9.3 x 62 Which gun?

[Duckiller]

Was going to get a shot out P17 Enfield to convert to 35 Whelen. Local gun smith who would be doing the work said no to the Enfield, parts and required work costs too much and no to 35 Whelen, 9.3 x62 is better. Reviewing ballistic tables I tend to agree on the caliber. Lacking a older comercial action that I wished to rebarrel he suggested one of the following vould be bought at a reasonable price to be rebarrelled. Ruger American, Savage 110, Stevens, Wetherby Vanguard, Howa. Good factory trigger would eliminate need of a replacement trigger. Any opinions on which action you would prefer? Considering my age and general health this firearm will probably be used primarily to keep charging targets at bay. Must have adequate penetration of paper targets. Thank You for your opinions. Duckiller

[swheeler]

Find a used Savage 110 and have it rebarreled. What is a P17? never heard of one , have heard of a 1917 and a P14, must be some hybred.

[swheeler]

double posting?

[Rick R]

I own three 9.3x62 rifles built on various Mauser actions so I'd vote for the Howa action. I've never even shot a Whelen but if it's what you want I don't think there's an animal on the planet that would shake off a hit from a .35 and say "Whew! Glad he didn't have a 9.3!"

IMHO Build what you want not what your smith feels like building.

[bearbud]

The 35 Whelen and the 9.3x62 Mauser are very close in terms of performance with a small edge to the 9.3 with the heavier bullets.
The 35 Whelen is more suitable for lead boolits with its longer neck and a much larger selection of molds. Brass for the 35 Whelen is much easier to obtain by converting 30-06 brass then conversion of 30-06 to the 9.3x62 (multiple steps). I am not trying to sway you one way or the other just giving the facts.
When I was looking for my first 9.3x62, I found it much less expansive to just buy the CZ 550 then to custom build a rifle. Another commercial option is Ruger, with their Hawkeye African Rifle in 9.3x62 (if they are still making it). For a preferred action to build a 9.3x62 rifle, Mauser would be my first choice followed by Winchester (M70 classic).

[clownbear69]

I know I'm still new to this forum but not new to this subject. I've done a lot of research on this because I was looking for a new mule deer and elk round. Both will do the job marvelously. I have decided my self to go with .35 Whelen. I already own a .30-06 so having the brass on hand fireform and boom .35 Whelen. (No pun intended) The 9.3 has an advantage in two categories. One as stated slight better ballistics. But 2 which hasnnt been stated. If you plan on going hunting in Africa the 9.3 will be more accepted than the .35 Whelen and a lot has to do when Mauser came to Africa couldn't be in a standard Military round. Where as the whelen is usually shunned when though it could do the job (heck the .270 can take an elephant down)

What it comes down to what do you like. Settling is the last thing to do in an build/buy or other because youll always end up regretting it.

As a side note: If you decide to do a custom build with the Whelen, building off the Remington action is the easiest to build with (more aftermarket etc) and you can typically find used one for a dime a dozen to help keep cost low

[nanuk]

Was going to get a shot out P17 Enfield to convert to 35 Whelen. Local gun smith who would be doing the work said no to the Enfield, parts and required work costs too much and no to 35 Whelen, 9.3 x62 is better. ...

I think I'd get another 'smith to look at it

the P17 came out in 30-06, and the whelen is the same size with a bigger neck/boolit

I'd take some whelen dummies and try them to see if they feed.

the 9.3 MAY require tweeking the rails as it has a different body style.

I think your 'smith may be trying to mess with you and take money out of your pocket, as the 35W should be far easier than the x62 to get to feed.

as for parts?
How about a rebore? or simple rebarrel.

I'd like to hear your 'smith explain his thinking on this.

[nanuk]

Find a used Savage 110 and have it rebarreled. What is a P17? never heard of one , have heard of a 1917 and a P14, must be some hybred.

Yup... Hybred!

some mislabels die hard.... like many who say "bullet mold" when they mean "bullet mould"

[Four Fingers of Death]

The 35 Whelan is a more user friendly cartridge given the ease of converting 3006 brass, etc. The 9.3x 62 has the advantages of factory ammo being available in places like Africa , but for most places it is illegal to hunt DG with a 9.3 and a 375H&H is the minimum apparently. A lot of us think about going to Africa and a lot of talk about going to Africa, but not many of us end up going, so it is probably a moot point.

The P14 was the British original in 303 and the M17 was the American version in 3006.

We have three guys at the range using 9.3x62s two on milsurp Mauser actions and one on an M17 action. They didn't have any feeding issues. the rim size is all but identical.

The Zastava is available in 9.3x62 (and the 375H&H and 458WM for the same price). I have a 3006 and a 270, great rifles and a true commercial 98 mauser. Both of my rifles have nice triggers out of the box and they are adjustable anyway.

They are on sale here in Australia for about the cost of a good quality re-barrelling. I have a nice M17 Sporter with a good 2 groover barrel. I had planned to make a 375H&H out of it (a silly plan I have had for many years). BUt for the cost of re-barrelling, I can buy a new Zastava and sell the M17 Sporter to cover the cost of some brass and dies, etc. The cost of gunsmithing is always going up and the cost of rifles seems to be coming down.

[376Steyr]

Your gunsmith is doing you a favor by steering you away from dumping money into sporterizing a military action. As to a 9.3 x 62 versus a 35 Whelen, I suspect he might have a 9.3 barrel in the back already.

