9.3x62 load

[Jeffrey]

sgt_zim,
My thoughts exactly. If I can get ~2450 with a 286 with no pressure/brass life problems, I say why not?

As soon as my 9.3 gets back from Triple River (hopefully soon, its been there since JULY), I'm gonna put a Leopold VX3i 1.5-5X20 on it and see what I can figure out.

 

[sgt_zim]

Let me know how that scope works out. I'm probably going to put a similar scope on mine. I've shot a few rounds with a spare VX3i 4.5-14 I have, but I don't really like that scope very much for that rifle. Not nearly enough FOV. I'm leaning towards something with a 24mm objective, maybe the Leupold vx5 or Minox ZX5

 

[WAB]

I’ve purchased a Swarovski Z8, 1-8x24 for mine. A guy was running a deal at DSC that I couldn’t pass. I need to stay away from the optics booths!

 

[sgt_zim]

even the Z6 is a little north of my budget.

I think even a Leupold VX6 would invoke a Forrest Whitaker eye for the missus.

 

[WAB]

I know what you mean, they aren’t giving them away. For years the Leupold VX3 2.5-8x36 was my go to scope. It’s still a great scope with one of the best eye reliefs on the market.

 

[sgt_zim]

We do very well in the IT world, but we're working on the RE portfolio and plowing everything back into more properties for now. In 3-4 years, Swaro and the like shouldn't be a big deal. But while we're trying to grow our assets, well, priorities are what they are.

 

[WAB]

You’re being smart. When we were first married it was a big deal to have enough money for a pizza at the end of the week.

 

[Jeffrey]

Yeah, the VX3i 1.5-5X20 ain't perfect, but it's affordable and LIGHT (~nine ounces). My 9.3 is a CZ550 Medium with a 20" barrel and only weighs a little over 7lbs. I'm trying to make this a handy, carry all day type rig. Many of the competitors such as the superlative Swaro Z8 1-8 weigh around twice as much. I figure if it isn't ideal it'll still be a helluva back up scope.

WAB,
Yeah I feel you on those optics booths at DSC. Temptation!! There's a Swaro scope I've been coveting that a dealer quoted me $300 better than any price I've seen for it online. In the future, I may make "major" optics purchases at the shows. The money you'd save on those discounts pretty much covers the cost of going to DSC anyway.

 

[Scrumbag]

Yeah, the VX3i 1.5-5X20 ain't perfect, but it's affordable and LIGHT (~nine ounces). My 9.3 is a CZ550 Medium with a 20" barrel and only weighs a little over 7lbs. I'm trying to make this a handy, carry all day type rig. Many of the competitors such as the superlative Swaro Z8 1-8 weigh around twice as much. I figure if it isn't ideal it'll still be a helluva back up scope.

WAB,
Yeah I feel you on those optics booths at DSC. Temptation!! There's a Swaro scope I've been coveting that a dealer quoted me $300 better than any price I've seen for it online. In the future, I may make "major" optics purchases at the shows. The money you'd save on those discounts pretty much covers the cost of going to DSC anyway.

I am something of an optics snob (champagne tastes with a beer budget). I am always amazed at the special deals you can get on premium optics. Makes me wonder about profit margins some of these people have...

 

[sgt_zim]

sgt_zim,
My thoughts exactly. If I can get ~2450 with a 286 with no pressure/brass life problems, I say why not?

As soon as my 9.3 gets back from Triple River (hopefully soon, its been there since JULY), I'm gonna put a Leopold VX3i 1.5-5X20 on it and see what I can figure out.

Don't know if you saw it earlier, but I am getting 2420 fps with 62.0 gr 2000MR (62.4 gr is the published max) and Hornady 286. I think this is probably because of how deep Hornady says to seat the bullet, though, not because of any special magic with that powder. I have a sneaking suspicion that Big Game and 2000MR are nearly identical formulations.

 

[Cleveland48]

Don't know if you saw it earlier, but I am getting 2420 fps with 62.0 gr 2000MR (62.4 gr is the published max) and Hornady 286. I think this is probably because of how deep Hornady says to seat the bullet, though, not because of any special magic with that powder. I have a sneaking suspicion that Big Game and 2000MR are nearly identical formulations.

You have me wanting to try the 2000MR now. Currently run 65 grains of big game for right at 2500 fps.

 

[sgt_zim]

You have me wanting to try the 2000MR now. Currently run 65 grains of big game for right at 2500 fps.

