Guys, if you were going to build a new custom rifle in 9.3 which one would you select, the 9.3X62 or the 9.3X64 and why?

Dave

quote:

Originally posted by Dave Bush:
Guys, if you were going to build a new custom rifle in 9.3 which one would you select, the 9.3X62 or the 9.3X64 and why?

Dave

In my case, neither. I already have a 9.3 x 62 bolt action (Carl Gustaf) and a 9.3 x 74-R DR, so have bought a Montana stainless short magnum action, and am going to build a 9.3 WSM on it. Have been saying that for two or three years now, but this year I AM going to finish that project.

Why that round? Two reasons....

#1, Because I can.

#2, Because I've got maybe 4,000 Norma 286 gr. bullets lying in a wooden crate here and need to start shooting them up. A new toy might perk my interest in doing that.

If I had to chose between the two you list, I would have to take stock of my situation. If I already had an '06 length (& bolt face) type of action, and DIDN'T plan to use it on Cape Buffalo, I would take the 9.3x62. It would feed well, likely without any action modification. Feeding would be problematical with the much fatter 9.3 x 64 cartridge. Plus the 9.3 x 62 would still keep my garden free of rhinos (which aren't a big problem in Western Oregon anyway).

IF, however, I had to buy an action to start the project, I would buy one appropriate to the 9.3 x 64 and build that instead. After all, it is no big problem to load it down to 9.3 x 62 ballistics or below, but you CAN'T load a 9.3 x 62 to maximum 9.3 x 64 ballistics, no matter how hard you try. Stocking should cost about the same for either, and so should sights.

You can't go wrong either way, though, so if need be, just toss a coin and have fun with your project, whichever one that lady luck guides you to.

Dave, I have both on the menu. the 64 Timan is doing on a 1909 and the 62 on a vz24 w/L-W bbl am going to have Jim Kobe put it on a lathe and headspace the long chamber along with a NECG front sight. He has done some metal work on that action and he does fine work. I will do the finish as a home project. Both are too late to have readied for fall so my .338-06 with NF's in my Model 30 will be the xecuter.

I'd do the 9.3x62 because brass is easy to get; it can be loaded in a modern bolt gun to velocities high enough that you really won't want to go any higher (roughly 286gr=2400, 270=2500 and 250=2600); and all in a relatively light rifle.

At opposed to the 9.3WSM, I can get five down and one in the chamber vs three and one and its isn't a wild cat which raises head stamp issues going to Africa. As opposed to the 9.3x64, I can readily get 9.3x62 brass, and if push came to shove make from 30-06 brass. Kudude

Done did. The 62 was my choice. I have two .375s, so didn't need another (which is the 64).

The 62 is an incredibly efficient and powerful round, which makes up into a nicely light and yet six shooting bolt rifle the likes of which there is no other.

I currently have a X62 on the go being put together with a Heym 9.3x62 barrel on a 1951 husky FN action , B&C medalist stock, timney trigger and markX bolt shroud. Not fancy but good enough for me

Another vote for 62 for reasons stated above, if I'd want a 64 performance I'd get .375 H&H.

quote:

Originally posted by kudude:
I'd do the 9.3x62 because brass is easy to get; it can be loaded in a modern bolt gun to velocities high enough that you really won't want to go any higher (roughly 286gr=2400, 270=2500 and 250=2600); and all in a relatively light rifle.

At opposed to the 9.3WSM, I can get five down and one in the chamber vs three and one and its isn't a wild cat which raises head stamp issues going to Africa. As opposed to the 9.3x64, I can readily get 9.3x62 brass, and if push came to shove make from 30-06 brass. Kudude

That's good advice. If I needed another one, I have no hesitation in building or buying another 62.

quote:

Originally posted by Dave Bush:
Guys, if you were going to build a new custom rifle in 9.3 which one would you select, the 9.3X62 or the 9.3X64 and why?

Dave

How about 9.3x70?
It would make it more custom custom

Cheers,

André

9.3x64 as I already own two 9.3x62s and have always wanted a 9.3 Breneke.

If I din't own a 9,3x63 already, It would be the most logical alternative to build, as the 9,3x63 is such a nice compromise between the 9,3x62 and the 9,3x64

kudude got it right the first time. Go with the 9.3x62mm, cause the brass is available, even in the USA no less! Another reason to go with the 9.3x62mm is that if you should be in the part of the world were the 9.3x62mm is most useful (Africa) you can find ammo on the shelf, good luck finding the 9.3x64mm. For all the other reasons or easy action selection and reasonable while still not punishing power, the 9.3x62mm gets my vote time and again, then I'm prejudiced after owning five of them.

