How to Select a Soft/Solid Combo

[Googleplex]

Howdy folks,

I’m building a 9.3x62 for general purpose use on plains game and the occasional buff. I’m curious how selecting a soft/solid combo works. Do you start by finding the soft your rifle likes and then fining a solid with roughly the same POI? Vice versa? Or is it really that trustworthy that a company’s corresponding solid will have a similar POI to their soft? It seems like as subjective to each rifle as load selection is that it would difficult to guarantee shared POI, but obviously folks are getting good combos. What’s everybody’s processes on making these selections?

Thanks!

 

[Nhoro]

I am using Peregrine bullets from South Africa. They have the same profile and weight. Otherwise you can use the same manufacturer eg Hornady DGS and DGX, which are pretty similar in impact Point.

Generally you would only use solids on elephant and that would be at under 50 m. So you can also sight in your softs and the solids will be close enough at 50 m to get the job done. if you chose a single rifle safari with 375 h&h. Then you would be dead on for plainsgame up to buffalo and only swop to solids on elephant.

 

[grand veneur]

A very sensitive topic when it comes to solids, regardless of caliber. Many will tell you that you don't need something like that nowadays.

Some ammunition manufacturers offer SP and solid cartridges with theoretically the same ballistic values, but that has to be tested in the used rifle. In all cases, the rifle must be regulated with the SP and if necessary you have to find a suitable load for your solid by reloading.

Despite everything, think about it carefully. The cartridge 9,3x62 is not the ideal buffalo cartridge, but with modern heavy strong bullets it can certainly be used to a limited extent for this purpose without the use of solids.

 

[cajunchefray]

Good question.
Do you reload or just using factory ammo?
The only factory ammunition solids I see is Federal Woodleigh Hydros and out of stock. Others may have occasional runs.
With reloading you can find a load with same or very similar POI.
A bit easier in some cases with same brand softs and solids having a similar bullet shape.
Search around here, there are some threads that mention this.

Good luck, you came to the right place for help!

 

[Googleplex]

I will be reloading for my premium loads! The only stuff I might use that’s factory is likely to be Prvi for hunting thin skinned game in NA if the rifle likes them well enough. I’ll be putting a QD mount from Griffin & Howe on it, so I’d have a separate optic for that if they get good enough groups. As far as S/S combos for hunting Africa, that’s all reloads. I’ve got my eye on Northfork, Barnes, Rhino, etc.

 

[wvfred]

Load it up with TSX Barnes or Swift A frames and hunt.

 

[deewayne2003]

I load for my .470 and found that with the same load Hornady SP, Hornady FMJ as well as Woodleigh SP,FMJ & Hydros all shoot to the same POI.

I’ve got Woodleigh SP and Hydros waiting for my .375 H&H and 404J when I get them back from the smith.

FYI @RAVEN ROCKS PRECISION is brining in a load of bullets from woodleigh in the near future and I’d be willing to bet that there will be some 9.3’s coming in.

If they get Woodleigh Hydros in that order I would stock up.

 

[M70375!]

I load for my .470 and found that with the same load Hornady SP, Hornady FMJ as well as Woodleigh SP,FMJ & Hydros all shoot to the same POI.

I’ve got Woodleigh SP and Hydros waiting for my .375 H&H and 404J when I get them back from the smith.

FYI @RAVEN ROCKS PRECISION is brining in a load of bullets from woodleigh in the near future and I’d be willing to bet that there will be some 9.3’s coming in.

If they get Woodleigh Hydros in that order I would stock up.

What distance are you shooting your groups?

 

[375Fox]

Does it really matter if they are within 2” of each other? When I’ve been asked to load solids on buffalo the bullet performance mattered much more than perfect accuracy at 100 yards. If I was going to use a solid on tiny 10 I’d make sure to know where it hits but shot would likely be relatively close anyway. Most solids are not the most aerodynamic or accurate bullets that I’ve seen.

 

[Hunter-Habib]

Howdy folks,

I’m building a 9.3x62 for general purpose use on plains game and the occasional buff. I’m curious how selecting a soft/solid combo works. Do you start by finding the soft your rifle likes and then fining a solid with roughly the same POI? Vice versa? Or is it really that trustworthy that a company’s corresponding solid will have a similar POI to their soft? It seems like as subjective to each rifle as load selection is that it would difficult to guarantee shared POI, but obviously folks are getting good combos. What’s everybody’s processes on making these selections?

Thanks!

Howdy

Obviously, the soft & the solid have to be of the same weight (for example: 300Gr weight in a .375 Holland & Holland Magnum). It’s just a matter of sampling different loadings in your rifle until you happen to find the combination which produces the most accurate results. The company does not necessarily have to be the same. For instance, I am currently using 300Gr Barnes TSX (Barnes VOR-TX factory loads) and 300Gr Cutting Edge Bullets Safari Solids (Hendershots Custom loads) for my .375 Holland & Holland Magnum Remington Model 700.

 

[Googleplex]

Good to know, so essentially find the soft your rifle likes best, and then match up the solid that gets the closest results. Is it safe to say that since like as not the solid is going to be used at short distances it’s not imperative that it be perfect, but workably correct (I.e in a spread within the size of the vitals of a buffalo) within, say, 100 yards?

 

[Kevin Peacocke]

Hornady DGX and DGS.

 

[franzfmdavis]

In addition to the above sage advice, please be sure to check with your PH regarding whether that caliber is legal for dangerous game in the intended country. My understanding is that many countries have a minimum of .375 for Cape Buffalo (9.3mm = .366 in). Keep us posted on what paring ends up working best for you.

