Reloading for a 9.3x62?

[Ravensview]

All right you guys are killing me on here, After reading a lot on these forums I got a spark starting on the kindling in the back of my noggin about possibly acquiring a rifle in 9.3x62, my question is for those that have them and reload is how is the caliber for reloader, are there a lot of bullet and powder options, I don’t know if I will get one or not but the spark is lit.
Thanks

 

[BC.Pat]

I have many 9.3x62 rifles including M1 Garand 9.3x62. In my experience its a pretty forgiving caliber to load for. I use 270 Speer for economical practice, and 286 Barnes & A frames for hunting. The powder that seems to be the most forgiving is H414; but I am also sure many will work .
I don't believe you will regret giving it a try . I have introduced three of my hunting & shooting freinds to the caliber , and they are all converts. I am in the process of building two 9.3x62 for two more friends for this fall moose hunt.

regards
Pat

 

[Ravensview]

Thanks, may have to give this caliber a try, a buddy of mine has a good deal he is offering me on a .338 wm Tikka, but I may save up for something in 9.3x62.

 

[BC.Pat]

You can build one on any standard length Mauser action. Which is a very economical way to start. My first 9.3x62 was build on a browning FN action, from a 270 win donor rifle, bought used. I was and am still pleased with the result and that was close to 20 years ago.


Pat

 

[shootist~]

A light weight Tikka in .338 WM would be brutal. I bought my 9.3x62 because I did not like the recoil from a Sako 338 WM. Recoil with the 9.3x62 with 250 grain NABs at 2,525 fps is very managable, and I'm a recoil sissy.

There are a lot more bullet choices and weights for a .35 Whelen (.358 caliber) than the 9.3 (.366 caliber). At least in the US. However, though still pretty scare, you can find factory rifles in 9.3x62 easier than you can in 35W.

A possible solution is to buy a used 30-06 (or .270, .280) in your favorite flavor and have it re barreled - or possibly re-bored. I was going this route before finding an As New (and no longer manufactured) CZ 550 on GB at a decent price.

 

[WAB]

I have two. I acquired them last year so I don’t have the experience with the caliber many on here have. I find it easy to load for and a pleasure to shoot. I bought a No 1 that shoots lights out. However, I subsequently purchased a Rigby Highland Stalker in 9.3x62 so the No 1 sits in the safe. If anyone is interested in the No 1, I would part with it at a very reasonable price.

 

[dchamp]

There are a lot of bullets available in 9.3mm. I used to shoot the 220gr Lapua Naturalis but they stopped making them. Now I mostly shoot the 250gr TTSX which is a very good bullet. There are many other good bullets in 250gr & 286gr. Nosler, Lapua, Norma, Swift & Woodleigh. Also Swift makes a 300gr, Woodleigh 320gr and Norma a 325gr bullet.

As far as powder goes Varget and RL-15 have been popular. My favorite is CFE223. Alliant's 2000MR works well also.

I'm not sure what others are using for dies, mine are just std RCBS

I also like the Norma and Lapua factory ammunition.

 

[Ravensview]

A light weight Tikka in .338 WM would be brutal. I bought my 9.3x62 because I did not like the recoil from a Sako 338 WM. Recoil with the 9.3x62 with 250 grain NABs at 2,525 fps is very managable, and I'm a recoil sissy.

There are a lot more bullet choices and weights for a .35 Whelen (.358 caliber) than the 9.3 (.366 caliber). At least in the US. However, though still pretty scare, you can find factory rifles in 9.3x62 easier than you can in 35W.

A possible solution is to buy a used 30-06 (or .270, .280) in your favorite flavor and have it re barreled - or possibly re-bored. I was going this route before finding an As New (and no longer manufactured) CZ 550 on GB at a decent price.

I have shot the Tikka and it does have some thump on it, but no more than my 45/70 with no buttpad, but I know with a lotta shooting it would. be tough on the shoulder

 

[Timbo]

It's a lovely short action calibre - manageable recoil with the power to take anything up to buff.

 

[Glenn Slaven]

For hunting in States I use IMR4064 and (don’t hate on me, but whitetail aren’t tough) Prvi 286gr soft point. For Africa or for tougher stuff, prefer the factory loaded Lapua in 286gr Mega.

My reload shoots almost same POA/POI with factory loads so it makes a great practice/cheap hunting load.

 

[AZDAVE]

You will find it an easy round to reload for. There are a good number of good bullets available from all the big online retailers. You won't find them in most mom and pop stores. The two best powders I have used in my rifles is RL17 and Ramshot Big Game, they have given me the best performance (accuracy, velocity,and temp stability) I shoot 250 Accubonds and Hornaday GMX in the 250 gr bulet weight. Use 286 Privi for practice in the 286 range with Swift Aframes being my go to bullet for my 9.3x74 double and one of my x62's. I have been testing the woodleigh 320 gr softs and solids haven't had the opportunity to hunt with the 320's yet. With the 250Accubonds I have shot plains game from diker to blue wildebeest and with the Aframes I have sable to eland.

 

[Dewald]

For hunting in States I use IMR4064 and (don’t hate on me, but whitetail aren’t tough) Prvi 286gr soft point. For Africa or for tougher stuff, prefer the factory loaded Lapua in 286gr Mega.

