I've played with my 9.3 off and on since I got it 2 years ago, mostly with Ramshot Big Game powder and a few different bullets and right away it really liked sedate loads which was fine because it is a real light rifle and tough on you at the bench in extended sessions.
It showed a tendency to like some of the faster loads but was inconsistant so I've played with the seating depth. Like most 9.3's it is very long throated so touching the lands with 285 grain bullets isn't going to happen.
I settled on a load of 62.5 grains of Ramshot Big Game, CCI primers, Graf brass, and a 285 grain PRVI bullet loaded to 3.33" overall. Fits great in the magazine and feeds well and has printed some very nice groups for me right at an inch and some groups a little under. Today this load shot several nice groups for me and one of the 3 shot groups was .668".
This load clocks at 2360 fps in my rifles 20" ultra light barrel.
I recently painted the black synthetic stock to a sand colored textured finish and I really like it, however at the bench it "sands" my face a bit under recoil. I haven't been able to afford new rifle projects for awhile so painting the stock gave me that "new" rifle feel!
It also shoots the Norma 286 grain bullet to the exact same point of impact and prints the Speer 270 grain bullets just a bit higher but in line with the others, all with the same powder charge.


I must admit I am very pleased with this rifle and the way it handles. I posted pictures of it a year or so ago but like I said new paint job and its like having a new rifle!
It is a Mauser 98 action (Zastava) FN bolt and bottom metal, Timney trigger, Gentry 3 position safety, bargain basement barrel (Wilson I think), Nikon Monarch 2-7 scope and a real cheap Butler Creek stock with a $9.98 paint job on it.
It also has Warne quick release rings on Weaver all steel Grand Slam bases and a detachable peep sight which I need to sight in sometime.

Stock came out real nice. I like the look of that olive color. Finished product looks much better than the work in progress I saw a few weeks ago.

Funny thing is that in sunlight it looks Tan, in artificial light and photos it looks Olive!?

it looks sand colored from where I am sitting,, cool rifle and it sounds like an honest one to boot.
I would say that your set for about whatever walks the woods..

I like it too.

I'm wondering if there was any special prep that you did before painting the stock, in order to make the paint stick well? I've been thinking of painting a butler creek stock that I have too.

Also, did you do any bedding on this stock? If so, what bedding compound did you use, and did you do anything special to prep the surfaces?

Thanks,
KB

Kabluey
I did bed the stock but only at the action and recoil lug then just a bit at the fore end. I just hit it a bit with sandpaper before I bedded it with acra glass, oh I also used bedding to fill the slot for a side safety. When I painted the stock I just put on rubber gloves and wiped it down with mineral spirits and a clean rag then hung it up and blew it off with air compressor. I made sure that the stock, mineral spirits and paint were all room temperature to insure good adhesion. I used a Rustoleum textured outdoor paint then shot it with a matte clear finish.

Looks good!

Nice looking rifle! I like it.

Also a Zastava; L/H'd - I had a "medium" weight 20" Walter Lothar barrel installed. Barrel band front sight & single blade rear out far enough to clear the Zeiss 8x56 for night time work with a Millet Red Dot for Drive Hunts in EAW mounts.

Mine's a few years older than yours but somehow can't keep my hands off it. It's currently undergoing it's third "Nip & Tuck" since originally returing from the Gunsmith's.

I have also decided to install a 3 position safety this go-around. Kept the double set triggers as I like this feature especially for Drive Hunts.

I did install the Sling Swivel Stud on the tip of the forearm since when slung over the shoulder the rifle hangs lower with the 20" barrel & carries better IMO.

As for the cheekpiece - had the same "sandpaper" texture issue with the inital textured outdoor furniture paint used and found that I needed to pat the paint down in this area as it was applied to make it smooth.

Olive or Sand - looks great either way. Have fun with it.

Good looking stick in the right cal and it seems to shoot straight to.

/C

I think you're doing pretty well hit 2460 in a 20" barrel w/ Big Game. It took me 65.9 gr of Big Game to hit 2500 in my 23.6" CZ 550 barrel with 286 Partitions.

Nice groups too!

Alan

GSSP
I am getting 2360 fps, not 2640..........
In my text it says 2,360 fps and on the target it says 2,350 fps (memory lapse when I wrote it on the target). If I was getting 2600+ I wouldn't know what to do!
Thanks everybody.

2360; I knew that! Disconnect between brain and typing finers. I've corrected my original post.