9.3x62 Penetration On Large Game

[IvW]

Don Heath, Ganyana, highly experienced PH, Chief Examiner for the Zimbabwe Professional Hunters and Guides Association. The man new what he was talking about. Sadly not with us anymore..

 

[Scrumbag]

Yes he was a great proponent of the 9.3. His name was Don Heath, but unfortunately he passed away not too long ago I'm told.

Fieldsports Britain (Youtube) did a series with Don Heath when was with Norma in Sweden. He recounted a story of how there was a problem with a lion when they were on a game ranger exercise. In dealing with the lion, it was found that a "Forty something" didn't do so well on the cat as the bullet was too hard and it went straight through the lion without doing much to it. What stopped the lion was a 9.3. I will see if I can find it and post a link.

Scrummy

 

[Witold Krzyżanowski]

It is a very good choice for this purpose.



Larger calibers with the same shot placement and the same bullet will perform better, however the 9.3 is more than capable in the right hands with the right bullet and shot placement.



No! 9.3 and 375 calibers are not recommended for frontal chest shots on buffalo.



Yes with the right solid and shot placement it has more than enough penetration to reach the brain every time.



I would not recommend the Barnes TSX in the 9.3x62 for DG.



It is a great Lion caliber but do not use lighter weight bullets, use minimum 286gr or rather step up to 300gr or even 320gr bullets. The Woodleighs in the heavier weights are excellent for Lion.



It sure is a legendary caliber and with the right bullet, shot placement and in the right hands it can kill anything in Africa.

In many cases the reduced recoil results in better shooting ability and shot placement which in turn means dead whatever you where aiming at.

It is a superb caliber, great for plains game with the ability to kill DG more effectively than what ballistics suggest. Anybody who has used one will only have good things to say.

Good luck and enjoy one of the best African calibers ever designed, the Germans knew what they where doing....

+1

 

[stug]

@Scrumbag I have a pdf copy of the article if you want one. Just message me your email address and Ican send it through.

 

[JPbowhunter]

Fieldsports Britain (Youtube) did a series with Don Heath when was with Norma in Sweden. He recounted a story of how there was a problem with a lion when they were on a game ranger exercise. In dealing with the lion, it was found that a "Forty something" didn't do so well on the cat as the bullet was too hard and it went straight through the lion without doing much to it. What stopped the lion was a 9.3. I will see if I can find it and post a link.

Scrummy

I took note of that bit of information too. Norma oryx projectile out of the 9.3 top if i recall correctly.

 

[Scrumbag]

Here's the link folks:

Scrummy

 

[Daga Boy]

You cant go wrong with this in bush country.
Toby458 is right. Ganyana's real name was Don Heath and he was a great proponent of this calibre.
If you get/have a look at Pierre Van der Walt's book of African DG cartridges you will find an excellent pic of the late DH lining up on a charging elephant bull which he dropped more or less at his feet with a single shot from his 9.3.

 

[Daga Boy]

Norma Oryx is a very good bullet and of late my "go to" on all soft skinned game.
For a giraffe (body shot) or buff I would suggest Swift A frame, Barnes TSX or Peregrine VRG3. The new bonded Hornady DGX also has a good following. Nice thing with the Peregrine and Hornady expanding bullets is that they have matching solids; hoewever you are unlikely to need a solid if you use an expanding monometal as they are deadly and penetrate very well.
I don't recommend a frontal chest shot on anything if it can be avoided as there is a very high risk of the bullet passing overo the heart/aorta and between the lungs. In that event the animal will run away and you will be in for a long chase. There will most likely also be very little blood spoor.
If you do go for one you need to shoot in what we refer to as the "kuiltjie". This is the depression at the base of the neck between the front legs. A shot placed there will take out the heart and ensure a quick (but not instant) kill.
A square side on shot ("plank") placed on the shoulder from a 9.3 will penetrate both shoulders of a buff taking out the top of the heart/aorta, etc along the way. The animal will either collapse on the spot or run off and die. Slow deaths from side on shots are invariably the result of placing the bullet either too high or too far back (or both). An advantage of shooting on the shoulder as opposed to behind is that you are likely to break the spine if the hit is a bit high.
A neck shot is deadly, but also a quite risky.

 

[cmk]

Anybody have any experience using Lapua 285gr MEGA's as a hunting round? They shoot lights out in my CZ 550 FS 9.3x62.

I've used it in 30-06 (200gr) on moose, and that went well. Would not use it on any DG in any calibre. It is a non-bonded cup and core bullet pretty much like the Hornady Interlock.

There are simply better bullets available. Norma Oryx, Woodleigh, North Fork, A-frame etc

 

[8x68]

I've used it in 30-06 (200gr) on moose, and that went well. Would not use it on any DG in any calibre. It is a non-bonded cup and core bullet pretty much like the Hornady Interlock.

