9.3X62 question
I recently bought some Sellier & Belloit 9.3X62 cartridges for a Husqvarna rifle of that caliber. I had to trim the lead tips from the bullets to get them to function properly in the magazine. Does anyone know what the original bullet was for this caliber (1930's rifle) and why the modern rounds would be of longer length?
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Randy,
I don't know which model Husqvarna you have but there were lots of the originals chambered in 9.3x57 and later re-chambered for the 9.3x62 cartridge. I don't have one of these currently but you might measure the magazine and compare that to the original magazine length of the Mauser 98, which it was originally designed for. My notes indicate the OAL of the x62 is ~3.29" for standard chambers. The standard bullet is supposed to be the 286 gr. softpoint. Here is a bunch of related information regarding the 9.3x62 cartridge and some comparisons. Being a writer, you've probably read these already.
From another source:
9.3x62 Mauser
Some time ago someone said, "Necessity is the mother of invention." In a way this fits the birth of the 9.3x62. The necessity came from the European farmers and ranchers in Africa who had a need for a firearm that was affordable and yet had enough punch to handle the tenacious crop raiders and large predators they were plagued with. Most cartridges of that time were adequate to handle most plains game, but when it came to dangerous critters, they needed something bigger.
Big-bore double guns were the answer but were financially out of reach for all but the well-heeled. They needed one rifle that would do it all and still fit their pocketbook.
In 1905 German gunmaker, cartridge designer Otto Bock came up with the answer. Using the strong military 98 Mauser action, he designed a cartridge that would fit and feed through the standard-length action. Using a case near identical to the .30-06, he developed the 9.3x62, which with softnosed bullets was more than adequate for even the largest of the antelope, and with solids it had enough sectional density to penetrate and do in the big boys.
An interesting note taken from the recent A-Square loading manual shows just how much respect the 9.3x62 has. It seems that in 1958 when Kenya ruled, the .375 H&H was the minimum cartridge allowed for dangerous game. A footnote was added that the 9.3x62 could be used by experienced hunters.
The 9.3x62's combination of moderate velocity with bullets of high sectional density and a large frontal area (diameter) has proven itself so well it is still one of the most popular cartridges outside the U.S. for any big game. So popular, it is offered by most all European rifle manufacturers today.
When looking at the 9.3x62 by itself, it looks like a .35 Whelen or .338-06. However, when placed side by side, it is obvious which of the three is larger and has a slight edge in case capacity. Even though the 9.3x62 is a slight bit shorter in length (1mm), its straighter case walls and shorter neck give it the advantage.
It is understandable why, in the U.S., the 9.3x62 was not popular in the past. Bullet selection was minimal and availability was spotty. Not so today, as most major U.S. manufacturers produce a selection of 9.3mm bullets along with the normal imported offerings of Norma, Woodleigh and Brenneke. Weights from 234 to 300 grains are available. The most popular bullet weight has always been the 286 grainer.
Factory ammunition and brass are readily available from Norma or RWS; however, it is not a big problem to use .30-06 brass. The normal fireforming process is all that is needed.
Loading data can be found in most all the popular manuals. Nosler, Swift, Barnes, Speer, Norma and A-Square all list extensive data for the 9.3x62.
The 9.3x62 seems to be one of those cartridges that is not finicky to load for. Most all loads tested shot well, some just better than others. This is a hunting cartridge using hunting bullets, but in some cases accuracy was well inside one inch at 100 yards.
http://www.riflemagazine.com/magazine/article.cfm?magid=95&tocid=1379
9.3X62 mm. Mauser - `Enough Gun'
According to the highly respected John Taylor in his book, `African Rifles and Cartridges', this cartridge was designed around 1905 for the German colonists in Africa who were unhappy with the cartridges then available to them. It quickly became the most widely used African `Medium Caliber" and remained so until after World War II, when the excellent .375 H&H Magnum and similar cartridges largely replaced it. Part of the reason for its immediate success was the high quality of the inexpensive Mauser rifles that it was chambered in. Another reason is its effective power. Taylor wrote, "The full-patch (solid) bullet has adequate penetration to kill an elephant from any reasonable angle; it will also kill rhino and buffalo on the shoulder shot. The plain soft-nose bullet can be used on everything else..." It made its reputation with a 286 grain bullet loaded to a relatively low muzzle velocity of 2175 feet per second.
