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Old January 15, 2013, 02:40 PM   #1
gmarr
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9.3 x 62mm Mauser

Ok, maybe my ignorance is showing here but while I've heard of this caliber I have no experience with it. What standard or 'American' caliber does this equate to? I've used the 8 x 57mm and the 7 x 57mm and of course the 30-06and 300 WSM. Ballistics and recoil? Any help will be appreciated.
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Old January 15, 2013, 04:38 PM   #2
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A very fine cartridge introduced for African hunting .It is in some countries the minimum for hunting dangerous game .It was quickly adopted in Europe for hunting wild boar and red deer. It seems to be seeing a revival.In Europe a number of semi-auto rifles are available for boar hunting like the Browning, Benelli , etc. In performance it's a bit above our 35 Whelen. Good for anything in North America.A very fine cartridge.
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Old January 15, 2013, 04:45 PM   #3
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yup very common, and have been for a number of years here. really puts them down

shot a boar with a borrowed semi-auto when I was knocked on my back, he had practically no head left
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Old January 15, 2013, 05:15 PM   #4
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It is ~.37 cal, similar in performance to the .375 H&H Mag.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/9.3x62mm
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Old January 15, 2013, 05:42 PM   #5
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The closest American analog is the 35 Whelen, which uses a 358 diameter bullet instead of the .366~.368 diameter bullet used by the 9.3x62.

The 9.3x62 is eligible to take "Class A" dangerous game in some African countries, notably Zimbabwe. Energy wise and momentum wise it is about 10% less than the 375 Holland and Holland.

It is still an easy conversion, simply screw on a new barrel to an M98 action and set headspace. The 9.3x62 is not a "stopper" round by any stretch of the imagination, but if you only had one rifle to do it all, it would be hard to choose a more well rounded cartridge than the 9.3x62 if you were in a place like Africa, although one hunter I know from Zimbabwe thinks the 338 Win Mag is a better choice for a do anything rifle.

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Old January 15, 2013, 09:33 PM   #6
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Converting a full-length Mauser 98 action to 9,3X62 is just flat easy: New barrel, add a crossbolt, and add a recoil pad. If the rifle is under 9 lbs, add a recoil reducer as well. Not because the 9,3X62 is a vicious kicker, but because 290 gr bullets at 2,500 fps will move you around.
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Old January 16, 2013, 02:16 PM   #7
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Jimro what on earth are you shooting if the 9,3x62 isn't a stopper?

I do a fair bit of tracking animals for other hunters (or traffic collisions) even a bad hit with this round is most often a lethal within a few hundred meters, pigs don't get very far, loads of blood usually, easy to tell where they've been hit, it bangs them up good.

there is a quote floating around somehwere about it: not verbatim but it says a bit big for daisies and a bit small for t-rex but everything in between will drop

what it isn't is a long range calibre
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Old January 16, 2013, 02:21 PM   #8
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What would something like that cost? I have a 1918 98 Mauser that has been sporterized and have been toying with the idea of converting it into something else.
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Old January 16, 2013, 02:43 PM   #9
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What would something like that cost?
Cost of the barrel, cost of the crossbolt, cost of the recoil reducer, cost of the recoil pad, and the cost of labor to fit and install. So anywhere from $350-ish to $750-ish, depending on your choices of the above.
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Old January 16, 2013, 04:21 PM   #10
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So what is a good scource for a barrel? I am on a fairly tight budget but did already put a Limbsaver recoil pad on and redid the wood. What exactly is a cross bolt and what is the need for one?
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Old January 16, 2013, 05:01 PM   #11
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For a barrel, you can look at Green Mountain Barrels, Douglas, McGowen, etc. A crossbolt is a special bolt that goes through the stock right behind the recoil lug (and sometimes another is added in front of the trigger group) to keep the stock from being split in two under recoil. It is a good thing to add to a stock on large caliber rifles.
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Old January 16, 2013, 05:08 PM   #12
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Actually for $300 and up you can find many used Husqvarna models in 9.3x62 and 9x57. Most of the ones I've seen were under $500.
I've been thinking about picking one up myself, puts my C&R to good use.
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Old January 16, 2013, 05:25 PM   #13
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The 9.3X62 is an outstanding shell. It works best with a fairly tough bullet. I have used the 270 grain Speer with much disappointment, but the Noslers and the Barnes, and to some extent the Hornady bullets all work well.

