A Simple Question RE: The RUGER Hawkeye African in 9.3x62mm...

Red Devil

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Hey Y'all,

Have found from combing the archives here at AH that many of you purchased the current Lipsey's RUGER Hawkeye African chambered in 9.3x62mm Mauser.

Am considering getting one of these rifles as well.

My simple question is:

How do they shoot?

Interested in the 286 gr./2360 fps loading, as this looks to be a very well balanced round. Dangerous Game to ~ 100 yards (3,000 lb-ft), Large Game to ~ 200 yards (2500 lb-ft), Medium Game out to ~ 350 yards (1800 fps for the Nosler Partition), and a manageable recoil of ~ 36 lb-ft for an 8.5 lb. scoped rifle.

Am particularly interested in whether the light contour barrel in this caliber has any adverse effects outside of the overall advantage of weight/balance/handling. Know that the previous release of this rifle/caliber had a medium heavy contour barrel.

Have the RUGER African in 6.5x55, and it is outstanding.

TIA




Red
 
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I have shot about 50 rounds out of mine so far. I have tried 3 different factory loads, PPU 286 Sp did not group at all. Nosler Accubond load grouped around 1 3/4 in. Federal Premium Swift Aframes 3/4 in or under. All this was 100 yard shooting. I sighted in with Federal and topped it with a Leupold VX5HD 2-10x42 CDS Firedot. Very mild recoil and really like the rifle. Plan on taking it in 2020 or 2021 to Africa. Hope this helps.
 
I have shot about 50 rounds out of mine so far. I have tried 3 different factory loads, PPU 286 Sp did not group at all. Nosler Accubond load grouped around 1 3/4 in. Federal Premium Swift Aframes 3/4 in or under. All this was 100 yard shooting. I sighted in with Federal and topped it with a Leupold VX5HD 2-10x42 CDS Firedot. Very mild recoil and really like the rifle. Plan on taking it in 2020 or 2021 to Africa. Hope this helps.

Thanks MB, it does.

Did you notice any adverse characteristics in the recoil due to the lighter profile barrel?

Seems even the .30-06 is getting to be a "bad kicker" in the current 6.5 Creedmagic shooting environment, so it is increasingly difficult to find objective opinions.

Will look into the Federal Premium Swift Aframes.


Have either a Leupold VX-1 2-7x33, or an NECG Ruger aperture sight available from another Ruger rifle, depending on need.

Was planning to get a poke of the PPU, to harvest the brass for reloading, and then some 286 gr. Nosler Partition and Swift A-Frame, and some 270 gr. Speer Hot-cor, along with some RamShot Big Game powder.

But if the Federal Premium A-frames shoot that well, may just leave it at that.




Red
 
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9.3 mm Mauser Recoil is pretty tame . It recoils less than my .375 H&H Magnum Winchester Model 70 ( which l find pretty comfortable to shoot too ) . In an 8-9 pound gun , the average man won't feel any discomfort from recoil.
 
9.3 mm Mauser Recoil is pretty tame . It recoils less than my .375 H&H Magnum Winchester Model 70 ( which l find pretty comfortable to shoot too ) . In an 8-9 pound gun , the average man won't feel any discomfort from recoil.

Seen video of the earlier, medium-heavy barrel release of this rifle:


Recoil looks about like a heavy .30.06 load.

Just wondering if the lighter contour barrel of the current release changed that.

Other than that, the current Ruger African Rifle and 286 gr./2360 fps load look to be about right.




Red
 
Maybe not, you might run into 375 as the minimum legal caliber for dangerous game.

Was speaking ballistically.

Will initially be using it for insurance, while hunting medium/large game in big bear areas, and for big boar in the woods.

RE: African DG - have been reading that the 9.3/286 gr./2360 load is becoming accepted as an unofficial DG round, and that the exclusionary reports seem to be generally based on an antiquated paradigm.

Local knowledge would be appreciated on this point.




Red
 
Was speaking ballistically.

Will initially be using it for insurance, while hunting medium/large game in big bear areas, and for big boar in the woods.

RE: African DG - have been reading that the 9.3/286 gr./2360 load is becoming accepted as an unofficial DG round, and that the exclusionary reports seem to be generally based on an antiquated paradigm.

Local knowledge would be appreciated on this point.




Red
It's legal as a cape buff round in Zimbabwe as of 2017.
 
A little off topic but people on this forum make me feel pretty weak. I've shot a 9.3x62 a fair bit and I wouldn't class it as mild recoil. To me 7x57 is mild, i certainly know I'm shooting with a 9.3. Not unbearable at all but they do kick.
 
A little off topic but people on this forum make me feel pretty weak. I've shot a 9.3x62 a fair bit and I wouldn't class it as mild recoil. To me 7x57 is mild, i certainly know I'm shooting with a 9.3. Not unbearable at all but they do kick.

You can wear a heavy padded shooting vest if the recoil hurts you . I never felt the .375 H&H Magnum kick ( unpleasantly ) , but maybe that has something to do with the fact that I wear suspenders with all my trousers and brace the Buttstock of my Winchester Model 70 against the suspender strap of my left shoulder ( l am a left hander ) when l am shooting. To get used to the gun's kick , l had a particular technique that worked well. Prior to getting my .375 H&H Magnum Winchester Model 70 , my hunting rifle was a .22 Savage Hi Power Model 99 which literally has near non existent recoil. So when l got my .375 , l spent the first few days shooting light loads. I slowly started using hotter and hotter loads progressively . It helps you because it gets you desensitized to the recoil . After a month of shooting ( that's four weekends , because l only used to shoot on weekends) , l got used to firing the full loads . Yes , you still know that the recoil is there. But you just roll with it , hold your breath , grip the gun tightly and squeeze the trigger.
 
