9.3x62 Does anyone shoot it?

[Hoss50]

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.

Beauty of a rifle!

 

[Hoss50]

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

Amazing results on a rebore! Nice shooting. Thanks for the info.

 

[Allen Lone wolf]

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.

Nice save!

 

[Nimrod]

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.

Or you can buy a complete bolt assembly and switch back and forth easily, one of the benefits of the Savage 110 series.

 

[skipglo]

I don't hear a lot of talk about it here…..but it's a very popular cartridge on another site that I frequent! Go figure! memtb

That other site.........happen to be in saaaaaay...Europe?

 

[TRexF16]

That other site.........happen to be in saaaaaay...Europe?

Not to speak for memtb, but that's gonna be a "no." I'm quite sure I know which site he means... LOL

 

[JustAnOldCooter]

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

JES can be found at: http://35caliber.com/2.html

 

[memtb]

That other site.........happen to be in saaaaaay...Europe?

Actually no……it's talked about fairly often on 24htcampfire!

Be forewarned: It is not a forum for the faint of heart! There are many that will insult, attack, instigate……just for the h£|| of it!

I've been there since '… A darn good forum …..for the "thick skinned"! memtb

 

[blacktimber]

I really enjoy reading comments on this site on just about everything but rarely if ever post. On this topic however I got a lot of experience so I'll share some thoughts. I had Mark Bansner build me a 9.3x62 on a LH winchester M70 about 15 years about. Match grade 24" barrel and synthetic stock finished it out. Since that time I've shot more than 100 animals in Africa, pretty much everything except a bull elephant. Even shot a cow elephant in Zim with it a few years ago. Leopard, buffalo, croc, lion, and plains game in Zim, Zambia, Namibia, and MOZ. Every species on quota in CAR with Erik Mararv back in the day. Lots of memorable hunts in SA. Whether hunting yellowback duiker and red river hog with open sights in very dense cover at 10-20 yards, or shooting a baboon at 320 yards it can just do it all. Bansner built me a matching 404J a few years later but I found myself prefering the 9.3x62 for all the reasons that make it such a great cartridge. It's almost always compared the 375HH. Factory loadings of the 375HH are with 300 grain bullets at around 2700-2800 fps but the recoil is stout. The 9.3x62 is so much more pleasant to shoot. All PHs without fail are surprised at its accuracy and effectiveness on game, and love the lack deafing muzzle blast found on clients rifles shooting big magnums. I handload the 9.3x62 and run the 286gr Barnes TSX at about 2450fps. This is an improvement over the factory load with an added increase in accuracy. The Barnes 286gr TSX has proven a hammer and accurate out to 300 yards. This bullet expanses perfectly and I have never lost a petal, and I mean that. It is almost routine to check under the hide on the far shoulder because thats where the bullet will be. On smaller game I use any number of solids that produce a nice little 1/2" round hole with no other damage. Recently I switched to a scope with elevation turret to make the long shots easier. The 9.3x62 bullet drops significantly over distance but still very accurate and retaining plenty of energy. In the past I would site in at 150 yards but would still need to hold high at 300-350 which is inherently inaccurate. Switching to a turret scope really extended my longer shots. The 9.3x64 brenneke, 9.3x74R, and other close cousins to the 9.3x62 all perform well but the availability of brass and factory rounds should be strongly considered, especially if you don't reload. Finally, I would suggest you consider rebarrelling with a match grade barrel to get the best accuracy and consistancy. Sorry for the long post but hope that helps.

 

[Buffalobwana]

