9.3 x 62 Which gun?

[vzerone]

I've got an Eddystone with a fat boy stock and front and rear volley sights, so it was probably an early one. The Brits preferred sloppy chambers and bores so that they could use ammo from any tinpot factory in the Commonwealth and that it would fire no matter what. Accuracy was secondary to absolute and utter reliability. I don't know if that applies to the American made stuff, I feel that you guys would have worked closer to the specs like the Canadians as you both went into WW1 with target rifles.

I'm as busy as a one armed bricklayer in Syria at the moment, I will try and dig it out over the weekend and have a look. I bought it in 2005 when my wife was terminally ill and I was nursing her. I stuck it in the safe and haven't touched it since. It is well overdue for a range session.

That's what I'm trying to tell you I heard was that British inspectors or overseers were on sight to have them built to the specs they wanted. I too would think that the specs would be pretty close to dead on with the U.S. building. I'm not saying that our own rifles were perfect, but they sure didn't have bore, grooves, and chambers all over the map like the British, Russians, and Japanese. Thinking the P14 was a "tight" 303 is why I always wanted one. Not anymore.

Hopefully you can lay that idea to rest when you check yours.

Sorry about your wife sir, I didn't know.

[Four Fingers of Death]

Hopefully you can lay that idea to rest when you check yours.

Sorry about your wife sir, I didn't know.

Thanks.

[texasnative46]

The Lord Flasheart,

I've noted that there are LOTS of European gunsmith-sporterized Mauser rifles in the gun shows right now & that (presuming that the barrel diameter is large enough) that JES can quickly/inexpensively convert to 9.3x62mm.
(I saw a very attractive Mauser Model 95-based sporter, with 3X Swedish-made scope, in to me at least "an oddball caliber" & that was perfect to send to JES for "reformatting". = The OTD cash price was 200.oo.)

Had I not been a "southpaw", it would have gone home with me. = NICE rifle.

Imo, Jessie's work is FLAWLESS.

yours, tex

[charlie b]

Just being an outsider looking in, I'd take the 'purist' side and say that if I was getting a European made gun it would be in a European caliber. US gun in US caliber.

[texasnative46]

Oklahoma Rebel,

I keep hoping that CZ will start importing (again - CZ did import a VERY FEW some years ago, as about 2,000.oo OTD.) the left-hand CZ550 "Continental" in 9.3x62 or .375H&H. = That one I would happily pay $$$$$$ for.

yours, tex

[The Lord Flashheart]

The Lord Flasheart,

I've noted that there are LOTS of European gunsmith-sporterized Mauser rifles in the gun shows right now & that (presuming that the barrel diameter is large enough) that JES can quickly/inexpensively convert to 9.3x62mm.
(I saw a very attractive Mauser Model 95-based sporter, with 3X Swedish-made scope, in to me at least "an oddball caliber" & that was perfect to send to JES for "reformatting". = The OTD cash price was 200.oo.)

Had I not been a "southpaw", it would have gone home with me. = NICE rifle.

Imo, Jessie's work is FLAWLESS.

yours, tex

That sounds like a great project, especially as skills like reboring haven't been lost yet in the US whereas trying to find someone who can economically rebore a shot out or oddball rifle over here is very difficult.

It is also strange how rifle values differ across the pond, for example the Mauser 201 is a rare and sought after rifle in the US whereas in the UK I bought that immaculate one for £400 as our licensing system means that collecting rifles is diffiuclt and so the collector's upwards pressure on price simply isn't there.

I imagine that the internet has driven much of the sporterising you seeing, how many of us twenty years ago would be discussing guns and cartridges with people all over the world and of such varied experiences were it not for forums like this one?

Best,

A

[texasnative46]

The Lord Flasheart,

Very true. = In the old days/DAZE, I spent considerable time air-mailing people, while looking for things that I desired for my collection.
(In particular, finding parts for my antique combination guns & rifles OCONUS was slow/much more difficult.)

Even in The UK, I suspect that buying/holding the firearms that I'm most interested in wouldn't be "a problem". = Single-shot black powder rifles & Cape Guns of the Victorian Era.
(British Airways told me that traveling into Britain & onwards to an Eastern European country to hunt red deer/wild boar/wolves with my black powder 11.5x56mm, .50-70 & .45-70 Remington Rolling Block long-rifles and with 200 rounds of BP ammunition will "not be any problem".)

Also, I'm planning to pass through England on the way to southern Africa to hunt plains game, Cape Buffalo & perhaps leopard next Fall, with my 9.3x62mm big-game rifle/ammo.
Again, British Airways' spokesman said that, "We will take very good care of your rifle & ammunition & will assure that you have no problem traveling to & from your safari."
(I found it "interesting" that BA actually has an "expert" on staff, whose job is assisting NON-British hunters, who are traveling to/from hunting trips through your nation.)

yours, satx

[The Lord Flashheart]

The guns themselves are classified as antiques and therefore may be held without a license but if one intends to shoot them then they have to be entered on a firearm license.

It's not as difficult to own guns as most think in the UK, I include my younger self in that last, but British shooters tend to be a secretive and conservative bunch so their web presence is small in comparison to you guys and your land of firearm plenty...

