9.3x62 Ackley Improved

[Zas9.3]

Greetings everyone! I’m a huge AI fan (.22-250 AI, .280 AI and .30-06 AI) and have had great success. I have a 9.3x62 that’s getting ready to go in for some work and I got to thinking - I’ve never seen a 9.3 AI. Before I talk to the smith about reaming, has anyone done it or heard of it? Any reasons I shouldn’t? Thanks!

 

[Sarg]

While I believe the .280 AI shows significant increases in velocity over the standard .280 the 30/06 AI that I had couldn’t do much more than a well loaded standard 30/06 .

The 9.3x62 is darn near an improved case anyway & with proper loading will do anything you would want with that caliber I would think ?

I presume you will have different reasons for doing it ?

 

[Zas9.3]

While I believe the .280 AI shows significant increases in velocity over the standard .280 the 30/06 AI that I had couldn’t do much more than a well loaded standard 30/06 .

The 9.3x62 is darn near an improved case anyway & with proper loading will do anything you would want with that caliber I would think ?

I presume you will have different reasons for doing it ?

Truthfully, my reasons for doing it were to push it closer to the 9.3x64, thereby closing the gap between it and .375 H&H. What you said is precisely what I wasn’t sure on… the .22-250 and .280 got quite the boost from it. The .30-06 not so much. I do enjoy the added benefits when it comes to reloading, though. At the end of the day though my .280 AI and 9.3 are my travel rifles that will get more use than anything else, and more often than not won’t see factory ammo, so if I can squeeze a bit more out of it (while still justifying the cost of the reaming and a set of dies) I’m all for it, but I’m not willing to incur a huge bill for bare minimal gain, which is why I no longer have my .28 nosler

 

[HWL]

Ream it to 9,3x66,....you'll get the power you wanted and a factory cartridge.

HWL

 

[grand veneur]

The company Sako will thank you because the cartridge 9,3x66 is not very successful.

 

[Sarg]

Do you have a Zastava 9.3x62 ?

I have a few 9.3x62s & one is a Zastava very light but the recoil isn’t too bad, my barrel is incredibly thin, like a .410 shotgun .

 

[BlueFlyer]

I do enjoy the added benefits when it comes to reloading, though.

The only negative I see is possible resale. Other than that, all Ackley Improved cartridges are exactly that - Improved. Less body taper grips the chamber better putting less thrust on the bolt allowing you to load a bit hotter. Sharper shoulder means less brass flowing forward and the cases last longer. And if you are traveling and loose your ammo, then just go and buy some factory 9.3X62 and continue with your hunt!
Whats not to love about Ackley Improved chambers?

 

[mooze]

the 9.3x62 tapers 0.02 " from base to shoulder, the 30-06 0.03", the 280AI 0.015",

Let's say you want to keep a taper of 0.015 for sake of extraction, then the gain in powder capacity is minimal woth a 9.3x62. And you WANT reliable extraction in Africa ( or anywhere). Handloads can take you from 46k CUP to 52-54k or more and much closer to 375H&H levels ( 286 gr bullets from 2400 fps to 2550 fps), again that is Weatherby Magnum pressure levels.
there is no free lunch, I happily shoot a 9.3x375 Ruger for the 2-300 fps gain that it gives me over the 9.3x 62, but my x62 R. Martini Custom Mauser is also handicapped by a 20' barrel (great rifle though/because of this, but the 4' shorter barrel is also 100-150 fps I loose).
if you want more uummpf, the 375s are the next step ( or a 9.3 x64)

 

[grand veneur]

9.3x66 Sako​

History​

Released in 2003, the 9.3x66 was developed by the Finnish company Sako for their Model 75 rifle. With U.S cartridge designers inventing short fat cartridges for higher efficiency during the period of 2000-2003, designers of the 9.3x66 approached the design of the new medium bore cartridge from a different direction. The 9.3x66 case is simply the 9.3x62 case stretched to 66mm, the case has long base to shoulder dimensions with a relatively short neck. Sako marketed the 9.3x66 as having both superior ballistics and penetration than the .375 H&H Magnum in a small non belted case with superior handling and feeding qualities.

9.3x66 Sako

9.3x66 Sako cartridge data

www.ballisticstudies.com

 

[BFaucett]

According to John Barsness, the 9.3x62 can get fairly close to the 9.3x64.

Just my two cents... Cheers! Bob F.

 

[grand veneur]

As fans of the cartridge 9,3x64 Brenneke, we understandably have not a good opinion of the cartridge 9,3x66 Sako. But this is not an objective opinion, because Sako's thinking was certainly that it would be easy to ream a 9,3x62 chamber to a 9,3x66 chamber. There are factory loads from Sako for this cartridge.