Bear downed with 9.3x62mm

Jack Sherwood said:

I shoot a 9.3x62 also.
Simply devastating on elk using 250gr Barnes TTSX hand loads.

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Greta06 said:

Congrats of the 1st bear, and making a good shot on a moving target. Easier said than done. You forgot an important detail, what did he weigh? And don't believe people who say they don't taste good, haven't had a bad one yet...

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G19Jeeper said:

I have some of those waiting for me to test them with Varget but didn't get a load layed out before season. I've heard good things. What powder do you like?

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Jack Sherwood said:

I'm using IMR 4350 for Barnes 250gr TTSX.
Mine likes max loads, worked up from minimum and showing no pressure signs.
Start low is my advice.
I have a Savage 111 rebored from 30-06 by Jes reboring of Oregon.

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G19Jeeper said:

Gotcha, I am using Varget since that's one of only a few that I have on hand that is superb in the x62. Starting with a mild charge to get an idea where I'm at and how case fill will work with the monolithic bullets. Also have some 250 gr CX from hornady to try but found out they're only meant for export and no load data with Varget is available.

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G19Jeeper said:

Harvested my first PA Black bear Saturday opening day.

While SLOWLY walking to my stand opening day at appx 7:20AM, I was walking down a main logging road about to split off onto a smaller stem of a logging road. I hear something just off to the left of this trail and, assuming I bumped a bedded deer, I stopped to see if I could see movement or antlers. I saw a shadowy figure moving towards me emerging from the thick underbrush and my first thought was "Who is this idiot out here not wearing orange??". Right about the time I finished that thought, this boar steps up to the log crossing his path, picks his head up and we lock eyes. He immediately takes off running off to the left and diagonally away from me while I finish raising my rifle trying to judge his size. With my Leupold VX5HD set at 2x, I am watching his rear-end bounce through the brush debating on taking him. I quickly twist the dial to 5x to get a better look and decide I will take him if given the opportunity. He then hooks a sharp left and is now running perpendicular to my shooting lane as he crosses another small stem off the logging road. I placed the vertical cross hairs in line with his snout and squeezed, dropping him immediately just before he left the logging road and got into thick cover. I was always told to shoot until they stop when it comes to black bear as they can eat bullets easier than you think. I placed a second shot in his chest cavity as he was still moving a bit from nerves although in hindsight I do believe he was dead from the first shot. It all happened in about 8 seconds from the time we saw each other to the time my second casing was being ejected.

Rifle of choice
-Sako 75 Hunter 9.3x62mm with factory iron sights. McMillan fiberglass stock.
-PPU 286 gr SP ammunition
-Leupold VX5HD 2-10x42 in Optilock rings.

Currently working on testing at least 8 different projectiles for this rifle but didn't get anything confirmed and loaded prior to the season so went back to the factory ammo not expecting to get a chance to use them anyway. These PPU bullets copied Lapuas homework on the Mega projectile and are reportedly very durable. First shot hit the bear in the base of the neck dropping him with a complete pass through. Exit wound was about the size of a quarter. Second round entered below his armpit as he had rolled sideways away from me on Shot 1. This bullet exited high ribs opposite side, also leaving a quarter sized exit would. Heart and right lung were punched, but due to the controlled nature of this bullets expansion, the intervals weren't jelly like you'd expect from a faster expanding bullet from a faster round.

Forgot to mention, it is a Male and 162 lb live weight! Coincidentally the same exact weight as my buddy's sow he shot in 2022 on the same property about half a mile out the ridge from where this was!


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