9.3x62 cape buffalo

[WAB]

Are the 250’s heavy enough for buff?

Stick with the 286’s or step up to 300’s.

 

[JPmbogo]

Ruark: "Use enough gun."

 

[John Wasmuth]

Ruark: "Use enough gun."

The 9.3x62 is enough gun. If you don’t believe so you’re on the wrong side of history. Otto Bock new exactly what he was doing.I often find it amusing when people say such things. If we should use a .577 nitro express and gut shoot every animal we aim at its “jolly good show old chum”, chase the animal for days often losing it but ridicule the man that knows his weapon, knows how to use it and hits his mark on every occasion. It amusing.

 

[baxterb]

Kevin Robertson’s Africas Most Dangerous has a lot of info (and praise) for the 9.3 on Buffalo.

 

[John Wasmuth]

Yes but god forgive those that follow that lead, better to gut shoot the animal than use a suitable caliber…

 

[WAB]

Nothing wrong with the big guns if you can shoot them. I have taken a number of buffalo with my Lott. It is a tack driver and I shoot it well.

I am also a huge fan of the 9.3x62 and would not hesitate to hunt buffalo with it. You just have to be prepared for the potential of passing up shots you could take with one of the big sticks.

 

[John Wasmuth]

Nothing wrong with the big guns if you can shoot them. I have taken a number of buffalo with my Lott. It is a tack driver and I shoot it well.

I am also a huge fan of the 9.3x62 and would not hesitate to hunt buffalo with it. You just have to be prepared for the potential of passing up shots you could take with one of the big sticks.

Exactly

 

[grand veneur]

Sure you can shot a buffalo with the cartridge 9,3x62. I have shot 3 buffalos with the cartridge 9,3x74R, well comparable to the cartridge 9,3x62 in terms of performance, but also a few more buffalos with various cartridges from the 375 H&H Magnum to the 500 Jeffery. In the meantime and with my humble experience, I also know what works better and gives you more security, especially when somethings don't go as planned or really go wrong. Unfortunately that happens, and the more you hunt, the greater the risk.

 

[bowjijohn]

This might make an interesting read

9.3 x 62 Journal – This book is a must for all serious enthusiast who own or shoot the 9.3 x 62 Mauser Cartridge, and will become an important reference for the avid hunter of big game around the world who want to hunt with bullet to stop a charge! I

93x62journal.co.za

 

[WAB]

This might make an interesting read

9.3 x 62 Journal – This book is a must for all serious enthusiast who own or shoot the 9.3 x 62 Mauser Cartridge, and will become an important reference for the avid hunter of big game around the world who want to hunt with bullet to stop a charge! I

93x62journal.co.za

It is. I’m about half way through it and am thoroughly enjoying it.

 

[John Wasmuth]

This might make an interesting read

9.3 x 62 Journal – This book is a must for all serious enthusiast who own or shoot the 9.3 x 62 Mauser Cartridge, and will become an important reference for the avid hunter of big game around the world who want to hunt with bullet to stop a charge! I

93x62journal.co.za

Ordered a copy just last week and anxiously awaiting its arrival.

 

[John Wasmuth]

Sure you can shot a buffalo with the cartridge 9,3x62. I have shot 3 buffalos with the cartridge 9,3x74R, well comparable to the cartridge 9,3x62 in terms of performance, but also a few more buffalos with various cartridges from the 375 H&H Magnum to the 500 Jeffery. In the meantime and with my humble experience, I also know what works better and gives you more security, especially when somethings don't go as planned or really go wrong. Unfortunately that happens, and the more you hunt, the greater the risk.

Which is the reason why you have to have a PH by your side and can’t just go walking about on your own…….

 

[grand veneur]

Sure, but I have hunted buffalo very often with just a local guide armed only with a shotgun and trackers. Not everywhere one is supported as in the southern part of the continent.

 

[hawkeyesatx]

@John Wasmuth

Your load going 2550 fps with the 286 gr bullet has plenty of steam to take cape buff, and other things as well.
Nothing wrong with using a souped up, and safe 9.3x62 load.
You do your part, and the 9.3x62 won’t let you down whatsoever. Guaranteed!


Hawk

 

[JPmbogo]

Which is the reason why you have to have a PH by your side and can’t just go walking about on your ow….

The PH's job is not to back you up because you can't hit the "broad side of a barn." His (or her job) is to take you to the game. I simply do not understand the mentality of trying to use the minimum caliber possible to take, in this case, a potential dangerous game animal. The are many 40+ caliber rifles that are a far better choice. I have a 9.3 which I might use for plains game or a state side elk hunt. Otherwise I am going with a serious gun. The comment about a gut shot is ridiculous. I am 75 and I can shoot my 600 NE just about as accurately as my 9.3 and everything in between, including 404 Jeffery, 450 NE, and 470 NE. If you can't run with the big boys, maybe it's time to join the local pickle ball club.

