I have owned a rilfe in both of these calibres and both were great BUY the 9.3x62 is by far my favourite>loaded with those 286grn bullets its just TNT on everything

Re-barrel which ever one you have to 338-06.

I have hunted with my 35 Whelen for the past 20 years(I had to stop and think about that, it been that long, yeks) and have been very satified with it, Its not fancy, just a 1903 Sprinfield rebarreled. But with 225gr Barnes X and TSX this rifle will do anythng you want from it and it is a legit 300 yard gun. I can't say enough about this bullet in the 35 Whelen, just perfect.

I have a 9.3x62 as well and have decided to load it with 250grain Barnes TSX. The velocity is 2550 fps (which is the same in the 35 Whelen with the same bullet weight) but the expansion of this bullet in my testing doesn't fully expand as much as I expected. I belive the real difference in this 9.3 is its ability to shot the heavier (the 286 gr PRVI and Nosler Partitions look great) bullet on the largest soft skin game. I am thinking large bears and the largest of the plains game.

So if hunting in NA alone, the 35 Whelen would be quite satifactory IMO, but if tackling some large plains game, like eland, where greater bullet weight is desired then the 9.3 would be better. This Sept I will be taking the 9.3 to RSA for some plains game shooting (along with the 7x57) just for the ammo availabilty deal. The 35 Whelen has made the trip to Africa 3 times and I have very pleased with it. We will see how the 9.3 compares.

Did someone mention factory rifles in 35 Whelen. No thanks, the 1 in 16 twist proved a problem with my Ruger. Anything over 250gr. was out and the 250gr NP's worked well only at max. plus a bit to get the velocity needed. Tried some 275gr stuff a friend found, they shot a nice "pattern".

Get a 9.3x62 and don't look back. Anything a 35 Whelen can do a 9.3x62 can do better.

Yep, if starting from scratch, I'd look at the 338-06. It is more efficient with a 250 grain bullet than the Whelen and it is more versatile than the 9.3.

Best

quote:

Originally posted by HunterMontana:
Did someone mention factory rifles in 35 Whelen. No thanks,

I can't prove this but the .35 Whelen was a wildcat a long time before Remington standardized it......and I'd bet that there are a lot more Whelens custom made than factory chambered. I'd also bet that most of them were 1-14 or even 1-12 twist.....

quote:

Originally posted by vapodog:

quote:

Originally posted by HunterMontana:
Did someone mention factory rifles in 35 Whelen. No thanks,

I can't prove this but the .35 Whelen was a wildcat a long time before Remington standardized it......and I'd bet that there are a lot more Whelens custom made than factory chambered. I'd also bet that most of them were 1-14 or even 1-12 twist.....

....or even 1-10 like mine!

Barstooler

I see scant difference between the two. You can load the 9.3x62 a bit warmer as it's almost an improved case, what, with its sharp shoulder and shorter neck, but I wander wether the extra 100fps matter. Also, as others have stated the 9.3x62 has the option of heavier bullets, which matter or large game.

Probably fair to say the 9.3 is marginally ahead of the Whelan, but for most game, you'd never notice the difference.

quote:

Originally posted by SingleShotGuy:
Gentlemen, I appreciate all the feedback......it definitely looks like a toss-up!
Ed

Unless you just want to build a custom gun, take a look at the new Steyrs in 9.3x62. Match grade barrels right out of the box and guaranteed to shoot 1" groups with factory ammo. Plus the new "Maxx" barrel processes by Steyr make these barrels indestructable and virtually waterproof, they will not rust. Perhaps the best shooting bolt around, and one we don't hear much about. Mike

quote:

Originally posted by Idaho Sharpshooter:
IMHO, the thing about being able to use light weight bullets, pistol bullets, etc, is mostly bull.
A 180gr 358 bullet is nearly round, with a BC to match. I have a four cavity mould for my X62. two at 270gr and two at 320gr. both GC. Those are plinking bullets.

Match the rifle to the game. The X62 is light years ahead there.

