9.3x62 bullet choice for Moose

[Vanguard2279]

Great topic as I recently had a Forbes 24B rebarreled by Douglas to 9.3x62. I had to send it to NULA for some refinement, but it should be back soon. I'm going to focus initial load development on the 250-grain Barnes TTSX & Swift A-Frame and the 285-grain Norma Oryx & Lupua Mega. I'm heading back to Newfoundland in late September for another chance at Moose and I'm very tempted to take the 9.3x62 with me.

 

[BC.Pat]

Barnes TTSX & Swift A-Frame and the 285-grain Norma Oryx & Lupua Mega.

please post findings on load development, always interested to hear the results for the 9.3x62. I am thinking about trying of the Norma factory offerings this year myself instead of my usual go to A Frames. Good luck in Newfoundland. The Lupua I had not considered ?

 

[Vanguard2279]

I will begin load development in earnest as soon as I get the rifle back. However, I am debating taking my Ruger Guide Gun in .338 Win Mag as I've taken it on two hunting trips and not taken any game with it. I always worry about losing my ammo in transit. It hasn't happened yet. If it did, I could get .338 Winchester magnum fairly easy in Newfoundland. Not so with 9.3x62. The last time I made the journey north, WestJet left my rifle in Las Vegas. It caught up to me a day later in Deer Lake.

 

[BC.Pat]

.338 Winchester magnum fairly easy in Newfoundland.

I am on the other side of the country from Newfoundland ( 3000 miles) ; but that being said Newfoundlander's are big moose hunters, so I don't think you should any issue finding 338WM. The distances you are likely to shoot there will be short as the bush is pretty thick. If it where British Columbia you would have no problem with either caliber. Good Luck!

 

[goto9.3]

Hey!
I'm new to the forum and a big fan of the 9,3x62. I'm from Germany so I rather hunt for smaller game like roe dear, wild pigs etc. Two years ago I had the opportunity to hunt for moose in Estonia on a small swampy island called Hiiumaa and was lucky to shoot a good one for this region. Since than I'm thinking about when to go for a moose hunt again. I used my R93 in .30-06 with Federal 200gn TTBC for the 50m-shot that got the job perfectly done with the bullet placed in a little hurry where I wanted it to hit the target. The Moose made less than 40m, but no exit-hole.
I have a Mannlicher-Schönauer in 9.3x62 that is currently at the gunsmith to get a new trigger. When it's back I'm planning to feed it with vintage 17g DWM Starkmantel that I was lucky to get hands on. Norma 232gn Vulcan, Speer 270gn TM and Barnes 250gn TTSX also beeing in stock. Swift 250gn A-frames unfortunately don't feed in the Schönauer-Rifle when set short enough to fit in the chamber.

Whow was the moose hunt, Windwalker? Any pictures?

 

[BC.Pat]

Swift 250gn A-frames

if these wont work try Norma's 232 oryx , will shoot the same POI as the 232g Vulcans out to about 300 m.
a little tougher bullet for larger game.

 

[Ernie Shipman]

I used Nosler Partitions (handloads) in SA last year on Giraffe & 3 other PG. All GRAVEYARD DEAD, 1 shot.

 

[ve7poi]

Use them they have never let me down and they are extreamly accurate in my R8

 

[Scrumbag]

I'd have thought any of the 286 gr bullets would do fine. I use RWS T-Mantel Soft point (Now sadly discontinued) and Norma Oryx on wild boar and red deer with good effect so I would think do a perfectly good job on moose

 

[ChrisG]

IMHO, I don't know as there is a better bullet for thin skinned, heavy herbivores than the Woodleigh Protected Point. I have boatloads of them in 300 grain .375 and a a hundred or so in .416. They open up fairly quickly and stay together. in a 9.3x62, 286 grain they would break even the biggest moose bones and keep trucking. Load them to about 2,300 fps and you will be good to go out to 250 yards or so! If you can't find Woodleigh, Nosler Partitions are also an amazing bullet for thin skinned game as they open quickly and penetrate fairly well.

 

[Art Lambart II]

I'm a big fan of the NP at non-magnum velocities, they will work great in your 9.3x62. I'm a big 35 Whelen fan and I prefer the 250 grain NP, it's my go to load for everything except DG.

