I am looking to build or have built a rifle for my father. I want it to be something different. He hates scopes and loves busting brush. I am thinking about a 9.3x62 or a 338-06. I am wondering about ammo availability and which one will work the best in a mauser action. How much work is involved for feeding and the mag box. Is there anyone out there that would be willing to part with a couple of dummy rounds each, in 338-06 and 9.3x62? I will gladly pay shipping and for the rounds. Thanks................

[ 06-09-2002, 00:10: Message edited by: Carnivore ]

Have you considered a .35 Whelen? For the purpose you discribe, it would be hard to beat - and it is now available about everywhere. I have wondered if a chamber adaptor for the .357 Mag would come in handy for small game......

I built a .35 Whelen on a commercial FN Mauser 98 action. I didn't make any changes to the magazine or follower. I did polish the rails and feed ramp but didn't change their shape.

It feeds like a dog slurping sausages. I can not feel the round leaving the magazine and engaging the extractor or entering the chamber during feeding.

I imagine the .338-06 and the 9.3 X 62 would feed the same as the cases sizes and shapes are virtually the same.

Ok, I have zero experience with the 35 whelen. As far as ammo goes is it pretty common? Also, if I decide to reload for the rifle, are there round specific bullets? To clarify that, I load for a model 81 in 35 Rem and some bullets are made for 35 cal mags and not for the slow 35 Rem. Are there any tricks to getting a good 35 whelen reload?

Ballistically speaking the .338/06, 9.3x62 and .35 Whelan are all very similar and are all great cartridges. In addition, they can all be made to work through a Mauser 98 without any real fuss. Of the three, only the Whelan and 9.3x62 are available as factory cartridges but I think it would be safe to say that Whelan factory ammo will be more readily available than the 9.3x62. So if your father will only be shooting factory ammunition then the .35 Whelan is the most logical choice.

However, if he will be reloading, or if you will be reloading for him, I would suggest that the main point for deciding between them is the availability of projectiles. Check out the bullet makers catalogues, such as Hornady, Speer and the like, and then see what your local shops carry.

Generally speaking, there are more projectiles available in .35 calibre with .338 running second and 9.3 running last. In addition, you can load up .358 pistol bullets for reduced loads.

But, as I said, all three are great cartridges!

The .338/06 is now available as a factory loading thanks to Weatherby, it's now known as the ".338/06 A-Square".

-Mr Mike

Carnivore:

There is absolutly no trick to loading the Whelen!!

You take any good, primed case, add 60 grains of RL15 powder and top off with a 225 gr Nosler partition(or any 225 gr bullet). This will give you 2720 fps out of a 23" barrel.

OR

Take the same case, add 58 grains of RL15 and a 250 grain Hornaday for 2650 fps.

The only other 250 gr bullet I've experimented with was the Barnes X. It was too long and didn't shoot worth beans.

Try getting this kind of performance out of a .338-06 with equivalant bullet weights.

I love my Whelen but I would dearly love to get my hands on a 9.3 X 62. Why??? Because they're different.

M98, I've equalled (safely) those in my 22" bbl'd 338-06. I got 2,710 fps with 225's and H4350 and 2,550 with 250's. I might have a slightly and much-coveted "fast" barrel... not really sure. Finn Aagaard (who had both) commented that his 22" bbl'd. 338-06 ran right with his 22" bbl'd Whelen (nearly identical to mine). He believed it pointed to some sort of "perfect blend" of bore-volume/case-capacity and powder. I've heard others say the same thing. My rifle certainly tends to support this theory.

BA

My vote goes for 9.3x62. Pleasant to shoot and a BIG bullet. Your dad will love it. Its made specifically for those wood distances!!

Added plus: the famous campfire question: "What caliber is that thing - ?"

I found I like classic ( read "old ) chamberings. The 9.3 beats both other rounds. It still does today - ballistically!

H

I agree with A hunter.

Besides if you ever think that you and your father will go to Africa for a safari, the 9.3X62 is legal wheras the .35 whelan and .338 are not.