 

[WAB]

The PH's job is not to back you up because you can't hit the "broad side of a barn." His (or her job) is to take you to the game. I simply do not understand the mentality of trying to use the minimum caliber possible to take, in this case, a potential dangerous game animal. The are many 40+ caliber rifles that are a far better choice. I have a 9.3 which I might use for plains game or a state side elk hunt. Otherwise I am going with a serious gun. The comment about a gut shot is ridiculous. I am 75 and I can shoot my 600 NE just about as accurately as my 9.3 and everything in between, including 404 Jeffery, 450 NE, and 470 NE. If you can't run with the big boys, maybe it's time to join the local pickle ball club.

Well a lot of African hunters and farmers would disagree with you. The 9.3 has some pretty salty users in its pedigree. Personally I shoot a heavier rifle for DG. However, it’s difficult to argue with the track record of the 9.3.

 

[ActionBob]

The PH's job is not to back you up because you can't hit the "broad side of a barn." His (or her job) is to take you to the game. I simply do not understand the mentality of trying to use the minimum caliber possible to take, in this case, a potential dangerous game animal. The are many 40+ caliber rifles that are a far better choice. I have a 9.3 which I might use for plains game or a state side elk hunt. Otherwise I am going with a serious gun. The comment about a gut shot is ridiculous. I am 75 and I can shoot my 600 NE just about as accurately as my 9.3 and everything in between, including 404 Jeffery, 450 NE, and 470 NE. If you can't run with the big boys, maybe it's time to join the local pickle ball club.

I will say that between the 9.3x62 and 404 Jeffrey as the bolt guns we took on our Tanzania hunt last October, I had every bit as much confidence if not more in the accuracy of the 404. I also had my 470NE double with. The shot I was presented on buffalo was a behind the ear shot. So I handed the double to a tracker and grabbed the 404 and it hit right on the spot. My 3rd cape buffalo and I've shot 4 bigger water buffalo in Australia. That head shot was dramatic in how it folded right there.

In my experience, penetration is the number one thing you need from your choice of armament. You need accuracy first but honestly that is the hunter. If his gun is not accurate, its his fault he brought it. To get penetration, you need a proper bullet. Yes a solid will penetrate, but you also want a devastating wound on most shots. That head shot, I think a 7x57 woukd have sufficed if it were legal.

I've used a 416 rem mag and 505 Gibbs on my 1st and second Cape buffaloes. That 505 simply crushed that bull with a wound channel bigger than my arm.

Water buffalo i borrowed a 375 H&H and a 458 win mag open sighted. The 375 was a disaster as it was loaded with 270 grain blue box Federal. No penetration. If I'd had a good bonded or TSX bullet, I'm sure it would have been a different story.

 

[Desperatezulu]

Why the difference in legal calibers from private land to non-private (public?) in SA?

Not sure this is a legal issue - different provinces have different hunting ordinances, some stating 9.3 as minimum, others 375.

At a practical level, who is going to check your rifle and enforce the provincial ordinance? IMO it's only the PH/outfitter that practically decide. No government game scouts or official representatives on SA hunts.

Very little buff hunting on non-private land in SA, so the distinction (if it in facts exists in SA law) is mostly moot.

 

[50Gunner]

A wonderful cartridge that punches way above it's weight class, have a custom built on a Heym 98 Mauser action, 25 inch McGowan barrel that's outfitted with Express Quarter rib with NECG front sight and barrel band sling swivel, it sits in a nice Accurate Innovations walnut stock with aluminum bedding chassis, a rock solid setup that never moves, a 1.75-6 Leupold in QD rings does the bullet guiding work, Express Sight blade is filed dead on at 50 yards with the 320gr Woodleigh solids.

The loads are all powered with RL-17 powder, Hornady brass and FED-215 primers.

280gr BBW #13 solid 2500 fps [same powder charge as the 320's]
320gr Woodleigh round nose Weldcore 2400 fps
320gr Woodleigh PP Weldcore 2400 fps
320gr Woodleigh solid 2400 fps

There is no game animal i wouldn't happily engage with this setup from 3 feet to 350 yards, 20 pound dik-dik to 12,000 pound Elephant.

 

[John Wasmuth]

Soun

A wonderful cartridge that punches way above it's weight class, have a custom built on a Heym 98 Mauser action, 25 inch McGowan barrel that's outfitted with Express Quarter rib with NECG front sight and barrel band sling swivel, it sits in a nice Accurate Innovations walnut stock with aluminum bedding chassis, a rock solid setup that never moves, a 1.75-6 Leupold in QD rings does the bullet guiding work, Express Sight blade is filed dead on at 50 yards with the 320gr Woodleigh solids.

The loads are all powered with RL-17 powder, Hornady brass and FED-215 primers.

280gr BBW #13 solid 2500 fps [same powder charge as the 320's]
320gr Woodleigh round nose Weldcore 2400 fps
320gr Woodleigh PP Weldcore 2400 fps
320gr Woodleigh solid 2400 fps

There is no game animal i wouldn't happily engage with this setup from 3 feet to 350 yards, 20 pound dik-dik to 12,000 pound Elephant.

Sounds like a great set up and also nice to see confidence in you and your weapons capabilities. I’ve been searching for the 320’s to no avail at present.