With one on the way, I would appreciate some suggestions from other owners of a 9,3X74R Chapuis DR as to pet loads. I will be using 286gr, and there are many choices now.

I have a good supply of R15, IMR 4064, H and IMR 4831, and some other powders. I also have a few 9,3 286 Noslers, a few 286 Woodleigh solids, a bunch of Speer 270s, as well as three boxes of Woodleigh 320 solids and PP softs.

I hear the 286 Northforks kill buffalo! Any truth to the rumor?

L2S

L2S
I use 65 gr of IMR 4831, Fed 215 Primer with 286 Woodleigh Softs and Soliods, 286 Nosler Partitions, and 285gr Hawks.

They all hit close enough together to @250 yards that I use them interchangeably.

I can say that one 286 Woodleigh Soft will kill a Cape buff, and one Woodleigh Solid will kill an elephant.

Can't help you, Bruce, mine wouldn't regulate with anything.

My Ruger really likes 57 gr RL-15 and 286 Noslers though.

NE 450, have you chronographed your load of 65 grains IMR 4831? I tried it in my Tikka 512, using Woodleigh SP's and only got 2090 or so.
Peter.

i'll second the 65 gr of H4831 load - also works well with the 300 gr a frames. in mine they hit the same impact point as the 286's as well as norma and RWS factory loads (however I will not admit to ever shooting factory loads)

Luv2safari:

Check out the Hodgdon web site. They have a bunch of loads for the 9,3X74R. I agree with Peter. I don't think 4831 is going to give you any kind of velocity. It's just to slow. I would try H4350 first. I usually don't like ball powder but in this cartridge, to get the velocity you want, you may have to go with H414 or Winchester 760. I think that I read somewhere that Hornady was using some kind of ball powder in their loads.

Dave

I actually have a load of 66 grains H414 that shows promise with the PRVI 285 gr. bullets and which seems to give velocities in the 2300 range.I plan on trying the same load with the Woodleigh SPs. I will let you know how it turns out! I noted that Rusty or someone with a new Chapuis also reported not getting a high enough velocity (although higher than what I received) on a different thread.
Peter.

I've been using IMR 4064 for the last nine years in Valmet/Tikka guns, and found it to be the best powder for accuracy and decent velocity without high pressure signs.

These are o/u guns, and I'm wondering whether they might not react the same in SXS guns, realizing that recoil starts when the bullet moves.

My other load for the 9.3x74R is 55grains of IMR 4064 and the Speer 270 gr. bullet. I did not have to adjust the barrels at all. 4 rounds inside 2 inches at 100 yards. Maybe the barrels don't shoot parallel to infinity, but thats good enough for me! I just wasn't sure if the Speer was good enough for Africa. I haven't chronographed that load.
Peter.

Peter,

I have killed a lot of animals with the 270gr Speer Hot Core. It is a very good bullet, and at its price...a real bargain. For quite a while it was about the only 9,3 game in town. It would be just fine for any PG and much better than the Previ 286gr bullets, IMO.

Just wondering out loud how well Varget would work. It is just a shade slower than RL 15, and 4064 but faster than 414. Anyone tried that?

Jim, reloading data for Varget is shown in the Hodgdon manual, howver I have not tried it (yet). The velocities stated seem to be a little lower.
Peter.