9.3 Partitions for South Africa

Wayne t

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HI guys as you may of seen I'm planning on doing my first Africa trip in August and will be taking my 9.3x74R with me I'm just wondering out of all you guys on here who use the 9.3 out there if any of you have experience with the 286 Gn Nosler partitions in this caliber ? Thanks. Wayne
 
I do not but I'd like to listen in and learn. I was curious to see 9.3 and .375 partition bullets that were retrieved. In smaller calibers they frange quite a bit so I want to know how close they come to an A-frame in medium bores. (A-frames were amazing upon retrieval they looked just like marketing pictures)

In my 7x57 on large plains game and bear using partitions there was no head mushroom remaining, only copper jacket and the base, consistently.
 
Ive used it. Its a great cartridge. Its NOT 375H&H; so you cant use it on Dangerous Game in RSA; but its close. Its certainly close enough for me on Leopard or maybe even Lion especially when you consider how many guns will be backing you up on a DG hunt-BUT-they didnt ask me what I thought when they made the rules.

As for 9.3x74R performance I used mine on a Wild Boar hunt. I took a a slightly quartering shot at maybe 20 yards on large pig. We found the bullet just under the skin on the opposite hip intact and fully mushroomed. The only thing the Boar did was spin 180 degrees and was DRT.
 
Rookhawk, I thought the Nosler Partition was designed to perform exactly the way you described it. For some applications other bullet designs are/might be better. BIMHO Nosler Partitions have "walked the walk" for nearly 70 years and will continue to do so. I'm hardly an expert in this field but could it be said that NPs have taken more game than any other bullet design?
 
Though I have not used the partition in one of my 9.3's, I have used the 250 gr partition in my .338 a lot to include as primary plains game rifle on two safaris. That included taking a leopard and a lot of bait besides the usual trophy lists. I do not believe that I ever fired at anything twice with it. I think there are currently some "better" bullets out there, and I use them in my other African rifles. But then again, it is hard to argue with the old partition's actual results, and whenever I grab the .338, that is what is in the magazine.
 
I hope they work well, because that's what I'm loading in my 9.3x62 (Mauser) the I take it with me. I wanted a bullet that was tough enough to take a wide variety of plains game, but also have a frangible front section for when I hunt leopard one day.

I am shooting a 286 grain, 9.3mm Nosler Partition at 2450 fps........

I'll be curious what everyone thinks on this subject
 
It will be great. My only hesitation with a partition is on buffalo. Often one must drive through a lot of buffalo to get to and through what matters. By the time a partition gets to the lungs, it has the potential of being reduced to a 9.3 / . 375 - pick your caliber - solid. Other, more modern bullets will drive just as deeply, but will do so with a much more dramatic wound channel. That has always seemed a very good thing to me on cape buffalo.
 
Hello Wayne t,

One of my friends (Jeff Loffert) has used the 9.3x74R with 286 gr Nosler Partition, in Africa for two safaris (springbok through eland).
One trip he used a Ruger #1 with 4x Zeiss scope.
One trip he used a Simpson drilling with I believe also a 4x Zeiss.
He sings only happy songs about this cartridge and specific bullet.

I watched him shoot a springbok in open grassy conditions, a waterbuck via a long poke across a canyon and a zebra in thick bush with the Ruger / Nosler combination.
Likewise I watched a video of him bagging a bull eland with one shot from the 9.3 barrel of his drilling / same bullet, the huge bull tipped over fast.
It was all very decisive and impressive results, yet with minimal damage to the little springbok.

I've only used the Nosler Partition in .300 H&H for one safari (180 gr), plus hunting in my home state of Alaska.
So, I probably shouldn't vote on the 9.3 version.
However, I will anyway, hahaaa.
And I'd say it is an excellent choice for your 9.3x74R.

I believe as long as you do not choose one that is too small in caliber / too light for the velocity your rifle produces and for the size of game hunted, the old Partition is one of the very best bullets for so called "plains game".
It is one of my favorite hunting bullets of all time (and I'm a fossil, so I've seen a few things).
Likewise, I will guess it'd be excellent for lion / leopard (sure plays a treat on Alaskan bear and moose in calibers like .30-06, .338 and .375).

I agree with Shootist43, that this bullet was actually designed for the front end to almost explode, leaving in effect, a "solid with sharp jagged edges" to continue deeply through meat, tendon and bone.

That being said, it is definitely not a bullet I would choose for buffalo.
I believe the Swift A-Frame, backed up by flat nosed solids are what I would use for those, this day and age.

Cheers,
Velo Dog.
 
Last edited:
Ive used it. Its a great cartridge. Its NOT 375H&H; so you cant use it on Dangerous Game in RSA; but its close. Its certainly close enough for me on Leopard or maybe even Lion especially when you consider how many guns will be backing you up on a DG hunt-BUT-they didnt ask me what I thought when they made the rules.

As for 9.3x74R performance I used mine on a Wild Boar hunt. I took a a slightly quartering shot at maybe 20 yards on large pig. We found the bullet just under the skin on the opposite hip intact and fully mushroomed. The only thing the Boar did was spin 180 degrees and was DRT.

Thanks for that
I've used the 9.3 on big piggies before but with the rws factory loads never used the Partitions in this caliber apparently they do a matching solid for same POI hmmmm
 
Rookhawk, I thought the Nosler Partition was designed to perform exactly the way you described it. For some applications other bullet designs are/might be better. BIMHO Nosler Partitions have "walked the walk" for nearly 70 years and will continue to do so. I'm hardly an expert in this field but could it be said that NPs have taken more game than any other bullet design?