UPS just brought son's new CZ 550 American in 9.3 x 62. Being as he is not here I had to check the box for damange of course ( Ho Ho) and damn...there is a nice rifle in there...all in one pc. Soooo...I ran 5 rounds thru the magazine to make sure it worked and danged if it didn't. Then I had to check and see if there was a set trigger and dang...there is! So I had to get out some Chip McCormick Trigger Slick and place a dab or two in a couple of spots and dang...works good!
It is just like Christmas in June!
Looks good. Good wood to metal fit, I have seen better checkering for sure but this will work. Respectable wood grain and it already has the correct recoil pad on it. I wonder why all rifles can't come with a Pachmayr Decelorator pad already on them? The rings were in the box and the test target looked like the real deal.
Can't wait to get to the range!
He wants to mount a 2.5 to 8 or 1.5 to 5 on top. Eventually he wants to make it look more like a dangerous game 'safari' style rifle with addition of bbl. band, rear island sight with one standing, banded front ramp sight. That will come in time and out of his pocket...I fronted the rifle. One of these days I am going to stop buying him guns...when he gets older...he is only 37 now!

[ 06-10-2002, 20:43: Message edited by: Harry ]

Carnivore,
Let's go to the range this weekend. You can try my 35 Ackley Whelen on the custom Springfield. I will pick up the 9.3x64 over the July 4th weekend. This you will like. Cobalt

Carnivore,

In the Big Bore Rifles and Cartridges book from Wolfe Pub. There is a study which compare the .35 Whelen and the .338-06

The choice between these 2 calibers is hard. If you want bullet under 200 gr have a 30-06. If you want bullets over 200 gr with a better penetration than .35 Whelen have the .338-06.

Regarding the 9.3X62 is my favorite, for each hunting area from Alaska to Africa.

You can't go wrong with these 3 calibers, but cheapest and best choice is a CZ550 in 9.3X62.

Cobalt, the range sounds good. I'll bring the chronograph, the 280AI, and the 22-250. Everyone else, thank you for the input, a Safari is a dream, I hope we get to go before it gets too late. I think I am going to the 9.3. They all sound equally potent on paper but the 9.3 gets cool points for being Africa legal. It may be a bit much for Wisconsin white tails but who really cares. My last buck did scale out at 252 lbs dressed though. As far as the rifle goes, everyone seems to be high on the CZ. I have not seen one as this area of Florida is gunshop poor. I would want to handle one before ordering. Thanks again.

I hunt the river bottoms and bluff country between Dodgeville and Spring Green. I have access to four farms in that produce big bodied deer every year. I see you are from the north, where? I spent several years in Stevens Point hunting and fishing that area and in my spare time went to classes.

hey Carnivore,
If i Were u, i�ld take the good old 9,3*62.
It�s a fantastic round, and extremely good for bushen/wooden area�s.
This good old cartridge is a fun to reload,you can load it down or make it real hot, she�s taking it with a lot of "calmness". Nothing tricky, with shoulders,bullets..or what ever.
By the way, this cartridge had been developed for the German colonies in North West Africa, and works with "low pressure".

It�s suitable for Africa too, but i�m not quiet sure which African countries requieres a min of .375 diameter (for the big five).

The 9,3*62 -and the 9,3*64 also- will fit in normal Mauser 98 Actions. No need to do something with the magazine.
By the way- the 9,3*64 is a enormous round, which is equal to the .375H&H. Maybe a thought to waist??!!!!!!!!!!
The availability of bullets is no big think, even the big Firms like (Hornady?), Nolser and Woodleigh-not to forget RWS, or S&B-for plinking- do some great bullets.
Some days ago i posted something about diff. bullets for the 9,3mm. I will take a look in the forum and post it for you the next time.

A lot of fun with your 9,3*62 (or *64?) ,
cheers
konst#1

Found it....
hope this will helps u:
..................
........
Hey gazors,
after my last posting i get some requests about available 9,3mm bullets in germany. Because i know that the choice in USA isn�t so big for the 9,3mm bullets, i thought this might could be of interest for all of you.
Except from the bullet producers that are listed below, Speer,Sierra..do have some too. But i guess these bullets are available in the states, so there is no need to buy them overseas.
And now the show stars

I looked in some reloading supply catalogues..., and the cheapest bullets are the Sellier and Bellot (S&B), i �m not quite sure where they produce them, but i think either in hungary or tchecheslowakia.
There are two different types and weights for the 9,3mm . I guess the lighter one is for the 9,3*72R. U know this cartridge? It�s the old german "F�rster Patrone" a not so powerfull 9,3mm cartridge.(Pmax=1800bar; a 193gr (12,51g) Softpoint ,V0=595 m/sec; E0=2213Joule)

Sellier and Bellot Bullets:
- 9,3mm ; (.364); 193grTeilmantel Flachkopf (soft flat nose) ; 100 pieces= 21,73 EURO, 500 pieces= 100,98 EURO, 1000 pieces 192,25 Euro .

