Ruger African 9.3x62 accuracy reports?

[ColoradoMatt]

I would love to hear about how your Lipsey’s Ruger Hawkeye African 9.3x62 shoots! The 9.3x62 is a very accurate round, but I’ve held off on getting one of these particular rifles because the barrel contour seems too thin for good accuracy, and I’ve seen no full reviews of this rifle where several factory and handloads have been tested. This may be a bad sign. I know this is not a prairie dog rifle, but I would like to able to consistently hit a soup can at 150 yards. Most folks look at 3, 4, and, 5 shot groups, and if these rifles group well, I would be very encouraged to get one. However, for big game rifles, I am most interested in where the first shot lands, and since thin barrels tend to heat up quickly, shooting for groups may not be the best indicator of field accuracy.
Thanks in advance for reports and advice.

 

[WAB]

Not the rifle you are looking at but I’ve been amazed at the accuracy of my Rigby Highland Stalker In 9.3x62. I’m getting 1/2”, 100 yd, 3 shot groups with both 286 gr Swift A-Frames at 2450 fps and 270 gr Speer spitzers at 2500 fps. Interestingly they both have exactly the same POI at 100.

 

[bruce moulds]

if the ruger won't shoot it will not be the thickness of the barrel, but the quality that will be the problem.
bruce.

 

[Kawshik Rahman]

My client killed this Royal Bengal tiger with a single cartridge from his 9.3 millimeter mauser bolt operation rifle over five decades ago in Darjeeling , India . It is a beautiful cartridge , at least with ammunition from the firm " RWS ". Very accurate. He took the shot from a macchan while we were organizing a beat.
I cannot comment on the exact Ruger rifle , however.

 

[Millerdaga]

My client killed this Royal Bengal tiger with a single cartridge from his 9.3 millimeter mauser bolt operation rifle over five decades ago in Darjeeling , India . It is a beautiful cartridge , at least with ammunition from the firm " RWS ". Very accurate. He took the shot from a macchan while we were organizing a beat.
I cannot comment on the exact Ruger rifle , however.
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[bruce moulds]

yes rws 9.3x62 ammo is well developed in terms of balancing the bullets to ballistics.
bruce.

 

[ColoradoMatt]

Thank you all for your comments, and keep them coming. I love to hear about any, and all, personal experiences with your 9.3x62 rifles, even though I am well aware this rounds potential. The 9.3x62 falls into the category of “inherently accurate cartridges”. It has a bore diameter to case capacity ratio that is very similar to that of the 308 Win/7.62x51 NATO, and like the 308, it is quite easy to find an accurate load with most rifles. My concern isn’t about the accuracy or field performance of the round, as I own three Oberndorf Mauser rifles in 9.3x62. My interest in the thin barreled Lipsey’s Ruger African in 9.3x62 is my primary reason for this post, and relating any experiences with this particular rifle would be most helpful.

 

[bruce moulds]

if the ruger won't shoot it will not be the thickness of the barrel, but the quality that will be the problem.
bruce.

 

[sgt_zim]

Not the rifle you are looking at but I’ve been amazed at the accuracy of my Rigby Highland Stalker In 9.3x62. I’m getting 1/2”, 100 yd, 3 shot groups with both 286 gr Swift A-Frames at 2450 fps and 270 gr Speer spitzers at 2500 fps. Interestingly they both have exactly the same POI at 100.

What's your recipe for the AF 286? I have Swift reloading manual #2, they don't show anything even at 2400 fps in there.

 

[WAB]

What's your recipe for the AF 286? I have Swift reloading manual #2, they don't show anything even at 2400 fps in there.

My rifle likes H4350 as opposed to all the advice on Big Game and RL 15&17. I chronograph all my loads, and seem to be getting higher velocities than Hodgdon indicates. I have not seen this with any other cartridge. The 4350 is a compressed load, which I have not done a lot of over the years and don’t particularly care for, but both the Rigby and the Ruger No1 like it. Both loads are 64.7 gr of H 4350, Norma brass, WLR primers, and the bullets as stated. As with any load, work up to it carefully, but you will find this right in Hodgdon’s recipe range. I honestly don’t know how they could possibly fit their max charge in a 9.3x62 casing!!!!

Note, I have checked the charge weight with two scales due to concerns over the level of compression and the velocities I am recording. I am showing no pressure signs.

 

[ColoradoMatt]

if the ruger won't shoot it will not be the thickness of the barrel, but the quality that will be the problem.
bruce.

Even the very best of barrels can have difficulty shooting well when turned too thin for the bore diameter, as barrel vibrations will likely cause more erratic results than with heavier/stiffer barrels. There are different ways that gunmakers use to help tame the vibrations, such as full length bedding, for-end tip pressure, adjustable tension screws, etc. Most of these tend to not be consistently effective on wood stocked rifles, due to the fact that wood expands and contracts with ambient moisture content. The straightest, smoothest, and most stress relieved skinny barrel in the world will be more difficult to find good loads for than a medium or heavy sporter contoured barrel of equal quality. The Accuracy nodes might be found, but will likely be fewer and more far between than with heavier barrels.

