9.3X62 for Cape Buffalo?

[walk-in]

It is unfortunate. I remember seeing the one in Quebec and thought about emailing them but I figured it would be a lot of trouble and of course much more costly.

I did that about a year ago. They did respond, but said that they could not ship to the US....even for gun parts. I have friends in Canada, and eventually I may just buy through them, but it is frustrating. You'd think there would be enough of a market in the US for someone to pick them up.

 

[Deleted member 53080]

I did that about a year ago. They did respond, but said that they could not ship to the US....even for gun parts. I have friends in Canada, and eventually I may just buy through them, but it is frustrating. You'd think there would be enough of a market in the US for someone to pick them up.

I hope you’re successful. You would think. Hopefully someone will import them at some point.

 

[Fastrig]

375H&H plus 416 Rem Mag? Sounds like you just love buying new toys. Personally, i would just take the .416 and a lighter, flatter shooting rifle (I favour the .338WM , but there are many calibres to choose from ). Note also that most 375's actually perform quite well with 380 - 400gr bullets, thereby putting them very much in the class of the .416 Rem. If going that route it is worth considering having the chamber reamed to .375 Ackley - in which event you would have as close to the mythical perfect African all rounder

The 416 wasn‘t actually on my bucket list, but she was part of a four gun set of sister custom rifles I recently acquired and will use her for a buff hunt in 2023. The other two are a 257 Weatherby and a 300 Win Mag (the flat shooters ). The ladies will pretty much get me there no matter what I want to hunt. Still love the 9.3 though and the double O/U is regulating nicely with 230 grain Norma Ecostrike rounds so far (my all-rounder). Outside of my AR-10 in 338 Federal (Alaska/bear/hog/crap weather hunts), the rest of the cabinet is being emptied.

 

[Fastrig]

If you load your 9.3x62 with the correct powder to reach the minimum allowed joules/foot pound's your 9.3 will be legal in more countries than not. I also love Els&Co Leather. I have another order on the way myself.

Don’t hand load, just don’t have the time. My Els order should be shipping in the next couple of weeks, replacing my OLD hunting belt and kit. From what everyone says about the Els products, this new kit will probably outlast what time I have left on this rock

 

[TOBY458]

To all of the comments saying the 9.3 can be loaded hot to reach energy requirements. How would you prove to the anyone that your load meets the minimum energy requirements? Do you bring a bullet scale and cronograph along on your hunts?
If there are no factory loads available with the required energy requirements, I would think you'd be taking a risk of getting in some trouble if something went wrong during the hunt, and you were using what they deem an illegal caliber for the game being hunted.
My other thought is, other than lighter recoil, why would you choose a 9.3x62 over a 375?
The 375 can be had in lightweight rifles just as well as the 9.3. And you're far more likely to find 375 ammo almost anywhere.
The 9.3x62 may be just as effective on game at close range, but a 375 is capable of far better ballistics for longer ranges. Even my short barreled 375 gets an easy 2550 fps with 300 grain loads and 2750 fps with 270 grain loads. No need for heavy/max pressure loads either.
So if we look at practicality, the choice is easy.
But with all that said, I do like the 9.3x62. I just see it more as a PG round that will work on Buffalo if the need arises.

 

[Fastrig]

To all of the comments saying the 9.3 can be loaded hot to reach energy requirements. How would you prove to the anyone that your load meets the minimum energy requirements? Do you bring a bullet scale and cronograph along on your hunts?
If there are no factory loads available with the required energy requirements, I would think you'd be taking a risk of getting in some trouble if something went wrong during the hunt, and you were using what they deem an illegal caliber for the game being hunted.
My other thought is, other than lighter recoil, why would you choose a 9.3x62 over a 375?
The 375 can be had in lightweight rifles just as well as the 9.3. And you're far more likely to find 375 ammo almost anywhere.
The 9.3x62 may be just as effective on game at close range, but a 375 is capable of far better ballistics for longer ranges. Even my short barreled 375 gets an easy 2550 fps with 300 grain loads and 2750 fps with 270 grain loads. No need for heavy/max pressure loads either.
So if we look at practicality, the choice is easy.
But with all that said, I do like the 9.3x62. I just see it more as a PG round that will work on Buffalo if the need arises.

