The picure is of 9.3 RWS 286 gr. I got these from a fellow who said he ordered them from Canada in the 1970's, before 9.3 was popular in the USA. I got some Norma plastic point bullets that I am using for plinkers, but should I shoot these?

You have something interesting, and if I had the bullets I would have the same problem that you have. To shoot them or not.

I suppose, bottom line, bullets were made to shoot, so I would probably poke holes in some Texas hogs with them, probably out of my 9.3x57.

KB

If you are over 55, I'd say "shoot them". Your wife probably won't toss them and your rifle in the box with you when you go, so why save them?

On the other hand, if you are under 55, I'd say "keep most of them". You apparently have plenty of Normas to shoot anyway for plinkers, and there is no appreciable design difference between those and your Normas. Someday you may find a better use for them than just blowing them away now. And you could load and shoot about ten of them to slay a nice elk, or big hog, or something like that to see how well they work....and just keep the rest a few more years or 20.

I wish I could take my own advice, BTW. I have a couple of thousand Norma 286s left for my 9.3s, but somehow just never can bring myself to seriously start shooting them up...and I am in my mid-70s!

Ain't life and its decisions a "w"itch?

I suppose pondering these important matters give perspective, or at least allows the less pleasant issues to be put aside for a while.

I acquired several hundred of the 250 gr 9.3mm Nosler ballistic tips, which are wonderfully accurate bullets. I haven't tested the Accubonds in comparison for accuracy or point of impact yet. Perhaps they are close. My delima with these is what to shoot them in. Although they shoot super accurate in my wildcat 9.3 magnum, I'm sure they will practically explode at the impact velocity I get from that cartridge.

So, I'm thinking of using them in the 9.3x57. They ought to up the performance in that old cartridge just right. I'm estimating mayby 2300 fps. They should hold together plenty good at that speed.

KB

Looks like you have some old T-Mantles.
http://www.rws-munition.de/ima...bullet_table_eng.pdf

What do you want to shoot with them ? Paper or game. They will be good enough for Moose.

I don't really understand the question. They are regular RWS RN 18.5g/285grs. bullets. Commonly available until this present day.

Walter,
No need to hesitate hunting with Norma Plastic Point bullets. I still have some old boxes of those bullets which I handload in front of a healthy dose of H4831 in my 9,3x74R. Last season, it dropped this 300 lbs. (live weight) wild boar.

quote:

Originally posted by Walter:

The RWS soft-, round-nose bullets (Tlm Rdk) are very close to the ones currently manufactured:

http://www.rws-munition.de/en/...jectile.htm?navid=17

Other than the packaging, the bullets are not rare or historical. RWS suggests they be used for target shooting or for all game (except buffalo etc) at 9.3x62 (or 9.3x74R) speeds. If you want to go hunting with them, have at it.

http://www.rws-munition.de/en/...avid=26&geschoss=TMS

(You have to scroll down a bit to get to the 9.3 data).

- mike

Life is too short Gents - shoot the bastard things!

Ageed------ I will shoot them after the ~200 Norma's I have left. I had not found any RWS bullets on sale in the USA, so I thought they were rare or designed with extra thick jackets for heavy game. . . . . I never thought to look for the RWS website . . . good data.

ByTheWay - I shot the Nosler BT into water jugs at 9.3 x 62 velocity and they broke apart, with core seperation every time. The Norma plastic points at least held together, loosing the nose and expanding a little. I plan to shoot deer this year with Normas.

There are two reasons I suggested you might consider saving a few of them.

One, the packaging is not seen much any more. I sort of like to keep around old packaging where each individual bullet or cartridge case has its own separate storage unit. Kind of reminds me of the way the world used to be when careful attention to individual products was the norm rather than the exception. It also makes it easy to portray that sort of values mind-set to the grandkids.

Second, it is nice to have some of the older products around to be able to observe changes in them over time. For instance, if you note, those RWS bullets you have exhibit very large exposed lead noses...the kind Jack "Pondoro" Taylor used to refer to as "Blue Noses", and which he much prefered for game like lions. As velocities have increased, the amount of lead exposed has shrunk in many bullets even if they are still soft noses. Having a few of the older ones at hand makes it easy to compare any new lots with the old standards.

Does it make a lot of difference in a shooters life? Probably not in any way profoundly significant. But they can serve as sort of "mile-markers"along the shooting road.

Walter - those big blue noses would be perfect in a 9,3x57. If you would be willing to part with them to feed my x57 I'd be happy to give you nearly 100 Woodleigh 250 gr PPs and the last 20 286 gr Norma plastic points I have.

Steve - also in MO