 

[TOBY458]

I was able to match up CEB solids with Barnes TSX fairly easy. I simply matched the velocities between the two with a chronograph. I am a handloader, so doing this with factory loads could be a bit more tricky I would think.

 

[sgt_zim]

Hornady DGX and DGS.

Hornady doesn't make a DGX in .366

 

[sgt_zim]

Howdy folks,

I’m building a 9.3x62 for general purpose use on plains game and the occasional buff. I’m curious how selecting a soft/solid combo works. Do you start by finding the soft your rifle likes and then fining a solid with roughly the same POI? Vice versa? Or is it really that trustworthy that a company’s corresponding solid will have a similar POI to their soft? It seems like as subjective to each rifle as load selection is that it would difficult to guarantee shared POI, but obviously folks are getting good combos. What’s everybody’s processes on making these selections?

Thanks!

The only real choices in solids are North Fork, Barnes, and Hornady. Unfortunately, Hornady doesn't offer a premium bullet in .366 to match the solid, and the solid is a 300 gr bullet. Not a huge deal, just something to think about. North Fork and Barnes both make 286 gr solids to go along with their fine premium softs.

Your options in sticking with the same brand for softs and solids are North Fork, Barnes, and Woodleigh (and they're not shipping to the US yet, soon, but not as of right now). But as @Hunter-Habib says, no real point in sticking with the same brand for both, as long as they both more or less have the same POA/POI.

And if they're not the same, not a big deal as long as the soft is accurate. If it gets down to having to use solids, the crease isn't the target anymore, the target is "buffalo." If it were me, I'd be happy as long as the solids gave me a 4 MoA group at 100 yards (slight exaggeration - you get the point, I'm sure). Odds are good your solid shots will be a lot closer than that, and 4 MoA is a 1" group from 25 yards.

If you're interested in the North Forks, you need to email them about load data for the solids. They have load data published for their softs, but not their solids.

Something else to chew on. Given the more modest velocity common with 9.3x62, you might even think about using a less-tough bullet for PG - Partition, Interlock, Norma Oryx, Lapua Mega, even Speer Hot-Cor; or another mono-metal like Hammer - they make a 258 gr bullet with a good (for a hunting bullet) BC of .44 or .45. I'm getting a skosh over 2500 fps with those out of mine, and that'll have the same ballistic arc as a 308 firing 180 gr. It's an honest 300 yard bullet for that cartridge.

I got a nice barren cow last August with some 286 gr A Frames at about 2475 fps. If I had to restart LD for my 9.3 today, I'd probably go with North Fork or Barnes just because of Swift's supply issues.

 

[TOBY458]

I bet you could match this CEB solid up with a TSX if you handload.

 

[Googleplex]

The only real choices in solids are North Fork, Barnes, and Hornady. Unfortunately, Hornady doesn't offer a premium bullet in .366 to match the solid, and the solid is a 300 gr bullet. Not a huge deal, just something to think about. North Fork and Barnes both make 286 gr solids to go along with their fine premium softs.

Your options in sticking with the same brand for softs and solids are North Fork, Barnes, and Woodleigh (and they're not shipping to the US yet, soon, but not as of right now). But as @Hunter-Habib says, no real point in sticking with the same brand for both, as long as they both more or less have the same POA/POI.

And if they're not the same, not a big deal as long as the soft is accurate. If it gets down to having to use solids, the crease isn't the target anymore, the target is "buffalo." If it were me, I'd be happy as long as the solids gave me a 4 MoA group at 100 yards (slight exaggeration - you get the point, I'm sure). Odds are good your solid shots will be a lot closer than that, and 4 MoA is a 1" group from 25 yards.

If you're interested in the North Forks, you need to email them about load data for the solids. They have load data published for their softs, but not their solids.

Something else to chew on. Given the more modest velocity common with 9.3x62, you might even think about using a less-tough bullet for PG - Partition, Interlock, Norma Oryx, Lapua Mega, even Speer Hot-Cor; or another mono-metal like Hammer - they make a 258 gr bullet with a good (for a hunting bullet) BC of .44 or .45. I'm getting a skosh over 2500 fps with those out of mine, and that'll have the same ballistic arc as a 308 firing 180 gr. It's an honest 300 yard bullet for that cartridge.

I got a nice barren cow last August with some 286 gr A Frames at about 2475 fps. If I had to restart LD for my 9.3 today, I'd probably go with North Fork or Barnes just because of Swift's supply issues.

That is all very good and detailed information! Thank you, that’s very helpful!

 

[Googleplex]

I was able to match up CEB solids with Barnes TSX fairly easy. I simply matched the velocities between the two with a chronograph. I am a handloader, so doing this with factory loads could be a bit more tricky I would think.

Good to know, finding a ballistically similar pair and matching the velocities does seem pretty straightforward!

 

[Googleplex]

Very

In addition to the above sage advice, please be sure to check with your PH regarding whether that caliber is legal for dangerous game in the intended country. My understanding is that many countries have a minimum of .375 for Cape Buffalo (9.3mm = .366 in). Keep us posted on what paring ends up working best for you.

Very good point. The countries I am most interested in are Cameroon and Zimbabwe. Zimbabwe has a minimum of 9.2 (curiously enough), but I am uncertain about Cameroon. I have heard an interview with a PH where he recommended clients bring either a .375 or 9.3 as the smallest caliber for use in the rainforest.