Rich
DRSS
the rifle in the picture is a Chapuis 9,3x74R
The perfect 9,3mm cartridge.

+1 The lack of a longer heavier bullet is one of reasons for the Whelen's lackluster success.

My Simson 9.3X62 Mauser 98 shoots well with 250 gr TSX at 2600 fps, 286 Lapua Mega at 2400 fps & 320 gr Woodleigh SRN at 2200 fps. The Lapua & TSX print very close but the Woodleigh drops 6 " at 100 meters & needs re zero. I am still dreaming of using it on buffalo one day.

quote:

Originally posted by HunterMontana:
Did someone mention factory rifles in 35 Whelen. No thanks, the 1 in 16 twist proved a problem with my Ruger. Anything over 250gr. was out and the 250gr NP's worked well only at max. plus a bit to get the velocity needed. Tried some 275gr stuff a friend found, they shot a nice "pattern".

Get a 9.3x62 and don't look back. Anything a 35 Whelen can do a 9.3x62 can do better.

Exactly. Remington screwed the pooch when they standardized the Whelen with a 1 in 16" twist. With 1 in 14 it will handle any practical weight and with 1 in 12 it would handle even the off the wall 300gr+ slugs. With the right non-SAAMI std twist the Whelen can come very close to the 9.3x62.

Most 9.3x62s have either 1 in 9-1/2 or 1 in 10 which is a bit too fast for the caliber, but definitely will stabilize any 9.3 bullet made.

I'd get the 9.3x62. All the ones I have shot seemed to shoot everyting well. I have only owned one 35 whelen and it was very accurate. I have owned 4 9.3 and all were very good shooters. My current 9.3x62 is in a Sauer and it shoots the stuff it likes in 1/2 at a 100 and just about everything else in 1" or a little over. It just kills stuff dead!!!!

Here I am hunkered over some sticks on my last trip to S Africa with my 9.3x62 Sauer


By coachsells at 2010-09-16

Ed

quote:

Originally posted by Brazos Jack:

quote:

Originally posted by HunterMontana:
Did someone mention factory rifles in 35 Whelen. No thanks, the 1 in 16 twist proved a problem with my Ruger. Anything over 250gr. was out and the 250gr NP's worked well only at max. plus a bit to get the velocity needed. Tried some 275gr stuff a friend found, they shot a nice "pattern".

Get a 9.3x62 and don't look back. Anything a 35 Whelen can do a 9.3x62 can do better.

Exactly. Remington screwed the pooch when they standardized the Whelen with a 1 in 16" twist. With 1 in 14 it will handle any practical weight and with 1 in 12 it would handle even the off the wall 300gr+ slugs. With the right non-SAAMI std twist the Whelen can come very close to the 9.3x62.

Most 9.3x62s have either 1 in 9-1/2 or 1 in 10 which is a bit too fast for the caliber, but definitely will stabilize any 9.3 bullet made.

Blaser barrels in 9.3X62 are a 1 in 14.2 twist

quote:

Originally posted by ron williams:

quote:

Originally posted by Brazos Jack:
Exactly. Remington screwed the pooch when they standardized the Whelen with a 1 in 16" twist. With 1 in 14 it will handle any practical weight and with 1 in 12 it would handle even the off the wall 300gr+ slugs. With the right non-SAAMI std twist the Whelen can come very close to the 9.3x62.

Most 9.3x62s have either 1 in 9-1/2 or 1 in 10 which is a bit too fast for the caliber, but definitely will stabilize any 9.3 bullet made.

Blaser barrels in 9.3X62 are a 1 in 14.2 twist

Thanks for that info Ron. I didn't know that and my 9.3 is a Blaser R-93.

I like barrels to be rifled fast enough for the heaviest practical bullets and no more. Under twist is a disaster, but overtwist increases chamber pressure, increases jacket metal fouling, inrease barrel wear, and slightly decreases accuracy.

