9.3x62 vs 300wm
- Thread starter brybenn
- Start date
nowarningshot
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
300.
Wallmart/can tire ammo. Component availability. More versatile. Better at distances over 300.
The 9.3x62 is interesting. Someone would have to pretty much have to be a reloader. Once you have a bunch of components, ammo advantage is mute. Someone wanting a lower recoil caliber, where your primarily going after NA largest game from 300 and in.
Wallmart/can tire ammo. Component availability. More versatile. Better at distances over 300.
The 9.3x62 is interesting. Someone would have to pretty much have to be a reloader. Once you have a bunch of components, ammo advantage is mute. Someone wanting a lower recoil caliber, where your primarily going after NA largest game from 300 and in.
9.3 for me, easy to find ammo even up here, super easy to reload, inherently accurate, no problems at all up to 300 and I don’t shoot at games past that anyway! Plenty of components, easy on the shoulder! If you want versatility 30-06 is the way to go imo!
In reality it is really apple to oranges comparison between the 300 win mag and the 9.3x62, heavy slowish bullets compare to light fastish bullets….
In reality it is really apple to oranges comparison between the 300 win mag and the 9.3x62, heavy slowish bullets compare to light fastish bullets….
If I didn't handload, I wouldn't own a 9.3, but then I don't own a .300 WM either, and don't really see a need for one here in Ontario.
Advantages; lighter rifles generally, similar recoil, a couple of extra rounds in the magazine. Kills quick but doesn't tear up a lot of meat. Careful handloading can bring the 9.3 close to original .375 H&H factory ballistics. The .300 doesn't have a decisive advantage until the ranges are pushed past 300 yds, which is sort of the cut-off for a 9.3.
[video=youtube;E6yVu0srVO4]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E6yVu0srVO4&t=8s[/video]
Advantages; lighter rifles generally, similar recoil, a couple of extra rounds in the magazine. Kills quick but doesn't tear up a lot of meat. Careful handloading can bring the 9.3 close to original .375 H&H factory ballistics. The .300 doesn't have a decisive advantage until the ranges are pushed past 300 yds, which is sort of the cut-off for a 9.3.
[video=youtube;E6yVu0srVO4]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E6yVu0srVO4&t=8s[/video]
This, I currently have two 9.3X62s and one 300WM. If you arent into reloading, or need to buy a box of ammo in a hurry 300WM can be had anywhere, can do pretty much anything. The 9.3X62 is nice but ammo is a legit issue still.
300 win without hesitation. Can buy ammo pretty well anywhere in NA and will kill anything in NA. In all my travels from major chain store to small ma n pa shops ive never seen a box of 9.3x62 ammo. Thats enough reason right there to not own one.
Where I live and hunt, the 300 Win. Mag. would be the perfect choice. Fast and flat shooting for the Great Plains, boral forest on the cutlines/meadows, parklands and mountain regions. It's a great all around cartridge from deer to moose, a bit to much for antelope.
I handload so ammo isn't an issue. I hunt mainly Ontario and mostly black bear but will eventually hunt moose. I don't think I've ever seen a moose passed 200 yards
I'm trying to downsize again and have sold both my 300wm rifles thinking a 308 bolt gun could do but I got bored of the 308 and bought 9.3x62. Now I've been thinking I need another 300wm in my life but realistically the odds of a shot over 300 yards is highly unlikely. I don't have a 1000 yard private range anymore since moving to town so I don't even practise long range anymore
So I'm on the fence whether I need another 300wm. I have brass and dies still
I'm trying to downsize again and have sold both my 300wm rifles thinking a 308 bolt gun could do but I got bored of the 308 and bought 9.3x62. Now I've been thinking I need another 300wm in my life but realistically the odds of a shot over 300 yards is highly unlikely. I don't have a 1000 yard private range anymore since moving to town so I don't even practise long range anymore
So I'm on the fence whether I need another 300wm. I have brass and dies still
Neither for a one-gun hunter. If I had to pick one of these two specifically, it would be the .300 Win Mag. Way better availability and flexibility. How do I justify both? I dont need to, one of everything is the same approach my wife takes with shoes and purses 
Dorian Gray
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
My best friend uses both of these cartridges in his primary hunting rifles. Both are Tikka T3x'. The 9.3x62 is a Battue model fit into a salt and pepper Tikka factory laminate stock. The 300WM is a stainless model set into a B&C synthetic stock. He tends to grab the 9.3x62 more often than not. He loves the cartridge and I don't blame him. There's a lot to love about it. He does not reload, so he has to buy ammo online, when it's available. There isn't a store in North Eastern Ontario that carries it, so he's SOL for buying it over the counter. He stacks it deep when he can find premium ammo for it and he's good for a while. That being said, he doesn't do a lot of target practice with it for obvious reasons.
He killed a beautiful bull moose with that 9.3 two years ago. One shot broadside at approximately 60 yards and another Texas heart shot as it trotted away to die. It did the job admirably.
