My Trade Ex Canada 9.3x57 is a shooter!

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Northman999

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Fellows,

I recently picked up this 9.3x57 from Trade Ex, complete with side mount and cheap Tasco 4x32, as a practical hunting rifle for moderate range.

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The rifle came with a small crack in the grip and a decent chip behind the tang. I impregnated the crack with crazy glue, and filled the chip with Acra-gel while bedding the action and floating the barrel. I also swapped the Tasco for a nicer Weaver CK4 4x38 scope. I also really like the european side mount system, which I've never seen before. My rifle's iron sights (set for 100) are still perfectly usable with scope mounted, and the mount itself has about 15 MOA of adjustability for both windage and elevation, which I think is pretty cool.

Here's how she looks now.

93x57Husqvarna.jpg


After some load development using BL-C2 powder, 270gr Speer semi-pointed bullets, CCI#200 primers and brass formed from Winchester 8x57JS brass, I hit the range today to sight in my scope.

I was shooting pairs at 100 yards to get the scope sighted in, and was quite happy with what I got. Targets have 1" squares.

ShotTarget.jpg


Here's my ballistic data for this load, from the Hornady ballistics calculator.

Ballistics Table in Yards

9.3x57 Husqvarna 270 gr., 0.361 B.C.
Range (yards) Muzzle 50 100 200 300 400 500
Velocity (fps) 2325 2211 2101 1890 1693 1513 1354
Energy (ft.-lb.) 3241 2931 2646 2140 1718 1372 1098
Trajectory (200 yd. zero) -2.0 1.4 3.0 0.0 -12.7 -37.7 -77.9
Come Up in MOA -2.0 -2.6 -2.8 0.0 4.1 9.0 14.9

For anyone thinking of picking up a 9.3x57, I'd suggest going ahead and doing so. IMHO this is a great round for medium range thumping of things like bears and moose, and has recoil hardly distinguishable from a 30-06.
 
I have 3 of them-its pretty much a reloaders cartridge-although Norma does have it for about $50 a box.Easy to form brass from 8x57 though,just run it throught the die.Its what got me into reloading.Really hard to beat the swedes for value.I see Tradeex has a new shipment of sporters in-some with 98 actions
 
gimmethepumpkin said:
How is the price and availability of ammo? I've been kicking around this idea too.
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It is basically a reload-only caliber, as mentioned. You can buy Norma ammo in 232 and 286 gr varieties, but it is pricey and Norma loads it fairly weak (by their own admission). It is a forgiving caliber to reload, and there is a good selection of 9.3mm bullets out there, from 232gr (a few manufacturers) to 325gr (Woodleigh).
 
I got mine for moose hunting-loaded with 286 gr PriviPartizans,it should do the job.People say its a ''short range''200 yard rifle-but thats well within the range I hunt at anyway.Recoils not bad,I was pleasantly surprised
 
ratherbefishin said:
I got mine for moose hunting-loaded with 286 gr PriviPartizans,it should do the job.People say its a ''short range''200 yard rifle-but thats well within the range I hunt at anyway.Recoils not bad,I was pleasantly surprised
Click to expand...

Did you find your rifle preferred a certain powder with the 285 Prvi? I have a bunch of them coming and have been looking for what options there are.

And to the OP, yeah, these are great little rifles. I had one only for a short time that I bought from Anthony and couldn't ask for better success with it.

Don't have a HVA anymore but I am back to the x57, happy as can be.:)

Does your 46 hold POI when you pull the scope off and put it back on? Have been told the additonal torque placed on a side mounted scope makes them more prone to shift. I have nothing concrete to back it up, only third party info.
 
In the x57 I'd be more inclined to go with a 250 grainer myself, but the 270s seem to be treating you pretty well so it would be foolish to change 'em now.
 
