Load testing the 9.3 x 64

[bruce moulds]

northfork is the bullet i was referring to as a non plastic tipped bearclaw.
bruce.

 

[Wyatt Smith]

They used to make non tipped bear claw in most calibers. I wonder if they dropped them for the tipped version.

 

[bruce moulds]

marketing to the great unwashed.
bruce.

 

[Wyatt Smith]

The 300 grain .375 don’t have tips, but are like $3.50 each. Bullets not cartridges. Whenever I need a bullet in this class, I will use swift if I can them to shoot.

 

[K95]

I have shot a few sambar with both .358 and .308 Norma mags using Hydros,they are devastating killers. I shudder to think of what the 9.3 x 64 would do.
I have mentioned this previously the .308 NM drove a 180 Hydro from a starting point an inch from the freckle the full length of a sambar hind (a big mature too) and exited her chest.
Ever shot a rabbit up the arse with a 22 WMR ? Same.

Hi Sambar hunter
There’s two great calibers. I once bought 200 new 308 Norma mag cases in a gun shop that was priced At 308 win . From memory it was $8.00 a box. I was always going to built one after that but never got around to it.

@K95
I hope you and the family are keeping well
Maybe you could do a write u p here showing your MARLIN converted to 307 winchester. Our gun Smith Rob Spittles did a great job on it.
Bob

hi Bob
Well it’s go to know someone reads what I write ha ha. Have you read any of my wife’s articles , Hunting from a woman’s point of view. Misha’s last one was a review on Ridge line woman’s clothing.That Marlin did come up well didn’t it. It was when Marlins were lovely well made rifles. Going by the serial no it was mid 70s , the last of the straight stocked 30-30s. You obviously read the story and how it came about. I also used the rifle when I reviewed a Khales red dot. Should have brought that as it worked so well on the Marlin. I might try and down load a few pictures if I can work that out, very new to all this and send on if the rifle through. Have some recovered Bullets I’d like to show if anyone is interested.
Ken

 

[Bob Nelson 35Whelen]

Hi Sambar hunter
There’s two great calibers. I once bought 200 new 308 Norma mag cases in a gun shop that was priced At 308 win . From memory it was $8.00 a box. I was always going to built one after that but never got around to it.

hi Bob
Well it’s go to know someone reads what I write ha ha. Have you read any of my wife’s articles , Hunting from a woman’s point of view. Misha’s last one was a review on Ridge line woman’s clothing.That Marlin did come up well didn’t it. It was when Marlins were lovely well made rifles. Going by the serial no it was mid 70s , the last of the straight stocked 30-30s. You obviously read the story and how it came about. I also used the rifle when I reviewed a Khales red dot. Should have brought that as it worked so well on the Marlin. I might try and down load a few pictures if I can work that out, very new to all this and send on if the rifle through. Have some recovered Bullets I’d like to show if anyone is interested.
Ken

@K95 Yes I have read some of your lovely wife's articles and the way she cooks she can cook for me anytime.
Not only did I read the article I was actually there when Rob was building it and was speaking to time about it. The only problem is it would have been better in the 356.
Bob

 

[K95]

Ha I see your a 35 fan, those 35 cals might just have been a little tight going down a 30 cal barrel.

 

[Bob Nelson 35Whelen]

Ha I see your a 35 fan, those 35 cals might just have been a little tight going down a 30 cal barrel.

@K95
Ken you could have gotten a 35 barrel to start with.
Yes I am a 35 fan and a 25 fan.
I had Rob build my 35 Whelen for Namibia. I also discovered Hogdon CFE223 and superformance powders and managed to stock up on them as they had stopped importing them.
Using Speer, Sierra and load from a disc data to develop loads for the Whelen it turned it from mild to wild that gives a standard 338 win mag a shake up.
Using CFE223 it's not hard to get 2,700 fps with 250grainers and up to 2,950 fps with 225 grainers. Hoping to work up a load that gives the 275 grain Woodleigh PPSP 2,500 fps. So yes I do like the Whelen now it's loaded to its FULL potential. When you hit something with it now it really stays hit. Using a 250 grain hornaday round nose it left a golf ball size hole out the other side of my gemsbuck/Oryx at 120 yards
Bob

 

[K95]

@K95
Ken you could have gotten a 35 barrel to start with.
Yes I am a 35 fan and a 25 fan.
I had Rob build my 35 Whelen for Namibia. I also discovered Hogdon CFE223 and superformance powders and managed to stock up on them as they had stopped importing them.
Using Speer, Sierra and load from a disc data to develop loads for the Whelen it turned it from mild to wild that gives a standard 338 win mag a shake up.
Using CFE223 it's not hard to get 2,700 fps with 250grainers and up to 2,950 fps with 225 grainers. Hoping to work up a load that gives the 275 grain Woodleigh PPSP 2,500 fps. So yes I do like the Whelen now it's loaded to its FULL potential. When you hit something with it now it really stays hit. Using a 250 grain hornaday round nose it left a golf ball size hole out the other side of my gemsbuck/Oryx at 120 Bobs

@K95
Ken you could have gotten a 35 barrel to start with.
Yes I am a 35 fan and a 25 fan.
I had Rob build my 35 Whelen for Namibia. I also discovered Hogdon CFE223 and superformance powders and managed to stock up on them as they had stopped importing them.
Using Speer, Sierra and load from a disc data to develop loads for the Whelen it turned it from mild to wild that gives a standard 338 win mag a shake up.
Using CFE223 it's not hard to get 2,700 fps with 250grainers and up to 2,950 fps with 225 grainers. Hoping to work up a load that gives the 275 grain Woodleigh PPSP 2,500 fps. So yes I do like the Whelen now it's loaded to its FULL potential. When you hit something with it now it really stays hit. Using a 250 grain hornaday round nose it left a golf ball size hole out the other side of my gemsbuck/Oryx at 120 yards
Bob.