 

[Glenn Slaven]

I’m still trying to find a load for mine. I shoot the Lapua Mega in 286 gr and found for practice Prvi 286 w 60 gr of 4064 has same POI and shoots very good groups in my Blaser R8. I have not had the same luck w my Ruger, but haven’t shot it a lot either. I don’t suspect it will be setting any records. Hard to take it shooting when the Blaser shoots so well and did so well on my safari this year.

 

[Glenn Slaven]

Now the big question I have is...will Lipseys continue with the series and if so, what caliber?

 

[Ryan]

Since the 9.3 mm and .375 calibers are so close I am sure Ruger is using the same barrel blank for the 9.3 x 62 as the more common 375 Ruger in it's M77 Hawkeye African model. I, and a whole lot of others here own this rifle in 375 Ruger and I can say it's a heavier barrel than the one used for a basic M77 Hawkeye in lighter calibers.

 

[ColoradoMatt]

Since the 9.3 mm and .375 calibers are so close I am sure Ruger is using the same barrel blank for the 9.3 x 62 as the more common 375 Ruger in it's M77 Hawkeye African model. I, and a whole lot of others here own this rifle in 375 Ruger and I can say it's a heavier barrel than the one used for a basic M77 Hawkeye in lighter calibers.

When Ruger made a run of Hawkeye African’s several years ago, they did use a barrel contour that was identical to that of the African in 375 Ruger, and cut them to the same 23” length. However, this run of Lipsey’s 9.3x62 Africans uses the 24” thin contour found on the 275 Rigby/6.5x55 versions found on the Lipsey’s Africans, offered the previous two years.

 

[ColoradoMatt]

I’m still trying to find a load for mine. I shoot the Lapua Mega in 286 gr and found for practice Prvi 286 w 60 gr of 4064 has same POI and shoots very good groups in my Blaser R8. I have not had the same luck w my Ruger, but haven’t shot it a lot either. I don’t suspect it will be setting any records. Hard to take it shooting when the Blaser shoots so well and did so well on my safari this year.

Thank you for mentioning your experience with your Lipsey’s Ruger African. Since this is one of the few appraisals I’ve heard, and it happens to be negative, I am going to consciously try to avoid confirmation bias, and wait to hear a few other experiences before I make up my mind. Thanks again.

 

[ColoradoMatt]

Now the big question I have is...will Lipseys continue with the series and if so, what caliber?

My local dealer tells me that Lipsey’s has told him that the 2020 Lipsey’s Ruger African will be chambered in 35 Whelen. I would like to see it chambered in 318 Westley Richards, but unless someone like Hornady comes out with Factory ammo, I’m sure this will never happen. I can dream, guess!

P.S.

It would never happen, but Lipsey’s could offer a 318 W.R. package deal that includes a set of case forming dies and a Lee Precision bullet sizing die, so that folks can size down .338” 250 grain Hornady round nose bullets down to .330”.

 

[Witold Krzyżanowski]

In my ZG47 in 9,3x62 I use ammunition from RWS with bullet Softpoint (Teilmantel) 285gr ( 18,5g) and from Norma with bullet Oryx 285gr ( 18,5g).
Barrel from Lothar Walther.
I shot on distance 180m several times and there were no problems.

 

[Glenn Slaven]

My local dealer tells me that Lipsey’s has told him that the 2020 Lipsey’s Ruger African will be chambered in 35 Whelen. I would like to see it chambered in 318 Westley Richards, but unless someone like Hornady comes out with Factory ammo, I’m sure this will never happen. I can dream, guess!

P.S.

It would never happen, but Lipsey’s could offer a 318 W.R. package deal that includes a set of case forming dies and a Lee Precision bullet sizing die, so that folks can size down .338” 250 grain Hornady round nose bullets down to .330”.

I can live w .35 Whelen. I do like your .318 WR idea.

 

[sgt_zim]

My rifle likes H4350 as opposed to all the advice on Big Game and RL 15&17. I chronograph all my loads, and seem to be getting higher velocities than Hodgdon indicates. I have not seen this with any other cartridge. The 4350 is a compressed load, which I have not done a lot of over the years and don’t particularly care for, but both the Rigby and the Ruger No1 like it. Both loads are 64.7 gr of H 4350, Norma brass, WLR primers, and the bullets as stated. As with any load, work up to it carefully, but you will find this right in Hodgdon’s recipe range. I honestly don’t know how they could possibly fit their max charge in a 9.3x62 casing!!!!

Note, I have checked the charge weight with two scales due to concerns over the level of compression and the velocities I am recording. I am showing no pressure signs.

I started using H4350 for my 6.5x55 and Woodleigh 160s, and I'm well below published max MV, even with max powder charge. But I'm not seating the bullets terribly deep, either. I suppose H4350 performs better under higher pressure. IDK. Maybe since this is a 6.5x55 SE and not a Krag, I could push it a little bit. Not really worth it, I think. 2400 fps isn't great, but 2500 fps doesn't do a whole lot more than 2400 does.

Maybe H4350 works better under higher pressure. That's supposed to be the thing with Big Game, too.

I've got a test string of NP 286 with Big Game. We'll see how they do. Hopefully I can get to the range next Sunday. Went this morning to work on some loads for my buddy's Encore in .308. Kind of a bummer - didn't realize the scope was loose until about 15 rounds into the test.