Brass can be made from 30-06 but it is not quite to “spec”. It usually works fine however. Hornady makes correct brass, so there is not a real need to make it from 06 brass

With correct bullet that don’t break up, the 9.3X62 will do nearly everything a 375H&H will do, and it does it with less recoil, more magazine capacity and usually a light rifle.

It’s simply one of the great cartridges
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Old January 17, 2013, 12:20 PM   #14
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Almost you persuade me! I already have a 7mm mag so a 9mm would be my "big gun"! I always have had a soft spot for calibers that are slightly different than the norm; which is why I shoot a 260 instead of a 270 and a 35 Remington rather than a 30-30. So a 9.3x62 would fit right in!
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Old January 17, 2013, 12:33 PM   #15
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Old January 17, 2013, 10:42 PM   #16
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9.3x62

Pretty much the same recoil as a 35 Whelen, shooting the same weight bullet at the same speed in the same weight rifle,

example-250grn bullet @ 2500fps from an 8 lb rifle = approximately 27-29# of recoil (give or take) depending on stock style.
The 375 H&H with a 270 grn bullet @ 2700 fps in a 9.5 or 10 lb rifle would generate approximately 33-35# of recoil, which is a significant increase.

As a comparison the 30-06 with a 180 grn @ 2700 in the same rifle weight of 8lbs would be 20# and a 300 Win mag shooting a 180grn @ 2900 fps in that same rifle would be 25# of recoil.

The 9.3x62 kicks a little bit more than an 06 or Win Mag, but less than a 375 H&H, but many say it kills like the H&H.

I shoot the 7x57 and 8x57 mausers, and like them very much, a 9.3x62 mauser would complete the family!
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Old January 18, 2013, 02:02 PM   #17
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The bigger the bullet, the less desire I have to shoot it at 2800 or 3000fps. I'd rather have the 9.3x62.
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Old January 18, 2013, 02:43 PM   #18
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I always thought the 9.3x62 shines with the heavy 280+ gr bullets. Prvi makes a 285 gr load that I can shoot 2" groups at 100 yards with. As my Merkel SR1 kicks like a mule with that load, the cartridge is probably better . Haven't tried to reload them as my gun dings the case mouth on ejection.
If I want lighter bullets in that energy class I probably take my 338 WM.
On 9.3 in general, if I want 375 H&H performance I use the 9.3x64 Brenneke. I also have a 9.3x64 from pre-WWI that uses a 30-06 base case, so I don't dare loading that anywhere near the 9.3x62 level. Still need a 9.3x57 to round out the collection.
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Old January 18, 2013, 11:17 PM   #19
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Husqvarna,

The term "stopper cartridge" refers to the "dang big gun" that a professional guide would choose to stop a charge from dangerous game such as Cape Buffalo or Elephant.

Think 416 Rigby or heavier.

The ivory hunter Wally Johnson reported a Cape Buff that took 5 shots from an assistant's 9.3x62 before he ended it with his 375 H&H.

So that is why it isn't a "stopper" like the big bore safari rounds.

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Old January 19, 2013, 08:47 AM   #20
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Quote:
The ivory hunter Wally Johnson reported a Cape Buff that took 5 shots from an assistant's 9.3x62 before he ended it with his 375 H&H.
Sounds like Johnson may have had shot placement issues. Not understanding the context, this may be a quite reasonable scenario. Where were the shots placed? Did they even hit the target? Was he using soft points? Did he have to shoot through brush?

Too many questions and not enough answers. You can kill just about anything with one shot of a 375 H&H after it has absorbed 5 rounds of 9.3x62.

