9.3x62 Does anyone shoot it?

[Hoss50]

Well, I committed. Shaw had barrels on sale for black Friday for 30% off. I orders a savage heavy mag contour 20" SS straight fluted barrel threaded.

Next I have to figure out stock.

 

[Rocketeer77]

I have shot a 9.3 for about 18 years from a cz 550. My rifle has a long freebore and I can seat bullets way out. It takes quite a bit more powder to reach factory velocity than my reloading manuals indicate. I bought Nosler custom ammo for it when I first shot it and the box listed the 286 partition at 2430 fps. I chrongraphed this ammo and was only getting 2213. My current load uses ramshot powder and gets 2410 with a 285 gr Hawk round tip. I have killed deer elk and bear with this rifle with good results. I replaced the scope with a receiver sight and NECG barrel band front years ago, and had the stock slimmed down 'til it looks like the newer model 70 featherweight. At 6lbs 13 oz with 5 down it does jump a bit when firing, but is a joy to carry.

My Husqvarna with 24" barrel comfortably does over 2400/fps with 286gr projectiles using faster powders

 

[stazmania]

Well, I committed. Shaw had barrels on sale for black Friday for 30% off. I orders a savage heavy mag contour 20" SS straight fluted barrel threaded.

Next I have to figure out stock.

How will your savage 300 win bolt face work with this cartridge?

 

[JustAnOldCooter]

My caliber tendencies sometimes play towards the more eclectic side, and 9.3x62 has me intrigued. Does anyone shoot it? How does it shoot, what do I need to know?

I wanted to get a CZ550FS in it but CZ discontinued them a few years ago.

Now I am looking at the Sauer 100 which shows at a reasonable price if they come back into stock.

Hi Hoss50,
I had a CZ550 hogs-back like stock shape in 9.3x62 and it was a real strange duck. Caliber was great, but for some reason, that rifle accelerated on recoil like none-other I'd shot before. I'm 6'2" and was about 215 lbs at the time and really fit so not a light-weight in the mass/strength department. I also owned around that time 458 Win Mags, 300 Wthby Mags, 375 H&H mags and other decently hefty cartridge-based guns and was not shy of recoil. It was the strangest kicking gun I've ever shot...not in pure mass of recoil, but the sharpness and speed of the recoil. It kicked so fast that even with a firm grip, the rear curvature of the trigger-well would crack me on the middle-finger bone between middle joint and knuckle. Odly enough, In 50 or so rounds, I actually developed a bone-spur like lump on the top of the bone that raised up about a quarter inch and stayed there for about 2 months.
I have no idea if it was the overall weight, shape of the stock and trigger-well, etc. that allowed the rifle to jump/whack the bone the way it did...and the loads/cartridges were stout, but not ridiculous, pushing 250 gr's and 286's. I sure liked the general ballistics, but with the knuckle-cracking nature of the rifle, and me having a 375 H&H ultralight mountain rifle (6.5lbs with scope) that kicked very kindly in comparison, I bid the CZ a fond farewell and never locked back. I would not shy away form the caliber/cartridge, but reinforce that you've made the right decision as far as not hunting down a CZ...maybe ditch any kind of hogs-back shaped stock and enjoy the new build.

 

[Buffalobwana]

I bought two Husqvarna 146 (I think that's the model?) 9.3x57 had the smith ream it out to x62.

These guns were made in the 30's and came with pretty rusty bores. I ran wire bush through one, literally, a few hundred times.

Shot it and was amazed. Reloads were 1", factory was 1.5" (Nosler) to 3" (Privi)

one of them had amazing factory wood, once I stripped and refinished it.

 

[JustAnOldCooter]

I bought two Husqvarna 146 (I think that's the model?) 9.3x57 had the smith ream it out to x62.

These guns were made in the 30's and came with pretty rusty bores. I ran wire bush through one, literally, a few hundred times.

Shot it and was amazed. Reloads were 1", factory was 1.5" (Nosler) to 3" (Privi)

one of them had amazing factory wood, once I stripped and refinished it.

Beautiful stock there sir!

