9.3x62 vs the rest

Slimbo

CGN Ultra frequent flyer
Rating - 100%
219   0   0
Location
B.C
The 9.3x62 gets rave reviews around the globe as hard hitting medium bore. Our very own Ted calls it “a 375 that holds 5 down”.

I own one, but I’ve yet to fire it in anger. I’m posing this question to people who have used them for extensively….are you gaining anything over a 30-06 with 200 or 220 partitions? Have you noticed a real world difference in effect on big game?

I realize the 06 might be light for the outlier bison, just looking to rationalize the extra guns and components in the cabinet.

Real world experience please, if I want ballistic bs I’ll Google ron spomer
 
I wouldn't fire my 9.3x62 in anger, I'm always happy when I'm hunting ;-) But i have used mine to kill a really really big critter. A giraffe in Namibia. They weigh almost double what a cape buffalo does. Their bones are super dense, and their hide is unbelievably thick - thicker than my hand in places. Most authorities say you should only use solids for chest shots, since "normal" bullets from "normal" rifles don't have enough penetration. A 285 gr. Norma Oryx did the job, penetrating the chest and coming to rest under the far side scapula. I can't say for sure because I had no way to compare, but based on my experience with a .30-06 I doubt a 220 partition would have fully penetrated even one lung of that beast. I like my 9.3!
 

Attachments

  • IMG_1137-3.jpg
    IMG_1137-3.jpg
    63.6 KB · Views: 838
  • IMG_1141.jpg
    IMG_1141.jpg
    84.4 KB · Views: 839
  • IMG_1226.jpeg
    IMG_1226.jpeg
    88.2 KB · Views: 833
I've used the 9.3x62 on lightly skinned animals. A few deer, some bears, and one moose. All died in short order but on game like this I haven't seen any killing power difference when compared to my 8mm Mauser/30-06 class cartridges. I'm sure on the African stuff it'll do better than the 06 and 8mm but in North America there's probably no animal that won't die from a 30cal/8mm 200gr @2550-2600 fps.
 
well that is interesting about the question on 9.3x62 my friend Don Heath never missed an opportunity to highly talk about the 9.3x62 and was able to reduce the energy needed to have the 9.3x62/9.3x74r allowed in the law for elephant and buffalo in zimbabwe and there is such a little different between the 375s and 9.3s that it was authorized in east africa when they limited the .375 but the experienced hunter was left with the 9.3 if willing too ...

the most interesting is John Taylor that says: “There isn’t really a great deal to say about it. Everybody found it so generally satisfactory that there wasn’t anything to start a discussion.”



“The only use for which Taylor considered the 9.3 unsuitable was following up wounded elephant in thick cover, and most hunters would agree: Penetration is there aplenty, enabling the bullet to reach the vitals from any angle, but the sheer bullet energy needed to turn a close-quarters charge just simply is not – but then, nor is it with the .375 H&H. ”

remember the speed of bullet at the beginning were only 2150 fps later came 2350fps.

our local expert and great seller of the 9.3x62 has done a lot here that we finished naming the .366 wagner ...

and i will finish by what longwalker demonstrated with the oryx bullet in the giraffe: proof is in the pudding and on the light of that sold my 375 ruger to keep my 9.3s ...
 
I've used the 9.3x62 on lightly skinned animals. A few deer, some bears, and one moose. All died in short order but on game like this I haven't seen any killing power difference when compared to my 8mm Mauser/30-06 class cartridges. I'm sure on the African stuff it'll do better than the 06 and 8mm but in North America there's probably no animal that won't die from a 30cal/8mm 200gr @2550-2600 fps.

bison certainly ...
 
Kind of what I figured….great for the big nasties but not really needed for 99 percent of North American hunting……still gonna keep mine
 
I sure love mines, so far only one moose was harvested with one of my 9.3, and I have to say it was spectacular, not that my 30-06 didn’t kill well on moose, it did and many times, but never like that one bull I shot with my 9.3!!
 
I saw an old timer shoot a nice mountain caribou with a 9.3x62 once. It worked very well.

zVnqaysl.jpg
 
SuperCub - from talking with that guy (I think) chances are good that he was using 30-06 brass that was necked out to accept .366" bullets - may or may not have been previously "fire formed" to that rifle's chamber. So "fussy folk" will tell you that is not correct - case rim is too small - but seems to have worked just fine??
 
SuperCub - from talking with that guy (I think) chances are good that he was using 30-06 brass that was necked out to accept .366" bullets - may or may not have been previously "fire formed" to that rifle's chamber. So "fussy folk" will tell you that is not correct - case rim is too small - but seems to have worked just fine??

I don't recall on that trip, but I do know that be the case otherwise.
 
I have used my .366 Wagner on a Yukon-Alaska moose, and a Woodland Bison calculated weight 1800 lbs ( biggest one for me yet). Worked real good for these. Many of my neighbors used to use 30-06 , but have moved up in horsepower for better put down.
 
SuperCub - from talking with that guy (I think) chances are good that he was using 30-06 brass that was necked out to accept .366" bullets - may or may not have been previously "fire formed" to that rifle's chamber. So "fussy folk" will tell you that is not correct - case rim is too small - but seems to have worked just fine??

well the remington and hornady labelled 9.3x62 are 30-06 in reality and created issues in my european 9.3x62 ... but today we re getting access to 9.3x62 brass so not an issue.
 
Have only shot one bull moose with my 9.3x62 since acquiring it. Packed it for bison, but didn't have an opportunity to put it to use.
More frontal area and bullet weight will make an impression on big game that the 30-06 or 8mm won't and can't.
The performance history of the cartridge in Africa over the decades, speaks for itself.
For a trip to Africa for plains game, I am thinking of taking it for the eland.
 
It was my impression that the heavier chamberings were employed for the "just in case" situation with a bear.

some lighter bullets can be very impressive on longer than 300 meters ...

most are doing it for that reason but in europe i used the 9,3x62 in the same day for roe wild board and red deer and all with one kind of bullet the 285 oryx from norma, the only moose i shot in finland was with the same bullet and worked the same.

i do not have enough experience with bear but i will say like lion and leopard they do not like at all a fast and strong bullet.

despite my advice my wife is using the 30-06 with 200 gr and nosler partition and it is impressive really. so who knows you always need to find what is working for you.
 
Last edited:
Back
Top Bottom