9.3x62mm Mauser - "Put a spell on you..."

9.3x62mm RUGER African - Math V. Voodoo.

Recoil/ Performence:

9.3x62mm:
286 gr. NP at 2475 fps (66.0 gr. Ramshot Big Game)
- Recoil: 40.2 lb-ft/ 17.4 fps) (NOTE: ~ same as a 300 gr./ 2500 fps/ 10.0 Lb./ 375 H&H Mag)
- (2.2K fps/ 3K lb-ft) 175 yds
- (2.0K fps/ 2K lb-ft) 275 yds
- Min. Expansion: 400 yds.

9.3x62mm:
286 gr. NP at 2360 fps (63.0 gr. Ramshot Big Game)
- Recoil: 36.6 lb-ft/ 16.6 fps) (NOTE: ~ same as a 300 gr./ 2400 fps/ 10.0 Lb./ 375 H&H Mag)
- (2.2K fps/ 3K lb-ft) 100 yds
- (2.0K fps/ 2K lb-ft) 200 yds
- Min. Expansion: 350 yds.

.30-06:
200 gr. NP at 2560 fps (55.0 gr. IMR 4831)
- Recoil: 23.1 lb-ft/ 13.2 fps)
- (2.2K fps/ 3K lb-ft) N/A
- (2.0K fps/ 2K lb-ft) 250 yds
- Min. Expansion: 450 yds.

.270 Win:
150 gr. NP at 2800 fps (55.0 gr. IMR 4831)
- Recoil: 18.0 lb-ft/ 11.7 fps)
- (2.2K fps/ 3K lb-ft) N/A
- (2.0K fps/ 2K lb-ft) 175 yds
- Min. Expansion: >500 yds.


Recoil Travel:
Given:
- Body wt.: 180 lbs
- 1/2 Body wt.: 90 lbs

9.3x62mm:
286 gr. NP at 2475 fps
- Recoil: 40.2 lb-ft/ 17.4 fps)
- Recoil Travel: 5.4"

9.3x62mm:
286 gr. NP at 2360 fps
- Recoil: 36.6 lb-ft/ 16.6 fps)
- Recoil Travel: 4.9"

.30-06:
200 gr. NP at 2560 fps
- Recoil: 23.1 lb-ft/ 13.2 fps)
- Recoil Travel: 3.1"

.270 Win:
150 gr. NP at 2800 fps
- Recoil: 18.0 lb-ft/ 11.7 fps)
- Recoil Travel: 2.4"




GR

Gtscotty said:

I don't know what Voodoo you're referring to, weird way to start a post with simple copy/paste calculator numbers, but whatever.

Privi Partizan 285gr factory, which was, at the time by far the most available and least expensive factory option chrono'd ~2,180 fps out of my African. So the numbers for my rifle were:

285gr @ 2,180 fps in 8.25 lb rifle
Recoil: 32.6 ft-lbs (15.9 fps)

Quite a bit less than 40 ft-lbs on the shoulder, ok for a reasonable number of rounds, but not really a fun rifle to shoot a whole lot. The Ruger Africans are a good looking rifle though, if that matters to you.

Click to expand...

Voodoo - is the spell on me.

I think that the 6.5x55, and probably the 275 Rigby as well, are the sweet-spot for this rifle.

Voodoo Queen say: Twice the recoil of my .270 Win (286 gr. @ 2360 fps) and 5" of recoil travel is OK.

And that is my current sticking point.

An 8.5 lb. all day carry rifle, and 100 yd. Dangerous Game/ 200 yd. Large Game/ 350 yd. Medium Game is a pretty well balanced round - If I want to tolerate Twice the recoil of my .270 Win and ~ 5" of recoil travel.

Thinkin'...




GR

Gtscotty said:

Ok, I can get on board with that, 6.5 Swede and 7mm Mauser probably are the sweet spot for that rifle in terms of an enjoyable, effective package, especially if you want to stick with cartridges that fit the "personality" of the Ruger African.

I'm not trying to be a debbie downer on the cartridge, it has a lot of interesting history, looks neat, etc. It has a lot of 1900's romanticism around it, which is part of the reason I thought it would be neat to buy one. And it was neat, it just also kicked like a mule in that particular rifle, the legend of the easy shooting medium should be tempered a bit with the reality of chunking 286gr bullets at ~2,400 fps out of a modern light-ish weight rifle.

Click to expand...

Oh, I hear ya brother, and appreciate your candor.

Thought I'd put a peg in this duck for that very reason... until coming across the 286 gr. @ 2360 fps NP load.

And, with ~ 62.5 gr. of Ramshot Big Game, the SPEER 270 gr. Hot-Cor should go ~ 2440 fps, and hit the same marks to 300 yards, for inexpensive practice and the lighter stuff.


Thinkin'...




GR

js8588 said:

Let's say you buy it. Let's say it kicks too hard. Okay. Maybe just a better recoil pad. Failing that, replace the nothing-special Ruger stock with a slightly heavier, better fit-to-you Boyd's or Richards Microfit.