Nothing in the hunting sport is less appealing than a finely crafted Mauser 98 action chambered for some ad hoc American cartridge.

Stick with the metrics.

quote:

Originally posted by KurtC:
Stick with the metrics.

My 35 Whelen has a 1-14" rate and i would imagine it could shoot bullets up to 300grs very well.

Once again there are the heavy 358" bullets of: the 270gr North Fork, 275gr Hawk, 275gr A-square, 280gr Swift, 300gr Hawk, 300gr A-square, and the true heavy weight 310gr Woodleigh.

Also .366" bullets can be swaged down to .358" very easily, something 9.3 users cant do.

As far as the quote above about pistol bullets being useless shows the lack of imagination of some. Plinking, and small game hunting with these bullets is just a real pisser.

I think the 9.3X62 is a great cartridge, but so many people are lost on the attributes of the Whelen, just because Remington and Ruger twisted em wrong, what a shame.....

quote:

I think the 9.3X62 is a great cartridge, but so many people are lost on the attributes of the Whelen, just because Remington and Ruger twisted em wrong, what a shame.....

Exactly! The 1 in 16" will work with bullets up to 250 gr. just barely. My Ruger M77 and Remington 700 Classic shoot fairly well witht he .250 gr. bullets but my custom Mauser with 1 in 14" twist is head and shoulders much more accurate than the other two with 250 gr. bullets.
Paul B.

9.3 reloaders have been swagging down .375 bullets as long as 35 whelen shooters have swagged .366 bullets even commercial loaders did that, hence the old 300gr A-Frame and not 286gr A Frame

I'm in the same conundrum as well. 2 rifles, 4 choices. Very hard to pick. 338-06, just a small step up to a 35 Whelen, even smaller step up to 9.3, and a slightly bigger jump up to 375 H&H.

Its rough making these choices lol

.338-06 is about the stupidest gun buying decision I ever made. I can get 220s and 240s for a 30-06... so why bother with 210s and 250s?

quote:

Originally posted by RyanB:
.338-06 is about the stupidest gun buying decision I ever made. I can get 220s and 240s for a 30-06... so why bother with 210s and 250s?

And the topic of this post is.....??????

Suggest you go to:

http://forums.accuratereloadin...3221043/m/3681094021

See the previous two posts on this page mentioning .338-06.

I don't have experience with the .35, but the 9.3 is a killer, and much more available anywhere in the world, including the United States.

If I were in your shoes, I would build the 9.3x62. There is not much I can say that has not already been said. It is an excellent cartridge, you are using a mauser action, and you have already owned a .35 Whelen.

I have a 9.3x62 in the works that I am building for myself. Hopefully it will be my elk, bear, etc gun. I had an absolute pristine 1908 Oberndorf Brazilian action but the customer backed out and decided to put it back in his safe. What really irked me was the rifle is absolute junk, the stock is junk, the barrel is junk, but the action, not a pit on it.

So now I am in the same position as you. Do I used my Argentine 1909? It is all matching numbers, non import marked, and I just cannot bear to take it apart!

Here I catch myself rambling.

Back to your regularly scheduled programming!

The 9.3 is the more popular round, judging by the range of commercial loads available--probably due to its long association with big game hunting in Africa. For the handloader, the .35 Whelen is a bit more versatile, with jacketed bullets from 95 to 310 gn. Those light pistol bullets would be cute over Trail Boss, but that's about it, so really there's no practical difference. When in doubt, I always vote for the cartridge that's been around the longest.

With the 235 grain 375 TSX it makes things interesting.

quote:

I can get 220s and 240s for a 30-06... so why bother with 210s and 250s?

Because you can get 300 gn for a .338?

If you don't already own a .30-06 or a .35 or the like, a caliber in the middle such as .338 is perfectly reasonable. But we digress...

quote:

With the 235 grain 375 TSX it makes things interesting.

Indeed, the .375-06 is a worthy contender to the older 9.3 round. The Powley computer reckons 300 gn goes about 2350 fps. However, typical 9.3 and .35 bullets are better matched in construction to the other two cartridges.

