brian923 Posted February 7, 2008 Report Share Posted February 7, 2008 just wondering if anyone hear uses this round, and what they think about it. it seems like a nice round to through around some 286 grainers. seems though, to be hard to find components for. is there any readably availible cartridge's that can be used to form these out of??? thanks guys, brian Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
z1r Posted February 7, 2008 Report Share Posted February 7, 2008 Great cartridge. I have three rifles chambered for it. Easy to load for, easy to get components, fun to shoot, and deadly to boot. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brian923 Posted February 7, 2008 Author Report Share Posted February 7, 2008 how about the 9.3x57. how many feet per second would i loose with this setup, over the 9.3x62? would it be worth the extra cost for the x62? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
z1r Posted February 8, 2008 Report Share Posted February 8, 2008 how about the 9.3x57. how many feet per second would i loose with this setup, over the 9.3x62? would it be worth the extra cost for the x62? What do you mean, "extra cost for the 9.3x62?" Do you already own a 9.3x57? Are you thinking of rechambering it? teh 9.3x62 will cost less to operate. Dies, brass, and loaded ammo are easier to come by and cheaper too. There is a 300 fps difference between the two. The 9.3x57 is to me an overgrown .30-30. Very capable and very pleasant to shoot. Realistically, in factory loads, it approaches performance similar to the .358 Winchester. The 9.3x57 tosses 286 Grain bullets at about 2050 to 2100 fps, 250's at about 2250, and 232's at up to 2400 fps. The 9.3x62 will toss the 286's out at 2380 to over 2400 fps. The 9.3x62 approaches 375 H&H power levels. As of today I own four 9.3x57's, just acquired two more. One a 96 the other a 98. In a 98, the 9.3x57 could be loaded darn near to 9.3x62 levels. It really depends on what you intend to use them for. I like my 9.3x57's for hog hunting and brush. The big heavy bullets in light, easy to point rifles can't be beat. The 9.3x62 will handle all but the largest game and has been used with much success on Dangerous Game in Africa for a century. It too can be built up in a pretty trim package but recoil is definitely more noticeable. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jimro Posted February 11, 2008 Report Share Posted February 11, 2008 Prvi Partizan makes 9.3x62, but it sells out fast at 20 bucks a box. Norma and RWS are a tad more exensive. If you plan on reloading everything then pick the one you want. Between the two I picked the x62, and it's gonna be my rifle for everything an 8x57 or 30-06 shouldn't be tackling. Right now it's at the 'smith. Jimro Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
z1r Posted February 11, 2008 Report Share Posted February 11, 2008 Prvi Partizan makes 9.3x62, but it sells out fast at 20 bucks a box. Norma and RWS are a tad more exensive. If you plan on reloading everything then pick the one you want. Between the two I picked the x62, and it's gonna be my rifle for everything an 8x57 or 30-06 shouldn't be tackling. Right now it's at the 'smith. Jimro Jimro, a very good bullet for the money is the Prvi 285. Grafs just got some back in. They raised the price 50% but they are still the least expensive 9.3 around and they shoot very very well in my 9.3's. I'm fixing to order me some up. Another one of the gun rags just came out with an article on the 9.3x62 and its rimmed equivilent, the 9.3x74R. Nice thing about the 9.3x62 is that it'll also do for anything you might use an -06 on too. Very popular in Europe where most folks only have one medium bore rifle. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
riflecrankdotcom Posted February 14, 2008 Report Share Posted February 14, 2008 If I were to build a 9.3x62, I would get a good bullet mould or two, and cast my own bullets, as the cartridge is well suited for it, even with full-power loads. I would also form my own brass from .30/06 or .270 Winchester brass. In fact, a few years ago I built a Mauser 98 in .35 Whelen; it was to be either .35 Whelen or 9.3x62 and I chose the Whelen because it would also accept pistol bullets, and because Whelen barrels were cheaper. Lyman occasionally produces a mould #358009 which is a 280+ grain, extremely blunt (single radius) round nose bullet. I bought one of those and use it for my full-power load. I also form my own brass as if the Whelen were still a wildcat, because it's cheaper that way. Paco Kelly, when he was in Africa, built a '98 in 9.3x62; actually I think he had an Arab gunsmith build it for him, and he also had a bullet mould that he told me was almost exactly like the #358009 .35 caliber bullet. He pulled the bullets from military .30/06 ammo, expanded the necks, and seated those cast bullets over the original charge. He used one of those loads to kill a rampaging elephant with a frontal brain shot. When Paco returned to the States sans rifle, he built another very similar rifle to replace it, only this time in .35 Whelen because he considered them to be ballistic twins, but he also wanyed to make use of the .35 bullets that are common here. Don't get me wrong, I'm not trying to sway you from the 9.3 to the .35; I'm just pointing out their similarities. Tracy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