That was exactly my take on hotter ammo, i.e. proving it in country if not factory. As to the 375 vs 9.3, both fantastic calibers but for a general purpose rifle I’d go with the 9.3 in a lighter, more compact rifle with almost equal dropping power but less recoil inside 200-250 yards, which is as far as I normally shoot. Past that give me a flat shooting magnum. For Africa, I can see why the 375 is very popular, and it’s legal everywhere, but State side the 9.3 is plenty.

 

[Oelof]

To all of the comments saying the 9.3 can be loaded hot to reach energy requirements. How would you prove to the anyone that your load meets the minimum energy requirements? Do you bring a bullet scale and cronograph along on your hunts?
If there are no factory loads available with the required energy requirements, I would think you'd be taking a risk of getting in some trouble if something went wrong during the hunt, and you were using what they deem an illegal caliber for the game being hunted.
My other thought is, other than lighter recoil, why would you choose a 9.3x62 over a 375?
The 375 can be had in lightweight rifles just as well as the 9.3. And you're far more likely to find 375 ammo almost anywhere.
The 9.3x62 may be just as effective on game at close range, but a 375 is capable of far better ballistics for longer ranges. Even my short barreled 375 gets an easy 2550 fps with 300 grain loads and 2750 fps with 270 grain loads. No need for heavy/max pressure loads either.
So if we look at practicality, the choice is easy.
But with all that said, I do like the 9.3x62. I just see it more as a PG round that will work on Buffalo if the need arises.

That was exactly my take on hotter ammo, i.e. proving it in country if not factory. As to the 375 vs 9.3, both fantastic calibers but for a general purpose rifle I’d go with the 9.3 in a lighter, more compact rifle with almost equal dropping power but less recoil inside 200-250 yards, which is as far as I normally shoot. Past that give me a flat shooting magnum. For Africa, I can see why the 375 is very popular, and it’s legal everywhere, but State side the 9.3 is plenty.

One thing is certain, you will never convince a .375 enthusiast that a 9.3 is equally effective on buffalo even though it is. You will also never convince a 9.3 enthusiast that a .375 is more effective on DG than a 9.3. The .375 Ruger might have better ballistics at longer ranges, but on African game that is not a factor as almost all shots taken are under 100 yards. I don’t see anyone taking 200-300 yard shots on buffalo very often. The 9.3x62 is an extremely popular caliber in Africa and for good reason, its highly effective on big game. Ammo is just as readily available as .375 ammo. Personal caliber choice depends on individual need. In my case, as a African, I would hunt the bushveld exclusively. Shots are rarely taken over 100 yards, but if the need arises the 9.3 will perform very well out to 300 yards on PG. So briefly, if most shots on Buffalo and general DG are taken at close range where the 9.3 performs equally well to the .375, I would argue why choose a .375 over a 9.3?

 

[bruce moulds]

especially when the 9.3 is the x64 version loaded with swift bullets.
with a 286 swift it almost is a 300 yd cartridge, and better in this area than the x62.
bruce.

 

[Oelof]

especially when the 9.3 is the x64 version loaded with swift bullets.
with a 286 swift it almost is a 300 yd cartridge, and better in this area than the x62.
bruce.

With modern powders the 9.3x62 is knocking on the door of a 9.3x64. My 9.3x62 shoots a 286gr Swift A frame at 2540fps, some load them at over 2600fps. The 9,3x64 still has the advantage of more case capacity though, so with heavier bullets it will do better "ballistically". A hunter I know just dropped a tank of a buffalo bull with his 9.3x62 up in the Caprivi. He used 286gr Swift A Frames, it shattered both shoulder bones and ended up against the skin on the opposite shoulder. The buffalo did not go far.