LLS

next project is a 9,3 x 74r on an eddystone enfield with a windriver half octagon/half round 26" barrel...XX grade of nice walnut, nice checkering, recoil lugs, bedded action, barrel band front swivel, winchester super grade style rear sling swivel... necg front sight, necg folding leaf express for the rear... drilled and tapped to rem 30 stlye bases... action opened up to make the longer cartridge feed...

quote:

Originally posted by Dave Bush:
Guys, if you were going to build a new custom rifle in 9.3 which one would you select, the 9.3X62 or the 9.3X64 and why?

Dave

X64, is what I had built. It's on a Brno 600 action. I got it because it's H&H hitting power in a smaller package.

I did a 9,3x62 cause it was the biggest "engine" I could fit in a Vz-24 magazine.

quote:

Originally posted by RaySendero:
I did a 9,3x62 cause it was the biggest "engine" I could fit in a Vz-24 magazine.

RaySendero, Here's the max engine for the VZ-24. After I get a 500 AR built and shoot it I'll see if the 550 seems "reasonable".

....................9.3x64..is being built as I write this.. may be stocked by this week ... I got talked into it by Kabluey and I am real excited about it ........, Speed is a nice substitute for big bullets sometimes and it will have the same weight as my 9.3x62 which will become a 64 ...,......It should be very nice.....

I'd build a nice, short, handy, well-balanced, sleek, accurate Ruger #1 in 9,3x74R.

Oh wait, I already did!

quote:

Originally posted by kudude:

At opposed to the 9.3WSM, I can get five down and one in the chamber vs three and one and its isn't a wild cat which raises head stamp issues going to Africa.

Just to make this abundantly clear, I did NOT recommend a 9.3 WSM to him. I said I was building that for myself.

And, frankly, I could not possibly give less of a damn what some African customs guy/gal thinks of my choice. He/she will never see it anyway. I have absolutely no desire to see Afrika again unless it miraculously gets its politics together and its civil governments and police organizations into at least the 20th century during my remaining lifetime. And I'm pretty sure that won't happen in most of the countries there.

And if I did go there to hunt, I'd take my 9.3x62 as my smallbore and one of my bigger than 9.3 rifles as a medium-large bore for the heavy stuff. Mostly, I'd rather do the upland bird type shooting (not waterfowl), and enjoy the really great fishing in the rivers.

As to the 62 vs. the 64, I guess the fact that I have a 62 (and have had for well over 30 years) says which I would choose FOR MYSELF. But, I think HE needs to choose the one which fits HIS projected USES for it, not which one is theoretically the "best".

Miller & Val. Greiss 9.3x63, one of 3 KNOWN rifles in existence, boha got one of the other two!

husky, I am a youngster in rifle studies and am still enquiring. what is with that chunk of wood behind the forearm? any purpose? some old style?

On many pre-war sporters, the forearm and wrist were slimmed down to reduce weight. The wood around the action was left larger for strength. This slim forearm usually had a schnable tip, no checkering, and was secured to the barrel with a steel wedge.

KurtC, thanks for the note. that stock is some nice work.

On the original subject, I once owned a lightweight Voere 2165 in 9.3x64 that kicked like a mule.

The only custom rifle I ever commisioned was rebarreling a Brno 22F. I chose the 9.3x62 because I wanted to still use the original stock, and felt that the 64mm would be too much for it.

KurtC,

Yeah, I agree heartily on the copious backthrust of those lightweight Voere's in 9.3x64 and I think I know the guy you sold the Voere to.....



It's now living on a game Farm in RSA and used as a loner - don't get too many takers after the intial (read: single) sighting-in shot, either; they all ask for the .30/06 Sprg. while their eyes water & rubbing a healthy dose of hand into their cheeks. Not pleasant.

Oh, Dave.....ugh, yes, a 9.3x62 if it was my choice.

I'm jumping on the band wagon with a 9.3x62. No good reason I don't really need any cartridge I don't already have but needed to choose one for my next project. I can only choose the .270 so many times so I figured this one would be a good fit in my ought six donor FN. I think I've run out of reasons to pick a cartridge anymore.

Which ever 9.3 that I build will have a Lothar Walter barrel on it for sure. So far I have built two rifles in 9.3x62 & one in 9.3x64 using Lothar Walter barrels & they all shoot tiny little groups. Customers were very pleased.

