Longer shots 9.3x62

[Fastrig]

Fastrig, the OP has a special consideration as a lefty in his OP, which is why he doesn't want to change rifles. My guess is it's more difficult to own multiple rifles in Oz than the USA, but I'm no expert on their gun laws. My wife & I had an opportunity to relocate to the Brisbane area back in 1996, from both career and hobby perspectives it worked out best that we didn't pursue that course.

Yep, completely forgot the lefty part. Makes sense to dial in on one nice rifle if the laws in Oz are similar to other countries that limit the number of weapons one can keep. Believe that’s why the R8 Blaser platform is popular in many places because it’s just a matter of swapping barrels, and sometimes the bolt head, to have multiple calibers at your disposal in a single rifle. Damn nice rifle to boot, but pricey.

Not sure if there is any load in 9.3x62 that’s going out over 300 meters for hunting purposes. That’s not what the round was designed for. To me, the 9.3x62 is a 200 yard gun that can effectively stretch to 275 in practiced hands and good conditions. I’m measuring in yards and at 275 those 250-286 grain rounds are beginning to drop pretty hard. 300 meters is 328 yards, another half football field, and would think you would be at the early rainbow stages going that far out. I haven’t tried shooting mine to that distance because I have no reason to do so, have a 300 win mag which would be the better choice, IMO, for that.

 

[bruce moulds]

there is an elephant in the room here called the 9.3x64.
change the gun to that and more flatness of trajectory will be the result, as well as bullet terminal performance further out.
bruce.

 

[Bert Reynolds]

C.E.B's are available from Daryl Lenkic at Meplat Firearms in S.A.
If you decide to go this route I recommend the 200gn Raptor.
Depending on the length of your magazine and the rifle's throat set-up you can get 2900fps or maybe more with that proj in the 62mm.
Daryl will help you with loads if you ask him and he will also school you in loading these projectiles.

Thanks. It’s got a very long throat. A good 10mm longer than the magazine to the lands

 

[Bert Reynolds]

250 gr NAB out of a 9.3x62 is a near twin of the same bullet fired out of a .338 WM. It's a bit slower, and the BC is a bit lower, than the .338 bullet, but not so much as a sambar will be able to tell the difference out to maybe 350-400M. If you're going further than that at or near sea level, you've got the wrong cartridge. And I say that as a total 9.3x62 fan boi.

in the light bullets, which in my mind is everything below 250 grains, once you get to ~300M, BC is generally so low that the heavier, higher BC bullets have more V than the lighter bullets.

Woodleigh makes a PP SN in 250 gr. The BC isn't great (.381), but it would be a better choice than a 232 gr Oryx, or anything lighter.

IMO, stick with the 250/285/286 gr offerings out there.

I was thinking along these lines. The .496 bc of the NAB is going to make up for the lower velocity over the lighter weights. According to my ballistics app I should the doing 1800 FPS at 500 yards. So with the asv turret that shot might be obtained. If so I’ll be happy with that. I’ll always try and get closer if possible.

 

[Bert Reynolds]

Yep, completely forgot the lefty part. Makes sense to dial in on one nice rifle if the laws in Oz are similar to other countries that limit the number of weapons one can keep. Believe that’s why the R8 Blaser platform is popular in many places because it’s just a matter of swapping barrels, and sometimes the bolt head, to have multiple calibers at your disposal in a single rifle. Damn nice rifle to boot, but pricey.

Not sure if there is any load in 9.3x62 that’s going out over 300 meters for hunting purposes. That’s not what the round was designed for. To me, the 9.3x62 is a 200 yard gun that can effectively stretch to 275 in practiced hands and good conditions. I’m measuring in yards and at 275 those 250-286 grain rounds are beginning to drop pretty hard. 300 meters is 328 yards, another half football field, and would think you would be at the early rainbow stages going that far out. I haven’t tried shooting mine to that distance because I have no reason to do so, have a 300 win mag which would be the better choice, IMO, for that.