 

[Nimrod]

I have a Husqvarna 640 in 9,3x62, mine is built on the FN commercial action and it's a joy to shoot! I killed my best whitetail buck to date with it and a hand load using the 270 grain Speer bullet. Reloader 15 is a good powder for the 9,3x62, I have never used .30/06 brass since the original is readily available but I did neck some up just to see if I could and I think it would work in a pinch. I bought mine originally for a Cape Buffalo hunt in Africa but by the time I had actually saved up enough to go I decided on Tanzania and they have a .375 minimum so it never made the trip. I do have a bear hunt booked this spring and plan to use it on a bear or two.

 

[comen]

I recently picked up a pre-war JP Sauer & Sohn 98 Sporting rifle. It was chambered in 8x57 and was a "J" bore. The bore was pretty rough but the rest of the rifle was beautiful. I pulled the barrel and sent it to JES Reboring in Oregon and had him rebore and rifle the barrel to 9.3. He couldn't chamber due to the barrel configuration. It is beautifully machined with integral rib and is an octagon that transitions to round just past the forend. I had to make some special holding fixtures to get it in the lathe but finally got the chamber cut to 9.3x62. Just got dies and loading components but haven't had a chance to shoot it yet.
The rifle has the bolt stop mounted Lyman receiver sight on it plus one standing and one folded rear sight. Hopefully I can find a load that shoots to that sight. I have a ton of IMR 4350. Does anyone have a favorite load for a 286 grainer?

using IMR 4350 you can reach 2400 fps with a compressed load. If your rifle has a long throat for heavy bullets as my CZ does, you can go to 66 grains according to some older manuals. The base of the 285 gr Hawk bullets I use is barely seated to the base of the neck, and when I loaded 286 gr partitions they exposed a fair amount of shank below the cannelure. That said R15 or Big Game are probably the most popular powders

 

[Stokesrjsr]

I think you don't hear much about the 9.3X62 on this forum because it isn't really a long range caliber. Not that it is t a capable mid range caliber out to 500 yards or so, but that is not its forte.
Where this cartridge shines is in situations where you may encounter a wide range of big game such as roe deer and red deer, or Sitka Black tail and moose or brown bear, or Eland and steinbock. It kills big things cleanly and doesn't blow up small sized big game.
It is still one of the most popular calibers for driven game in Europe where you might be shooting a 75 lb roe deer or a 400 pound red deer from the same stand or shooting point or even a large bore. It kills moving game decisively compared to common calibers such as a .308 or 30-06 yet has manageable recoil.
I have a Blaser R8 in 9.3x62 and have used it on three continents with absolutely exemplary results.

 

[tracybartlein]

Hornady does make ammo for the 9.3x62. We've made them test barrels a few times for that caliber. Along with Norma.

Later, Frank
Bartlein Barrels

 

[G19Jeeper]

I own two. A Sako 85 Classic special run and a Ruger African. I shoot the African but haven't done any load development yet. Lapua makes brass and Mega's but it's expensive. Speer makes a good 270 gr SP that can be had cheap. I buy my components pretty cheap usually at Gunshows. Nobody knows what it is. I am still working through my ammo stock. 200 rds of Privi 286 gr takes a while to get through.

 

[TRexF16]

As mentioned earlier - the easy button for a 9.3x62 is finding any 270 or 30-06 you like (and hopefully get for peanuts with a shot out or pitted bore) and send it to JES with $275 for a rebore to 9.3x62. Look for one with a heavier barrel than the normal light sporter contour if you can - talk to JES first on what he needs - .575" at the muzzle should be plenty as Jesse likes a minimum of .100 barrel wall thickness after the rebore. Lots of info and reviews online about his work. I had him rebore a beat up sporterized Springfield I got for $100 and reworked. I'm a happy customer.

Great cartridge,
Rex

 

[Hoss50]

Hornady does make ammo for the 9.3x62. We've made them test barrels a few times for that caliber. Along with Norma.

Later, Frank
Bartlein Barrels

I found hornady brass and bullets on the shelf at my local reloading shop Bruno's about a month ago so I picked up 100pcs of brass and a box of bullets. The barrel was the no turning back moment though! I plan to use this for short to medium range deer, elk, and black bear hunts. I am keeping the barrel short to suppress it or if it is real tight keep it short and handy in thick stuff.

 

[Hoss50]

How will your savage 300 win bolt face work with this cartridge?

It won't. I will have to change the bolt face which appears to be pretty easy on the savage. You just change the bolt head to standard bolt face and you are good to go.