thought that was you Mike, but I couldn't remember. I just knew I'd seen it before here and on Gunboards Swedish section and passed it along. Because of that, I took a junk 270 brass, cut it off, necked it up to .375"ish. I had to roughly neck turn it, or I could have taken out the expander once it was roughly necked up, or not bothered necking up at all. Then ran it through the FL die using my Redding Match case holders set that will size .002" longer each. I started at +.010" and using a stripped bolt, set the headspace on that round so the bolt would just close with no resistance. That came with the +.002 holder and the case measured .004" longer in headspace than the new Norma brass I have. I decided that is pretty good and I won't need to form a false shoulder on the brass for the first firing, which is what some have to do with the long chambers in the Mod 46 (or so I've read).

I used to have a Hasqvarna 9.3X57 on a M98 action & I used IMR 3031 with 286 gr bullets for 2200 fps. Varget or Re15 would do fine as well. For that cartridge I'd try the 250 gr TSX at about 2500 fps for a max load.