You can wear a heavy padded shooting vest if the recoil hurts you . I never felt the .375 H&H Magnum kick ( unpleasantly ) , but maybe that has something to do with the fact that I wear suspenders with all my trousers and brace the Buttstock of my Winchester Model 70 against the suspender strap of my left shoulder ( l am a left hander ) when l am shooting. To get used to the gun's kick , l had a particular technique that worked well. Prior to getting my .375 H&H Magnum Winchester Model 70 , my hunting rifle was a .22 Savage Hi Power Model 99 which literally has near non existent recoil. So when l got my .375 , l spent the first few days shooting light loads. I slowly started using hotter and hotter loads progressively . It helps you because it gets you desensitized to the recoil . After a month of shooting ( that's four weekends , because l only used to shoot on weekends) , l got used to firing the full loads . Yes , you still know that the recoil is there. But you just roll with it , hold your breath , grip the gun tightly and squeeze the trigger.
I appreciate the advice, I'm not recoil sensitive to anything I've shot and in the field i never notice, just on the bench. I just meant that in my experience it does kick more than "mild".
 
I appreciate the advice, I'm not recoil sensitive to anything I've shot and in the field i never notice, just on the bench. I just meant that in my experience it does kick more than "mild".

There is no sugar-coatin' 36 lb-ft of recoil.

...except to say that it ain't 46 lb-ft., and is of a lower velocity, compared to a fast magnum.
("yeah, but it's a dry heat")




Red
 
The best advice I ever got on managing recoil was from a surprisingly young man, especially as he is the age of my oldest son and this advise was a few years ago now. @matt85

Not just to hold the gun tightly, but practice getting it into the pocket of your shoulder, on soft tissue, not bone, specifically need to keep it off the bony parts. Then pull it in tight with the hand on the pistol grip. And for offhand shooting, push away slightly with the fore arm... To stabilize it.

However the first and most important thing is to have a gun that fits you properly. LOP is often too short. I'm only 5'9" these days but a back injury and age shortened me by 1.5" so I suppose my LOP corresponds to 5' 10.5", in any case, I like a LOP just North or South of 14", depending upon the type of gun and other dimensions. For example for me, A thicker wrist helps as my hands are not huge, but definitely extra large glove size is tight. I think having a handful to hang onto helps. So I actually like the thick CZ stocks.

Also need to have your cheek down tight, these idiotically high scope mounts have no place on a heavy hitter. By pulling the gun in tight, and welding your cheek tight, the recoil of these big bore guns pushes or rocks your upper body. You want this, not to be slapped by the recoil. That slapping into you is what bruises and hurts. If I fire enough shots, it is my lower back that feels it the most. Of course this is standing and shooting off hand or from shooting sticks. Although I have shot a couple big critters with my 505 Gibbs from a sititng and kneeling position.... but as noted earlier, when shooting big critters, you only feel a little nudge and hear a slight popping sound;)
 
Zimbabwean
Was speaking ballistically.

Will initially be using it for insurance, while hunting medium/large game in big bear areas, and for big boar in the woods.

RE: African DG - have been reading that the 9.3/286 gr./2360 load is becoming accepted as an unofficial DG round, and that the exclusionary reports seem to be generally based on an antiquated paradigm.

Local knowledge would be appreciated on this point.




Red
Zimbabwean Law states that the calibre must be larger than 9,2 mm or .362 in and must have energy of 5,4 kJ or more (3909 ft/lbs) for elephant/buffalo/hippo. Lion would need 7mm(.275 in) calibre and 4,3 kJ (3172 ft/lbs) Leopard 7mm and 2213 ft/lbs. These are minimum legal calibre and energy. I believe that a 9.3 x 62 can make the energy with judicious handloads but I think most factory ammo falls short of energy for buffalo and elephant. Lion and leopard are legal with most factory ammo.
 
It's legal as a cape buff round in Zimbabwe as of 2017.
I would respectfully disagree.Just above I have quoted the figures from Zimbabwe National Parks Law. Buff/Ele/hippo have the same requirements and factory ammo generally doesn't make the energy requirement.(I stand to be corrected here,maybe some factory ammo is loaded hot) Handloads or certain factory may make the cut and then you could use them. My understanding is factory ammo is loaded to original specs for this old round and new powders etc can get more ??
 
I would respectfully disagree.Just above I have quoted the figures from Zimbabwe National Parks Law. Buff/Ele/hippo have the same requirements and factory ammo generally doesn't make the energy requirement.(I stand to be corrected here,maybe some factory ammo is loaded hot) Handloads or certain factory may make the cut and then you could use them. My understanding is factory ammo is loaded to original specs for this old round and new powders etc can get more ??
Thanks for enlightening me. I didn't know. I was told this information by a friend who returned from a Safari in 2017. He is a handloader though
 
So how do the govt/customs or whoever check your bullets energy? Are you required to provide load data or shoot at a gun range?

If not and at the risk of sounding facetious then does it really matter?
 

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