When used in open areas, Taylor wrote of the .350 Rigby Magnum with its 225 grain bullet at 2,600 ft/sec, "...,it is a splendidly effective shell and at ranges up to at least 150 yards kills just as instantaneously as the .375 Magnum." The .375 H&H Magnum was his favorite `medium' cartridge so this is very high praise indeed. Well, guess what - the 9.3X62 has a "light' bullet too, weighing 232 grains.
`Sectional density' (s.d.) is a fancy way to compare the `penetrating power or carrying power' of a bullet. Assuming everything else is equal, a bullet with a higher s.d. will penetrate deeper and shoot farther than a bullet with a lower s.d.
So let's compare the two using data as loaded by Norma for the 9.3X62.
Bullet Weight (Grains) Velocity (Ft/Sec) S.D. Energy (Ft-Lbs)
350 Rigby Magnum 225 gr 2,600 0.251 3,380
9.3x62 Mauser---- 232 gr 2,632 0.247 3,543
I suspect that if 'Pondoro' Taylor had ever had the opportunity to use this 232 grain load of the 9.3X62, he would have been very favorably impressed.
The 9.3X62 Mauser is widely used in Europe for hunting moose and similar large game. It possesses slightly more power than the .35 Whelen, even in that cartridge's "Improved" forms. While the 9.3X62's power is ample for anything on earth, its recoil is relatively mild - midway between that of the 30-06 and the .375 H&H Magnum. I recommend it highly for hunting the larger North American animals such as elk, the big bears and moose, while it also can be used with complete confidence as a general purpose Asian or African rifle.
The 9.3X62 is loaded by factories to a maximum of about 50,000 p.s.i. The .375 H&H Magnum maximum is 62,000 p.s.i. and the .270 Winchester 65,000 ps.i., so the 9.3X62 Mauser case obviously can stand higher-pressure handloads. The .375 gained its tremendous reputation in double rifles with 26 inch barrels producing around 3800 ft-lbs. Using selected handloads with the 9.3X62 with 286 grain bullets, velocities a little above 2400 ft/sec in 24 inch barrels are safely obtained, resulting in around 3800 ft-lbs of energy. For larger game like Cape Buffalo, this equals the famed .375 H&H Flanged with significantly less recoil while for smaller game, factory loads provide all of the power needed.
The relatively low velocity of the 9.3X62 Mauser opens it to criticism from those shooters who delight in long range shooting. However, it has been shown numerous times that almost all game, both in the U.S. and in Africa, is killed within about 250 yards, so this criticism is absolutely groundless.
The Czech CZ550, with a classic controlled-feed Mauser action, good safety and fine trigger, currently can be had at a bargain-price in this caliber, considering its quality. It also has a 'set trigger' capability familiar to muzzleloaders. This is useful when waiting for an animal to move a few inches in thick brush to give you a killing shot. The Tikka, considerably more expensive and NOT a controlled-feed action, is also currently available in 9.3x62 Mauser.
Other acceptable `all around cartridges' for large North America game -
The .35 Whelen
The .338 Winchester Magnum
There are lots of other possibilities, of course, but the more powerful candidates waste their power on the air after blasting through the target, or become `shot out' after a few bursts of 5 or 6 rapid fire shots - shots necessary sometimes in hunting, or else they require impractically heavy rifles to carry. The less powerful ones don't get the job done as well. 'In good hands', with proper heavy bullets, either the 30-06 or .270 Winchester would serve, but if you are good enough to successfully use these cartridges within their limitations, you don't need my advice.
http://www.bwanabob.us/allaround.htm
The 9.3 x 62 Mauser
"There isn't really a great deal to say about it. Everybody found it so generally satisfactory that there wasn't anything to start a discussion." This is how 'Pondoro' Taylor sums up the 9,3x62 in his classic book, African Rifles & Cartridges. From the moment of its introduction in 1905 until ammunition supply problems in the late 1960's, the 9,3x62 Mauser reigned supreme the "all rounded calibre" and probably most popular non-military in Africa.