The reasons I chose the 300WM over the 9.3x62 for this discussion is that I now live in Southern BC, and I'm also not a reloader. Yet. For moose hunting in Northern Ontario, both of those cartridges will work just fine. For the handloader, hunting in that area of the country, you won't be handicapping yourself with the 9.3x62. Personally, I'd stick with the boring old 308 you've got. But I understand the new cartridge itch needs to be scratched sometimes. That's what makes it fun.
He killed a beautiful bull moose with that 9.3 two years ago. One shot broadside at approximately 60 yards and another Texas heart shot as it trotted away to die. It did the job admirably.
The reasons I chose the 300WM over the 9.3x62 for this discussion is that I now live in Southern BC, and I'm also not a reloader. Yet. For moose hunting in Northern Ontario, both of those cartridges will work just fine. For the handloader, hunting in that area of the country, you won't be handicapping yourself with the 9.3x62. Personally, I'd stick with the boring old 308 you've got. But I understand the new cartridge itch needs to be scratched sometimes. That's what makes it fun.
Figure if I'm going to throw a 30cal bullet I might as well throw it fast lol. The 308 I'll keep for my daughter to learn on once she works up to it. I can load it light and it's pretty heavy in the chassis. I've just felt like I left a void when I sold my last 300wm to a buddy. I just got my 9.3x62 this week. 308 to 9.3x62 just seems like something is missing in-between and I like the 300wm over the 338wm
I have a 9.3x57 and a 30-06… I’d honestly probably choose 300win over x62 due to the reasons previously posted. If I forget
Ammo for my x57 I’m not shooting it that trip. If I forget 30-06 I can find it anywhere, same with the 300.
Ammo for my x57 I’m not shooting it that trip. If I forget 30-06 I can find it anywhere, same with the 300.
slinkylegs
Regular
- Location
- Hudson Bay, SK
Huh, that's strange, I've been in numerous shops where they've sold it. The closest shop (Eagle in Tisdale) is an hour away and they sell it. Even the Co-op in Nipawin sells it.
Anyways, I do have the 9.3x62, but only because the right gun at the right time came along. I love it, but I also reload, so finding ammo in stores isn't so important. I also have found the recoil to be not much different overall than the 300, more of a hard shove than a punch. No doubt the 300 is better for overall hunting in NA, but in the bush where I am, the 9.3 is preferable (less meat damage too).
Neither for a one-gun hunter. If I had to pick one of these two specifically, it would be the .300 Win Mag. Way better availability and flexibility. How do I justify both? I dont need to, one of everything is the same approach my wife takes with shoes and purses
Here I thought the 300win mag would be one of the best options out there for a 1-gun hunter. What makes you say it's not?
Personally I'm in the market for a gun bigger than my 7mm right now, and I'd take the 9.3 over a 300. The 300 is just too vanilla for my liking. Good chance I'll end up with a 300 though, availability of anything bigger than 30-06 that isn't a 300mag in lefty really sucks these days.
I've owned a few .300s and a couple 9.3 rifles. The .300WM is much more versatile.
I've never wished I brought a different gun while hunting with a .300..... can't say the same for the 9.3. It's just too slow and has limited bullet selection. Best suited for
I've never wished I brought a different gun while hunting with a .300..... can't say the same for the 9.3. It's just too slow and has limited bullet selection. Best suited for
When I was looking for a dedicated moose rifle, something heavier than the 7x57 I was using for deer, I was thinking seriously of rebarreling a rifle to .338 WM when my 9.3 came along. I think it's the perfect rifle for moose in Ontario, and most other places. I zero for 175 yds, have 6" of drop at 250 and a foot at 300. Easy holdovers to remember, and it's very unlikely I'll ever be shooting at a moose beyond those distances. Even a 300 yard shot is improbable unless its way over on the other side of a beaver pond.
slinkylegs
Regular
- Location
- Hudson Bay, SK
How high does that put you at 100 yards? 2"?
300 WMag is a Much better All around hunting cartridge here in NA then the Famous 9.3 x62 ! Easier to find ammo for it if your not a loader and better - wider selection of bullets ! BUT the 9.3 will get it done for sure but I think it limits your shooting DISTANCE substantially if your a LR Hunter ?
JMHO RJ
Midnight Rider
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
- Location
- ......the Vanishing Point .
300 Win.Mag. hands down . Ammo anywhere , and everywhere , at a fairly reasonable cost . There isn't an animal anywhere in North America that a 300WM can't drop , and every store carries ammo for it .
On game I don't think a 300 WM is a giant imporvement over a 7RM. I'd go bigger
I would agree, but my 7mm is of the -08 variety lol
never mind then hehe
Yes, 2-ish high at 100. I don't like my rifles shooting much higher than that; it's easier to remember to hold a bit high at longer distances than it is to hold low close in.
You are indeed fortunate, out of more than a dozen stores throughout Alberta and Northern BC that I have been to in the last year, 2 stocked 9.3X62 (Corlanes [who only had the Federal solids at 180$/20] and Prophet River [where I get my hoard from]).