I built a 9.3x64 and have never been sorry. I have had no trouble finding brass (factory RWS) and it is not that difficult to re-work 458 or 338 brass. If you want full throttle loads you have 375 H&H performance. If you load it down you have 9.3x62 or 35 W Imp performance. Mine shoots tiny little groups with the 250 gr Noslers and the 286 gr partions as well as the 293 gr TUGS. This calibre deserves to be far more popular than it presently is. My 9.3x64 will be one of the last calibres I ever part with.

quote:

Originally posted by .366torque:

quote:

Originally posted by RaySendero:
I did a 9,3x62 cause it was the biggest "engine" I could fit in a Vz-24 magazine.

RaySendero, Here's the max engine for the VZ-24. After I get a 500 AR built and shoot it I'll see if the 550 seems "reasonable".

Man! what a cartridge!!!
But it looks too long!?
A Vz-24 Magazine is 3.25" max.
That 550 looks to fit a std long action at about 3.40" - I don't think it will fit a Vz-24.

I like that footage! don't know what I need it for but.......

quote:

Originally posted by D Humbarger:
Which ever 9.3 that I build will have a Lothar Walter barrel on it for sure. So far I have built two rifles in 9.3x62 & one in 9.3x64 using Lothar Walter barrels & they all shoot tiny little groups. Customers were very pleased.

Thanks for that tidbit, Doug. Was trying to decide which make of barrel to use for mine.

AC, Humbarger persuaded me as well. for my Mauser I went to Sporters Express, long chambered.

quote:

Originally posted by husky:
Miller & Val. Greiss 9.3x63, one of 3 KNOWN rifles in existence, boha got one of the other two!

Husky

Geat rifle
Do you have any further information on this rifle? If so please post them.
And MORE pictures of this beauty PLEASE.

Cheers,

André

quote:

Originally posted by D Humbarger:
Which ever 9.3 that I build will have a Lothar Walter barrel on it for sure. So far I have built two rifles in 9.3x62 & one in 9.3x64 using Lothar Walter barrels & they all shoot tiny little groups. Customers were very pleased.

I have been curious about these LW barrels. Are you referring to the pre-fitted barrels, which are pre-chambered, contoured, and crowned, and threaded to fit the Mauser receiver? If so, I have been concerned that the LW 9.3 barrels are CIP specs, both in chamber (long throat) and groove diameter, which is .365" rather than .366 as for barrels made in the U.S.

Or, did you start with a LW pre-turned blank and cut the chamber with your reamer?

Either way, I'm glad to have a report that these barrels worked out good.

Thanks,
KB

I'm going to say 9.3 x 62. Unless I can find a 1914 Enfield to set up as a 9.3 x 74. I can have a rifle in the same cal as my double for a hunting partner on local hunts. Packy

9.3X62 Because if I build a 9.3 X anything it's going in a Mauser action with a wood stock. The 9.3X62 fits a M98. It was designed to fit and work with a M98 from it's inception and it does that job very nicely. I like the lack of recoil the 62 produces and I like the fact components are easy to get and my action didn't need a lot of tweaking to make the cartridge feed. After I ran the #'s I see very little advantage to going with a bigger case.

Terry

PS. here's the I had built. Nice to look at and fun to shoot.

Kabluewy

quote:

I have been curious about these LW barrels. Are you referring to the pre-fitted barrels, which are pre-chambered, contoured, and crowned, and threaded to fit the Mauser receiver? If so, I have been concerned that the LW 9.3 barrels are CIP specs, both in chamber (long throat) and groove diameter, which is .365" rather than .366 as for barrels made in the U.S.

Or, did you start with a LW pre-turned blank and cut the chamber with your reamer?

They were all the pre-threaded & chambered barrels.

A 9.3x74R on a single-shot tip-up stalking rifle would be quite nice, but in a bolt gun I'd use the 9.3x62. That said, a friend of mine has made excellent use of his 9.3x64 Blaser R93 in Africa and he swears by it for most any purpose. He, and his PH, figures it matches or betters the 375 H&H in every significant way.

quote:

Originally posted by D Humbarger:
Kabluewy

quote:

I have been curious about these LW barrels. Are you referring to the pre-fitted barrels, which are pre-chambered, contoured, and crowned, and threaded to fit the Mauser receiver? If so, I have been concerned that the LW 9.3 barrels are CIP specs, both in chamber (long throat) and groove diameter, which is .365" rather than .366 as for barrels made in the U.S.

Or, did you start with a LW pre-turned blank and cut the chamber with your reamer?

They were all the pre-threaded & chambered barrels.

The one I pictured above has the L-W pre-chambered barrel. At 100yds using Privi Partizan ammo a lot of the bullet holes touch each other.

Terry

that is a nice rifle-well built! a fine example, thanks.