I really enjoy reading comments on this site on just about everything but rarely if ever post. On this topic however I got a lot of experience so I'll share some thoughts. I had Mark Bansner build me a 9.3x62 on a LH winchester M70 about 15 years about. Match grade 24" barrel and synthetic stock finished it out. Since that time I've shot more than 100 animals in Africa, pretty much everything except a bull elephant. Even shot a cow elephant in Zim with it a few years ago. Leopard, buffalo, croc, lion, and plains game in Zim, Zambia, Namibia, and MOZ. Every species on quota in CAR with Erik Mararv back in the day. Lots of memorable hunts in SA. Whether hunting yellowback duiker and red river hog with open sights in very dense cover at 10-20 yards, or shooting a baboon at 320 yards it can just do it all. Bansner built me a matching 404J a few years later but I found myself prefering the 9.3x62 for all the reasons that make it such a great cartridge. It's almost always compared the 375HH. Factory loadings of the 375HH are with 300 grain bullets at around 2700-2800 fps but the recoil is stout. The 9.3x62 is so much more pleasant to shoot. All PHs without fail are surprised at its accuracy and effectiveness on game, and love the lack deafing muzzle blast found on clients rifles shooting big magnums. I handload the 9.3x62 and run the 286gr Barnes TSX at about 2450fps. This is an improvement over the factory load with an added increase in accuracy. The Barnes 286gr TSX has proven a hammer and accurate out to 300 yards. This bullet expanses perfectly and I have never lost a petal, and I mean that. It is almost routine to check under the hide on the far shoulder because thats where the bullet will be. On smaller game I use any number of solids that produce a nice little 1/2" round hole with no other damage. Recently I switched to a scope with elevation turret to make the long shots easier. The 9.3x62 bullet drops significantly over distance but still very accurate and retaining plenty of energy. In the past I would site in at 150 yards but would still need to hold high at 300-350 which is inherently inaccurate. Switching to a turret scope really extended my longer shots. The 9.3x64 brenneke, 9.3x74R, and other close cousins to the 9.3x62 all perform well but the availability of brass and factory rounds should be strongly considered, especially if you don't reload. Finally, I would suggest you consider rebarrelling with a match grade barrel to get the best accuracy and consistancy. Sorry for the long post but hope that helps.View attachment 517639View attachment 517640View attachment 517641

I'd say you have a little experience with this caliber!

I hope you hunted everything with Mararv before the bottom fell out. I have a friend who went and had some serious stories. They were shooting anything brown just to have meat. He had such an incredible operation there. Shame what happened.

 

[blacktimber]

I'd say you have a little experience with this caliber!

I hope you hunted everything with Mararv before the bottom fell out. I have a friend who went and had some serious stories. They were shooting anything brown just to have meat. He had such an incredible operation there. Shame what happened.

I hunted with Erik in CAR on 3 different hunts between 2010-14. I was that guy who needed 3 tries to take everything I wanted, but what great hunts! 2014 was a little dicey. A lot of civil unrest and by then poaching was bad. In the space of the 3-4 years the LD eland herds went from 100s of animals to none to find. It was a few years later Erik was jailed and then shot as well. I believe he is now with African Parks and doing well.

 

[Longreach]

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.

I've been using a 9.3x62 for several years now but certainly not for 'long range' hunting past 300m. It has proven extremely successful on everything from pigs, deer, sambar to Asiatic Water Buffalo which are larger than Cape Buffalo.
The comments about thinking about it as a light 375 H&H are correct but only in recoil. A 286gr 9.3 bullet has a higher sectional density than a 300gr .375 bullet. As usual, choose the right bullet for the job and it works extremely well. Ammunition is available from several manufacturers as are bullet weights ranging from 235gr to 286gr. I thoroughly recommend it to anyone thinking about investing in it.

 

[memtb]

blacktimber,

Great write-up, beautiful rifle nicely put together, and apparently…..very deadly! It seems to be a near perfect blend of funtionality!

In the write-up, you didn't mention the rifle's weight. What does she weigh in "fighting trim", scoped, fully loaded, and slung? Just curious about the weight. From the photos…..I'm gues'n about 8-14 to 9-4.

Warning: The following paragraph is for mature audiences only!
I see that it's "NOT" wearing a "weed burner"……how have you killed so much game, while surviving the recoil, without developing a severe flinch or experiencing Cornea separation? Asking for a friend!

I also want to welcome you to our forum……mostly a great bunch of guys and me….the old grouch! memtb

 

[Taj]

I bought an early Sauer 98 sporting rifle a few months ago in 8x57. It's about a 1924 rifle and the workmanship is absolutely amazing. Problem was, it was a "J" bore (.318) and the bore was not in good shape. I took the barrel off and sent to JES Reboring and had it bored and rifled with a 9.3 diameter bore. When I got it back I chambered it to 9.3x62. Haven't had a chance to work up a load yet but it's a darned classy piece of gear.