From left to right: .303, 350 Rigby, 9mm Mauser, 9.3 x 62 Mauser, .375 (straight)
When cartridges loaded with smokless powder and jacketed bullets were first introduced, a truly remarkable "small-bore" revolution began amongst hunters and farmers across the continent. The military rifles that introduced this revolution were chambered for the 7x57, .303, 6.5x54 Manlicher, 8mm Lebel or 7.92 Mauser. Their flat trajectory and almost unbelievable penetration changed the way people thought about rifles. The Martini-Henrys, Sniders and 11.2mm Mausers that they replaced packed a most impressive clout on small and medium game but, they were no slouches in the recoil department, had a rainbow like trajectory and the military bullets were too soft to give the desired penetration on big- game.
Almost overnight the old black powder rounds became obsolete, and only those who couldn't afford a new rifle were left with the older ones. In Zimbabwe, the Martini-Henry was THE universal rifle up until 1894. By March 1896 when the first outbreaks of rebellion occurred, the Martini was obsolete with those remaining in Government stocks being in disrepair whilst many civilians and all of the militia had .303' s. By the end of the war everybody had acquired a .303 and it was much the same throughout Africa.
What cut the small bore revolution short, was the Rinderpest epidemic, which from 1894 to '97 ravaged South and Central Africa. The antelope died in their millions becoming locally extinct in many areas. This huge drop in animal numbers meant a change in hunting ethics. Prior to this it was "normal" that, any animal shot at, that did not show signs of being badly hit, was usually left and "assumed" to be a miss and another individual engaged. Suddenly game was scarce and it might take a couple of days of hard hunting to get a second shot, so the first one needed to count, and bring the animal down quickly. Marksmanship on game improved, as did follow-up effort to recover wounded animals and it didn't take long for people to realise that game had to be hit "just so" with the full metal jacketed, military bullets to bring them down quickly. Softpoint ammunition improved the situation, but even these lacked the terminal clout of the old blackpowder rounds and were in very short supply to boot.
By 1900 many hunters had either gone back to their Martini's or had invested in one of the new medium bores being brought onto the market by the British and German gun trades. The British were also quick to introduce heavy calibre rifles for use on dangerous game, but these were specialty weapons designed more for the gentleman hunter than the working professional or farmer. What the working man required was a cheap, reliable rifle chambered for a cartridge that would comfortably sort out a crop raiding elephant or hippo, and at the same time secure good knockdown times on plains game for the pot, and do this with full metal jacket bullets, whilst at the same time having mild enough recoil to allow for sustained fire in case the owner needed it for self defence. The British were quick to meet this demand with the 400/350 (Rigby) Express, the 400/360 (Purdy & Westley Richards) and the .375 Flanged Express (BSA), whilst the Germans produced the 9x57 and 10,75x57 rounds. The British rifles though fell into two categories, very expensive high quality arms chambered for the proprietary cartridges, or very cheap and nasty ones chambered for the .375 express. Only the .350 Rigby achieved any measure of success, but it could only be had in expensive Rigby rifles (even the Rigby single shots cost more than double that of a "B" class Mauser), and the proprietary ammunition was expensive and sometimes difficult to obtain. In addition, the Boers, French, German and to some extent the Portuguese colonists were not exactly pro-British and were unlikely to buy another nation's rifle unless it was the only choice, or offered clear advantages over any home produced product. The German cartridges, based on the military 7.92 round necked up, were great on soft skinned game, but had insufficient penetration to kill elephant with frontal shots, and were marginal for raking shots on game such as buffalo or hippo. It was into this searching market that Paul Mauser launched his 9,3x62.
