9.3X62 for Cape Buffalo?

[leslie hetrick]

my latest 35 whelen built by van patton on a 98 mauser action, i replaced the extractor so you have to work the shells thru the action(no single shell just dropped into the chamber) or drop the floor plate and follower to hold the bolt back after the last shot. two hundred yard four shot group with 225 sierra sp-bt bullets at 2600 fps, i pull the far right shot.

 

[Major Khan]

Assuming it is legal, in the part of Africa where you plan to hunt in ... a 9.3x62 mm Mauser calibre rifle should be more than adequate for African cape buffalo PROVIDED :
> You use premium quality soft point bullets , such as Trophy Bonded Bear Claw bullets . Avoid solid bullets of ANY form , because they will not punch a sufficiently large hole in to the heart or lungs of the cape buffalo . I have some times had to follow up wounded gaur bisons for up to 11 hours , because my clients had shot them either in the heart or in the lungs with 9.3x62 mm Mauser calibre solid metal covered bullets ... which made for very minute little holes in the hearts and lungs of the brutes.
> Shot placement is extremely critical
( Such as double lung shots or heart/ lung shots ) .
I have seen dozens of our Indian gaur bison ( which weigh roughly 700 pounds heavier than the average African cape buffalo ) successfully get laid low by my clients using 9.3x62 mm Mauser calibre rifles and German RWS brand 286 grain soft point bullets . Their point of aim would invariably be the soft part behind the brute's shoulder . This was back in the days of the standard " Cup & Core" style bullets , too .
Once a 286 grain premium soft point expanding bullet takes out both the lungs of the brute ( and hopefully a chunk of the heart , as well )...
You have just secured 1 fine trophy .

 

[Witold Krzyżanowski]

I think the same as Major Khan.
Witold

 

[Major Khan]

I think the same as Major Khan.
Witold

Why thank you , Witold . It is indeed a beautiful little calibre ... which I personally think gets severely underestimated as a dangerous game cartridge, these days .
My personal experiences in the shikar field have always taught me that there is very little which the .375 Holland & Holland magnum calibre can do ... which the 9.3×62 mm Mauser calibre cannot do.

 

[Witold Krzyżanowski]

I have been using 9,3x62 for over 20 years and Ihave the same opinion as you.

 

[Gert Odendaal]

Maybe the 9.3 x 62 is a bit overkill for Buffalo, in Namibia the 8x68S is a favorite hunting caliber for Buffalo

 

[Major Khan]

Maybe the 9.3 x 62 is a bit overkill for Buffalo, in Namibia the 8x68S is a favorite hunting caliber for Buffalo

Out of curiosity , Mr Odendaal... have you ever seen the 8 mm Remington magnum calibre ever get successfully used on African cape buffalo ? I have only read about the 8 mm Remington magnum calibre and have never actually fired 1 .

 

[grand veneur]

Maybe the 9.3 x 62 is a bit overkill for Buffalo, in Namibia the 8x68S is a favorite hunting caliber for Buffalo

Where did you read that ?

I've hunted buffalo in Namibia , but not with the cartridge 8x68S.

http://www.napha-namibia.com/legal-information/hunting-laws-rifle-importation/

If you want to do it right in Namibia , the cartridge 8x68S is not suitable for eland because the maximum allowed game weight is 643 kg , and the cartridge 9.3x62 is also not suitable for buffalos because it has neither the caliber minimum of 375/9.5mm nor the 5400 joules of energy.

 

[Gert Odendaal]

Out of curiosity , Mr Odendaal... have you ever seen the 8 mm Remington magnum calibre ever get successfully used on African cape buffalo ? I have only read about the 8 mm Remington magnum calibre and have never actually fired 1 .

Major Khan, me neither, except shooting the 8x68S and now busy building my own rifle..... not to confuse the 8x68S Mauser caliber with the 8mm Remmington caliber...what is interesting to notice is that the 8x68S uses less powder than the 8mm Remmington Magnum to deliver faster muzzle velocity using the same powder and the same bullet weight..

I stand to be corrected....the property that makes the 8x68S such a great caliber for large body game animals like the Giraffe /eland and even Buffalo is the 250gn bullet this caliber can deliver at good muzzle velocities, giving great penetration with premium bullets since you only use premium bullets in this caliber...the 8mm Remmington Magnum can shoot a 250 gn bullet as well as the 8x68S which make them great bush calibers and hands down great plains game species big body animals like the Eland ...
Here is some comparison:

 

[Gert Odendaal]

Where did you read that ?

I've hunted buffalo in Namibia , but not with the cartridge 8x68S.

http://www.napha-namibia.com/legal-information/hunting-laws-rifle-importation/

If you want to do it right in Namibia , the cartridge 8x68S is not suitable for eland because the maximum allowed game weight is 643 kg , and the cartridge 9.3x62 is also not suitable for buffalos because it has neither the caliber minimum of 375/9.5mm nor the 5400 joules of energy.

Kurpfalzager , I should have pointed out that the Duits-Wes Africa (as we know it South West Africa (before it became Namibia) it was a German colony, and the Mauser rifles were cheaper and more affordable than the British double rifles , the common hunter/farmer used the 8x68 extensively even up to elephant hunting with it..I believe even today the 8x68S caliber has a large following....
A hunter/PH who really think highly of the 8x68S is Karl Stumphe...here in South Africa we have a dedicated following in the 8x68S ....it is a hihgly sought after caliber , expensive and scarce , but building one seems to be a best option ..I am sure many hunters will smile when hearing the 9.3 x 62 caliber is to small for buffalo hunting....but as you pointed out the regulations in Namibia is set at that...and as for Eland too small will be really get the laughter going...

