9.3x62 for deer?

[tjsudbury]

I'm planning on using my 9.3x62 for deer this year. Load is a 286 grain Hornady soft point at about 2300fps. My only concern is whether or not the bullet will open up on a deer sized animal. Anybody with experience with the 9.3 and deer here that can give me some advice?

 

[antiqueguy]

I don't have personal experience with 9.3 on deer but I have seen pic's of an 9.3x57 exit wound that was pretty big other then that not much blood shot meet. I've been wanting to upgrade to a x62 for a while now the little x57 is nice and brass is easy to get(8x57 mauser necked up) but not a lot of knock down power for anything outside of north America.

 

[9.3mauser]

This is from another thread on core/jacket separation:

The early Interloks in the dark red box were a great bullet.They have cut corners somewhere in the manufacturing process and will not admit it at least when I talked to them.I had a 286gr SP from a 9.3x62 turn inside out on a moose shoulder failing to penetrate the blade at 180 yards launched at 2400fps.Had .270 130gr Inter-Loks also explode on deer and a medium sized black bear.Only Partitions ,Accu Bonds,Barnes X and Scirrocco 2 for me now........Harold

... so the Hornady might make an awesome deer bullet

My experience with the 9.3 on deer is limited to one: shot with a 250 gr. Woodleigh PP, expansion was not spectacular, but meat damage was minimal. Deer ran a about 50 yds, stopped and looked around as if wondering wtf all the noise was about. I was lining him up for another shot when he tipped over. I'm alternating between the 9.3 and a .270 this year, so if I get another with it, I'll update.

 

[smoothbore75]

I've dropped 4 deer so far with 9.3x62mm at distances from 30-270m. No hits required a follow-up shot, 3 dropped on the spot or crumpled (1 shot while running), & the last one ran 20-30m.
That was all with Nosler 250gr AccuBonds. No bullets recovered, but exits were bigger than entrances, with no significant meat wasted.
I tried a pile of bullets (Nosler 286gr Partitions, Swift 250gr A-Frames, Norma 232gr Oryx, some Prvi 286gr sp, and I fooled with a couple of boxes of Nosler 250gr Ballistic Tip before they discontinued them) with two different 9.3x62mm rifles (Swede Mauser, & a Tikka T3 Hunter), and couldn't beat the AccuBond.

 

[medvedqc]

i used partition, oryx, alaska all in 285-286 grains on roe deer and it worked. so it should be the same for your deer. dont shoot in any big bones.

 

[burnt_servo]

I wouldn't hesitate to use it on deer .

worst case scenario your putting a 3/8's hole through it .

 

[c-fbmi]

If I were to use my 9.3 on deer I'd be highly inclined to use the 250 Nosler AB, just for a little more velocity and probably better expansion. If these could not be found my next choice would be a 270 Matrix bullet, these are truly amazing and open up very well at X62 velocities. Give Marshal a call at Matrix bullets and try some out, you will not be disappointed. I have also had good success with the Speer 270 gn bullet in 9.3X62, it will also open up at X62 velocities.

 

[dgradinaru]

I have used the 285Gr PPU Privi's @ 2440fps out of my x62mm on two bucks. Nice big holes and very little blood shot meat. One deer was shot at 35 yards in double lung, went 15-20 yards and expired. The other was shot around 100 Yards right in the chest, dropped on the spot. The bullet entered the chest cavity and some how did a hard right turn and exited thru the ribs. Looking forward to try hornady's interlock next year.

 

[popper]

I wouldn't worry too much about expanding - 9.3 mm is .366 caliber which is .243 expanded more than 1.5x already...
I will take a look @ Norma Oryx - available in 232 gr, 286 gr & 325 gr. They open down to 1600 fps, bonded and stay together - I use 232 gr for deer to moose...
Then again Nosler's Partition and Accubond with their high BCs are an obvious choice esp. for longer shots.

 

[tjsudbury]

Thanks to all for your thoughts. I won't worry about my choice.

 

[35Wailin]

I shoot 200&250 grain Hornady interlocks in round nose and spitter styles out of my .35 Whelen. No problems. Deer die quickly and I haven't recovered a bullet yet.

I've shot four deer so far. A doe running uphill quartering away about 40 yards. Caught her in the near shoulder and exited far side of the neck. She dropped about 30 yards from the shot.

A spike a few years ago, hit him high and the the rear a bit, hitting the liver. He dropped like a rock, by the time I came off the ridge, he was back up and walking, but not stable. I shot one through the ribs, taking out a rib on the far side with a 1x2.5" exit wound. First shot was about 40-45 yards.

My buddy got the first shot into a small buck last year. We gave chase for a half mile. I out him up three times, finally getting one in behind the near shoulder and exited the chest as he was quartering away. We recovered him 100 yards from there.

My last deer was also last year at 57 paces. Big 8 pointer walking broadside. Fired the first shot, no reaction. Fired a second shot, no reaction. Fired a third shot in the neck, dropping him in his tracks. First two shots hit him in the liver and both lungs. All three were complete pass throughs. There was also blood everywhere on the far side of him. He was DRT, but he just didn't know it at the time.

 

[Bartledan]

I shoot 200&250 grain Hornady interlocks in round nose and spitter styles out of my .35 Wailin. No problems. Deer die quickly and I haven't recovered a bullet yet.

Awesome username, dude.

 

[35Wailin]

Thanks.

 

[BigUglyMan]

They're deer. Shoot behind the shoulder and start eating.

 

[petew]

If my 9.3 won't do the job I will be hiding from it , instead of shooting at it.

 

[tjsudbury]

They open up just fine on deer. I was worried that they would be of too heavy construction, and just pencil through.
Will post pictures later