quote:

Originally posted by Turtlewolf:
I actualy hunt with the good old .303 British as I stated earlier,

The good ol 303, lol! That was a peach for its vintage. We (Americans) were still using the 45-70 when it was develped, and her majestys infantry ran with it for the better part of a "Century"!

Good ol 303 indeed! I wonder, was that the longest running military service cartridge by a major fighting force?

I've wondered if it was the longest running military cartridge myself a few times, it survived the blackpowder era a few different rifling designs and then has hunted every continent. Not bad for an outdated design that was ancient since the turn of the century.
There aren't many still using it today to hunt in light of all the "more modern" designs and the old rifles it is chambered in but I know that there are still millions owned or in use somewhere and my old Parker Hale will probably always be my go to gun.
Cheers

Back to the original topic,
Ive currently got 2 9.3x57's a 46 and a mint 146 as well as a couple of 9.3x62's CZ 550 and a 51 series commercial FN 98 husky with a heym barrel and have had a number of others come and go.
The 9.3 x 62 loaded with 286 grain bullets @2300-2350fps in a commercial 96 husky is about as good as it gets for 300.00 and personally I wouldnt hesitate to use one in good shape within the limitations of the action. With Graff cases and the Privi 286 grain bullet you've got a serious moose rifle in your hands. They balance well, carry well and just plain work.
Broke both shoulders of an elk with the privi and found the bullet underneath the offside skin 3 years ago with 89 percent weight retained, mind you it wasnt hot rodded and left the muzzle between the values posted above.

How far were you from the elk? And for that matter was it a bull or cow? I don't care for hot rodded cartridges, call me old fashioned but killing things with 180 grains in the .303 British at maybe 2350-2400 fps (factory ammunition) tells me that I probably don't need or realy want that bullet traveling at 3100 fps at the less than 200 yards that I've shot all my game animals at. 286 grains at about 2350 sounds perfect all game medicine for me
Cheers

80 yards