9.3x62 Does anyone shoot it?

[300 PRC CUSTOM SAKO]

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

I think you mean RETINAL separation.

 

[memtb]

I think you mean RETINAL separation.

Yep……that!

Of course some people fear a little recoil so much….you might think that they've experienced "rectal" separation from rifle recoil! memtb

 

[Allen Lone wolf]

Yep……that!

Of course some people fear a little recoil so much….you might think that they've experienced "rectal" separation from rifle recoil! memtb

Yes! Been there, done that!

 

[Seabeeken]

Finished load workups on my 9.3. Took the rifle up to zero it this morning. Even with adjusting the scope, the group stayed under an inch. There was a variation in seating depth caused by the crimp die because the bullet was slightly too deep and the die caused the bullet to slip forward by slipping into the PDR groove. Lack of attention to detail on my part. In spite of this it did well. Garmin printout attached.

 

[Dr. Mac]

Which powder? I'm working up a load with the same bullet for winter hogs. I'll post results as they come in. Ought be a real ham'er jammer!

 

[Seabeeken]

Which powder? I'm working up a load with the same bullet for winter hogs. I'll post results as they come in. Ought be a real ham'er jammer!

I'm using N-140 but also tested N-540. With N-540 I was scooting at 2802 but recoil was brutal.

 

[Dr. Mac]

IMR 8202 was the honey hole for me too, both in terms of accuracy and velocity and worked best with a regular strength primer like the WLR. Load density was also very high in Lapua brass. RL15 was a close second, and needed a magnum primer for best accuracy. My CZ 23" all steel rifle is a little heavier at 10 lbs with scope, so recoil wasn't that bad, but I play with 12ga slugs for fun. See below.

 

[TRexF16]

Which powder? I'm working up a load with the same bullet for winter hogs. I'll post results as they come in. Ought be a real ham'er jammer!

In John Barsness' extensive work with the Nine-Three, 60.5/Varget for 250 grain and 66/Big Game for 286 grain were his best. These loads are at 30-06 level pressures (a bit under 60K PSI).
John has written that lot-to-lot variations may require adjusting the loads to hit the velocities listed, and that matches my experience. My current lot of Varget needs and extra 2 grains to shoot 250 Noslers in the low-to-mid 2600 FPS range.
Both the AB and the E-Tip shoot very well in my rifle with Varget and the 250 E-Tip blems are still on sale at SPS for a very attractive price. The 250 AB blems were sold there too a couple years back so I have laid in a nice supply of both. Sure wish they'd release a run to 286 Partitions for cheap.

 

[RevJim]

I did get a "Torn Retina, Officially called Gigantic Tear of the Retina", ha) It took all of 2002 and four procedures to repair it. I can see the Big E, FOV is distorted due to laser scarring. Anyhow, I was told that shooting did not cause it (I had some Big Bores back then too) DR said if that were so, you would have thousands of Shotgunners going blind! ha A heavy 3" Turkey or Goose load is about like shooting Memb's 375 Ackley, but few realize that! ha

 

[Hoss50]

I did get a "Torn Retina, Officially called Gigantic Tear of the Retina", ha) It took all of 2002 and four procedures to repair it. I can see the Big E, FOV is distorted due to laser scarring. Anyhow, I was told that shooting did not cause it (I had some Big Bores back then too) DR said if that were so, you would have thousands of Shotgunners going blind! ha A heavy 3" Turkey or Goose load is about like shooting Memb's 375 Ackley, but few realize that! ha

I just started hunting turkey recently and patterning my pump 12ga with 2 1/4oz turkey loads SUCKS.

I think it is the worst kicking gun I have. It is flat out painful. I just bought a semi auto to remedy the punch, and it helps quite alot.

 

[RevJim]

Worst kicking shotgun for me was my Pastor's Benelli with a 3 1/2 Magnum Goose Load. one shot, bruised my poor shoulder! They claim the 3 1/2" 12 kicks like the old 10Ga 3 1/2" Magnum.

 

[Hoss50]

Worst kicking shotgun for me was my Pastor's Benelli with a 3 1/2 Magnum Goose Load. one shot, bruised my poor shoulder! They claim the 3 1/2" 12 kicks like the old 10Ga 3 1/2" Magnum.

I would believe it. Mine is a mossberg 835 gen 1 that I got when I turned 15 (25 years ago). It was one of the first 3.5" 12ga. They had so many complaints to mossberg about recoil they revised it to have standard barrel porting on the next generation. Thankfully I get every oz of recoil since mine is gen 1.

In the field you don't feel it shooting a turkey because it is 1 shot, but they add up when you shoot multiple. I shot it this year on a sandhill crane hunt. On day 1 I shot the 3.5" shells. Day 2 I switched to 3" shells...

After sandhill season I found a good deal on a Beretta A400 3.5" so I jumped on it. It is WAY more user friendly with 3.5" Turkey loads.

 

[Dean2]

I just started hunting turkey recently and patterning my pump 12ga with 2 1/4oz turkey loads SUCKS.

I think it is the worst kicking gun I have. It is flat out painful. I just bought a semi auto to remedy the punch, and it helps quite alot.

I would suggest you check out Tungsten. Very expensive but a 1.5 ounce 12 gauge load will kill better than a 3 ounce 10 gauge turkey load.

 

[Hoss50]

I would suggest you check out Tungsten. Very expensive but a 1.5 ounce 12 gauge load will kill better than a 3 ounce 10 gauge turkey load.

I have been looking at it, but can swallow $15 a round yet. I didn't draw a turkey tag for the spring so maybe this fall.

My son drew a Jr's tag and we still have some hevi-metal loads that stoned his first turkey last fall.

If TSS comes down or I find a deal I will grab some.