It’s not impossible to own a few rifles. I have 12 nice firearms in my safe and growing. MI have a 7mm wsm and a 270 that I’m thinking of getting rebarrelled to a 25-06. It’s just where I’m hunting it’s half long range spotting gulley to gulley and half stalking in thick scrub. So the heavy 9.3 bullet is ideal in the thick stuff. If I could stretch it out it would be perfect. In hind sight I should of bought a 338 win mag but I wanted a more oddball caliber.

 

[Fastrig]

It’s not impossible to own a few rifles. I have 12 nice firearms in my safe and growing. MI have a 7mm wsm and a 270 that I’m thinking of getting rebarrelled to a 25-06. It’s just where I’m hunting it’s half long range spotting gulley to gulley and half stalking in thick scrub. So the heavy 9.3 bullet is ideal in the thick stuff. If I could stretch it out it would be perfect. In hind sight I should of bought a 338 win mag but I wanted a more oddball caliber.

I debated with myself over the 9.3x62 and several other options. There is much to like about the 9.3x62. If you don’t need to go out past 250-275 yards it is a great choice, IMO. I rarely shoot over 250 yards and wanted a big punch, with controllable recoil, in a light weight and compact rifle. My Mauser M12 Max 9.3x62 is spot on for that criteria and I couldn’t be any happier with it. For the few times I need to hunt out past the 275-300 yard mark I would start reaching for a magnum chambering. 300 or 338 win mag would be great.

 

[sgt_zim]

I'm shooting a 9.3x62 as well, Mauser M12...love the cartridge and rifle. Been playing with longer shots with various ammo. Have had pretty good luck with 250 grain ammo out to around 275-300 yards. It's dropping pretty hard at that distance but you can still control the shots. Honestly, anything longer than 300 yards and I'd be looking for a different option to the 9.3x62. I'm a pretty decent shooter but don't think even a true marksman would really go much further out than 300 when going after game. My comfort zone with the 9.3x62 is truly 250 and under, but would stretch it out a bit if the conditions were right. I haven't used the 232 grain options from Norma yet, but have read they produce a bit more velocity so that might get you out to 300 a little flatter. They do get good reviews when being used on smaller game. Just my two-cents.

Assuming a 12" vital zone on a sambar, comparing 285 gr Oryx to 232 gr Oryx

232 gr, MV 2600: 267 yd zero gets you to ~310 yd MPBR, V ~= 1750
285 gr, MV 2350: 251 yd zero gets you to ~290 yd MPBR, V ~= 1660

While 232 gr is about 90 fps faster at 300 yds, 285 has about 200 ft-lbs more energy

NAB 250, MV 2550: 285 yd zero gets you to ~335 yds MPBR, V ~= 2000 fps; and another 500 ft-lbs of energy more than Oryx 285 at 300 yds

Barnes TTSX 250 gr shows slightly lower in-flight performance than NAB. Terminally, field reports are consistent with any of Barnes' monos, less so with NAB.

I don't know what the use case Norma has in mind for the 232, but it isn't long-ish distance shooting. Oryx is a great bullet within its performance window. But 300 yds is probably the useful limit. So if that's as far as the OP wants to go, no probs

 

[dchamp]

My son has taken both Blue Wildebeest and Zebra at 300-350yds with his 9.3x62 using 250gr TTSX bullets. He is getting around 2550 f/s at the muzzle. My ballistic program indicates with a zero of 2 inches high at 100yds and a MV 2550 f/s, at 300yds velocity will be 2024 f/s & a 10 inch drop, at 400yds, 1864 f/s and a 28 inch drop. If you drop the MV to 2500 f/s then at 300 yds, 1980 f/s & 11 inch drop and at 400 yds, 1822 f/s & 30 inch drop. The Barnes 250gr TTSX has a .44 BC. The Nosler 250gr Accubond has a .494 BC, so it should do a little better in flight.