The standard model '98 Mauser rifle cost only ?5 (sterling) in 1905 and were renowned for their reliability. The rifles came with acceptable sights, were superbly accurate and the earlier 7.92 (8mm Mauser) and 9x57 cartridges were easily the best of the early smokeless, small bores and, although they lacked the knockdown power needed for the largest game, had a good reputation. The 9,3x62 corrected the power problem whilst not having excessive recoil. In short, it was a well-balanced cartridge, loaded with excellent soft point bullets or acceptable solids, and came in a reasonably priced, high quality rifle. It was an instant success, and not only in the German colonies.
To cater to the British market, Mauser introduced the. "A" class rifle, with express sights and/or a peep sight, rhino or buffalo horn fore-ends and grip caps and an English style stock. Even with the "extras" the A class Mauser was still half the price of contemporary British rifles of similar quality, and so sold like the proverbial hot cakes to the colonists. Here at last was an all round cartridge; its 286 grain bullets at 235Ofps had enough energy and penetration for amateur hunters and farmers to safely kill even elephant in all but the worst circumstances, whilst its moderate recoil made using it on small game such as warthog or impala a reasonable thing to do. The velocity was tolerably high for the period (higher than the contemporary British cartridges) and this gave a flat enough trajectory for all hunting out to 200 meters or so without having to change the sight settings. This was just what the workingman ordered. As it's popularity spread, so conditions developed that further enhanced its popularity, viz the ready supply of ammunition. Anywhere from Cape to Cairo where there was a general dealer or store, 9,3x62 ammunition could be 'obtained'. This was of vital importance to the farmer or hunter who was often cut off from the towns for months on end by the rainy season, not to mention war or rinderpest. In fact, the 9.3x62 came to have a truly international flavour by NOT being a country's military cartridge and this further enhanced its general appeal. The .303 ammunition was not available anywhere in Africa outside of the British colonies, whilst 8mm Lebel ammunition was confined to French Africa, but wherever you went in all six of the colonial power's spheres of influence 9,3x62 ammunition was available.
The only area that Taylor considered the 9,3x62 unsuitable for was following up wounded elephant in thick cover, and most hunters would agree. The penetration is there aplenty, enabling the bullet to reach the vitals from any angle, but the sheer bullet energy needed to turn a close quarters charge just simply isn't there (nor is it in the .375 H&H for that matter). Nevertheless the 9,3x62 found immediate acceptance amongst even the large-bore fans in the professional elephant hunting fraternity, for use in open country where shots over 20 meters were the norm. In thick bush, or when following up a wounded elephant, the professional would then take his heavy rifle (a .500, .505 or larger). In truth, many of the small-bore fans kept at least a .450 double in reserve for wounded jumbo in the thick stuff. Wounded elephant aside, the 9,3x62 adequately fitted the bill for everything else.
George Rushby favoured his 9,3 double for both elephant control work and for shooting lion. Ten of the man-eaters of Njombe fell to George's 9,3, and he records with sorrow how he was forced to sell the 9,3 for financial reasons and purchase a .400 which, although just as effective on elephant lacked the "shocking power" on the big cats. This of course was simply a matter of velocity as the 9,3' s velocity is above the critical velocity at which explosive wounds occur in flesh (2200-2250fps), and so the bullets tend to produce a much more extensive wound and "shock" to the central nervous system than the larger, slower bullets.
World War II marked the beginning of the end for the 9,3x62, Mauser stopped producing rifles, and supplies of good quality Kynock of DWM ammunition became unreliable in the early '60's. The Norma and S&B (Czech) ammunition that remained available was generally designed for medium sized game (up to eland/elk) and the solids were too poor a quality to take against elephant. The European rifles that remained in production were no longer cheap, and the new breed of hunter coming to Africa were Americans, who wanted cartridges chambered for imperial cartridges that they could understand, had a belt on them to "show" that they were a Magnum, and chambered in a cheap home grown American rifle. It didn't matter that the.375H&H solids broke up far more readily than the 9,3's or that the .375 produced greater meat damage with no improvement in effectiveness, and did so with a significant increase in recoil. Ammunition was available, it was cheap, and a new Winchester or Remington, was half the price of a Steyr- Manlicher or Husqvarna. By the 1970's the 9,3.62 was all but dead in Africa, although it remained very popular in Europe.
