Dear All,

It seems a lot of you are shooting the 9.3x62 these days, and the 250 grs TSX seems to be gaining in popularity as well. Probably due to a slightly flatter trajectory and a more modest recoil. But how does the 250 grs bullets perform vs the traditional 286 grs on heavy game?? Any practical experience on game as heavy as buffalo (cape or water) or eland??

Has anybody done penetration tests with the 250 grs vs the 286 grs??

- mike

I am planning an africal trip myself.
Plains game for me. Personaly I would not use a 9.3X62 on cape buffalo. In many countries it is not legal.
I would get a big .416 or .458 for a buff. an Elephant or a Rhino.
When hunting dangerous game shoot the biggist rifle you can learn to shoot well, and get as close as you can. ...tj3006

quote:

Originally posted by mho:

Has anybody done penetration tests with the 250 grs vs the 286 grs??

- mike

Mike - no practical experience just my thoughts - I guess you have seen this article 9,3 test and according to it (not TSX but X) 286 gr made 45 cm of penetration vs 42 cm from 250 gr (sadly no data on velocity...) - not a big difference and in praxis even less but imo - with Cape buffalo I would scrape every crumb to get some more out of 9,3...would not bother with eland tho...

I have used the 9.3 Mauser on a few Cape Buffalo using 286grn Woodleigh solids and 300grn Swift A frame softs with good results and would use 286grn TSX bullets on Buff but I would not use any lighter nor have MV any faster than 2450fps for such Game.
For Cape Buffalo, I draw my line at 286grn 9.3mm.
ozhunter

Thanks for the replies thus far Guys, as usual a good mixture of personal experience and sensible considerations.

Mouse, I really liked the bullet test you posted a link to. I had to polish off my Norvegian a bit to read it, but it is very interesting and thorough. It is interesting how well the old Barnes X 250 grs does in the test - in spite of the fouling issues with that bullet. Fortunately, these days, the TSX resolves most of that particular problem.

- mike

I shot this one with 286 grainers (not TSX). Now I am using the 250 gr for everything else. I would NOT hesitate to shoot waterbuffs with them. One of these pills in the shoulder or slightly behind, wait a few minutes, and you have a very dead buff.


This other I wounded it with a 416 Rigby in the leg and one of my buddies hit him in the neck with my 9,3x62 and he went down in the spot.


IMO 36 grains don't make much difference if you hit him wright.

L

quote:

Originally posted by mouse93:
... I guess you have seen this article 9,3 test and according to it (not TSX but X) 286 gr made 45 cm of penetration vs 42 cm from 250 gr (sadly no data on velocity...) - not a big difference and in praxis even less but imo - with Cape buffalo I would scrape every crumb to get some more out of 9,3...would not bother with eland tho...

As Mouse pointed out, the above bullet test showed difference in penetration of about 1.2" between the 250 vs. the 286 grs X. The 250 grs outpenetrated bullets like the 286 grs Nosler Partition. Interesting stuff...

- mike

Mike,
I used the 250gr northfork at 2500 on duiker to eland. Very good killer. Bullet against the skin on opposite side of eland. ph commented it would be good on buff. I have never even seen buff, so can't comment.

quote:

Originally posted by farrknives:
... I used the 250gr northfork at 2500 on duiker to eland. ... Bullet against the skin on opposite side of eland. ph commented it would be good on buff...

Interesting!

Additionally, if it is only a question of penetration (which it is probably not), then solids are also available for the 9.3. My guess is that it would be easier to get softs and solids of the same weight to shoot to the same POI. So if one would choose a 250 grs soft, a 250 grs solid could complement it with perfect penetration - in theory at least...
- mike

I think the TSX and the North Fork cup point solid to look good in the 285 gr but don't see the solid in 250. Is that made by Barnes? My 285 gr Prvi are OK for recoil in my 96 Mauser 9.3 X 57 and 9.3 X 74R double. I would look at shooting the cup point for myself. My double is regulated for the Oryx 285 gr. So I have about 500 of the Prvi RNs. Good luck in your search. Packy

quote:

Originally posted by packrattusnongratus:
... don't see the solid in 250. Is that made by Barnes?
Packy

Yes, Barnes make one of their banded solids in .366 cal 250 grs. See this page: http://www.barnesbullets.com/products/rifle/banded-solids/

- mike