9.3x62mm

Infobox Firearm Cartridge
name=9.3x62mm


caption= The 9.3x62mm cartridge next to the 30-06, 7.92x57mm Mauser, 6.5x55 mm and .308 Winchester.
origin=flagcountry|German Empire
type=Rifle
service=
used_by=
wars=
designer=Otto Bock
design_date=1905
manufacturer=
production_date=1905-Present
number=
variants=
is_SI_specs=yes
parent=
case_type=Rimless, bottleneck
bullet=9.3
neck=9.9
shoulder=11.4
base=12.1
rim_dia=11.9
rim_thick=1.3
case_length=62.0
length=83.6
rifling=350 mm (1-14")
primer=Large rifle
is_SI_ballistics=yes
bwunit=gram
bw1=15.0
btype1=Oryx
vel1=800
en1=4810
bw2=16.2
btype2=SP
vel2=780
en2=5052
bw3=18.5
btype3=SP
vel3=720
en3=4805
bw4=19.0
btype4=SP
vel4=740
en4=5209
bw5=
btype5=
vel5=
en5=
test_barrel_length=600 mm (24 in)
balsrc= Cartridges Of The World 11th Edition By Frank C. Barnes - Edited By Stan Skinner - ISBN 13: 978-0-89689-297-2 - ISBN 10: 0-89689-297-2] The 9.3x62mm (in the USA also known as the 9.3 x 62 Mauser) is an 'all-around firearms cartridge' suitable for hunting larger species of animals in Africa, Europe, or North America. It was introduced by Otto Bock in 1905. At 730 m/s (2400 ft/s), its convert|18.5|g|gr|sing=on standard load balances recoil and power for effective use at up to about 250 m (270 yards).The CIP Maximum Average Pressure (MAP) for the 9.3x62mm is 390 MPa (56 500 PSI)

History

The 9.3x62mm was developed around 1905 by Berlin gunmaker Otto Bock, who designed it to fit into the Model 1898 Mauser bolt-action rifle. African hunters and settlers often chose military rifles for their reliability and low cost, but governments fearful of colonial rebellions often banned them and their ammunition. The 9.3x62mm was never a military cartridge and never had this problem. Mausers in 9.3x62mm were inexpensive and reliable, so their popularity in Africa grew quickly.

The 9.3x74R is a rimmed 9.3 mm cartridge that evolved from the 9.3x72 black powder cartridge. The energy levels of the 9.3x62 and 9.3x74R cartridges are similar but in developmental terms are distinct as the cartridges are unrelated. The rimmed cartridge is slightly longer, allowing for lower pressure in the case while retaining muzzle velocity.

Ammunition

The 9.3x62 was first loaded with a convert|18.5|g|gr|sing=on bullet at a muzzle velocity of 655 m/s (2,150 ft/s). After World War I some companies increased the velocity to around 730 m/s (2,400 ft/s), and brought out lighter bullets. Rifles set up for the original load must have their sights readjusted to shoot the newer load to point of aim. Adding to the confusion, loads at both velocities are available today. Several European firms load 9.3x62mm Mauser ammunition, including Lapua, Norma and RWS, PPU (Prvi Partizan) as well as PMP of South Africa, and it is widely available in Africa.

Also in England, KYNOCH (the Imperial Metal Industries (Kynoch) Limited, Birmingham 6, England), the well known cartridge manufacturer, produced ammunition, referring to the 9.3x62mm as the '9.3 mm Mauser'. Typically it was loaded as 'a Metal Covered Soft Nose Bullet. convert|18.5|g|gr with the base marked simply KYNOCH 9.3 mm. This is no longer listed by them.

Elsewhere

The 9.3x62mm is popular in Europe, especially Nordic countries where it is primarily used for short range forest hunt for moose. The rugged, inexpensive CZ 550 rifle became available in 9.3x62mm in North America in 2002, and both are gaining a strong following there, as the cartridge has a slight power edge over the popular .35 Whelen cartridge.

CANADA

Canadian hunters have long known about and used the 9.3x62mm cartridge to harvest all of the large game of Canada including buffalo, all the deer species and large bears. Surplus Scandanavian and European Mausers have been brought into Canada in 9.3 calibre since the early 1950's. In recent years, CZ series rifles, as well as Sako and Tikka of Finland have imported many rifles in 9.3x62mm calibre to Canada where demand continues to be high. Canadian handloaders too, have adopted this cartridge with open arms. The cartridge is very simple and easy to load with easily obtainable Norma brass and the availability of good bullets from Nosler in 250 grain accubonds and 286 grain partitions; 286 grain Hornady recoil proof; and 270 grain Speer. When loaded with proper amounts of Hodgen Varget velocities of 2350-2550 fps with these bullet weights is simple to produce and makes this cartridge economical and powerful. A no nonsense hunting rifle for the Canadian backwoods could be a Tikka synthetic stocked, iron sighted bolt action with a Williams receiver sight chambered in 9.3x62mm, with handloaded 286 grain Nosler partitions. A hunter so equipped could havest any animal in Canada out to 250 metres with ample power and tolerable recoil.

Adequacy

The 9.3x62mm is ideal for eland, zebra, giraffe and wildebeest, and most who hunt in Africa consider it a viable all-around cartridge comparable to the .338 Winchester Magnum, the 9.3x64mm Brenneke, the .375 H&H Magnum and the .404 Jeffery. The 9.3x62mm has taken cleanly every dangerous species on the continent, and is the minimum legal cartridge for "big 5" in many African countries. The 9.3x62mm is considered adequate for European and North American game that may become dangerous, such as feral hogs and the great bears. Sambar hunters in Australia are turning to the 9.3x62mm, the deer hunter's favourite rifle has changed due to the Howard (Federal) Government's ban on self-loading rifles (1994), a great many Sambar hunters were well catered for by the various makes of self-loading rifles that were available in 30-06 and like calibres, when the self-loaders were banned there was a buy-back and suddenly thousands of deer hunters were looking for bolt action rifles that delivered one shot knockdown power on Sambar deer, the 9.3x62mm calibre has proven to be well up to that task and now rifle manufacturers are including the calibre in their standard model lineup (Sako is a good example) and most gunshops carry factory loads in packets of 20 rounds although the price is still high at about $35.00 Aus per 20 compared to 30-06 at about $25.00 Aus per 20.

ee also

* List of rifle cartridges
* 9 mm caliber

References

* cite web
url = http://www.reloadersnest.com/article_9362_oct2803.asp
title = The 9,3 x 62 mm Mauser is making a strong come back!
publisher = reloaders
accessmonthday=24 February
accessyear = 2006
* cite web
url = http://www.african-hunter.com/the_9_3_x_62_mauser.htm
title = The 9.3 x 62 Mauser
publisher = African Hunter
accessmonthday=24 February
accessyear = 2006
* cite web
url = http://www.realguns.com/archives/152.htm
title = Česká Zbrojovka's CZ 550 FS 9.3x62
publisher = RGI Media
accessmonthday=9 April
accessyear = 2008

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]