 

[DWB]

Properly placed bullets killed buffalo long ago before game scouts even knew how many Joules each caliber is capable of delivering...

 

[Puddle]

Well...

Thanks to RUGER/Lipsey's...?

249 other lucky (and knowledgeable) recipients also get the opportunity to participate.

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Red

And now me as well. Found it unfired and still in the box from an older gentleman who just didn't get around to using it as originally planned. Bought all the reloading supplies that went with it as well.
Mine now wears a FX-II 2.5x20mm Leupold in the supplied Ruger rings.
Still mulling over doing something about the recoil pad to better accommodate my mutant length long arms...

 

[MS 9x56]

And now me as well. Found it unfired and still in the box from an older gentleman who just didn't get around to using it as originally planned. Bought all the reloading supplies that went with it as well.
Mine now wears a FX-II 2.5x20mm Leupold in the supplied Ruger rings.
Still mulling over doing something about the recoil pad to better accommodate my mutant length long arms...

If you don’t want to modify the gun just buy a slip on limbsaver pad. I use the same pad on several guns that have a short LOP. The 14.25 fits me just right.

 

[John Wasmuth]

If you don’t want to modify the gun just buy a slip on limbsaver pad. I use the same pad on several guns that have a short LOP. The 14.25 fits me just right.

He’s right, the limbsaver pads work great.

 

[Puddle]

Yup. I'm using the limbsaver slip on while I ponder whether to make a permanent change.

Thanks Gents

 

[hawkeyesatx]

Some have seen the posts that I have started on this forum, but, yes, if you have a strong, modern rifle, you can hand load 286 gr 9.3x62 up to over 2600 fps, and even get get 300 gr bullets into the 2500’s, and 320’s into the 2400’s.
It certainly is a potent cartridge if loaded to potential.

Hawk

 

[rnovi]

I can confirm Hawkeye‘s comment - I have personally loaded 286gr. Partitions over a bucket of Ramshot BigGame and Magnetospeed clocked it at 2,550 fps in my Merkel Helix. At least in that rifle they grouped in the 1/2” range at 100 yards.

I also used that load on a North American Buffalo - penetration on a broadside shot was complete.

Yeah, I’d use that load on a Cape Buff and never think twice about it.

 

[Capebuffalo]

9.3 x 62-1 in 14.2
9.3 x 64 Brenneke-1 in 14.2
9.3 x 74R-1 in 14.2

Seems many custom rifle builders in the US, such as ER Shaw and Cooper suggest a 1:12 barrel twist for the 9.3's.

 

[Capebuffalo]

Question: What is the rifling twist in the 9.3 x 62 from the different brands of 9.3 calibers?
What is the rifling twist of the 9.3 x 64 Brenneke?
If there are a difference /s what constitutes the differences in rifling twist in these calibers??
What is the rifling twist of a 9.3 x 74 cal Double rifle ?

Seems many custom rifle builders in the US, such as ER Shaw and Cooper suggest a 1:12 barrel twist for the 9.3's.

 

[Rule 303]

I do not have a 9.3X62 but I would go the 1:12. Why? I found the faster twist in the my 35 Cals to work. I don't have to worry about running180 grain bullets or 310 grain bullets. 1:14 twist is not good for the 310 grain bullets. Just my findings

 

[Capebuffalo]

I do not have a 9.3X62 but I would go the 1:12. Why? I found the faster twist in the my 35 Cals to work. I don't have to worry about running180 grain bullets or 310 grain bullets. 1:14 twist is not good for the 310 grain bullets. Just my findings

I agree. It would be best if you had that faster twist for the heavier bullets. I mean, you don't have a 9.3 to shoot just lighter bullets, most people use it to take on the heavy critters.....So I don't know where the 1:14 twist came into the picture...