WOW Bob
That’s some cracking load you have there, how are your fillings. You certainly don’t need a 338 as long as you have a supply of CFE 223. This is what I like about these sites , you are always learning something.
I’ve never heard of CFE 223. It must be the technical name for dynamite.
Though about building a 35 STA once but back then good 35 cal pills were hard to get and you can only have so much in the safe.
Cheers Ken

 

[Bob Nelson 35Whelen]

WOW Bob
That’s some cracking load you have there, how are your fillings. You certainly don’t need a 338 as long as you have a supply of CFE 223. This is what I like about these sites , you are always learning something.
I’ve never heard of CFE 223. It must be the technical name for dynamite.
Though about building a 35 STA once but back then good 35 cal pills were hard to get and you can only have so much in the safe.
Cheers Ken

@K95
I hadn't heard or CFE223 either but load from a disc showed high velocity and low pressure. Checking the Speer and Sierra load data showed great velocity as well.
I came across some in Wagga and gave it a go and it worked well. Every gun shop I went to I would check a nd go t some from Tamworth and my local gun shop.
For such a potent load it has relatively mild recoil. My 16 year old son handles it well and my daughter doesn't mind the 225s but the 250s are a bit t much for her.
If more people in OZ used it, it may have still been imported.
It's a great powder for a lot of cartridges from 222 rem up.
The superformance is another sleeper that works well in other calibers.
Bob

 

[K95]

@K95
I hadn't heard or CFE223 either but load from a disc showed high velocity and low pressure. Checking the Speer and Sierra load data showed great velocity as well.
I came across some in Wagga and gave it a go and it worked well. Every gun shop I went to I would check a nd go t some from Tamworth and my local gun shop.
For such a potent load it has relatively mild recoil. My 16 year old son handles it well and my daughter doesn't mind the 225s but the 250s are a bit t much for her.
If more people in OZ used it, it may have still been imported.
It's a great powder for a lot of cartridges from 222 rem up.
The superformance is another sleeper that works well in other calibers.
Bob

Hi Bob
Do you have a good load for the 25-06 with 100 and 115 gr Barnes . Nick just bought a lovely little Kimber in one and is after a good load, he has had it long throated as well.
Ken

 

[Eddie Gerber]

Hi Guys, I have just been accepted to AH and really pleased to find a group of guys that have 9,3x64 rifles that I can exchange info with. I'm in South Africa and have a rifle built by a German gunsmith on a Mauser action, Krupp barrel and quick release mounts with a railed Geco scope. I've only reloaded with our local Somchem 365 using local PMP 286gn rn and 270gn Speers. I have recently acquired some 300gn Barnes originals that I still need to test. Eddie

 

[Eddie Gerber]

My rifle and 9,3 x 64 round alongside my 300H&H round, Eddie

 

[PerH]

Hi Guys, I have just been accepted to AH and really pleased to find a group of guys that have 9,3x64 rifles that I can exchange info with. I'm in South Africa and have a rifle built by a German gunsmith on a Mauser action, Krupp barrel and quick release mounts with a railed Geco scope. I've only reloaded with our local Somchem 365 using local PMP 286gn rn and 270gn Speers. I have recently acquired some 300gn Barnes originals that I still need to test. Eddie

The x64 can be quite tough on bullets. I would have asked Rhino for some 250- 300 grain and other makers also in SA .

Brenneke – German Hunting Guns

 

[K95]

Hi Eddie
Looks like you have a lovely and serviceable old Mauser that is right at home in SA.
I have used both the 9.3x62 and 9.3x64 and have fond memories hunting through Alaska, Zimbabwe and your home state with these calibers along with the 8 x 68 Breneke.
Back then I started using factory RWS loads. This was the only ammunition available here in Australia at the time. Bullets like the cone point, H mantel, Tig and Tugs worked a treat in the 62 but left a lot to be desired in the 64.
The extra 200 - 250 fps generated by the larger case caused these European bullets to open up to quickly and come apart with shallow penetration. I guess it’s comes down to what you will be hunting. There isn’t a problem with smaller the medium size deer, but the meat damage may be considerably.
These days there are better projectiles around and I normally load A-Swift, Northfork, Norma Oryx. Barnes are great but they take up case capacity.
I have a new 9-3x64 barrel coming at the end of the month and have loaded up quite a lot of testing loads in various bullet weights and different powders eg Alliant 12, 15, 16,17,19, AR 2208, Ar2209. Once I have the results I will post them for you.
There is a great book called Africa‘a most dangerous by Kevin Robertson, one of Africa’s best known authors. This book has everything you would wish to know about Buffalo hunting. It covers bullets and calibers and he is particularly fond of the 9.3 cal. He talks about a Brno ZG 47 he owns and lends out to clients who are recoil sensitive in 9.3 x62, so far it has accounted for 650 Buffalo. I don’t think you could get a better recommendation then that.
This book may help as he mentions local powders and bullets. Eg Rhino.
All the best with your 9.3 endeavors.
Ken.

 

[Eddie Gerber]

Hi Ken, I was a PH for many years and hunted extensively with numerous calibers including my 64, I had reasonably good results with the PMP pro ams on game up to big Eland and Giraffe. The Barnes originals that I managed to get are the ones I'm eager to try. My rifle is old but in very good conditions as it hasn't fired more than about a 100 rounds in total, barrel is mint. The scope mounts also allow for scope removal in 0,5 seconds so iron sights can be used for follow up shots or charges from big game, I'll post more pics or a video to demonstrate, thanks so much for the reply and feedback, it's much appreciated and so good to have contact with other 64 owners and enthusiasts, Eddie