A Simple Question RE: The RUGER Hawkeye African in 9.3x62mm...

[ActionBob]

So how do the govt/customs or whoever check your bullets energy? Are you required to provide load data or shoot at a gun range?

If not and at the risk of sounding facetious then does it really matter?

Well the first example that comes to mind would be if you wound a buffalo or elephant and your PH gets killed following it up. In that case I think your gun and ammo could be confiscated and checked. Might get you in a World of trouble and not sure of Zimbabwe laws but I suspect in the US you could be charged with a minimum of involuntary manslaughter.

 

[Red Devil]

Zimbabwean

Zimbabwean Law states that the calibre must be larger than 9,2 mm or .362 in and must have energy of 5,4 kJ or more (3909 ft/lbs) for elephant/buffalo/hippo. Lion would need 7mm(.275 in) calibre and 4,3 kJ (3172 ft/lbs) Leopard 7mm and 2213 ft/lbs. These are minimum legal calibre and energy. I believe that a 9.3 x 62 can make the energy with judicious handloads but I think most factory ammo falls short of energy for buffalo and elephant. Lion and leopard are legal with most factory ammo.

For a 24" Bbl'ed 9.3x62?

3909 lb-ft of ME - is a 286 gr. bullet @ 2481 fps, or a 300 gr. bullet @ 2423 fps.

A very top load at ~ 60K psi. (and a stouter bullet than the NP)

​

The spec was probably inclusive of the heavier 9.3x64mm Brenneke and 9.3x74R loads, but the 9.3x62 is do-able.




Red.

 

[JPbowhunter]

Well the first example that comes to mind would be if you wound a buffalo or elephant and your PH gets killed following it up. In that case I think your gun and ammo could be confiscated and checked. Might get you in a World of trouble and not sure of Zimbabwe laws but I suspect in the US you could be charged with a minimum of involuntary manslaughter.

For a US citizen I guess that's a possibility albeit an extremely slim one.

From my experience with the range of calibres I've seen people use I feel a ph is more likely to be in a position of having to follow up wounded big game from a guy flinching with his hand canon than a guy that can thread a 9.3 round through the eye of a needle that's shooting a few ft/lbs below the minimum.

 

[Nhoro]

So how do the govt/customs or whoever check your bullets energy? Are you required to provide load data or shoot at a gun range?

If not and at the risk of sounding facetious then does it really matter?

I agree, probably unlikely that you would be checked but everyone in Zim will assume that your loads do not make the legal energy requirement unless you can prove it. There are well respected people who would check your reloads over a chrono at the gunrange but I am pretty sure that you would pay more than a 375 rifle before you were done. National Parks could very easily pick it up because 9,3 is NOT legal. Bring a downloaded 375 or larger and I am pretty sure you are right that no one will check. That is just the way the cookie crumbles !

 

[Red Devil]

I agree, probably unlikely that you would be checked but everyone in Zim will assume that your loads do not make the legal energy requirement unless you can prove it. There are well respected people who would check your reloads over a chrono at the gunrange but I am pretty sure that you would pay more than a 375 rifle before you were done. National Parks could very easily pick it up because 9,3 is NOT legal. Bring a downloaded 375 or larger and I am pretty sure you are right that no one will check. That is just the way the cookie crumbles !

Maybe bring your $100 SHOOTING CHRONY and a pocket calculator in your kit?

​

Red

 

[sestoppelman]

Recoil is recoil. Foot lbs are foot lbs. I love it when guys say its not "noticeable". Of course its noticeable! Doesn't mean you go home bruised and bleeding after a range session, but its noticeable allright. The recoil from my .303 British with steel buttplate is noticeable I will tell you and that kicks a lot less than the 9.3's do! I have owned and extensively loaded for and shot lots of 9.3 loads, and with top loads you are going to "notice" the recoil unless you are just numb from the neck up!

 

[Witold Krzyżanowski]

I use 9,3 x 62. This is very good caliber for dangerous game. It's forgotten caliber for a dangerous game in Africa.
9,3 x 62 slowly regains place among calibers for a dangerous game.
I use cartridges from Norma and from RWS.

 

[Nhoro]

Maybe bring your $100 SHOOTING CHRONY and a pocket calculator in your kit?

​

Red

I am sure just the $100 would do. Much easier to carry.

 

[Joker12]

Just an anecdotal comment on the lighter barrel on the Lipseys version. I have an earlier Ruger African version ( not Lipseys) which has a heavier 23" barrel. In comparison with a friends Lipseys version the rifle with the heavier barrel does shoot tighter groups and has no tendency to open up as the barrel heats. Still both are good shooters.