I have a soft spot for Whelen's writings, so a .35 with 280 or 310 gn would be difficult to resist. But that looooong 300 gn .338...

My 9.3x62 outperforms the 35 Whelan, but I have a long magazine and a long throat and a 26 inch barrel. It is a Brno mod. 21 conversion. I get 2553 FPS with a 286 gr. Nosler, 2400 plus FPS with 320 gr. Woodleigh, 2509 FPS with a 300 gr. swift..It is in contention with my .375, not a Whelan..

I think one could do the same thing with a Whelan if he wished and pump it up..but the 9.3x62 will still beat it by a margin. And it is well accepted in all of Africa regardless of the laws there.

Both are perfectly suitable cartridges for the NA continient however.

Just my personal opine, won't argue the point.

Ray

I wont argue the point that the 9.3X62 is a bit better than a 35 whelen. But i believe if the Whelen is set-up right than no animal on the planet could tell the difference.

Now when i say set-up right i mean a 1-12" twist rate, with a minimum 24" barrel shooting something like a 270gr North Fork or 280gr A-Frame.

About Africa, you have more experience than i could ever wish for, but i would not bring either for DG. If i was trampling around the bushveld for PG with said above bullets in my Whelen i would not feel insecure, but like i said, i have no experience about such things. Just my 2 cents and i think both cartridges are great for most every thing on earth

If one enter a pissing contest between the two, the 9,3x36 win hands down.
Bigger hole, bigger and faster bullets (and ok for Africa as Ray and others point out).

Where the 35 Whelen shines (IMHO) is as a go to, general big game caliber for both US and Europe.

The Whelen (not Whelan) is perhaps not the best candidate to get turbo charged, but kept within its limits it is a splendid big game caliber.

My 35 Whelen is a Ruger M77 with a 22" Shilen barrel with 1-14 twist.
It puts the 225 Sierra GK in a clover leaf on 100 yards, as well as the 250 gr Woodleigh RN.

I´m using it for red deer, but it has hammered both moose and the smaller roe deer with gusto.

This remind me of the 308 Win versus 30-06 discussions.
Both has their pros and cons, and I for one, see no reason at all to rebarrel my 35 Whelen to 9,3x62.

When going south, I have bigger guns, so I feel that Africa is not a wheighty argument for choosing between these two great calibers.

This is Ugly Betty with the Zeiss Victory 3-12x56.
A great rig for our red deer, low light, dusk and dawn hunting

35 Whelen. Why? (Other than my handle here )

Here's four reasons:






All killed with a 35 Whelen. I've killed two bulls and my Dad one with the Barnes 225 gr. TSX. My rifle runs it at a 2660 fps and penetration is unreal.
The bull in the first picture is from last season. I shot him at 355 yds. (lasered) with the TSX and the bullet entered behind the right shoulder, broke the left shoulder and exited.
The bullet pictured above came out of the bull in the bottom picture. Dad had to shoot him in the ass as he walked directly away at 150 yds. or so. That bullet penetrated up into the front of the right shoulder.
IMHO, a .35 caliber is INFINITELY more practical to a handloader due to the plethora of bullets available when you include pistol bullets.
One word of advice if you do build a Whelen: Make SURE you get a twist of at least 1 in 14. Most factory rifles have a 1 in 16 which will just stabilize a .358" 250 gr. bullet. My Whelen, pictured above with a couple of the bulls, is built on a VZ24 action and has a Douglas barrel with a 1 in 12 twist.
Good luck,
35W

Despite not being a factory load with a pedigree... With all the great 375 bullets a 375-30-06 variant is a good niche. 300@ 2400, 270@ 2500, 235@ 2800 is great IMHO. An improved 2.54" case will get 300@ 2500. This crosses over the 375 HH, 375 Ruger, 35 Whelen and 9,3x62 niches. Necking up the 370 Sako Mag is about perfect. Or one could just go with the 370 Sako.