9.3X62 and Whitetail

[Sr Chief]

I'd like to hunt whitetail with my 9.3 but the 240 is way to much. Is there any chance of something in the 175 gr class for deer? It would also get some more gitty up out of the old cartridge. It would also get me away from Barnes, LOL. I find the cartridge inherently accurate and with the Barnes 250 and N-550 its running 2686 fps and shooting .3" with ES 12. I think Steve and the boys could make it shine a little brighter.

 

[dchamp]

I too would like to find a 9.3mm copper bullet somewhere between 175gr-220gr that proved useful out to 400yds.

NECG has some RWS in 9.3x62 with their 184gr EVO GREEN bullet, but they’re $100.00 a box. I used to use Lapua 220gr Naturalis but they stopped with the 220 and have gone to the 250gr Natualis. Norma and Lapua both sell 250gr copper bullet ammunition. Lapua also sells the 250gr Naturalis as a component where Norma does not.

I have some 258gr shock hammers that I am going to try this spring. But on paper the Barnes 250 TTSX and the Lapua 250gr Naturalis seem to do better than the Hammer bullet. We will see.

My son and I have used the 250gr TTSX on everything from Springbok to Kudu in Africa and Black Bear here in North America. I wouldn’t consider it to be to much gun as it never mutilated any animal nor two little gun as it handled everything nicely. But still it would be nice to have a lighter option.

 

[TJA500]

That’s very interesting @Sr Chief!

A couple of us have been asking for a lighter 9.3 bullet for a while and have played around with modifying the 258gr hammer

unfortunately I have been severely limited in opportunities to put them into game but I shot a Sambar Hind ( female Elkish size deer) with a 185gr 9.3 Hammer (modified 258gr) and had impressive performance

I was running about 3100fps from a 25” barrel from memory

 

[Carsyn.22]

Here’s a picture with a couple 270gr Speer and a 258gr hammer with a modified hammer in the middle, it came out weighing 214gr.
No experience on game as I had too many problems with the rifle itself and sold it.

 

[TJA500]

258gr HH with modified 185gr or 190gr HH (185 I opened up the hollow point slightly/ 190 same length but no change to hollow point)

And recovered shank from Sambar mentioned above

 

[TJA500]

Looks like it was 1.1” (all the ones I have are in loaded cartridges so I can’t check)

 

[TJA500]

That’s what I have written down

 

[TJA500]

I would certainly buy some!

 

[Edd]

I'd like to hunt whitetail with my 9.3 but the 240 is way to much. Is there any chance of something in the 175 gr class for deer? It would also get some more gitty up out of the old cartridge. It would also get me away from Barnes, LOL. I find the cartridge inherently accurate and with the Barnes 250 and N-550 its running 2686 fps and shooting .3" with ES 12. I think Steve and the boys could make it shine a little brighter.

You guys are confusing me. I thought the lightweight bullets was blowing the hair of off the critters and the heavyweights weren't getting the job done.

 

[dchamp]

Not to takeaway from Steve and Brian but I have come across some 214gr all copper bullets in 9.3mm.

I went to the Dallas Safari Club Convention last week. I talked with Jörgen Bostöm, the Swedish owner of North Fork Bullets. He has developed and is sending some 214gr 9.3mm all copper bullets in his next shipment to Reloading International. I have two boxes coming my way.

 

[KurtisB]

Where'd you all get your 9.3x62 barrels from? I'm looking at a 23" barrel from Lothar-Walther with the 1:12tw 9.3x62 "minimal" chamber.

 

[TJA500]

Mine is a Lothar Walther barrel chambered by my gunsmith and finished at 25”
I believe mine is a 14 twist but haven’t yet double checked that

 

[dchamp]

Mine is a Blaser R8, 22” barrel. I haven’t check the twist rate. I used to shoot 220gr Lapua Naturalis, now I shoot the 250gr Lapua Naturals. 250gr TTSX, 286gr Northfork and 325gr Norma Oryx. I use RL-17 for the 325 Oryx, CFE223 for the 250gr bullets and H4895 for the lighter bullets.

 

[KurtisB]

Mine is a Blaser R8, 22” barrel. I haven’t check the twist rate. I used to shoot 220gr Lapua Naturalis, now I shoot the 250gr Lapua Naturals. 250gr TTSX, 286gr Northfork and 325gr Norma Oryx. I use RL-17 for the 325 Oryx, CFE223 for the 250gr bullets and H4895 for the lighter bullets.

Good to know. I got a bunch of 250gr Accubonds (blems) from SPS to use. Plan was to go with N540, but CFE223 might be worth trying out.