 

[SFRanger7GP]

I have put about 200 rounds of factory ammo through mine. It loves the Norma 286 ammo but shoots everything I have tried under 2 MOA for five shots and some ammo will do sub-MOA. I was concerned about the thinner barrel, but it hasn't been an issue. I don't find recoil to be unpleasant despite the hockey puck rubber recoil pad.

Here it is with a beautiful, old Texoma buck.

 

[ARHinAK]

I own both the 6.5x55 and the 9.2x62 Ruger Hawkeye rifles.
The 6.5 is an excellent shooter right out of the box. 5 shots inside a Copenhagen can at 200 yds for a hunting rifle is my usual standard. With 140 Partitions and H-1000 it’ll do that no problem.
The 9.3 has been a bit more of a challenge. At first I had failures to fire with factory ammo. Took it to a gunsmith here in Anchorage and he straightened that out. Something about cleaning up the inside of the bolt/firing pin assembly so that when fired it was free to move at full force.
Next came the inconsistent groups. I only have a 2-7 Leupold on it but still I can usually hold things to my standard with a load the gun likes. No such luck with 286 Partitions, or 250 Accubonds with several powders.
Back to the gunsmith for a professional bedding job.
I’ll cut to the chase. I did find some satisfaction with 250 grain Barnes TSX billets but that was over a year ago and necessity made me focus on other things.
For moose, bear, buffalo in the thick stuff I’d have no worries as is but it’s no tack driver.
As for recoil, it’s lively from the bench but not punishing so.

 

[SFRanger7GP]

I own both the 6.5x55 and the 9.2x62 Ruger Hawkeye rifles.
The 6.5 is an excellent shooter right out of the box. 5 shots inside a Copenhagen can at 200 yds for a hunting rifle is my usual standard. With 140 Partitions and H-1000 it’ll do that no problem.
The 9.3 has been a bit more of a challenge. At first I had failures to fire with factory ammo. Took it to a gunsmith here in Anchorage and he straightened that out. Something about cleaning up the inside of the bolt/firing pin assembly so that when fired it was free to move at full force.
Next came the inconsistent groups. I only have a 2-7 Leupold on it but still I can usually hold things to my standard with a load the gun likes. No such luck with 286 Partitions, or 250 Accubonds with several powders.
Back to the gunsmith for a professional bedding job.
I’ll cut to the chase. I did find some satisfaction with 250 grain Barnes TSX billets but that was over a year ago and necessity made me focus on other things.
For moose, bear, buffalo in the thick stuff I’d have no worries as is but it’s no tack driver.
As for recoil, it’s lively from the bench but not punishing so.

ARHinAK: Did you send your rifle back to Ruger? Ruger called me shortly after I received mine and asked that I return it immediately and do not fire it. I returned it and got it back with no explanation the following week.

 

[ARHinAK]

It was NIB but I was the second owner, so I never contacted them.
I’m sure they would have taken care of it.
It wasn’t a headspace issue or anything serious.

 

[DaveL]

Hey Y'all,

Have found from combing the archives here at AH that many of you purchased the current Lipsey's RUGER Hawkeye African chambered in 9.3x62mm Mauser.

Am considering getting one of these rifles as well.

My simple question is:

How do they shoot?

Interested in the 286 gr./2360 fps loading, as this looks to be a very well balanced round. Dangerous Game to ~ 100 yards (3,000 lb-ft), Large Game to ~ 200 yards (2500 lb-ft), Medium Game out to ~ 350 yards (1800 fps for the Nosler Partition), and a manageable recoil of ~ 36 lb-ft for an 8.5 lb. scoped rifle.

Am particularly interested in whether the light contour barrel in this caliber has any adverse effects outside of the overall advantage of weight/balance/handling. Know that the previous release of this rifle/caliber had a medium heavy contour barrel.

Have the RUGER African in 6.5x55, and it is outstanding.

TIA




Red

I would respectfully disagree.Just above I have quoted the figures from Zimbabwe National Parks Law. Buff/Ele/hippo have the same requirements and factory ammo generally doesn't make the energy requirement.(I stand to be corrected here,maybe some factory ammo is loaded hot) Handloads or certain factory may make the cut and then you could use them. My understanding is factory ammo is loaded to original specs for this old round and new powders etc can get more ??

@Nhoro you are on the money - the 9.3mm x 62 with factory loads is not legal in Zim, neither is the 74 R. The only one that makes the grade with factory ammo is the 64 Brenneke.