Click to expand...

Questioning the light contour Bbl. in this chambering.

While aiding in balance and handling, it also may encourage muzzle flip, slapping you in the face w/ the stock, instead of linear recoil.

Thinkin'...




GR

Well, by all accounts from the Big Game community so far - the Ruger African 9.3x62mm Mauser/ 286 gr./ 2360 fps is...




Thinkin'...




GR

js8588 said:

Buy it. One is going on layaway next pay check.
Between the 6.5x55 and the 9.3x62...if you could only have 2 rifles to hunt the world, could you really do much better?

Click to expand...

Well...

As of this morning, near as could be found, the Global interweb marketplace had precisely Three(3) of these rifles available.

...and now there are only Two(2).



da Swamp Witch say:

"You can run - but..."




GR

Have started assembling components for loads for the 9.3x62 Ruger African.

Starting with some PPU ammo - for familiarization and rough zeroing of the rifle, and to harvest the brass.

Of the 286 gr./2,360 fps (~ 63 gr. Ramshot Big Game) loadings, only the high BC (0.482) Nosler Partition seem to meet what I consider a balanced load criteria for this cartridge:

2,200 fps/3,000 lb-ft @ 100 yds.
2,000 fps/ 2,500 lb-ft @ 200 yds.
1,800 fps/ 2,000 lb-ft @ 300 yds.
< 3" rise with a 200 yd. zero. (scoped)

Fortunately, the two bullets selected for this load development:

HDY 286 gr. SP-RP (BC = 0.400)
Swift 286 gr. A-Frame (BC = 0.385)

Are not that far behind, only ~ 25 yds.

By upping the muzzle velocity to ~ 2,400 fps, both these bullets drop right into the above balanced load criteria, the additional velocity being attained by an additional ~ 1.0 gr. (63-64) of Ramshot Big Game.




GR

Archie said:

Without starting a needless debate; there are other rifle combinations that both appeal to many and would serve, but the pair you suggest covers most everything other than dangerous African game.

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Au Contraire - The 9.3x62mm/286 gr./2360 fps load has both officially and unofficially once again become an accepted DG cartridge on the Dark Continent.

Some States have lowered the minimum caliber to include > 9.2mm, while others have a minimum Muzzle Energy requirement of 4750J(3500 lb-ft)? which includes the cartridge. And some just accept and use it anyway... because it just works.

Good bullets, and good marksmanship, make it 85-95% of a 300 gr. 375 H&H magnum.
(incidentally, the .366/286 gr. and .375/300 gr. bullets have the same 0.305 SD)




GR

Dave DeLaurant said:

Side conversation: The sight combo works pretty well (mine's a 77/44), but you'll probably need to replace the front sight with a taller one. If you've got sausage fingers like me, I'd also recommend Volquartsen's extended mag release marketed for the Hornet version of this rifle.

View attachment 842486

Click to expand...

Installed the sight on the forward mount w/ the larger 0.125” aperture. A hair big, but will work 'till I shorten the stock.

Ordered a WILLIAMS GUN SIGHT - .570 Bead 116 Medium Front Sight (OEM is .464) as per Major Pandemic's recommendation.

GR

Archie said:

I was thinking the 9.3x74R was the minimum for Africa large dangerous game. So I was thinking a notch low. Shrive me for a Frank. Thanks for the information, by the way. I doubt if I'll ever get to the continent, but it's good to have information.

Click to expand...

This should be attainable with a 24" Bbl'ed 9.3x62mm and a stout (A-Frame) 286 gr. bullet loaded to a MV of 2480 fps, which is right at the top of the load ladder for RamShot Big Game powder.

GR

Near as can be found, the Global interweb marketplace had exactly One(1.0) of these rifles available.
(They only made a run of 250)

GR

Finally got a look at the new Hawkeye African 9.3x62.

The stock is loose grain orange Ruger. Nice, but not old black walnut like the 6.5x55.

The good news is - Ruger C/S said that Re: the Service Bulletin, the S/N was in the group, but that the distributor had already sent it back to the mother-ship for remedy.

Which means it has had a pass through the Armory, so it should be good-to-go.

Will post when I pick it up.




GR

RugerOldArmy said:

9.3x62mm is a GREAT cartridge. Especially with today's powders. I like RL-15 and Ramshot's Big Game

CZ93x62

• RugerOldArmy
• Mar 26, 2018

CZ 550 American in 9.3x62 Mauser

9-3MauserComp

• RugerOldArmy
• May 1, 2018

9.3mm Factory 285 Gr Privi, 9.3 mm Barnes 286 Banded Solid, 9.3 mm Speer 270 Gr SP, .308 Win 168...

Click to expand...

Been stockpiling.

- PPU 285 gr. ammo (for dynamic disassembly and brass harvest.)
- Speer 270 gr. Hot-Cor.
- Hdy 286 gr. Interlock.
- Norma 285 gr. Oryx Bonded.
- Swift 286 gr. A-Frame.

RamShot Big Game Powder/primers to follow.




GR