z1r Posted February 14, 2008 Report Share Posted February 14, 2008 If I were to build a 9.3x62, I would get a good bullet mould or two, and cast my own bullets, as the cartridge is well suited for it, even with full-power loads. I would also form my own brass from .30/06 or .270 Winchester brass. In fact, a few years ago I built a Mauser 98 in .35 Whelen; it was to be either .35 Whelen or 9.3x62 and I chose the Whelen because it would also accept pistol bullets, and because Whelen barrels were cheaper. Lyman occasionally produces a mould #358009 which is a 280+ grain, extremely blunt (single radius) round nose bullet. I bought one of those and use it for my full-power load. I also form my own brass as if the Whelen were still a wildcat, because it's cheaper that way. Paco Kelly, when he was in Africa, built a '98 in 9.3x62; actually I think he had an Arab gunsmith build it for him, and he also had a bullet mould that he told me was almost exactly like the #358009 .35 caliber bullet. He pulled the bullets from military .30/06 ammo, expanded the necks, and seated those cast bullets over the original charge. He used one of those loads to kill a rampaging elephant with a frontal brain shot. When Paco returned to the States sans rifle, he built another very similar rifle to replace it, only this time in .35 Whelen because he considered them to be ballistic twins, but he also wanyed to make use of the .35 bullets that are common here. Don't get me wrong, I'm not trying to sway you from the 9.3 to the .35; I'm just pointing out their similarities. Tracy tracy, full power loads in the 9.3x62 will drive even a 300 grain cast bullet too fast. At least in my experience. In the 9.3x57 cast bullets can be use din full house loads. Still, for fun, whitetails, or hogs, a heavy cast bullet driven to moderate velocities will knock em down. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
riflecrankdotcom Posted February 14, 2008 Report Share Posted February 14, 2008 In my experience, with the slow rifling twist of 1:12 to 1:14, the right cast bullet can be driven to 2500 fps without a problem. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
z1r Posted February 14, 2008 Report Share Posted February 14, 2008 Well, that's not been my experience. 2200 fps seems to be the outer end of acceptible accuracy for cast but hey, each rifle is different. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Racepres Posted February 15, 2008 Report Share Posted February 15, 2008 And accuracy lives at someplace closer to 1600-1800 for almost all of my armament that I shoot cast in... Course.. could be the alloy/lube, and a jillion other things that I refuse to fret... Long as they work good.. MV BTW the .35's of whatever nomenclature [9mm, 9.3mm et al] are my favorites.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jimro Posted February 15, 2008 Report Share Posted February 15, 2008 The 9x18 Makarov bullets are .365 diameter, and being only a thousandth off of the actual bore of the 9.3 isn't bad. The folks that use the 45 ACP (.452 caliber) out of .458 bore rifles don't seem to have too much problem. I'm thinking that a few grains of Unique or Red Dot would push a 90 grain Makarov bullet down the bore fast enough for a nice plinking/short range varmint round. Jimro Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
z1r Posted February 15, 2008 Report Share Posted February 15, 2008 The 9x18 Makarov bullets are .365 diameter, and being only a thousandth off of the actual bore of the 9.3 isn't bad. The folks that use the 45 ACP (.452 caliber) out of .458 bore rifles don't seem to have too much problem. I'm thinking that a few grains of Unique or Red Dot would push a 90 grain Makarov bullet down the bore fast enough for a nice plinking/short range varmint round. Jimro Jimro, I'd been thinking of the same thing. Alternately I wanted to order a .368" H&I die from that guy that regrinds them but he retired Jan 1. Bummer. Now I'll have to make one myslef, as if I have time. Anyway, the idea being to resize lubed .375 GC bullets. I'd order a bunch since I have a .375 Winchester already and resize some for use in my 9.3's. I was thinking a nice 300 grain flatnose at about 2000 fps. That would bowl a pig right over. Racepres, Agreed. I've found I get pretty darn good accuracy up to around 2000 fps and depending on the gun/cartridge 2200 but things seem to go downhill pretty quick from there. Most of my cast loads are in about the same range as you. I've always opted for heavy for caliber bullets when used at these reduced velocities. Sometimes you can go faster especially with pure linotype but I find linotype is not the best for hunting with, too frangible. Whereas heat treated alloys like wheelweights & such hold together real well in animals. Linotype is pretty good for going fast on targets. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bilurey Posted February 17, 2008 Report Share Posted February 17, 2008 I bought a 9.3x62 in the early '60s when european settlers began leaving Africa leaving their firearms behind. It was a weary old JP Saur with an octaginal barrel which tapered into round. Really worn, but still shootable. Couldn't affort ammo nor find reloading dies and bullets. In the mid '60s I bought a beautiful barrel from an old collector/shooter in Texas. 1/3 octagonal, full length rib with integeral front sight (with flip-up dim light bead) and two leaf rear sight. Carried it around for a few years trying to find a M98 action in which it would screw in without rechambering. Then luck hit, I found a Sears M50 FN complete action and a master barrel maker/majician, Robt. Snapp, who agreed to cut a reamer at no charge, then mount the barrel. I made a high straight comb stock and set the parts togather. Found a set of dies, some european brass, learned to decap Berdan caps, and got primers from Old Western Scrounger, wrote the NRA and got loading info. It was very accurate, had little kick, and literally stomped deer to death. I shot a few which looked like bowling pins after a hard strike. Swapped it for a post WWI war redo with manlicher stock, dbl. triggers, and the most graceful spoon handle bolt job I've ever seen. Traded that one also, for something I hadn't yet owned. I really like the 9.3x62, low pressure, little kick at the back end, big smack at front end. But, to much for deer, bullets hard to find, and value suffered because of caliber. Finally, 40 years later we suddenly realize that the turn of the last century Germans really did have some fine cartridges, way, way ahead of their time. Bill Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
z1r Posted February 17, 2008 Report Share Posted February 17, 2008 Bill, good to see ya writing. I just received a husky barreled action today in 9.3x57. Can't decide if I want to rebuild the 96 or find a suitable SR 98 action to mate the barrel to. I have a coupl eof Mexican Sr 98's and some very nice Turkish 1903's or a Peruvian so one should work. Hmm, decissions, decissions. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BradD Posted February 21, 2008 Report Share Posted February 21, 2008 Mike, or anyone, have you done anything with the 9.3x64 Brenneke? I have a nice FN I would like to make into. It cranks up an easy 250 fps over the 9.3x62. The big downside is cost of dies $137 and cost of brass $30 per 20 (although that is cheaper than 9.3x62 at the moment - $34.00). It's not like you couldn't crank out a .338 Win Mag or .358 Norma, at a fraction of the cost, and do all the same stuff. It just wouldn't be as sexy. Brad Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
z1r Posted February 21, 2008 Report Share Posted February 21, 2008 Brad, I have two scheduled. The 9.3x64 is the equivilent of the .375 H&H. I handled one at the guild show that was SWEEEEEET! At the moment, probably the cheapest route to similar performance is the 375 Ruger. Cheap brass & Dies. I have a spare 9.3x62 barrel that is too heavy for that cartidge. I've been toying with the idea of making myself a 9.3x64 but as you point out, the dies are more than I can spring for. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BradD Posted February 21, 2008 Report Share Posted February 21, 2008 Hmmmm. Do you have the reamer and gauges for the 9.3x64B? Maybe something to think about for all the free money the gov't is going to send me to stimulate the economy. Brad Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
z1r Posted February 21, 2008 Report Share Posted February 21, 2008 If the action & barrel ever get here I will. The guy is a friend of mine so borrowing his reamer & gages wouldn't be an issue. Problem with him is, he's a doctor and is busier than a one legged butt kicker. If they ever show up I'll let you know. Or, here's a proposition for you, I'll split the cost of the reamer with you if you really want to do one. That would be about the same as a rental. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BradD Posted February 22, 2008 Report Share Posted February 22, 2008 I'll cogitate on that. I was also thinking I could buy the dies and we could just send them back and forth. Will pm later on it. B. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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