Ugly question: 9.3x62 vs .338WM

[Milan]

On a different note, just for the love of vintage boxes (and times)...
View attachment 496531
I mean...when I was a kid, 338 was synonymus of Alaska, Last Frontier, wild adventures...
I've always loved it

And when you were a kid, the 338Wm was ultra-modern! Not laughing at you, but the fact that when something new lasts long enough it will get eventually viewed as vintage, obsolete and not needed, dare we say useless. Wonder what people will say about 6.5 Creed in few decades (I do not like it or see need for it, but will give it a go). I mean they are now saying the .308 is obsolete. Since the Creed is so much better. Hahaha. So is 30-06 or 7x57 - obsolete I mean. They are relics. Yet I love them all.

I'm not a fan of magnums but I have to admit that .338WM seemed to kill with more authority than anything else I have used. But 1) it's all about the bullet at whatever velocity and 2) I don't need one and 3) I still have a 9.3x62 which also seems to punch with authority and more than one would expect. All with less felt recoil and muzzle blast. Yet, one can't argue against the results. And the results of the .338 tend to speak for themselves.

 

[Phil Giordano]

View attachment 496539
And when you were a kid, the 338Wm was ultra-modern! Not laughing at you, but the fact that when something new lasts long enough it will get eventually viewed as vintage, obsolete and not needed, dare we say useless. Wonder what people will say about 6.5 Creed in few decades (I do not like it or see need for it, but will give it a go). I mean they are now saying the .308 is obsolete. Since the Creed is so much better. Hahaha. So is 30-06 or 7x57 - obsolete I mean. They are relics. Yet I love them all.

I'm not a fan of magnums but I have to admit that .338WM seemed to kill with more authority than anything else I have used. But 1) it's all about the bullet at whatever velocity and 2) I don't need one and 3) I still have a 9.3x62 which also seems to punch with authority and more than one would expect. All with less felt recoil and muzzle blast. Yet, one can't argue against the results. And the results of the .338 tend to speak for themselves.

Yes indeed I realize at that times it was "ultra modern" don't tell me

 

[Adam From Africa]

Much like comparing the performance of the 416 Rigby with the 458 WM? Except that the beltless vintage cartridge gives less case capacity in larger calibre.

 

[Bob Nelson 35Whelen]

View attachment 496539
And when you were a kid, the 338Wm was ultra-modern! Not laughing at you, but the fact that when something new lasts long enough it will get eventually viewed as vintage, obsolete and not needed, dare we say useless. Wonder what people will say about 6.5 Creed in few decades (I do not like it or see need for it, but will give it a go). I mean they are now saying the .308 is obsolete. Since the Creed is so much better. Hahaha. So is 30-06 or 7x57 - obsolete I mean. They are relics. Yet I love them all.

I'm not a fan of magnums but I have to admit that .338WM seemed to kill with more authority than anything else I have used. But 1) it's all about the bullet at whatever velocity and 2) I don't need one and 3) I still have a 9.3x62 which also seems to punch with authority and more than one would expect. All with less felt recoil and muzzle blast. Yet, one can't argue against the results. And the results of the .338 tend to speak for themselves.

@Milan
As much as it pains me to say it the 338WM with a 300gn soft point round nose would put a lot of hurt on a critter. I wonder what speed it was doing.
I'm looking forward to trying the 310gn in the Whelen at 2,455fps.
Bob

 

[mdsalern]

Never had thought of a 9.3. Looking at GunBroker, there seem to be a bunch of new Sauers around the $1k mark. Any thoughts on them?

 

[Milan]

@Milan
As much as it pains me to say it the 338WM with a 300gn soft point round nose would put a lot of hurt on a critter. I wonder what speed it was doing.
I'm looking forward to trying the 310gn in the Whelen at 2,455fps.
Bob

I can only imagine what the 300 would do. I think I was shooting 200 or 220gr black talons at the time. It was only deer but they were drt even with heart shots. 300 in .338 or .310 in .35 at 2400-2500 sounds like a lot of bang

 

[Money d Luffy]

I own 5 .338WM rifles always loaded in Grizzly country with 250NPs at 2750-2800 fps-mv and I own 3-9.3 rifles loaded with 286 NPs at 2400 fps-mv. I would rate them about equal in this scenario and would be comfortable with either.

I would, however, prefer my custom .375H&H P-64 "shorty" with 300 NPs loaded to 2500 fps-mv and just got a Browning Safari CRF in .458WM to customize as my final Grizzly rifle, probably with 450 SAFs at 2150-2200 fps-mv. I WOULD prefer this over ANY other rifle as I have been close enough to Grizzlies to smell them several times and believe in bigger is best.

 

[Milan]

I own 5 .338WM rifles always loaded in Grizzly country with 250NPs at 2750-2800 fps-mv and I own 3-9.3 rifles loaded with 286 NPs at 2400 fps-mv. I would rate them about equal in this scenario and would be comfortable with either.

I would, however, prefer my custom .375H&H P-64 "shorty" with 300 NPs loaded to 2500 fps-mv and just got a Browning Safari CRF in .458WM to customize as my final Grizzly rifle, probably with 450 SAFs at 2150-2200 fps-mv. I WOULD prefer this over ANY other rifle as I have been close enough to Grizzlies to smell them several times and believe in bigger is best.

I think the FST (Win black talon) bullets were 230 gr and probably over 2700 fps. Like I said a hammer. We love that ammo in all calibers we had - 30-06, 7mm RM, .300WM and the .338 WM. I too had that .338 WM rifle as a gun for grizzly country. Sako Finnbear with full stock and 20" barrel. LOL what a beast.