Which bullet are you using and what is your COAL for your 2500 fps cartridge?

Not doubting you, I want to be able to duplicate what you're doing. My rifle has a 560 mm barrel.

I'm assuming you're shooting Partitions or A-Frames or maybe Woodleigh PPs in 286 gr. I have a box of Partitions that I still haven't broken the seal on. I'm going to reload all afternoon since my son is coming to town in a couple weeks.

 

[Cleveland48]

Which bullet are you using and what is your COAL for your 2500 fps cartridge?

Not doubting you, I want to be able to duplicate what you're doing. My rifle has a 560 mm barrel.

I'm assuming you're shooting Partitions or A-Frames or maybe Woodleigh PPs in 286 gr. I have a box of Partitions that I still haven't broken the seal on. I'm going to reload all afternoon since my son is coming to town in a couple weeks.

Just now got to my data to check it. Im shooting PPU brass and the 285 grain PPU RN. 65 grains of big game with COL of 3.290" the barrel is also a 1 in 12 twist and gives me 2490 fps

 

[sgt_zim]

@Cleveland48 - Hornady X shows COAL for their load at 3.125, though I'm at ~3.165 with the Hornady bullets.

 

[Cleveland48]

I have them seated at the bottom crimping groove.

 

[Red Devil]

Have started assembling components for loads for the 9.3x62 Ruger African.

Starting with some PPU ammo - for familiarization and rough zeroing of the rifle, and to harvest the brass.

Of the 286 gr/2,360 fps (~ 63 gr. Ramshot Big Game) loadings, only the high BC (0.482) Nosler Partition seem to meet what I consider a balanced load criteria for this cartridge:

2,200 fps/3,000 lb-ft @ 100 yds.
2,000 fps/ 2,500 lb-ft @ 200 yds.
1,800 fps/ 2,000 lb-ft @ 300 yds.
< 3" rise with a 200 yd. zero. (scoped)

Fortunately, the two bullets selected for this load development:

HDY 286 gr. SP-RP (BC = 0.400)
Swift 286 gr. A-Frame (BC = 0.385)

Are not that far behind, only ~ 25 yds.

By upping the muzzle velocity to ~ 2,400 fps, both these bullets drop right into the above balanced load criteria, the additional velocity being attained by an additional ~ 1.0 gr. (63-64) of Ramshot Big Game.




Red

 

[sgt_zim]

Have started assembling components for loads for the 9.3x62 Ruger African.

Starting with some PPU ammo - for familiarization and rough zeroing of the rifle, and to harvest the brass.

Of the 286 gr/2,360 fps (~ 63 gr. Ramshot Big Game) loadings, only the high BC (0.482) Nosler Partition seem to meet what I consider a balanced load criteria for this cartridge:

2,200 fps/3,000 lb-ft @ 100 yds.
2,000 fps/ 2,500 lb-ft @ 200 yds.
1,800 fps/ 2,000 lb-ft @ 300 yds.
< 3" rise with a 200 yd. zero. (scoped)

Fortunately, the two bullets selected for this load development:

HDY 286 gr. SP-RP (BC = 0.400)
Swift 286 gr. A-Frame (BC = 0.385)

Are not that far behind, only ~ 25 yds.

By upping the muzzle velocity to ~ 2,400 fps, both these bullets drop right into the above balanced load criteria, the additional velocity being attained by an additional ~ 1.0 gr. (63-64) of Ramshot Big Game.




Red

How deep are you seating the NP's for this recipe?

 

[Red Devil]

How deep are you seating the NP's for this recipe?

Don't know, as the data was extrapolated from pressure tested loads from this John Barsness "Guns Magazine" article, and would work up to it.




Red

 

[sgt_zim]

There is a fairly wide variance in seating depth between different manufacturers. Mule Deer over at Twenty-Four Hour Campfire seats his bullets to the max length of the magazine of his rifle. I expect that's an even shallower seating depth than Nosler publishes.

Hornady shows their 286 gr COAL at 3.125", and Nosler shows their 286 gr at 3.290"

 

[Red Devil]

There is a fairly wide variance in seating depth between different manufacturers. Mule Deer over at Twenty-Four Hour Campfire seats his bullets to the max length of the magazine of his rifle. I expect that's an even shallower seating depth than Nosler publishes.

Hornady shows their 286 gr COAL at 3.125", and Nosler shows their 286 gr at 3.290"

Will start with seating them a turn off the lands, and then see if they still fit in the magazine.




Red