I'm new at reloading so just used 47gr of 4064 and that seems to work fine with 286 gr privipartizans.I'm not particularly fussy ,I just wanted hunting accuracy ,enough to put a bullet behind the shoulder of a moose and lots of smack,which would come in handy if a bear got too inquisitive
 
I've got 2 HVA 9.3x57, a model 46A and a Model 46B. Yours is a 46A, btw. They are easy to load for. There's a sticky on Gunboards.com swedish civilain arms forum with reloading info.

Be aware that there is some variation on chamber dimensions possible and work a load up in stages for your rifle. My 2 have over 100 fps difference with identical loads. My best loads with the 170 gr speer have used IMR4895. I have also gotten good results from IMR4064, H4895 powders. You can beat the original factory ammo performance quite easily, but an extra 100 or 150 fps doesn't make a lot of difference to practical ballistics. The best way to get extra reach is to load a lighter bullet. Epps can get loading dies.

My 46B has the side mount like yours. I haven't seen a shift in POI after removing/replacing the 4x scope many times. Maybe you would see a difference with more powerful optics but it's just fine for my intended use.
 
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if I wanted to step down to a lighter bullet,I think I would probably go to an 8x57.Anthony has a new batch of 8x57 and 9,3x57 sporters in,check them out.A couple have norma peep sights-and the only reason I'm saying so is I already have one on one of my 9,3x57's[the reason I bought it]
 
I have not experimented with removing the scope and seeing if the POI shifts when I put it back on as I just sighted it in. Really, I don't see myself removing it anyways; it's just not something I've ever been into doing.
 
Be careful using the irons sights, especially for a hunting shot. It means you don't know where the scope is. It might be 1/4" from your forehead. Ouch!!

I saw the results of this of a guy who suddenly found a moose at the base of his tree stand. He used the irons for the 10 foot shot. He came to on the ground.
 
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Good choice.

PPU 286 gr usually shoots very well out of most any 9.3mm barrels.

H380 with magnum primers is what worked best with 4 of these beasts.
As Jethunter pointed out, there are some differences in chamber dimensions between the 9.3X57 rifles. Even in factory loaded ammo there was quite a difference in case shape. Some had very small shoulders (Metallverken in the most commonly seen) while others (mostly Norma) were / are better fitted. Neck dimension is also sometimes an issue.

FWIW, these rifles where sighted (iron sights, of course) at a zero of 120m (131 yds)using 6 o'clock aiming point (means bottom of the target) on a target of 20 cm (7.9 inches) diameter, so this means it will hit 10 cm higher (0.393") than aiming point @ 120m. The calibration bullet weight was 18.5 grams (285 grains) for a MV of 630 m/s (2067 fps).
 
Nice lookin' old rifle. It should be very effective on bears, moose etc... :)


Which model is that? I look at those Tradex rifles all the time and I don't know which ones are 'better'. There are M1600, M96, M98, Commercial, etc... and I don't know the difference!

Which of those various Mauser action rifles, should a guy look at!? Or does it matter!?
 
majormarine, here you go. You can see the adjustment screws on the back of the mount. High res pics also show it's a bit dirty!:redface:

Mount02.jpg


Mount01.jpg


Mount03.jpg


There are a small number of rifles on the Trade ex site right now with these mounts currently installed on them, and they don't seem to cost much more than plain sights. If I had the money, I'd jump at another one...
 
Northman999, your post put the bee in my bonnet so to speak, which is why I checked out Tradex and ended up buying the 9.3x62 that I bought. I've looked at those rifles lots of times and could never make up my mind. The 9.3x62 was always the carrtidge that interested me the most, but the 9.3x57 would be second.

When I was looking at those rifles, I decided I wanted either a clean rifle, without any scope or drilled and tapped for receiver mounting. I eliminated any rifles that had side mounts, cracked stocks etc. I'm not fussy about that side mount.
I also believe that iron sights work pretty well, as long as the rifleman practises a bit and hunts within the limits of the sight.

I ended up with the a simple, clean rifle; 13692. There were 2 others that I also liked; 13689 & 13693.

So thanks for this post! I'm just apt to decide I need a 9.3x57... or another 8x57! :eek:
 
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