 

[sgt_zim]

I used a Norma 286gr on a feral goat at 70 yds, not the same as a moose though. I would think that any of the 286gr projectiles will kill a moose. The only thing I would check with the TSX is the velocity they need to open, and your projected impact velocity.

I've pinged Barnes engineers on this directly - they assert expansion at all reasonable velocities, as opposed to Nosler who assert that 1800 fps is their cut-off for reliable expansion of Accubond and Partition.

 

[sgt_zim]

For those interested in load development...

With Hornady 286 gr
Powder: 2000 MR, 62 gr (62.4 published max)
Brass: Norma
Primers: CCI LR
Rifle: Zastava Large Ring Mauser
Optics: NECG aperture
Velocity: 2422 fps avg., +/- 15 fps
Group size: 1 MOA

Nobody besides Hornady has published data for 2000 MR and 9.3x62, unfortunately. I was using Varget and also getting good results, but at recommended seating depth, trying to get to the high end of velocity published for that powder and that bullet, the long, extruded powder was requiring compressed loads starting at around 55 grains or so. 2000 MR is a fine powder, and at 0.4 gr below published max, there's still plenty of room in the case and I'm getting excellent velocity and group sizes.

I probably could have seated the bullet at the very bottom of the cannelure and been fine with Varget up to the published max of 57.5 gr

For moose and this load, you can sight in at about 6.5" high at 100 yards to get your MPBR out to about 340-350 yards. I won't shoot that far with an aperture, but with nice glass, no problem.

 

[Graham Hunter]

I've pinged Barnes engineers on this directly - they assert expansion at all reasonable velocities, as opposed to Nosler who assert that 1800 fps is their cut-off for reliable expansion of Accubond and Partition.

It very poor for Barnes to give such a vague statement. To say aTSX will perform reliably at any reasonable velocity from over 3000 fps down to what 1000 fps or lower. I can assure you the TSX does not expand well at 1800 fps.

 

[sgt_zim]

It very poor for Barnes to give such a vague statement. To say aTSX will perform reliably at any reasonable velocity from over 3000 fps down to what 1000 fps or lower. I can assure you the TSX does not expand well at 1800 fps.

Well, I don't shoot Barnes, either. Hornady, Nosler, Norma, Swift, Woodleigh...yes. I got irritated with Barnes when they changed their whole line-up to satisfy (in my mind) the idiocy of gun laws (lead-free) in the People's Republic of California.

I think @Art Lambart II has had pretty good success with Barnes in small bores like 6.5x55, but I can't remember for certain.

 

[Graham Hunter]

I have seen many gòod results from the Barnes TSX but they like speed for best results.

 

[sgt_zim]

I have seen many gòod results from the Barnes TSX but they like speed for best results.

And that's a problem in 9.3x62. The Barnes bullets are so long on account of being all copper that it cuts down on case capacity too much for my taste. Barnes 250 gr velocities are about what everybody else gets out of 285/286 gr; and Barnes 286 is in the same range as 300 and 320 gr for everybody else.

 

[markferrigno]

Moose, despite their size are not tough to kill. They are not tough animals. In Sweden they regularly hunt them with 6.5x55 I am also hunting Moose this fall and also using my 9.3x62. The only reason I am not using my .308 is I will also be hunting Black Bear and the guide told me he prefers the 9.3x62 for bear as it makes a wider wound channel, easier to track.

I will be using Geco Expres 255 grain. I have also shot Norma through it and I don't know if it is the round or rifle but whatever ammo I shoot, including PPU it is the most accurate rifle I have.

 

[Milan]

Oddly enough my CZ 550 9.3x62 is also very accurate a not particular about ammo brands.

 

[sgt_zim]

Oddly enough my CZ 550 9.3x62 is also very accurate a not particular about ammo brands.

The only thing I've put through mine so far is Hornady 286 gr, but I'm dying to try Nosler 286 gr Partition, Swift 300 gr, Woodleigh 320 gr, and Norma 325 gr.

I've also experimented a lot with my 45-70. I've finally completely settled on Missouri Bullet Company 405 gr hard cast lead for practice, and Beartooth Bullets Piledriver (525 gr) and Piledriver, Junior (425 gr) for hunting.

The rest...once I landed on something that gave me sub-MOA accuracy, I stopped testing.