 

[MS 9x56]

I may actually have a barrel chambered in 6.5 manbun. Simply because I have a .308 with a magazine that will not fit the 6.5x55 and I have a left over 6.5 barrel. Should make a cool little shooter.

Just curious would the 6.5x54 fit in that magazine length? Moot point if they don’t offer that caliber barrel.

 

[Joker12]

Both are great hunting cartridges. The 338WM will reach out a bit farther and hit hard but it will hit the shooter a bit harder too.

 

[Milan]

Just curious would the 6.5x54 fit in that magazine length? Moot point if they don’t offer that caliber barrel.

6.5x54 would probably fit nicely. But I do not have brass, or dies and don't feel like getting yet another "obsolete" caliber. Have enough of those. Plus it is still longer than 6.5 CM. So wanting to try heavier 6.5 bullets, CM it is.

Here is some comparison:

The 6.5 SWE and 6.5CM highlighted. 6.5x54 M&S would be the same OAL as the 6.5x52 Carcano which is just to the right of the 6.5x55 SWE. Here are pics of the 6.5 and .308 in the magazine. 6.5 CM should be a hair shorter than the 308, bullet and seating depth depending:

Sorry for diverting the discussion.

 

[Milan]

Both are great hunting cartridges. The 338WM will reach out a bit farther and hit hard but it will hit the shooter a bit harder too.

That is why I got rid of it. Friends still have them and every time I shoot one, I'm glad I have the 9.3. I'd sooner get a .35 Whelen before another .338 WM. As good as that thing is.

 

[Bob Nelson 35Whelen]

I think the FST (Win black talon) bullets were 230 gr and probably over 2700 fps. Like I said a hammer. We love that ammo in all calibers we had - 30-06, 7mm RM, .300WM and the .338 WM. I too had that .338 WM rifle as a gun for grizzly country. Sako Finnbear with full stock and 20" barrel. LOL what a beast.

@Milan
A 338WM with a 20 inch barrel would be a right bitch. The muzzle blast would be horrendous and we won't mention the recoil in such a light rifle.
Bob

 

[Bob Nelson 35Whelen]

That is why I got rid of it. Friends still have them and every time I shoot one, I'm glad I have the 9.3. I'd sooner get a .35 Whelen before another .338 WM. As good as that thing is.

@

 

[Milan]

@Milan
A 338WM with a 20 inch barrel would be a right bitch. The muzzle blast would be horrendous and we won't mention the recoil in such a light rifle.
Bob

I was much younger then and my other magnum was a Zkk 602 in .375 h&h. Even that was more pleasant to shoot i think. But it was heavy so eventually i sold both. Kind of wish i had kept the 375 though.

 

[MISportsman]

I have a CZ 550 synthetic stock 20" cal 9.3x62 Mauser topped with Leupold VX2 3-9 x 40 which gives me complete satisfaction , but ... I still asked myself : 9.3x62 vs .338WM ?
Have you an opinion?

I have both and they are both great guns. My 9.3x62 is a Ruger Hawkeye African and my .338 win mag is a stainless savage 110 in a synthetic stock that I bought for hunting big critters in nasty weather. (The dream of a Kodiak bear hunt in Alaska running through my head) they both shoot great and get the job done with authority! At the range I hunt in, I really do not need the extra range of the.338 so if I was to do it over I would have bought a Sauer 100 ceratech in 9.3x62 instead.

 

[Milan]

I have a CZ 550 synthetic stock 20" cal 9.3x62 Mauser topped with Leupold VX2 3-9 x 40 which gives me complete satisfaction , but ... I still asked myself : 9.3x62 vs .338WM ?
Have you an opinion?

Oh yeah. In my ramblings above I forgot to mention that the CZ550 FS I have is also 20" yet much "quieter" and more pleasant to shoot than that 20" Sako FS in .338. So I agree with MISportsman.

 

[OldnLazy]

Is there anything the 9.3 won't kill just as dead under 300 yds? A good friend shot a hog at 150 yds and killed the one behind it and exited as well (should have planned that better). Never had a 338 and don't feel the need but I suspect its the better choice over 300 yds....but that's not my territory.

 

[colorado]

I have a CZ 550 synthetic stock 20" cal 9.3x62 Mauser topped with Leupold VX2 3-9 x 40 which gives me complete satisfaction , but ... I still asked myself : 9.3x62 vs .338WM ?
Have you an opinion?

Rechamber/rebarrel to 375 Weatherby. Better than both! A 300g A-Frame at 2800 fps is nothing to sneeze at.

 

[Bob Nelson 35Whelen]

Is there anything the 9.3 won't kill just as dead under 300 yds? A good friend shot a hog at 150 yds and killed the one behind it and exited as well (should have planned that better). Never had a 338 and don't feel the need but I suspect its the better choice over 300 yds....but that's not my territory.

@OldnLazy
Had the same thing happen with the Whelen and 225gr Woodleighs. Mate said I didn't hear you fire 2 shot. Reply I didn't.
I was at the range on the weekend with @peter Who having a play with some of his toys.
The 9.3x62 he has (a sauer I think) had that stupid hogs back comb.
Even with a firm hold that bitch of a thing belted me up the side of the head. Bad stock design for me. Cured me of shooting his 9.3x62 ever again.
I would be happier letting loose with 10 35 Whelen rounds loaded with 310s at 2,460 fps than that horrible rifle.
Bob