I'm off to Africa again in June to Hunt Eland and Kudu in the Limpopo. I'm taking my 9.3x62 FN mauser.

I'm also returning to the OFS to try and hunt a Springbok which I missed out on last time. I was also going to take my .308 with a Kahles 4-12x52 in anticipation of a 250 yard+ shot. I would like to take only one rifle though and the 9.3 gets the nod for Eland.

Has anyone tried to compensate for the rather curved trajectory of the 9.3x62 on a long shot ? What projectile did you use ? I'm thinking 250 Nosler BT.

(I will have time to rezero the rifle to 286 Woodleighs for Eland).

Any comments ?

Take two rifles is the easy answer.
Otherwise get slick with a range finder and some targets set out in 100mt steps out to 400mts and practice with your 286 noslers.This is the same projectile I used recently in Zim on a wilderbeast shooting a 9.3x66-good stuff
Planning to re-zero in the middle of a hunt is asking for a visit from the fuck-up fairy

quote:

Has anyone tried to compensate for the rather curved trajectory of the 9.3x62 on a long shot ? What projectile did you use ? I'm thinking 250 Nosler BT.

I'm using Nosler's 250 grain accubond and with a little creative handloading you might wrangle about 2,600 FPS in a good bolt rifle. If you're using a '98 Mauser then this is doable and the trajectory will be as good as about anything your .308 can deliver.....

I wouldn't hesitate to use the very same load for eland as well!

286Grn Woodleighs for Eland.
I would Recommend the "Protected Points" for this purpose .

I used the 250g TSX on a smaller moose at a range I'd rather not admit to/ estimate and was very impressed with the results.

I'd really like to take a 9.3 with the 250g TSX to Africa and use it on a plains game hunt.

The 9.3x62 loaded to around 2600 fps with a 250 grs bullet does a fairly credible job at longer range. For lack of a better choice, I took a Waterbuck at 300 yds last year with one. It would not be my weapon of choice for long range shooting, but for larger plains game, the margin of error is large enough that a holdover strategy is viable - if not ideal.

I was a bit disappointed with the bullets I used, though. I was surprised at how many perfectly mushroomed 250 grs TSX I dug out of my carcasses. The bullets all looked perfect in terms of expansion, and they did the job. But I remember finding one on the *inside* of the off shoulder of a sable (not a particularly heavy animal) after a 100 yds high shoulder shot. In fact, it got to be the rule, rather than the exception, to have the 250 grs TSX not produce an exit wound.

The other bullet I used (only one of) was a 250 grs AccuBond. It did the job on a follow-up shot on a Zebra, but almost turned itself inside out, and sure as heck did not exit.

- mike

One rifle (9.3 X 62) with one 286 gr. bullet would be the ideal. If you want, and I did it, simply take two scopes in quality QD mounts and sight a scope in for each of two different loads. Should be no problem if you plan on changing only a time or two throughout the hunt. Just make sure you use the right ammo(load) with the scope it's dedicated for. With this combo you always have an extra scope on hand if Murphy happens to show up. I used the Barnes TSX in 250 grain as the "flat" set up.

Larry Sellers
SCI Life Member

In 2002 I used the 250 gr X at 2650 fps from my 9.3x62 with great success. Farthest shot was 250 yards on a springbuck, closest was 30 yards on an eland. Both dropped at the shot.

How about 230 gr. GSHV? I am using them, however didn't have the opportunity to test them on longer ranges - I would use them on eland as well. See:

http://www.gsgroup.co.za/9362.html

286 grain Nosler Partition is good enough for Eland and shoots just as flat as you need on Kudu.

Spend all the time you have at the range!

Does your Kahles have the Multi Zero? If not this might be a GREAT reason to buy one that does!

250-grain North Fork soft.

Took my CZ 550 to Alaska this past September for Grizzly. North of Nome is very open country and with no trees for 100+ miles, or so it seemed. I used Ramshot Magnum to get my Nosler 286 Partitions (great BC) 2500 fps and great accruacy in Lapua cases and WLR primers. Used the Leupold VXII 2-7x33 w/ the LR recticle. IIRC, 217 yd zero gave me PBR of 265? with 1st dot @ 300+ something and 2nd dot hitting at about 425. That's long enough range for the 9.3 IMHO. If you really pushed it, the top of the bottom post will get you out about 480 or so.

GSSP,

Let me clarify: you used Ramshot Magnum in a 9.3x62? I would have thought that powder was too slow for that cartridge.

I carry a 9.3x62mm for plains game too, but I'm not taking a shot over 250 yards because when you work with the ballistics tables the 9.3mm bullets start dropping rapidly between 260 and 300 yards. Carry another rifle for those 300 yard shots, like a .30-06, .280 Remington, 7x64mm, even a .270 with heavy bullets.

LLS

Sorry 'bout that. I meant to say Ramshot "Big Game".

quote:

Originally posted by mouse93:
How about 230 gr. GSHV? I am using them, however didn't have the opportunity to test them on longer ranges - I would use them on eland as well. See:

http://www.gsgroup.co.za/9362.html

Way to Go! ... plenty bullet for Eland & plenty flat to 35o yds for smaller game, win/win

Cheap bullets tip:

For anyone who orders from MidwayUSA.com, check out the 9.3 bullet list. Midway lists some 286gr "blemished" bullets for about $15.00 per 50. Pretty damn good deal. I haven't even completed my 9.3x62 build and bought a couple of boxes. Fire up the credit card, boys!

GSSP,

Ah, thanks. You got my hopes up there for a minute. If you had found a way to make Ramshot Magnum work in a 9.3x62 I could, in theory at least, load all my rounds with just one slow powder. It was a tantalizing thought.

Viva la 9.3x62!

I hunted the Kalahari with a 9.3x62 for an article and had no problems out to 250m with Rhino 250gr bullets -but trying to shoot an ostrich at 350m was beyond my capability

Springbok at 300m are awfully small...

what about the 232gr Norma bullet a bit over 2600fps?

Rich
Buff Killer

quote:

Originally posted by A7Dave:
Cheap bullets tip:

For anyone who orders from MidwayUSA.com, check out the 9.3 bullet list. Midway lists some 286gr "blemished" bullets for about $15.00 per 50. Pretty damn good deal. I haven't even completed my 9.3x62 build and bought a couple of boxes. Fire up the credit card, boys!

IMO they are Hornady!

Taking Cewe answer as starting point,I think that there were probably necessary about 50 or 60 cm of compensation to hit coorectly at 350 meters.

Three years ago I tested mine 9.3x62 at 400 meters, it was necessary about 80 cm of compensation. However my longest shot was around the 300 meters on a springbock. I had a lot of luck that time.

as cewe worte "Springbok at 300m are awfully small..."

Vapodog,

Just got them delivered. They are Hornaday, and it looks like the cheap "blemished" ones are sold out. It was a good deal. They don't look any different than other bullets have sat in my reloading closet for a summer!