9.3x74mmR

9.3x74R is a European medium bore cartridge invented in Germany around 1900 [http://www.africansportinggazette.com/html/volumes/vol-13-2/ammo.html] , and destined to be used in non-bolt action rifles, particularly double or single shot. Long and slender with a slight shoulder, it’s just what its name implies - a 9.3 (.366) diameter bullet in a 74mm case, and the R denotes the rim.

Uses a .366 diameter bullet, of a usually 286 grain, according to Hornady at this grain velocity is 2360 fps. and energy is 3536 ft/lbs. This cartridge is used for CXP2 and CXP3 types of game (medium and heavy animals) and very popular in Europe for wild boar, in driven hunts or stalking. Initially destined for large European game like moose, brown bear and polar bear, it started following in the path of hunters gone in safaris. It remains a popular cartridge in African hunting, in countries with more German influence like Namibia, favored as a continental alternative to the more popular .375 H&H Magnum. [http://www.chuckhawks.com/9-3x74R.htm] Outside Europe, Ruger still creates rifles in this cartridge, notably Ruger No.1, a falling block action. [http://www.ruger-firearms.com/Firearms/FAFamily?type=Rifle&subtype=Single%20Shot&famlst=42&variation=International]

No one seems to know who specifically designed the 9.3x74R, but it emerged at the turn of the last century as a German equivalent to one of the British medium-bore cartridges of Westley Richards. Over the years it has proven very popular in Europe, especially with wild boar hunters - popular enough that it’s still chambered by all the European break-open rifle manufacturers today. Even Browning converted its 20-gauge O/U shotgun into a slick lightweight 9.3x74R O/U double rifle for the European market.

Ballistically the 9.3x74R is near identical in performance to the 9.3x62 Mauser but doing so with lower pressures because of the weaker break-open type actions it is used in.

The long, slender case with its shallow shoulder angle is typical of older cartridges where pressures had to be kept in the 40,000-psi range. A similar comparison can be made with the .416 Rigby and the .416 Remington Magnum. The .416 Rigby was a large, long case that required an expensive long magnum action. With the Rigby design pressures were kept below 50,000 pounds. The .416 Remington Magnum duplicates the Rigby ballistics but in a shorter, smaller case that could be used in a standard action. The price is chamber pressure, which bumps 60,000 psi in the .416 Remington Magnum.

References

External links

* [http://www.gunsandammomag.com/cs/Satellite/IMO_GA/Story_C/A+Most+Marvelous+Metric?packedargs=pagenum%3D1 A Most Marvelous Metric - The 9.3mm holds the light heavyweight crown among European bore sizes and should be more popular stateside than it is - by Craig Boddington]