 

[Mr. Zorg]

It’s not impossible to own a few rifles. I have 12 nice firearms in my safe and growing. MI have a 7mm wsm and a 270 that I’m thinking of getting rebarrelled to a 25-06. It’s just where I’m hunting it’s half long range spotting gulley to gulley and half stalking in thick scrub. So the heavy 9.3 bullet is ideal in the thick stuff. If I could stretch it out it would be perfect. In hind sight I should of bought a 338 win mag but I wanted a more oddball caliber.

My .25-06 with 24" barrel is my go-to gun for non-exotic hunting in Texas. The 110 grain Nosler Accubond has performed admirably for me. Doubletap and Underwood sell .25-06 ammo with the 110 grain Nosler Accubond loaded to a muzzle velocity of 3250 fps here. With those loads readily available here, I haven't pursued .25-06 load development.

 

[Red Devil]

It’s not impossible to own a few rifles. I have 12 nice firearms in my safe and growing. MI have a 7mm wsm and a 270 that I’m thinking of getting rebarrelled to a 25-06. It’s just where I’m hunting it’s half long range spotting gulley to gulley and half stalking in thick scrub. So the heavy 9.3 bullet is ideal in the thick stuff. If I could stretch it out it would be perfect. In hind sight I should of bought a 338 win mag but I wanted a more oddball caliber.

.270 Winchester, and a good 150 gr. bullet like the NP, would get you to 400 yards for Sambar - given good presentation and shot placement.

Even w/ factory loads, sighted for a 6" MPBR of 275 yards:

Range - Vel - Nrg - Drop
300 - 2239 - 1670.0 - 5.1
350 - 2153 - 1543.0 - 11.1
400 - 2068 - 1424.0 - 19.0




Red

 

[Mr. Zorg]

Federal Vital Shock has a factory 7mm WSM load with the 160 grain Accubond loaded to 3000 fps muzzle velocity. That's more sectional density and thump than the .25-06 load I use, and even has a flatter trajectory.

With a 200 yard yard zero, KE is in ft-lbs:

100 yards. +1.5" 2824
200 yards 0" 2490
300 yards. -6.4" 2187
400 yards -18.4" 1914
500 yards. -37.0" 1669

You don't get near Nosler's documented Accubond 1800 fps minimum expansion velocity until 750 yards. Hand loading could probably tweak that more to individual preference.

But it's not 9.3mm or .338 caliber.

 

[Fastrig]

Assuming a 12" vital zone on a sambar, comparing 285 gr Oryx to 232 gr Oryx

232 gr, MV 2600: 267 yd zero gets you to ~310 yd MPBR, V ~= 1750
285 gr, MV 2350: 251 yd zero gets you to ~290 yd MPBR, V ~= 1660

While 232 gr is about 90 fps faster at 300 yds, 285 has about 200 ft-lbs more energy

NAB 250, MV 2550: 285 yd zero gets you to ~335 yds MPBR, V ~= 2000 fps; and another 500 ft-lbs of energy more than Oryx 285 at 300 yds

Barnes TTSX 250 gr shows slightly lower in-flight performance than NAB. Terminally, field reports are consistent with any of Barnes' monos, less so with NAB.

I don't know what the use case Norma has in mind for the 232, but it isn't long-ish distance shooting. Oryx is a great bullet within its performance window. But 300 yds is probably the useful limit. So if that's as far as the OP wants to go, no probs

Think the 232 grains are more for white tail and hogs, at least some of the reviews said that was what they were using them for. The 286 grains worked fine for me out to 250-275, but the 250 grains were giving me better groupings at that distance. A gentleman above said his son took large game out to 350. With some time investment at the range I'm sure that's doable, though I'd still prefer to step up to a 300 or 338 win mag at that distance.

 

[sgt_zim]

@Fastrig - with a fast enough twist, I'd probably go to the Oryx 325 gr for hogs. it's about 150 fps faster than my 45-70 shooting 325 gr FTX.

