Velo Dog
AH ambassador
- Joined
- Mar 27, 2014
- Messages
- 5,115
- Reaction score
- 8,854
- Location
- Anchorage Alaska, USA
- Media
- 83
- Member of
- NRA Life Member.
- Hunted
- Africa 7 times. And the USA - most western states including Alaska and Hawaii.
Hello my fellow hunters and rifle enthusiasts,
I'm definitely +1 with stug in regards to the long range capability of our most common 9.3 cartridges.
I suppose for someone who shoots a 14 pound .338 Lapua or, .50 Browning MG caliber that, looks more like a science fiction movie prop than it does a hunting rifle, complete with a working replica of the Hubble telescope, mounted in 4 or more industrial sized rings and a muzzle brake that resembles a gigantic harmonica, the term "long range" might mean something beginning well beyond 500 yards / meters.
But, for the rest of us simple souls, primarily interested in what a portable, if not perfectly handy hunting rifle will do, I think "long range" probably describes something beginning and ending around 300 yds/mtrs (or maybe 400).
Well any way, in regards to this specific caliber thread, mine is a 9.3x62 and it's made on a commercial (not military surplus) FN 1950's vintage, Model 98 Mauser action.
It has a 23 inch, medium sporter-weight barrel and "only" a 4x scope, (plus British style express sights, in case I break the scope).
Shooting Privi-Partizan brand 286 grain round nose softs from this rifle, I can hit a large dinner plate size target at 300 meters, from standing with sticks, every time (However, about 200 meters is my personal limit when using the open sights on this rifle).
The above factory loaded bullets, are leaving the muzzle around 2300 feet per second, perhaps a tic more.
I have tried hand loaded 285 grain Nosler Partitons, at about the same speed and found them very accurate but sadly, I've yet to hunt anything with this rifle.
Anyway, with my scope zeroed at 100, I have to hold a little high for center hits at 300 but, not much.
Furthermore, I have not fired my 9.3 at any target beyond 300 measured meters (pre-marked rifle range) so, I can only guess from reading ballistic data that, very far beyond 300, the heavy bullet will begin to loose trajectory fast.
There are lighter, flatter shooting bullets available for the 9.3's, such as the 232 grain spitzer but, I have not seen fit to try them.
My parting shot as it were:
Many of my fellow North Americans seem enamored with various .300 magnums / 165 to 180 grain spitzers for most all their hunting, including in thick African thornbush, where a very long shot MIGHT be 200 paces, across a water hole or canyon.
I think it may have been Craig Boddington that wrote something like "Realistically, in perhaps 80% of huntable Africa, the conditions are moderate to thick bush" (or something like that).
So, if hunting in such common Africa conditions, the 9.3's with heavy bullet, IMO are superior to any .30 caliber, (dreaded magnum or otherwise), in every way - especially when considering valuable meat for eating and skins for taxidermy, not splattered all over creation.
That said and in all fairness to the high velocity crowd, the .300's are quite excellent for so called "plains game" hunting in wide open conditions.
Most of Namibia and South Africa's Eastern Cape come to mind, as places where, a .300 magnum will be the better choice over any 9.3.
Cheers,
Velo Dog.
I'm definitely +1 with stug in regards to the long range capability of our most common 9.3 cartridges.
I suppose for someone who shoots a 14 pound .338 Lapua or, .50 Browning MG caliber that, looks more like a science fiction movie prop than it does a hunting rifle, complete with a working replica of the Hubble telescope, mounted in 4 or more industrial sized rings and a muzzle brake that resembles a gigantic harmonica, the term "long range" might mean something beginning well beyond 500 yards / meters.
But, for the rest of us simple souls, primarily interested in what a portable, if not perfectly handy hunting rifle will do, I think "long range" probably describes something beginning and ending around 300 yds/mtrs (or maybe 400).
Well any way, in regards to this specific caliber thread, mine is a 9.3x62 and it's made on a commercial (not military surplus) FN 1950's vintage, Model 98 Mauser action.
It has a 23 inch, medium sporter-weight barrel and "only" a 4x scope, (plus British style express sights, in case I break the scope).
Shooting Privi-Partizan brand 286 grain round nose softs from this rifle, I can hit a large dinner plate size target at 300 meters, from standing with sticks, every time (However, about 200 meters is my personal limit when using the open sights on this rifle).
The above factory loaded bullets, are leaving the muzzle around 2300 feet per second, perhaps a tic more.
I have tried hand loaded 285 grain Nosler Partitons, at about the same speed and found them very accurate but sadly, I've yet to hunt anything with this rifle.
Anyway, with my scope zeroed at 100, I have to hold a little high for center hits at 300 but, not much.
Furthermore, I have not fired my 9.3 at any target beyond 300 measured meters (pre-marked rifle range) so, I can only guess from reading ballistic data that, very far beyond 300, the heavy bullet will begin to loose trajectory fast.
There are lighter, flatter shooting bullets available for the 9.3's, such as the 232 grain spitzer but, I have not seen fit to try them.
My parting shot as it were:
Many of my fellow North Americans seem enamored with various .300 magnums / 165 to 180 grain spitzers for most all their hunting, including in thick African thornbush, where a very long shot MIGHT be 200 paces, across a water hole or canyon.
I think it may have been Craig Boddington that wrote something like "Realistically, in perhaps 80% of huntable Africa, the conditions are moderate to thick bush" (or something like that).
So, if hunting in such common Africa conditions, the 9.3's with heavy bullet, IMO are superior to any .30 caliber, (dreaded magnum or otherwise), in every way - especially when considering valuable meat for eating and skins for taxidermy, not splattered all over creation.
That said and in all fairness to the high velocity crowd, the .300's are quite excellent for so called "plains game" hunting in wide open conditions.
Most of Namibia and South Africa's Eastern Cape come to mind, as places where, a .300 magnum will be the better choice over any 9.3.
Cheers,
Velo Dog.
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