In recent years the 9,3x62 has seen something of a revival. Good quality Bruno (CZ) rifle arrived on the market which are substantially cheaper than any quality .375, supplies of high quality (and damned expensive) RWS a ammunition began to arrive and custom bullet makers from Ken Stewart to Woodleigh began to produce first class bullets in 9,3. Contrary to popular belief that .375 H&H is the minimum calibre for Class A game in Zimbabwe (Elephant, Buffa1o and Hippo) a the 9,3x62 is perfectly legal without having to over-load it, and the current RWS 293 grain TUG load safely meets the minimum energy requirements.
More and more people are re-discovering that the 9,3x62 is a great "all round" rifle. For the man who occasionally gets to shoot a buffalo or elephant, and spends most of his time hunting kudu, eland etc, the 9,3x62 makes an awful lot of sense. The recoil is not excessive, nor the meat damage so severe as to make it an unreasonable choice for game as small as impala, so its owner might as well use it on everything. This makes a great deal more sense than doing most of your hunting with a small or medium bore rifle, and then having change to a different rifle, often with a longer bolt throw, for that once every two or three year buffalo hunt. Beware of the hunter who only uses one rifle he usually knows it intimately, where it shoots at longer ranges and generally is not the originator of cock-ups and wounded game. Loaded with good bullets the 9,3x62 will give the same terminal performance a .375, and do it without the sharper recoil/longer action/greater weight of its modern replacement.
With regard to bullet choice, when I first obtained 9,3x62, I had a choice of RWS TUG's or pre-WWll Kynock solids for buffalo hunting. Not trusting the old Kynock ammo I stuck to the new RWS stuff and have been very impressed. (Note: when launched at higher velocities, such as from the later 9,3x64 Brenneke, the TUG's expand too much, limiting penetration for much use on anything bigger than eland). One disadvantage for me is that at 293 grains the TUG'S are heavier than the standard of 268 grains (which is what all the solids weigh). Conversely the Speer soft points, which are ideal for soft skin game, from eland down, are light at 270 grains. Initially, I tried using the express sights on the rifle for solids and the peep sight for the softs, re-zeroing the rifle for each load before I went out.
Recently Ken Stewart (of Stewart's Custom Bullets) dropped off some 286 grain soft point bullets with a big flat meplat at the front. These slow expanding bullets give an excellent entry wound due to the flat nose, and penetrated 1.4 metres into an eland after going through the front shoulder. Just the performance I like to see for a soft point that is intended to be used on big game. This has now solved my dilemma over loads since my Woodleigh solids and Stewart's softs can both be loaded to shoot to the same point at 100m. I then juggled my 270-grain load until I got it shooting to point of aim at 150m with the same sight setting. I have yet to shoot at anything bigger than a kudu at over 50 metres, so the 100 metres zero is fine for the big stuff, whilst I could safely take 200 metre shots with the 270 grain load if needed.
In summary then, the 9,3x62 is a bit of overkill on dassies, and a bit short on horsepower for a Tyrannosaurus, but on everything in-between it is as perfectly adequate today as it was in 1905.
http://www.african-hunter.com/the_9_3_x_62_mauser.htm0 -
A well written reply from nononsence; I'd suggest that you print a copy and post it for a quick referance in the future...
Captain Kirk, Tech Staff0 -
Great piece nononsense, said it all. 0 -
According to Cartridges Of The World, the OAL should be 3.29". 0 -
Thank you. I have read some of this but not all. Very interesting round and the more I fool with it, the more I like it. 0 -
Thank you. I have read some of this but not all. Very interesting round and the more I fool with it, the more I like it. 0
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