Thanks
Yeah it's been round long enough I mainly use it in 223 over here for roe deer just never used the 9.3 ones before so was looking for first had results if anyone had used them
 
Hello Wayne t,

One of my friends (Jeff Loffert) has used the 9.3x74R with 286 gr Nosler Partition, in Africa for two safaris (springbok through eland).
One trip he used a Ruger #1 with 4x Zeiss scope.
One trip he used a Simpson drilling with I believe also a 4x Zeiss.
He sings only happy songs about this cartridge and specific bullet.

I watched him shoot a springbok in open grassy conditions, a waterbuck via a long poke across a canyon and a zebra in thick bush with the Ruger / Nosler combination.
Likewise I watched a video of him bagging a bull eland with one shot from the 9.3 barrel of his drilling / same bullet, the huge bull tipped over fast.
It was all very decisive and impressive results, yet with minimal damage to the little springbok.

I've only used the Nosler Partition in .300 H&H for one safari (180 gr), plus hunting in my home state of Alaska.
So, I probably shouldn't vote on the 9.3 version.
However, I will anyway, hahaaa.
And I'd say it is an excellent choice for your 9.3x74R.

I believe as long as you do not choose one that is too small in caliber / too light for the velocity your rifle produces and for the size of game hunted, the old Partition is one of the very best bullets for so called "plains game".
It is one of my favorite hunting bullets of all time (and I'm a fossil, so I've seen a few things).
Likewise, I will guess it'd be excellent for lion / leopard (sure plays a treat on Alaskan bear and moose in calibers like .30-06, .338 and .375).

I agree with Shootist43, that this bullet was actually designed for the front end to almost explode, leaving in effect, a "solid with sharp jagged edges" to continue deeply through meat, tendon and bone.

That being said, it is definitely not a bullet I would choose for buffalo.
I believe the Swift A-Frame, backed up by flat nosed solids are what I would use for those, this day and age.

Cheers,
Velo Dog.

Velo

Thanks for that it's what I'm after some real shooting experiences with the partitions in this caliber I'm not looking to take on buffalo on this trip so should be fine from the feed back I've had on here and apparently they now do a matching 286 Gn solid for same POI I'm trying to find some to load up and test just in case ;)
Wayne
 
It will be great. My only hesitation with a partition is on buffalo. Often one must drive through a lot of buffalo to get to and through what matters. By the time a partition gets to the lungs, it has the potential of being reduced to a 9.3 / . 375 - pick your caliber - solid. Other, more modern bullets will drive just as deeply, but will do so with a much more dramatic wound channel. That has always seemed a very good thing to me on cape buffalo.

Thanks for that I'm not hunting buffalo this first trip well not that I know off so it looks like they should be fine for all the other stuff we should be shooting out there and I'm looking for the matching solid now to load up and test
W
 
I hope they work well, because that's what I'm loading in my 9.3x62 (Mauser) the I take it with me. I wanted a bullet that was tough enough to take a wide variety of plains game, but also have a frangible front section for when I hunt leopard one day.

I am shooting a 286 grain, 9.3mm Nosler Partition at 2450 fps........

I'll be curious what everyone thinks on this subject

Hiya
Thanks for that not sure what speeds I'm going to load them at right now till I get some testing done I'm out in August and will post some photos and results on here for you but if your out before me would love to hear and see how you get on thanks
W
 
I brought a 9.3x62 to Cameroon in 2018 using 286 partitions and matching 286 Nosler solids. I only ended up using the solids on bush duiker and red duiker.

I shot a lord derby eland, savanah Buffalo, heartbeast, puku, red duiker, harnessed bushbuck and reedbuck.

The Lord Derby was hit high shoulder and down with 1 shot. Stood when we got close and I fished it. ‍♂️

I hit the buff twice on the shoulder and once below the tail, hit the spine on that one and obviously down right there.

Everything else was one shot.
 
Velocity was 2375fps out of a 22 inch barrel 7 feet from my chrono.
 
The original Nosler Partition used to be a very nice premium grade expanding bullet I used them in 1984 , for a black bear hunt . 200 grain Nosler Partitions in a .30-06 Springfield ( a sporterized Remington Springfield 1903A3 ) . They performed superbly .

Recently , I've been told that Nosler has altered the construction process for their Partition bullets . And apparently this has effected performance somewhat negatively . I don't know how true this is . Maybe , someone can shed more light in this subject .

Speaking about the original Nosler Partition bullets , I think that they're quite excellent on leopard and lion . And most African plains game . I would definitely shy away from Nosler Partition bullets for Cape Buffalo ( although it might work in a larger caliber like .375 Holland & Holland Magnum , if a PERFECT broadside double lung shot is made ) .

My preferred bullet for Cape Buffalo will always be , either the Trophy Bonded Bear Claw or the Swift A Frame .
 
I’ve shot 2 Savanah buff and 2 Cape buff with the 286gr Nosler partition in my 9.3x62s. Nothing dropped at the shot but all died within 75 yards. 3 of the 4 received a second and even third shot but …I shoot very fast and always throw lead at the rear end of a departing buff. I think all the ammo was loaded from the same 10 boxes of bullets I bought in 2015.

I’ve shot at least a dozen with my 450-400 3” with 400gr Woodliegh softs and solids. Only one I can remember died on the spot and that one I spines from 9 yards, facing deirectly away and lying down slightly lower then I was.
 

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