Short Barreled 9.3x62 rifle

[IvW]

If the 9.3x62 has one fault, its a lack of velocity as far as trajectory and killing effect..On Buffalo found the 320 gr. Woodleigh, a wonderful bullet, but needs 2350 to 2400 FPs and it pretty much takes a 26 inch barrel in most guns to do that..I like a 24 inch barrel for my hunting, if I want a carbine I use a 20 inch 375 H&H with 300 and 350 gr. bullets...

The 9.3x62 is a favorite caliber of mine, Ive used it for cape buffalo, Eland, most PG as well as deer and elk, it handles those animals as well as the 375 for the most part..I consider it a 300 yard hunting rifle...but its mainstay IMO is the 286 gr. bullet at 2650 plus a tad, For buffalo I like the 286 Barnes monolithic HP or the swift 300 gr. A Frame, or one of the 286 gr. Woodleighs PPs..

Barrel length of 20 inches IMO isn't the best choice of barrel in that caliber, but I doubt that many could actually tell any difference on game or range..

Lack of velocity??

Just use 286 gr at the normal velocity of about 2360 fps in 24 inches and you are good to go or find another caliber if that does not suite your needs....

 

[RayAtkinson]

Ive used the 9.x62 for years on both PG and DG, I like the 300 gr. Swift and the 320 gr. Woodleigh at 2400 give or take 50 fps...I found I needed a 26 inch barrel with these heavier bullets, but settled on a 24 inch barrel, otherwise its best to go with the 9.3x64 IMO..My all time favorite bullet in the 24" and 22" barrels is the 286 Nosler partition..but my 26" gun is the best of the littler, it has a Lyman peep sight and handles off hand and running shots great..I like that long tube for off hand shooting..and I have never found it to be a problem in the thickest of bush, that is an imagined scenario thought up by some gun scribe with a over active imagination or whatever..JUst my two bits.

 

[RayAtkinson]

Amazing two posts back to back 2009 to 2020!! nothings changed either, so must be spot one!

 

[Milan]

I definitely prefer 20" barrel. I guess everybody is different and maybe so is the bush. I definitely notice a difference between a 20" and 24" barrels. The 20" is handier. 24" may hang better for off hand shots, as it should, but if I walk around a lot and if there is bush to be gone through, 20" is better. I also have a 25" 300 wm and even in open country that seems long and in the forest the muzzle always seems to be "in the way"...another reason why I'm going down in cartridge power...I want to shoot something that is not as loud and does not need 25+ " barrel to burn all the powder. I find 9.3x62 not having much blast or noise even out of the 20" barrel. 18.5" barrels are nice also. I used to have a Ruger Scout rifle in .308 and found it quite handy but seemed noisy. Also the loss of velocity on an already slow cartridge like 9.3x62 might be a bit much between 18.5" and 24" and the muzzle blast might be a bit more noticeable. I also used to have Sako Kodiak which had 21" or 21.5" barrel, I believe, and it too was nice to handle. Now I will be testing a 22" barrel and hope to find it OK. Either way for me the sweet spot seems to be around 20-21" hopefully maybe 22" is where it's at.

 

[Fastrig]

I definitely prefer 20" barrel. I guess everybody is different and maybe so is the bush. I definitely notice a difference between a 20" and 24" barrels. The 20" is handier. 24" may hang better for off hand shots, as it should, but if I walk around a lot and if there is bush to be gone through, 20" is better. I also have a 25" 300 wm and even in open country that seems long and in the forest the muzzle always seems to be "in the way"...another reason why I'm going down in cartridge power...I want to shoot something that is not as loud and does not need 25+ " barrel to burn all the powder. I find 9.3x62 not having much blast or noise even out of the 20" barrel. 18.5" barrels are nice also. I used to have a Ruger Scout rifle in .308 and found it quite handy but seemed noisy. Also the loss of velocity on an already slow cartridge like 9.3x62 might be a bit much between 18.5" and 24" and the muzzle blast might be a bit more noticeable. I also used to have Sako Kodiak which had 21" or 21.5" barrel, I believe, and it too was nice to handle. Now I will be testing a 22" barrel and hope to find it OK. Either way for me the sweet spot seems to be around 20-21" hopefully maybe 22" is where it's at.

Have the 22" barrel on my Mauser M12 Max...Perfect, IMHO. Short enough that it doesn't catch anything, light so you can carry it all day, middle of the road length is good compromise on the former two and performance.

 

[Graham Hunter]

2550 out of a 24" bbl 285gr Nosler Part. That's all i need

 

[RayAtkinson]

IM fond of he 9.3x62 for even DG, but on DG I like the 300 gr. Swift or the 320 gr. Woodleigh, and found the velocity lose not to my liking in a 20" barrel, 2400 fPS is my quest and that usually takes a 26 inch barrel..I have a 24 inch fast barrel that get real close to that, so I see no disadvantage to a 4 extra inches on a rifle, hell my pocket knife is longer than that..Were I to want a 20 inch carbine Id chope off my 375 Ruger Hawkeye or my .416 Rem...but to each his own, just speaking for myself answering your request..

 

[Mtl74]

I have 48cm long barrel with Jaki supressor. Lapua factory load 16,2g
Naturalis is only 730m/s fast and today I tested 16,2g Barnes Ttsx reloads and 750m/s is about what i can get. I think 48cm barrel is too short for this caliper.