Going to RSA in May for plains game. Going after Eland and a good Kudu at the big end and a number of smaller things at the other end ... Impala, Wharthog, Bushbuck, Bushpig, and so on.

I bought my first 9,3 in late 2003 or early 2004. Pretty much made the 286 gr Nosler my standard bullet. Has worked great on every thing from Whitetails to Zebra. Almost always delivers a DRT and often a knock over.

Have only shot one other bullet ... the 250 gr Woodleigh RNSP. Rifle really likes them and the impact point is very close to the Nosler load. Have used TSXs in other calibers but not the 9,3 as want to keep bullets that can be used in all of my 9,3 rifles (and one is a DR).

Is the 250 gr Woodleigh likely to open up more slowly than the Nosler and as a result do less damage on small animals?

Nope. Woodleigh 250 opens quickly. Rather use the 286grn PP. they will open more slowly than a nosler.

In General, I get clients to use solids from their .375's to shoot the little criters. Usually does far less damage to the trophy than the .300 or whatever they have bought as their second rilfe. In the 9,3 you have the Barnes 250grn solids or woodleigh 286grn solids. Perfect for small game.

I have shot a lot of game, big and small with my 9,3x74R double. I have shot some of the small stuff with the 286 Woodleigh Soft, and it being a bonded core bullet did not tear stuff up bad at all.

Also I have shot a couple of small animals with the 286 Woodleigh Solid, and it worked good as well.

Drive hunting is the most popular hunting mode in this side of Europe. Not knowing what may be driven out by the hounds (roe deer, falow deer, mouflon, red deer or wild boar, the weight ranging from 55 to 550 lbs), 9,3x74R and 9,3x62's are appreciated for their stopping power. As compared to HV loads à la .300 Win, the lower velocity + heavy bullet guarantees great penetration without tearing up a lot of venison.
True, the 9,3 can create big holes (see pic) but there's no haematoma (no bloodshot meat) and you can eat right up to the hole.

Andre - I am surprised by those photos.
What bullets do you use?

I and my friends who shoot the 9,3mm use the standard 286grs soft point bullets (of various makes like Sako, Norma), and the exit holes are always rather small on European roe deer (Estonia, Finland, Austria).
The 9,3mm does not necessarily open very well on such small game, but the 9,3mm bullet is big enough to still make a sufficient wound channel.

I concur that the holes are very clean (both entry and exit holes), which is probably due to the low impact velocity of the 9,3mm.

At the time I shot this doe, I was using the ancient Browning 285 SP (this was before production went to Norma). In this case, the exiting bullet shattered the opposite shoulder blade. Still and apart for some bone splinters inside, there was no more damage as seen. Expansion is of course directly related to the bullet hardness. Some 9,3 bullets, like the Blaser CDP are extremely hard and I dropped them after a few seasons because their little expansion allowed wild boars to run for a distance. OTOH in my 9,3x74R double rifle, I presently shoot handloads with the old Norma 286 Plastic Point bullet which expand rather violently (I never recovered a single bullet though as all went through and through). They're real dynamite and roll boars like they were rabbits. Last December, I shot a large running boar (106 kg dressed weight) in the chest and he stumbled for about 10 m, spraying blood on both sides, before going down. While field dressing, I noticed that the heart/lungs were reduced to pulp but nonetheless, the bullet went in and out.

i use solids

Thank you for the info, Andre!
I have not yet had the chance to shoot boar with the 9,3mm!
I use Sako Hammerhead - hope to see some results next season. In the 8,2mm the results on Scandinavian elk have been good - better than the magazine tests indicate.
The alternatives that I have been considering are Lapua Naturalis, and Norma although Norma is expensive. But the reputation of Norma ammo is very good, indeed, and I know of no-one who has tried Norma but gone back to using something else.

I hunted RSA in 2002 with my 9.3x62 using the 250 gr Barnes X. It worked great on critters from springbuck to eland with little damage on the smaller species but swift kills on all. It did tend to blow the porcupines up a bit though.