Drilling 9.3x74R

[HuntFishGunCar]

Hello everyone,

New member here, longtime lurker. I'm wondering what the current state is on the acceptability and legality of hunting Africa with a 9.3x74R. My wife is looking at gifting me a very nice rifle for an upcoming milestone in my life and I would really like to pick something that would offer me a balance of reverence and utility. I have an older very well-used Merkel drilling in 8x57 IRS - 16/70 but would like a larger compliementary rifle as I move into a stage of my life where I might be able to hunt a wider and physically larger variance of game throughout Europe, North America, or Africa. I currently only stock a Bergara 14 in .308 and the aforementioned 8x57 IRS.

I plan to eventually get a CZ 550 or Winchester 70 Safari in .375 H&H for the repeatable shots, but I like the aesthestics, function, and versatility of the drilling rifles.

I can honestly say that if I were to buy anything larger than 9.3x62, 9.3x74R, or .375 H&H, I may never use it. Therefore, I'm trying to see what the upper limits of the more standard calibers are. The .375 H&H has the edge on range, no doubt, but my research suggests that only at 150 - 200 yards out would that matter and I am not sure what real impact that has on actual African hunting. I guess I really need something between the .308 and the .375 H&H that I will inevitably be buying. Am I better off with a .300 Win Mag or would something more mellow pressure and velocity-wise be adequate?

When I go to Africa, I intend to hunt large game such as Eland, Greater Kudu, Hippo, and Cape Buffalo. No rhinos or elephants.

 

[Kevin Peacocke]

Consider the 375Flanged Magnum, it does everything you are asking for and has all the history. It also ticks the 375 legality box in all but Zimbabwe or Namibia, but nobody is going to ask. In fact with just 30 f/s more it reaches the Zim power threshold too.

 

[IvW]

Double rifle drilling in 9.3x74R/12ga would be perfect...

 

[Tanks]

... Therefore, I'm trying to see what the upper limits of the more standard calibers are. The .375 H&H has the edge on range, no doubt, but my research suggests that only at 150 - 200 yards out would that matter and I am not sure what real impact that has on actual African hunting...

When I go to Africa, I intend to hunt large game such as Eland, Greater Kudu, Hippo, and Cape Buffalo. No rhinos or elephants.

I shot plenty of game at 150 yards with my 9.3x74R with my double and one at 200 yards on my hunt a couple of months ago.

Cape buffalo would be a legality issue rather than a caliber as with right placement it has been known to be capable of it. That being said it is the bare minimum one should use and I'd advocate a caliber that starts with a .4XX or a .5XX for cape buffalo.

 

[Vashper]

A friend of mine took from double Merkel 9.3X74R a large Kamchatka bear a month ago. The hide is over 9.5 feet long. He shot at night, with a night sight, on a shallow river. The bear ran 60 meters, and the shooter lost sight of him after the shot, and considering that the distance of the shot was about 50 meters, he got impressions for all the money. The cartridge was RWS, TUG (UNI) bullet 19.5 g.

 

[Rimshot]

Very happy with my Blaser D99 Duo (6.5x55-22 hornet-20ga). It's discontinued but I've seen a couple of 9.3x74r-9.3x74r-20ga Duos for sale online with really nice wood. The user-adjustable rifle regulation is genius and works fantastic. My 6.5 barrel shoots 1/2 moa and the 22 hornet barrel shoots sub-moa, and can easily be regulated for different loads with the set and grub screws. It is a little heavy so I wouldn't hike up a Colorado 14er with it. Super fun to take into the woods and have the gun version of a multi-tool to shoot whatever comes by or flies over (in season of course)!

The current production options from Blaser are the original D99 (20ga x2 + 9.3x74r), or the BD14 (20ga-.224 cartridge only-9.3x74r). The BD14 is lighter than the D99 Duo, and also has provisions to regulate the 22 barrel. I think Merkel or Heym also make a very nice traditional drilling that will be quite accurate as well. Every drilling I have owned has been a tack driver (due to the rigidity of the barrels I imagine).

I don't have a 9.3x74r in a drilling (wish I did!) but I do have one in a Ruger #1 and I like the cartridge a lot. With the 250 Nosler Accubond it's surprisingly flat shooting and still packs a punch. After a little stock work my #1 is extremely accurate and I'd feel confident taking 400 yard shots. I shoot milk jugs at further distances with regularity (and a laser rangefinder).

 

[Opposite Pole]

Very happy with my Blaser D99 Duo (6.5x55-22 hornet-20ga). It's discontinued but I've seen a couple of 9.3x74r-9.3x74r-20ga Duos for sale online with really nice wood. The user-adjustable rifle regulation is genius and works fantastic. My 6.5 barrel shoots 1/2 moa and the 22 hornet barrel shoots sub-moa, and can easily be regulated for different loads with the set and grub screws. It is a little heavy so I wouldn't hike up a Colorado 14er with it. Super fun to take into the woods and have the gun version of a multi-tool to shoot whatever comes by or flies over (in season of course)!

The current production options from Blaser are the original D99 (20ga x2 + 9.3x74r), or the BD14 (20ga-.224 cartridge only-9.3x74r). The BD14 is lighter than the D99 Duo, and also has provisions to regulate the 22 barrel. I think Merkel or Heym also make a very nice traditional drilling that will be quite accurate as well. Every drilling I have owned has been a tack driver (due to the rigidity of the barrels I imagine).

I don't have a 9.3x74r in a drilling (wish I did!) but I do have one in a Ruger #1 and I like the cartridge a lot. With the 250 Nosler Accubond it's surprisingly flat shooting and still packs a punch. After a little stock work my #1 is extremely accurate and I'd feel confident taking 400 yard shots. I shoot milk jugs at further distances with regularity (and a laser rangefinder).

I think you can’t get BD14 in 9.3x74R. This is surprising, I think it used to be offered and it would seem a good choice for this type of firearm.

https://www.blaser.de/fileadmin/media/Services/Infomaterial/Kaliberuebersichten/BLA_Caliber_Overview_EN__combined.pdf

 

[Opposite Pole]

Seems Blaser has an error somewhere, according to their catalogue (page 205) you can get BD14 in 9.3x74R

https://www.blaser.de/fileadmin/media/pdf/BLASER_Gesamtkatalog_2022_komplett_EN.pdf

 

[xausa]

I have several drillings and used to enjoy using them as "walk around" guns for targets of opportunity, in Africa I used a Krieghoff Teck O/U double rifle in .458 WM, with extra barrel sets in .375 H&H and 20 gauge 3" Magnum. With it, I took elephant, buffalo, lion, leopard, eland, greater and lesser kudu, and loads of Guinea fowl, sand grouse and ducks with is. I was thoroughly pleased with its performance.