My reload shoots almost same POA/POI with factory loads so it makes a great practice/cheap hunting load.

Those PRVI 285gr softs work well in the 9,3. It is in fact one of the very attractions of the caliber, that you do not need to shoot premium bullets to achieve good penetration. A 285/6gr soft at 2250-2350fps will not shatter and work very well for all non DG Game.

I’ve always used South African Somchem S341, a ball powder equivalent of H4320 in my Oberndorf Mauser behind most 285-300gr bullets, at a moderate 2250-2300fps. I’m about to make the move to Norma 203B in the next month or so.

 

[Frederik Badenhorst]

Those PRVI 285gr softs work well in the 9,3. It is in fact one of the very attractions of the caliber, that you do not need to shoot premium bullets to achieve good penetration. A 285/6gr soft at 2250-2350fps will not shatter and work very well for all non DG Game.

I’ve always used South African Somchem S341, a ball powder equivalent of H4320 in my Oberndorf Mauser behind most 285-300gr bullets, at a moderate 2250-2300fps. I’m about to make the move to Norma 203B in the next month or so.

Hi Dewald

Do you shoot your Oberndorf Mauser(I presume original sporting Mauser not custom) with a scope or with open sight?
If you shoot it with open sights, have you found a good regulation load/velocity for the sights?

Cheers

F

 

[Cleveland48]

I've really like the prvi 286 grain RN bullets. They are dirt cheap, and I wanted a soft bullet for whitetail. I push them at 2500 fps with big game powder. They have been devastating on whitetail also. The factory norma load with 230 gr ecostrike bullet also performed very well for me.

 

[Glenn Slaven]

Glad to see I’m not the only one that shoots the Prvi then. I thought I’d get laughed out of the room when I admitted it. Lol

 

[Cleveland48]

Glad to see I’m not the only one that shoots the Prvi then. I thought I’d get laughed out of the room when I admitted it. Lol

Im quite fond of their 9.3x62 brass also. I use it in one of my 9.3's and, norma brass in the other one. The way I looked at was even if it lost 1/2 of its weight it would still be the same as most 6.5 mm, 270, and 7mm, and 30 cal bullets. I mean I wouldn't trust that bullet at 2500 fps on some African game, I'd pick a different bullet for that. But I figure at 2300 fps it would probably peform well on alot of plains game though. Then again I'm just speculating cause unfortunately I've never been to Africa.

 

[stug]

I have a 1925 Mauser Onerndorf in 9.3x62. I’m using the 286 prvi bullet. 56gr ADI 2208 (same powder as Varget) gives about 2200 FPS and shoots ok with my sights. I have the sliding style rear sights rather than the folding leafs. On the lowest setting it is dead on for 100yds. One notch/click up has been hitting a gong at 250ish yds.

 

[Dewald]

Hi Dewald

Do you shoot your Oberndorf Mauser(I presume original sporting Mauser not custom) with a scope or with open sight?
If you shoot it with open sights, have you found a good regulation load/velocity for the sights?

Cheers

F

Hi Frederik,

It still has open sights. I know a few people with A-type Oberndorf Mausers, and all seem to shoot well with a 286gr bullet doing between 2250-2350 fps. I use a 6 o’clock hold at 50m which is spot on for 286gr Nosler Partitions, Woodleighs, Stewarts, PRVI, and probably one or two others that I had forgotten about. For the last 15 years I used Norma brass, 57gr S341 and CCI 200 primers. Somchem seems to be yet another South African SOE that has gone belly up, so I’m about to go over to Norma 203B.

View attachment 361947

 

[Frederik Badenhorst]

I have a 1925 Mauser Onerndorf in 9.3x62. I’m using the 286 prvi bullet. 56gr ADI 2208 (same powder as Varget) gives about 2200 FPS and shoots ok with my sights. I have the sliding style rear sights rather than the folding leafs. On the lowest setting it is dead on for 100yds. One notch/click up has been hitting a gong at 250ish yds.

Hi Frederik,

It still has open sights. I know a few people with A-type Oberndorf Mausers, and all seem to shoot well with a 286gr bullet doing between 2250-2350 fps. I use a 6 o’clock hold at 50m which is spot on for 286gr Nosler Partitions, Woodleighs, Stewarts, PRVI, and probably one or two others that I had forgotten about. For the last 15 years I used Norma brass, 57gr S341 and CCI 200 primers. Somchem seems to be yet another South African SOE that has gone belly up, so I’m about to go over to Norma 203B.

View attachment 361947

Thanks guys, will give it a go. I have been using 56 gr of Varget to push 286gr Woodleighs at about 2257 fps. My model B has an original scope on it so I have not been using the irons. I did however aquire a Model A recently that I would like to shoot with its original iron sights.
Bought a few pounds of Reloader 17 for that purpose. Will let you know how that goes.

Cheers

 

[CharlesT]

A bit late to the party, but I am loading 285gr PPU over 57.2gr of Varget in PPU brass and getting 2340fps out of my Husky 9.3. I use open sights and my best group was a bit more than an inch at 100yds.