Hi there,

Has anyone used the Hornady 286 gr 9.3 bullet on game? I was curious as to the expansion characteristics.

So far, I've shot one wild pig (maybe 125-140 lbs) with the bullet and there didn't look to be a great deal of expansion. The bullet hit broadside, low just behind the front leg and punched a hole through both lungs, right above the heart. The hit was a complete pass-through.

It's possible (probable) that my shot didn't hit any major resistance, but I wanted to set my bullet performance expectations appropriately. For my purposes, I'd think a fairly soft bullet is most effective.

The pig was recovered, so all ended well.

I shot a couple into gallon jugs of water, penetration was into the sixth jug and the shroom was about 0.7" with expansion stopping around the cannelure.
Last year I took a shot at a large whitetail buck quartering toward me. Punched a couple of ribs, both lungs and transected the heart. Exit wound was around an inch. Did enough damage for me, I'll keep using them as they're the most accurate 9.3 bullet I've found yet.

I bought four boxes lasxt summer and have loaded some for my Obie 9.3x62 and have just not had the chance to shoot them. I kinda think that these and my 286 NPs will be THE fodder for all my four 9.3s. I have RWS, Speer, Norma Alaskan and Oryx bullets as well, but, I prefer the NPs and Horns.

I just wish they would send a whack of brass in 9.3x74R and 9.3x62 to Canada, the Lapua, Norma and RWS stuff is BIG $$$$$$ and they should make 9.3x64b brass and ammo as well!

Hey Guys

I just finished some load development on a 9.3X338 Winchester, and will start load development on a 9.3 Ultra in a few weeks. I do a lot of test work, but this is my first chance to work with 9.3 and in the coming weeks I will start some bullet tests with most available bullets in 9.3.

I use a mix of wet news print and magazines. About 6 inches of wet print--1.5-2 inches of magazines or catalogs. This is a tough mix, but I have 100s of side by side examples of bullets in this mix and bullets taken from animals, and the only difference is the material left on the bullet, chewed up wet print, or blood and matter! I have also found if it breaks in wet print--it will break in animal tissue. Penetration measured in wet print can nearly be doubled in animal tissue (barring Bone matter). 15 inches in wet print will give you 25-30 inches in animal tissue. This is for expanding bullets. Solids are a bit different.

In the 9.3X338 Win I am running the 286 Hornady at 2550 fps and I have a gut feeling that it will perform great at those velocities. I like Hornady bullets and have found them to be the very best of what I would call non-premium bullets. I also feel the 9.3 Ultra may push the bullets limits.

Most likely most of you are shooting 9.3X62s and such, where velocity is a bit less with the 286s--I would say you might want to drop to the 250 gr Nosler Accubond or 250 Woodleigh for the smaller critters like the 150 lb boar. You might get a bit more expansion with those.

Of course all this is spec and based on my knowledge of working with other calibers in this group, 358 and 338.

Michael

Others have posted that the 270 gr Speer and the 286 Prvi Partisan are both "soft", whatever that means.

I shot up all my 270 Speer bullets practicing at the range, so I used the Hornadys on my hunt.

My rifle is getting re-blued, but I'll pick up some Speer and Prvi Partisan bullets when it gets back and then try to shoot some pigs with them.

I hate to use a sample of one when I compare products, which is why I originally posted this thread.

Analog

I don't normally care much for Speer bullets in rifles. Partisan??? Nosler Partition! Those are pretty good bullets, I think for thin skinned critters. Probably both would do fine on pigs.

Most important, you are correct-1 animal, or example of such is no test whatever on what might happen over time and several other animals. I think to have any idea at all concerning performance (unless of course you have a known bullet failure) that one has to have shot 5-10 animals to see and get reactions of said critters, barring a bullet failure, such as a bullet breaking up, failure to penetrate and such as that. If you hit them right, and the bullet is not recovered, then it may take several animals to have a good idea of what is going on.

Michael

The Hornady and Nosler 286's have been the most accurate in my CZ 9.3X62. They are more accurate for me than the Speer 270 gr. or the PRVI 285. The PRVI are cheap and make good offhand practice loads. I haven't had a chance to take it hunting yet but I've decided on the Hornadys as my general purpose pig and deer load. I will probably switch to Nosler partitions for moose or elk.

My partner bang flopped an elk with the Privi from about 80 yards in October , quartering towards , broke the offhand shoulder ,total penetration over two feet 80% retention. I wouldnt call that soft.

Have shot the Speers ... way too soft for a hunting bullet.

The construction of the PRVI bullet is relatively light but sturdier than the Speer. The Hornady is (I'm told by Rick Rose whom I trust implicitly) plenty good.

Have used Nosler Partitions and they have performed superbly well on game from Whitetails and piggies to Kudu, Wildebeast, and Zebra.

If I take a 9,3 to Africa in May, I'll take Partitions for sure. Not likely to use a 9,3 in WV this year because I have other things I want to try. Will use it in Texas in February and Partitions are already loaded for that trip.

If Partitions are too expensive for your purpose I'd try the Hornadys.

Forgot to add that in two of my rifles the Hornady prints groups to the same POI as the Nosler Partition. And if it quits raining cats and dogs this week I hope to enlarge the sample by at least one more deer, though I have little hope of recovering any bullet launched from a 9.3x62 from any WV deer...