- 9,3 mm ; (.366); 285gr. Teilmantel Rundkopf (soft round nose) ; 100 pieces = 19,60 EURO, 500 pieces = 89,48 Euro, 1000pieces = 170,77 Euro.

RWS .366 diameter:
226gr. (14,5g) Doppel Kern (DK) Bullet per 50 pieces = 36,35Euro
247gr. (16,0g) Kegelspitz (KS) Bullet -,,- 33,59Euro
258gr. (16,7g) H-Mantel Kupferhohlspitz -,,- 44,89Euro
285gr. (18,5g) Vollmamtel (solid) -,,- 44,89Euro
285gr. (18,5g) Teilmantel (softpoint) -,,- 26,43Euro
293gr. (19,0g) TUG -,,- 44,84Euro

the cheaper line of RWS is called GECO, and they do have a bullet in 9,3mm too:
.366 diameter 255gr 16,0g TMR (softpoint) 50 pieces 15,70 EURO

And Blaser do have a 9,3mm Bullet too, the CDP (controlled deformation process)
9,3mm 18,5 g 50 pieces 48,57 Euro

And Norma has some 9,3mm bullets too:

232 gr (15,0g) TM PPC Vulkan 100pieces 54,20Euro
231 gr (15,0g) solid spire -,,- 35,28Euro
286 gr (18,5g) ORYX -,,- 65,45Euro
286 gr (18,5g) Alaska 50 pieces 28,10Euro

So i hope that will help, if u are interested in the different types of bullet take a look to these websides:

http://www.norma.cc

http://www.blaser.de/english/produkte/accessories/munition.htm

to take a look at the TIG and TUG Bullet (RWS=Brenneke side)
http://www.brenneke.de
=>choose english language,products,rifle bullets..click on TIG or either TUG to see them.

So if u do have any further questions, you know how to reach me.
cheers and Waidmannsheil
konstantin

Iowa county as a whole is pretty much all QDM. The deer density is so high there that we buy the extra doe tags and fill the freezers while waiting for the BIG boy. I have never seen so many big bucks come out of one area before. I consider myself lucky to be able to go back there every year. It sucks that I don't get a chance to scout because I live in Florida now. I end up going and hunting the choke points and traditional escape routes. After the first day I sneak and peek.

Talk about a kick in the nuts......I just got an e-mail from a buddy, he wrote that they are killing a bunch (read over 500!) of south west wisco deer looking for some kind of virus or something? Do you know anything about that or know of any links to the info?

The 9.3x62 is a great cartridge, I use it a lott and it is popular over here, but then I am in Africa

Carnivore; Search under Chronic Wasting Disease or CWD on this site. Many states are shooting deer and elk to test the brains for this disease. Here in South Dakota we just finished a controlled shoot to check for the problem after one deer was discovered with CWD. The serious problem with CWD is that it is not cureable and is always fatal like Mad Cow Disease which has infected humans. So far the conventional wisdom is that CWD is not capable of jumping to humans. But no one is 100% sure. It's a damn shame, Wisconsin has a large herd with some fine bucks, course when I lived there Whitetails were not nearly so common.

I beleive the 9.3x62 or 64 are head and shoulders above the 338-06 and I have shot game with all of them....I guess I would pick the 9.3x62 because brass is so easy to buy and you can use 06 brass. With a 26" barrel and some RL-15 you can really make the 9.3x62 cook and give the 9.3x64 and the 375 H&H a real run for the money...you'll give up about 100 FPS to them and that ain't much in my book.

Damn, if they are gonna shoot out the honey holes dad won't need the rifle! I may have to break down and book something with Ray! Seriously, thank you everyone for the info, 9.3x62 it is. I can always go bigger. i guess i need to research that CWD and see if the trip will be put off this year.

Carnivore,

that's two good moves on your part!!