I asked this question in Medium bores and it was suggested that I ask here
Has anyone assembled a 9.3 bullet on a 338 win mag case. I have several 9.3s (57 62 64) and wanted to try something different with a 9.3 barrel I have. Any thoughts would be appreciated
Dave

I did, and just started shooting it this summer, at the range. I got cronographed 2810 fps from a 250 gr Nosler ballistic tip. I uses RL 15 powder but won't say what charge. It was slightly compressed though.
I backed off one grain of powder, and shot six rounds for accuracy, and got about a 1" group, and the conditions were not the best.

Where is the challange anymore?

I'll share more info with you on this later, when I have more time, but I have to say this project meets all my expectations, and then some. It's very satisfying to shoot and mess with. Right now it's my favorite. I thought about a 9.3x64, but would rather have this.

I also thought I made a mistake when the 375 Ruger came out, and should have waited and used that brass as the basis. Now that I've been working with this wildcat a little, I'm very glad I went with the 338 WM brass instead.

It's a dandy.

More later.
KB

Kabluewy
Thanks for the info.I am going ahead with this project with 338 brass.I think it best because of availability of the brass Dave

Kabluely
Would you tell me who chambered it for you
Dave

Dave, there are several reasons why the 338 brass is a good choice, besides availablility. Such as it works out well as far as overall lenght, and the neck is plenty, and Redding makes dies. The water capacity of the formed case is within .5gr of the 9.3x64, so I have found that loading data for the x64 works out well. There are also plenty of donor actions available, which require no modifications to feed well. It's about as simple as it gets for a wildcat. The performance is just about all that is needed from a 9.3mm.

I was reading another discussion where the author was getting 2750 fps or so with the 260 gr .375 ballistic tip, in 375 H&H, using RL 15 powder, max charge as I remember was 72 grs. I worked up to 70 grs of RL 15, using 250 gr 9.3mm ballistic tips, and cronographed at 2810 fps. That load showed no signs of excess pressure. Using 69 grs of RL 15, I shot one inch groups, two shots each, three times while sighting in. Again easy extraction, normal bolt lift, etc. Even if the speed was closer to 2750 fps, that works out to about 4200 ft lbs of muzzel energy.

That's why I have "366 Alaskan" stamped on my barrel.

I bought the reamer from Dave Kiff of Pacific Tools, and my gunsmith has it now. I'm hanging on to it, because I may have another rifle made. If you are interested in using his services, PM me, and I'll give you the contact info.

KB

Kabluewy Thanks for the info it will be very helpful when I get this together. I have a reamer coming from 4-D.I have a magnum Charles Daly Mauser action and a new Pac Nor barrel. I also have a stock that all will fit in very well.When I get the reamer I'll take it all to my smith and let him put it together. When that happens I'll post the results Thanks Dave

It's called a 9.3 USA. It has a case cap.(grs.of water) of 88.333. A 9.3x64 is 84.751 of H2o. The 9.3x62 is 75.83 of H2o.

Also called the 9.3 Venter in South Africa.....

.366 Alaskan sounds good to me.

quote:

Originally posted by Kabluewy:
.366 Alaskan sounds good to me.

Wish I would haved thought of that. I've recently been considering building a 9.3X64, but this sounds more promising and actually simpler. Let us know how it turns out. I am very interested.

I got a PM from another fellow who lives way up North, asking for more info, so I decided to answer within the discussion.

I tried some wildcats many years ago, and swore I wouldn't do that again, but I rationalized this 366, saying to myself that this is the last one. Now I'm working on a 323 Hollis.

So far I'm very pleased with it, and I'm hunting with it this season. The problem, if it's really a problem, is that I mostly hunt the sitka deer, and last winter took most of them out. So far I haven't had a shot, but this rifle is a comfort to have along, since I've seen several big brownies. Moose season is still in though. I think this caliber will be at its best with moose, but moose are in a different league. I can hunt deer much more often and easier.

Developing accurate loads for this 366 has been easy so far. I believe it is useful with the full range of bullets offered in 9.3mm, but so far I have stayed with the 250 gr Nosler ballistic tips, and the accubond in the same weight. I've tried IMR 4895, and RL 15, and some other powder, Vitavouri 140 as I remember. Either 4895 or RL-15 worked well, but I settled on 69 grs of RL-15. Accuracy is excellent. I cronographed 70 gr loads RL-15, with the 250 Nosler BT, and got a three shot average of 2810 fps. That's plenty fast for me. Heavier bullets, and slower velocity would be ok with me, but Ive got a bunch of the 9.3 ballistic tips.

I made it easy on myself and used a slick feeding Ruger SS MK II action. Pac-Nor installed the 23" stainless #4 barrel, with a 12" twist. The rifle has some heft to it, partially because I used the Hoag stock with the full bedding block, but it sure is rigid, and recoil may be reduced somewhat. Actually, I don't really pay much attention to the recoil, so it must be pretty mild.

The 338 brass is just right. With the bullet seated to the proper depth in the brass, the overall length is just right for the magazine length, and the throat of the chamber.

I like the 9.3x64, and almost had one made, but I had the Ruger action, and wanted to keep it simple. So I sold the 9.3x64 barrel and Mark X action to a friend, who is having it finished. I'm happy, and he's happy.

KB

KB, the .416 Taylor I gather uses the .458 win mag brass necked down and trim possibly. How do you find the necking up to .366? I suspect it to be acceptable but that is just a guess.

So we have the .366 Alaskan and the .366 Ruger or the .366x64(brenneke)-pretty cool rounds. Plenty of penetration and oomph for our needs I'd say.

Thanks for the tip.

My Redding dies come with a tapered expander ball, so necking up from 338 to 9.3mm is very easy. It's about the same as full length sizing any brass. If I'm remembering correctly, I tried sizing down from 458, but just ruined the brass. It is apparantly too much at one time. Probably have to go in stages, and turn the necks. I have no intentions of trying that again, because going up from 338 is just so easy.

I remember sizing some 458 brass down to 416 for a friend, and that was no problem, but sizing down to 9.3 was a problem, as I remember. I suppose it could be done, but I doubt I'll try it again.

KB