Has anyone used the Norma 232 grain Oryx or Vulcan bullet in 9.3x62 to take deer/elk sized animals? I thought of trying one of them next fall for mule deer and maybe spike elk. How was penetration, expansion, and accuracy? Thanks in advance.

I have killed a few deer and wild hgs with the 232 Vulcan in the 9,3x74R. Killed great.

I found the Oryx bulllet held together very well but expanded to the shape of a button mushroom on the two I recovered. Penitration on antelope and deer on broadside shots was total with massive exit wounds. Raking shot on a large buck worked but the bullet seemed to skid around inside same thing on a frontal chest shot on a large mulie doe, it seemed like it curved around inside. The slugs were actually wider than long when recovered. Weight retention on the Oryx was great loosing only about 11 and 15 grains as I recall on the two recovered slugs.

Elk? No. It would be fine IF you only took broadside shots, I'm sure it would total the lung cavity but I'd be surprised if you got total penitration. There is considerable virtue on having two holes leaking blood on an elk. Shots on elk are rarely perfect and if you got a bit of paunch on a raking shot or whacked a shoulder things might not turn out so nice, I strongly doubt you would get the knid of penitration you would want and nothing like say a 286gr NP. Elk can be very tough, even cows and calves, and a 250gr or 286 gr bullet such as the Oryx or Accubond or NP will probably make for a happier outcome.

I found that I could drive the 232gr to nearly 2700fps with Varget but it shot so much higher than my 286gr load that I backed it down to 2550fps so I would not have to screw with my scope constantly. My impression was that the bullet preformed better on game at the lower velocity. The load I settled on was 65gr of Ramshot Big Game for both the 232gr Oryx and the 286gr NP. The Oryx is nearly 2 inches higher than the NP but both group very well.

HunterMontana,
Thanks for the very informative info.
We have the Sambar deer in Australia which is similar in size to an Elk, and I have set my 9.3 with 258grn H-mantels but was considering the lighter and faster 232grn Oryx bullets for cross gully shots.
You bring up some fine points from which I have decided to stick with the 258grners.
Regards,
Adam

When they first came out I shot a couple of small bulls (ca 150kg without skinn, hoves, head etc) at the point of the shoulder with the 232 Oryx at about 30m with a 9,3x62. Both just rolled forward and died. Both bullets hit the shoulder bone at the big knuckle and went into the lungs and beyond. One of them excited and the other was found against the skinn on the opposite side.
Here they are said to be accurate, but somewhat soft ie not always exciting.
BTW Its moose I'm talking about.
//K9

I've used the 232 Vulcan on white tails here. Good performance.

But then, every 9.3 from the 232s to 300s I've ever used on deer has perfromed perfectly.

Deer are not much of a challange for the versitle 9.3s.

quote:

Originally posted by MCA man:
OZ Hunter,
Can you still get 258 grain H-Mantles in OZ? No can do here in the US, and that has been my primary 9.3mm bullet in my Mauser for the last four years. Am I stuck with 250 grain Accubonds?

LLS
Regards,
Adam

[/QUOTE]

Yes they are available at a price.
Quite glad I stocked up on my projectiles some years ago.
250grn N P's would be a good alternative I would think.