There are simply better bullets available. Norma Oryx, Woodleigh, North Fork, A-frame etc

Thanks for the reply. If I was going to hunt "Africa" then yes I agree that a superior quality bullet is needed. I wanted something for Deer, Bear, Moose, etc.

 

[Witold Krzyżanowski]

I've used it in 30-06 (200gr) on moose, and that went well. Would not use it on any DG in any calibre. It is a non-bonded cup and core bullet pretty much like the Hornady Interlock.

There are simply better bullets available. Norma Oryx, Woodleigh, North Fork, A-frame etc

I agree with " cmk ".
I use 9,3x62 from Norma with bullet Oryx 18,5 g ( 285 gr ) and from RWS with bullet TUG 19,0 g ( 293 gr ).

 

[JPbowhunter]

Thanks for the reply. If I was going to hunt "Africa" then yes I agree that a superior quality bullet is needed. I wanted something for Deer, Bear, Moose, etc.

I hunt various species of deer and have used various projectiles, at one time interlock, a lot of barnes and as of late norma oryx. So far with them it's taken red deer, fallow deer, hog deer and sambar. Most haven't made 10 yards with well placed shots from the oryx. Definitely worth a try.

 

[JPbowhunter]

DH 9.3x62

 

[cmk]

Thanks for the reply. If I was going to hunt "Africa" then yes I agree that a superior quality bullet is needed. I wanted something for Deer, Bear, Moose, etc.

Sure, it will probably work fine 99% of the time. For a quartering on shot on a big moose, where massive bones are between you and the boiler room, I'd prefer something else. But I would not be surprised if the Mega is responsible for the largest percentage of killed moose in neighbouring Finland. I would not hesitate to use it on boar or larger deer from any angle. Would probably work very well on African game from Springbok to Kudu.

It has a reputation of being relatively hard compared to other lead-nosed bullets like the Norma Alaska, Interlock or RWS Teilmantel, which might affect expansion on smaller deer. Don't know if it is the lead alloy or the jacket thickness that is behind this. NB: the only data I have to back up that claim is "I read on the the Internet".

BTW, I for one would consider bears to be DG.

 

[Longwalker]

I can report only one shot on game with my relatively new 9.3x62 and the Lapua Mega 286 gr. bullet. A cow elk at about 120 M. Broadside, bullet placed just behind the shoulder. Bullet made a large fist size hole in the near side ribs after clipping the bottom edge of the shoulder blade, and did massive damage inside the chest cavity. Bullet had enough mass left to make it all the way through. I liked the performance. Picture shows exit wound.

 

[CoElkHunter]

I'm new to AH. I have seen the 9.3x62 mentioned many times, so I was curious and researched the cartridge. A .366 caliber cartridge, similar to the ballistics of and the length of my .338 Win Mag. with no belt. I had always wondered why no one (commercially) necked up a .338 length case to a .375 caliber (or close)? I noticed this cartridge was developed in 1905. Maybe that's why, because this cartridge was already developed and has worked well on all types of game. Interesting cartridge to a novice on metric big game hunting cartridges! On a side note, if anyone might know, are the Ruger beltless .375 and .416s based off the .404 Jeffrey cartridge? Thank you!

 

[bruce moulds]

research the 9.3x64 brenneke.
almost similar case dimensions to the 338 win mag/7mm rem mag, but with no belt.
the 9.3x62 is less powerful than the x64 and does not shoot as flat.
the x62 case is more like the 30/06 case with the shoulder a little forward.
the x64 can give a 300 gn bullet over 2500 fps comfortably, and a 286 gn 2650+ with ease.given good bullets in both it comes close to the 375 h&h in a 30/06 length action.
comparing the 2 9.3s might be like comparing the 338/06 to the 338 win mag.
bruce.

 

[cmk]

.... On a side note, if anyone might know, are the Ruger beltless .375 and .416s based off the .404 Jeffrey cartridge? Thank you!

I would say perhaps "inspired by" rather than "based off". The Base, Rim and Shoulder diameters are different, so you can't really form a 404 case into either of the Ruger cases.
The same goes for the WS(S)M families of cartridges, the Nosler 26,28 etc. I believe that the only true children of the 404 J are the Dakota proprietary cartridges, and the 400 Tembo.

 

[CoElkHunter]

research the 9.3x64 brenneke.
almost similar case dimensions to the 338 win mag/7mm rem mag, but with no belt.
the 9.3x62 is less powerful than the x64 and does not shoot as flat.
the x62 case is more like the 30/06 case with the shoulder a little forward.
the x64 can give a 300 gn bullet over 2500 fps comfortably, and a 286 gn 2650+ with ease.given good bullets in both it comes close to the 375 h&h in a 30/06 length action.
comparing the 2 9.3s might be like comparing the 338/06 to the 338 win mag.
bruce.

 

[CoElkHunter]

Great! I will look at the x64. All new to me! Thanks!