I believe I read a story once about Karamojo Bell killing a Cape Buff with a single shot from a 6.5×54mm Mannlicher-Schönauer. I don't think there is a person on this board that thinks a 6.5 is near the stopper of a 9.3x62.
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Old January 20, 2013, 06:38 PM   #21
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FALPhil,

I agree, the story was that Wally was hunting along a river, and an "arroyo" (don't know what the Swahili word would be) branched off. Wally asked a native woman washing clothes if she saw a wounded animal go up the arroyo, and she said no.

One of his assistants was trailing behind with the 9.3x62, and saw movement in the arroyo. He went to check it out and it turned out to be the wounded buff. IIRC Wally came running back when the assistant put 5 rounds into the chest of the buff.

It wasn't recorded what bullets were used, nor where Wally shot the buff that dropped it (although a headshot under the boss would probably be my guess).

Of course Capstick told of a 470 Nitro Express solid gouging out a hole in the boss of a charging buff, which is why he let go with both barrels and was thankful the other bullet did the job. Although he also recalls a German lady who cleanly took buff with a 7x57 with side shots to the boilermaker.

So that is why the 9.3x62 is not a "stopper" cartridge even though it is legal to hunt dangerous game with "by experienced hunters" according to some laws in Africa. It is a good round, fully adequate to take game. I wouldn't consider the 375 H&H a "stopper" cartridge either, as it is the minimum bore in many countries that don't have an exception for the 9.3x62.

It should be noted that Capstick served as a game control officer, which gave him a solid opinion that 'bigger is better' when facing down dangerous game (except for leopard, he used a 12 guage for leopard, with #1 buck).

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Old February 18, 2013, 09:44 PM   #22
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9.3x62

Hi,
I would not bother building a 9.3x62 when a CZ550FS is available.
The hogback stock really reduces felt recoil, the triggers are great, the only thing I did was add a NECG peep sight, otherwise it's a easy shooting accurate gun.
Federal premium loads Barnes solids and TSX copper bullets, the Prizi Partizan shoots really well, reloading is easy with reloader 15 and Graff & Sons sells 286 grain round points in bags of 100.

You get all this for ten percent less power than a 375 H&H.
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Old February 18, 2013, 09:55 PM   #23
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I think were I in a situation where something big and mean was trying to grind me into an indecipherable paste, I'd want at least a .500 Nitro.

With an underbarrel Phoenix missile.

The British considered rounds like the 9.3 and the .375 to be medium bores, suitable for hunting most game, including dangerous game, under optimal conditions.

But, when things went badly, as they sometimes did, the British professional hunter liked to have a native gun bearer whose sole job it was to walk a pace ahead and to the right of the the Bwana with a big ass double rifle on his left shoulder, muzzles forward.
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Old February 20, 2013, 01:09 PM   #24
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I would rate the 9.3x62 about like the .35 Whelen. In Alaska my partner used one to kill a Kodiak bear. It seemed to kill as well as my .375 H&H.

I had a pre 64 M70 FWT in 30-06 and was so impressed with his .35 W that when I returned to the states I had it rebarreled to .35 W. As it turned out I never shot anything with it.

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Old May 29, 2013, 03:49 PM   #25
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Husqvarna 98 in 9.3 x 62

I bought a late 1939, Husqvarna 98, Model 146, re-chambered from 9.3 x 57 to 9.3 x 62mm.

Where I live, we are fortunate to have everything from deer to grizzly, and I believe a 9.3 x 62 is certainly adequate for everything in North America, with manageable recoil. I understand that some, but not all, African countries permit 9.3 x 62 as a minimum calibre.

Bumnote is right, you can pick up a good one for a few hundred dollars. Mine cost me $350, has an excellent bore, very good wood, and groups 1" at 100 metres.

I have learned that the Husqvarna model 146 has the advantage of a standard length magazine that will accomodate the factory ammo available, Prvi, Federal, Hornady, Remington, to name a few.

The Husqvarna models 46 / 46a do not accomodate factory ammo, excepting Norma, as the maximum magazine length overall is about 3.260, so if you are planning on buying a Husqvarna and intend to use factory ammo, take that into account.

Factory ammo is expensive, and available with Nosler partition, Barnes and other premium bullets. I am using Hornady 286 grain, dangerous game series sp-rp. Around $53 per box - still a bargainb compared to some others.
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