If you are travelling through the UK there is nothing to worry about, your guns go into a governmental warehouse when you land and they are very keen to see you take them away with you as they don't like guns anyway. Who would have thought anti-gun people could be so good for gunowners eh?

I have read that BA has started adding on fees for sporting firearms, maybe check with your travel agent?

If you are in the UK for an evening drop me a line, perhaps I can arrange a little hunting for you very close to the airport.

[texasnative46]

The Lord Flashheart,

Actually, I plan on staying for a number of days in the UK, on the way back from hunting in Eastern Europe to try to locate some church records & some cousins, who are descendants of the portion of our family who were not banished and/or transported from GB in the early 18th century. = I would be delighted to meet you at that time.
(Being retired from the US Army, I am in no particular rush to return to CONUS. - Btw, my lady is now planning to travel with me & wants to shop in GB, too. = "D's" comment was, "IF you believe that I'm staying home while you go hunting in Ukraine & Moldova for weeks and visit Yorkshire too, you're out of your mind." = I suspect that she's "going to contribute considerable funds" to your nation's economy, as "she has a thing for" tall boots, antique jewelry & "pretty frocks".)

yours, tex

[The Lord Flashheart]

Blimey, sorry to hear that...

Never mind, I'll see if we can't sort something out for you.

I have family in San Antonio, lovely place.

[texasnative46]

The Lord Flashheart,

I'm particularly PLEASED that the GB government is "so careful with" modern weapons, as losing your hunting rifle/ammo/supplies to "light-fingered persons" literally RUINS a hunting trip.
(I once had that happen to me here in the USA, about 2 decades ago. = My cased Browning O/U "mysteriously disappeared" while "in the custody of" American Airlines. - YES, I eventually was reimbursed for the loss but it made the hunting trip much more complicated/expensive than it otherwise would gave been.)

yours, tex

[texasnative46]

Blimey, sorry to hear that...

Never mind, I'll see if we can't sort something out for you.

I have family in San Antonio, lovely place.

The Lord Flashheart,

Fwiw, "lovely to look upon" young women are definitely "luxury items". = As a Victorian gentleman once opined, "If you have to ask how much it costs, you cannot afford it."
(CHUCKLE)

That said, I consider myself quite lucky that "D" doesn't complain/howl about my collecting antique MB cars, guns & buying reloading equipment/supplies. = We each have our "fixations".
(I have an old Army comrade, whose wife "raises holy H" every time that he buys a box of .30-30 ammo. - That I couldn't handle.)
Also, she is a "professional" interior decorator/pretty much self-supporting & thus isn't as expensive as she could be.

Note: Should you visit The Alamo City, we would be PLEASED to meet with you/have you to dinner/etc.
(Check your mailbox.)

yours, tex

[Duckiller]

To report on what started this thread. Did not get either a 9.3 x63 or a Whelen. Got a 338WM in a Browning BAR. It is big enough to kill about anything I am going to hunt. Don't plan on shooting elephants of buffalo or anything that mightstomp on me.

[Four Fingers of Death]

Good choice.

[vzerone]

Other than one being American spelling and the other English spelling is there any other distinction between the two words?
They have the same definition.

Mold has another distinction of also meaning a growth like a fungus.

[vzerone]

After suffering long range fire from Boers using German made 7x57 rifles, the Brits were going to 'modernise' their infantry rifle and wanted to go to a powerful 7mm round, the 276 Enfield and a new Mauser style rifle. They produced 1000 P13 rifles which were used by the musketry school and a few squadrons of the cavalry and some selected units, including one in Egypt. The round was not without problems with excessive recoil and muzzle flash, indications of extreme muzzle wear, etc. As the brown was about to hit the fan, they reluctantly suspended their experiments and produced the rifle in the standard 303. As war production was in full tilt, the rifle manufacturing machinery was sent to the States and the production out sourced. It was decided to continue with the SMLE and use the P14 as a supplementary rifle with the idea in the back of their heads to maybe make this the British service rifle when the dust settled. When America was looking at joining in the punch up, production of the 1903 could not be met and the P14 rifle was adapted to handle the 3006 and the rifle was then called the U.S. Rifle, Caliber .30, Model of 1917 (nick named the M17, although Eddystone variants were labelled 'Model of 1917', produced in 1917-8 there were two and a half times more Doughboys carrying M1917s than Springfields and as such, it was the American Army's service rifle, but Army diehards refused to acknowledge it, insisting on keeping the 1903 which was an all American design, (after royalties had been paid to Paul Mauser, lol) alive.

Interestingly enough, most shooters look down their noses at Eddystone variants, preferring Remington variants (Winchesters are much rarer) and don't realise that the Eddystones are actually Remingtons, but were made in the Remington plant in Eddystone, Pennsylvania.

I can't imagine a 7mm ( a cartridge close to the 7x57, not the 7mm Remington Magnum) having excessive recoil!!!!

[vzerone]

I like the 9.3x62. It accomodates heavier bullets all the way up to 300 grains. I feel it's a eat your cake and have it too cartridge over the 35 Whelen.

[Four Fingers of Death]

Mold has another distinction of also meaning a growth like a fungus.

'English' English and 'US' English, evolved differently as a result of the American Revolution and the resultant isolation. You guys retain a lot of the old word spellings that have fallen into misuse or changed in the Commonwealth. Hence the difference.