I highly doubt I'd ever get a shot much over 200 yards. So the distance really isn't an issue. It's easy to hold over a few more inches. I hunt primarily archery and muzzleloader so I prefer shots in the 10 to 30 yard range and for me 100 yards is a very shot with the exception of coyotes across the southern Ontario fields
That's the reason I've never liked the 308 or 3006. I still have 2x 308s still and sold off my 3006s and inlet my buddy talk me out of my last 300wm cuz he needed a moose rifle and I never really used mine. I carry a 4570 or 458wm for bear. My furthest shot on a bear was 168 paces in a clear cut and my 458wm did just fine. However I still feel I'm missing something between 308 and 9.3
It sounds like you've pretty much eliminated any real advantage for a 300 between the shot distances that are typical to you and the fact you reload. It also sounds like you really want a 300 (The fact you still have brass and dies makes me think deep down you KNOW you weren't done with the caliber...) and are looking for us to justify it for you, so just buy the damn rifle already lol
Closest I can think of is the 250 accubond. That is still going 2048fps @ 300 if you start it at 2550 (nosler factory ammo specs), so you're looking at 1880fps give or take at 400yds, and accubonds are supposed to expand down to 1800.
Norma makes some 232gr options but they all have mediocre BCs and are at like 1700fps by 300m, and the 286gr stuff starts too slow.
This down sizing and compromising thing is hard lol. I guess it's just a feeling I need one for the rare chance I hunt out west where I need more smack than a 2506
Maybe I'll find a good deal on a decent 300wm
- Location
- Saskatchewan
I'd want something smaller and with less recoil than either for deer and pronghorn, etc. but for bigger critters, I'd choose the 9.3x62 every day and twice on Sunday. For me it has more capability than any .30 caliber to break bone and still penetrate deeply in a straight line. Recoil seems less to me than most .300 mag loads, and the 9.3's efficiency effectiveness can be enjoyed with somewhat shorter barrels. I don't care about being able to buy ammo at Canadian Tire, I order where and when available and stock up, or load my own and have never found ammo availability an impediment despite shooting some less than popular cartridges by choice.
My Sauer 202 with 9.3x62 and 7x64 barrels is a very versatile and satisfying combination, covers all the basic requirements for me.
My Sauer 202 with 9.3x62 and 7x64 barrels is a very versatile and satisfying combination, covers all the basic requirements for me.
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I say 9.3x62. I blame it on Ted.366Wagner. Why not? Talked up the 9.3x62 so much I felt incomplete until I got one. The moment I recieved it I took it over to Ted's home to ask if he would autograph it. He did. ( my thinking he sort of blessed it) Have harvested I think my first moose, and my biggest bison so far. My 300 Wim mag I assisted on a bison with good results- so it also works. I hand load, including 375 round ball sized down to .368 with 10 grains of Unique for the rabbits,and grouse. How is that for versatile?
slinkylegs
Regular
- Location
- Hudson Bay, SK
Perhaps there are a number of folks around these parts who shoot the caliber? No idea why else they'd have some bullets unless there was some demand, as both shops are quite small.
hmmmm.
interesting one- ive followed thru, my thoughts are similiar to Suther actually. lol
you could compromise, an go the 338 win mag
I thought you would suggest you name sake and tell him to go with the 35 Whelen!
9.3 x 62. I love the Mausers; I have owned many an still do have a few. I hand load and have no issue finding stuff except for primers. Never had a .30-06 or a .300 mag; neither thrilled me. If I were to get another big rifle, it would be a .375 H&H.
not that i'm aware off ?? RJ
Barnes makes a 250 gr TTSX. Not really long range I guess but closer than the round nose 286 gr stuff
I really thought hard about the Whelen but it would have been a custom rifle as 35 whelens are not chambered by anyone in a bolt gun right now I don't think. I didn't want a 35 Whelen in a single shot
9 3x62 is available in a couple small shops in the south west tip of Ontario. Yes loadings are only 1 or 2 choices but they'll work
I just bought a Sauer s100 in 9.3x62. I'll be putting a new barrel on my 2506 this winter. My 458wm gets the most use of my center fires for big game
yeaah, realistically exactly the same thing - ones more American though ha ha
Pretty much. The Whelen gets to use lighter bullets and has a bit more velocity but the 9.3 has heavier options and solids. I plan on making it to Africa some day so I have my 458wm for cape Buffalo and thinking the 9.3 will do well for plains game. Afterall that's where it got its reputation and the safari companies I've talked with supported the choice saying shots are all generally under 200 yards and much closer for the animals Id wish to hunt
I do like the 300wm though. Thinking to myself I'm wondering when I'd take a 300 over a 9.3x62 and trying to justify getting another. This thread is convincing me I need a 300wm whether I use it or not. Now to decide which make and model
Woodleigh makes some heavies for the 35cal - a 270gr and a 310gr IIRC. Not sure if most Whelens are twisted fast enough for a bullet of that weight though. But as you said before, not exactly a lot of options for new 35 whelens at this point.