 

[grand veneur]

I just hope that this nonsense has come to an end nowadays. It's not legal anyway.

 

[Gert Odendaal]

I just hope that this nonsense has come to an end nowadays. It's not legal anyway.

 

[Witold Krzyżanowski]

Shot Placement for buffalo : minimum calibre 9,3x62Mauser or 375H&H.

 

[Gert Odendaal]

Shot Placement for buffalo : minimum calibre 9,3x62Mauser or 375H&H.

Witold, you are correct, here is a link to a page where Dr. Don Heath from Rhodesia/Zimbabwe use a 9.3 x 62 to stop an elephant charge ..he did this a lot of times..any 9.3 x 62 hunter/owner will appreciate tis...enjoy:
https://bigborefan.wordpress.com/20...th-one-rifle-he-probably-knows-how-to-use-it/

 

[Major Khan]

Witold, you are correct, here is a link to a page where Dr. Don Heath from Rhodesia/Zimbabwe use a 9.3 x 62 to stop an elephant charge ..he did this a lot of times..any 9.3 x 62 hunter/owner will appreciate tis...enjoy:
https://bigborefan.wordpress.com/20...th-one-rifle-he-probably-knows-how-to-use-it/

He also used it extensively during the buffalo eradication culls . His 9.3x62 mm Mauser calibre bolt rifle was built by Dumoulin in Belgium and it had a detachable box magazine. He was fond of using Norma , Woodleigh and Ken Stewart bullets .

 

[dchamp]

Major Khan, me neither, except shooting the 8x68S and now busy building my own rifle..... not to confuse the 8x68S Mauser caliber with the 8mm Remmington caliber...what is interesting to notice is that the 8x68S uses less powder than the 8mm Remmington Magnum to deliver faster muzzle velocity using the same powder and the same bullet weight..

I stand to be corrected....the property that makes the 8x68S such a great caliber for large body game animals like the Giraffe /eland and even Buffalo is the 250gn bullet this caliber can deliver at good muzzle velocities, giving great penetration with premium bullets since you only use premium bullets in this caliber...the 8mm Remmington Magnum can shoot a 250 gn bullet as well as the 8x68S which make them great bush calibers and hands down great plains game species big body animals like the Eland ...
Here is some comparison:

Gert I too am a fan of the 8x68s and also a fan of the 8mm Rem. Mag. My experience indicates that the 8mm Rem. Mag. outshines the 8x68s by a margin similar to that of the 300Wby to the 300wm. My 8mm Rem Mag has a 24" barrel and I shoot 220gn SGK at about 2980 f/s with RL-22, I also shoot 200gn TSX at 3080 f/s with MRP. My 8x68s is a Blaser R8 with a 24.75" barrel. It shoots the 220gn SGK at around 2780 f/s with 4000MR and the 180gn TSX at around 3020 f/s with RL-16 or VVN550. I also have a load for the 8x68s with the 250gn Woodleigh. Its overall length is 3.54" and gets around 2550 f/s with 4000MR. I know of one guy from another forum who took his 8mmRem Mag with the 250gn Woodleigh up to 2800 f/s. None of the above are max but they are closer to max than not.

I am curious and surprised about Ammo Guides comparison. I will have to try and duplicate it using RL-25. RL-25 seems to me like a powder that is a little to slow for 220gr bullets in those two calibers. Also I think they are fairly compressed. Hopefully I will have something in the next couple of months barring the Coronavirus.

 

[dchamp]

I just hope that this nonsense has come to an end nowadays. It's not legal anyway.

I say let the clients and their PH's make the decision and not worry about it. It's to bad there are so many laws made by so many Do Gooders to interfere with people making their own decisions. But that's a different topic. I like the 9.3x62 or 74r and the .375H&H and the 8x68s.

 

[bruce moulds]

if the 8x68 is using less powder than the 8 mag for more velocity, it is running at higher pressure.
even at the same velocity, the 8x68 is running higher pressure.
bruce.

 

[Tanks]

Where did you read that ?

I've hunted buffalo in Namibia , but not with the cartridge 8x68S.

http://www.napha-namibia.com/legal-information/hunting-laws-rifle-importation/

If you want to do it right in Namibia , the cartridge 8x68S is not suitable for eland because the maximum allowed game weight is 643 kg , and the cartridge 9.3x62 is also not suitable for buffalos because it has neither the caliber minimum of 375/9.5mm nor the 5400 joules of energy.

What is really interesting is that one is not supposed to use solids on Cape Buffalo from the link above. I guess that is one regulation that does get ignored a lot.

 

[bruce moulds]

the 9.3x64 will hit buff, or any game harder than the x62.
tgis is based on rel world experience, mostly big camels.
in closer the x64 kills better, where it is going faster than the same bullet out of a x62.
further out where it has slowed down to x62 velocities the results are still good, but not as emphatic.
the other thing with the x64 is that it can drive a 300 gn swift at 2550 fps safely, putting it right up there with a 375.
and all this in a 30/06 length action.
bruce.