 

[Hoss Delgado]

Lefty here
Growing up in the early 1980s , when l was first learning to shoot , we didn't have ANY left Handed bolt action Rifles on the market. That's why l initially had to make do with lever action and pump action rifles for many years , like my old Savage Hi Power Model 99 in .22 Hi Power. But eventually , l learnt how to manipulate a right hand bolt with my left hand , after my Granddad gifted me his .375 HH Magnum Winchester Model 70 . Now , more than thirty years later , when l can finally afford high (er) end custom rifles , l realized that l couldn't operate a left Handed action if my life depended on it . Both my bolt action Rifles now ( .375 HH Magnum and .350 Rigby Magnum , with a third larger caliber one on the way ) are built on right hand actions.
Regarding your range issue , might l suggest a 8 × 68 mm S ? Very flat shooting in my experience even for longer range shots

 

[Wyatt Smith]

there is an elephant in the room here called the 9.3x64.
change the gun to that and more flatness of trajectory will be the result, as well as bullet terminal performance further out.
bruce.

Do you know about the 370 Sako magnum? All I know is federal loads ammo for it. Is it similar to your x64?

 

[sgt_zim]

Lefty here
Growing up in the early 1980s , when l was first learning to shoot , we didn't have ANY left Handed bolt action Rifles on the market. That's why l initially had to make do with lever action and pump action rifles for many years , like my old Savage Hi Power Model 99 in .22 Hi Power. But eventually , l learnt how to manipulate a right hand bolt with my left hand , after my Granddad gifted me his .375 HH Magnum Winchester Model 70 . Now , more than thirty years later , when l can finally afford high (er) end custom rifles , l realized that l couldn't operate a left Handed action if my life depended on it . Both my bolt action Rifles now ( .375 HH Magnum and .350 Rigby Magnum , with a third larger caliber one on the way ) are built on right hand actions.
Regarding your range issue , might l suggest a 8 × 68 mm S ? Very flat shooting in my experience even for longer range shots

Hmmm...also a lefty, I bought my first rifle in '81/'82, a Rem 700 BDL in LH 30-06.

$315, I earned the money by growing and selling tomatoes at $0.25/lb.

 

[Witold Krzyżanowski]

My farthest shot from my ZG47 in caliber 9,3x62 is 200m.
I used amunition from RWS with bullet TUG 19,0g (293gr ),energy 5202J, velocity 740 m/s .

 

[Hoss Delgado]

Hmmm...also a lefty, I bought my first rifle in '81/'82, a Rem 700 BDL in LH 30-06.

$315, I earned the money by growing and selling tomatoes at $0.25/lb.

Remington 700 was option . But l believed those stupid rumors that the rifles would go off on their own.

 

[Bert Reynolds]

Lefty here
Growing up in the early 1980s , when l was first learning to shoot , we didn't have ANY left Handed bolt action Rifles on the market. That's why l initially had to make do with lever action and pump action rifles for many years , like my old Savage Hi Power Model 99 in .22 Hi Power. But eventually , l learnt how to manipulate a right hand bolt with my left hand , after my Granddad gifted me his .375 HH Magnum Winchester Model 70 . Now , more than thirty years later , when l can finally afford high (er) end custom rifles , l realized that l couldn't operate a left Handed action if my life depended on it . Both my bolt action Rifles now ( .375 HH Magnum and .350 Rigby Magnum , with a third larger caliber one on the way ) are built on right hand actions.
Regarding your range issue , might l suggest a 8 × 68 mm S ? Very flat shooting in my experience even for longer range shots

A left hand 8x68s on a zastava action with a Walter barrel and a pre war rigby style stock is a rifle I will have built in the future. But won’t be before next years hunt. Will try some accubonds ands an asv scope for now.

 

[bruce moulds]

wyatt,
when that cartridge came out it had a different name and was loaded to higher than acceptable pressure.
it was than loaded to sane pressure .
in its current form it is ballistically 1/2 way in between the x62 and x64.
the x 64 has greater case capacity.
after reloading some federal cases that started life as factory ammo, and some federal 223 cases, it is clear that federal brass will not take the pressure that some others will due to softness.
rws 9.3x64 brass is top quality.
bruce.