[Four Fingers of Death]

I just re-read your original post. If you were prepared to buy a new action to re-barrel to 35 Whelan or 9.3x62, perhaps you would be better off just getting a Howa or Weatherby Vanguard in 338WM. This is a magnificent cartridge and as you are a reloader and boolit caster, it can be throttled back to provide pleasant paper punching fun. It has enough bore size to be a proposition for cast boolit hunting as well. Another choice would be the same rifles (actually, they are the same rifle) in 300WM would also be a great choice, given the huge range of 30 cal moulds available.

A Savage rifle chambered in a 3006 based cartridge (I have never owned a Savage rifle, but have a lot of friends with them and as rifle Captain at the range see a lot of them in use and apart from the 17HMR, have never seen a problem with one) with the barrel nut feature would allow you to buy a new barrel in 35Whelan (or 9.3x62 I suppose) and either pull the original barrel and sell it to offset the cost of the new barrel, or allow you to run both calibres if you so desired. You could have a 25/06 or a 270 or a 3006 for long range Jacketed bullet stuff and the 35 or 9.3 for playing big game paper puncher (I play this game a few times a week at the range!)

[fouronesix]

Agreed. Your gunsmith may be giving his druthers and is likely being honest about difficulties and related costs for the build. In Europe and Africa for that matter the 9.3 has maintained a following and is often discussed. In the US the 35 Whelen has maintained a following. To say that one is superior to the other??? Having had some experience with both the 35 Whelen and the 35 Whelen AI, I can't see where it gives up much to others in that mid-bore range. No doubt that the easiest type action to build on or even blue print if you wish would be the Rem 700. Most others can be a real pain and much more expensive in the process. Unless you simply have to have a controlled round feed for charging dangerous game or coffee shop talk about same -- my choice would be the 35 Whelen AI based on a Rem 700.

[Four Fingers of Death]

I have come full circle with my bolt actioned hunting rifles, started out with mausers then added MkXs (Zastavas), Rugers and finally ended up with a stable of Remington 700s. The 700s were all accurate as all get out and really stylish looking rifles, but I have moved a few of them on as I find topping up the mag to be a touchy area and one mistake and a round pops up into the guide rail on the left, making you stop and roll the rifle to the right to let the round fall out. Fast mag top ups in the field were not up to my standards and I don't like the way th eodd round will pop out of the mag without much encouragement. Throwing a loose round in and closing the bolt is something I liked the idea of, but this didn't work as reliably as I would have liked. I did double feed once or twice, but I will take the blame for this (but this would not have happened with CRF). Being introduced to the ultra reliability of the K98 magazine early on spoilt me I suppose.

I now hunt with a Zastava 270W and a 300WM Ruger M77 Mk2 (which is an odd one, having 100% reliability in ejection, apparently a problem with these occasionally). I also have a couple of Ruger No1s in 338WM, but can't seem to find a suitable bolt gun. I am tossing up whether to buy a new Ruger (sensible using my head option) or build a custom on a mauser 98 action (not so sensible option), or just stick with the 300WM which I already have and it does it all (most sensible and cheapest option, lol).

I still have a 17Rem Fireball and a 375H&H in a 700. I bought the Fireball in a rush of blood and am in two minds about it as I have a perfectly functional 17AckHornet Encore based rifle. I really can't justify two 17 centrefires, so I will put them both up for sale and keep the one that doesn't sell. The 375 is a rifle I shoot a fair bit, but don't hunt with (the 300WM and 338WM are plenty rifle for Australia), so I am undecided about it. It whacks the tripe out of my index finger with every shot (the recently departed 270W and 300WM did as well, but not as dramitically as the 375, lol). I think if it ever draws blood, it will be on the block as well.

My Tactical 308 will be buried with me, but it is looking at a 10 shot mag conversion (probably five shotters if they protrude enough to be grasped quickly).

A lot of shooters here buy 700SPS rifles, pull the barrels, chuck the stocks and trigger and true the action and fit a premium trigger and Boyd's stock for a great hunting rifle. I found the barrels on the 700SPS delivered pretty good hunting accuracy, that was never in question, rebarrelling was just fixing something that wasn't broke as far as I was concerned.

The new Remington 783 with the lock nut barrel might be a dual barrel proposition.

[nanuk]

Agreed. Your gunsmith may be giving his druthers and is likely being honest about difficulties and related costs for the build. ...

perhaps I'm just ignorant, but could you please explain to me why it would take more work/time/money to convert a 30-06 based action to 35Whelen (Identical body size) than a 9.3x62 which has different dimensions in every area?

[Four Fingers of Death]

I can't imagine that there would be any problem with either conversion. Gunsmith may have thought that you wanted to re-bore to 35Whelan. Apart from having a 9.3x62 barrel sitting in his workshop and no 35 barrels in stock, I can't see why he would recommend one over the other.

He may have thought that the 9.3 would be a better choice as factory ammo is more abundant, especially in areas where heavy rifles are being used.

[fouronesix]

perhaps I'm just ignorant, but could you please explain to me why it would take more work/time/money to convert a 30-06 based action to 35Whelen (Identical body size) than a 9.3x62 which has different dimensions in every area?

I don't think that is what I said! It's not the conversion that was the main topic of the OP.... IT WAS THE ENFIELD ACTION that the gunsmith was trying to avoid. Re-read the thread! My druthers IF I were having it done would simply be the 35 Whelen AI. And most gunsmiths like to base builds on the Rem 700 action- they are more straight forward and easier to do. Most can do other actions but the cost may be more and some can't blue print other actions if they don't have the dedicated fixtures.

[Four Fingers of Death]

The Enfields don't like to give up their service barrels easily at times and maybe that was why he wanted to avoid it. I have heard that some even crack, Mind you, I have seen a whole heap of re-barrelled Enfields and never actually met anyone who lost an action through cracking during the re- barrelling process. It may be one of those shooting myths.

[Duckiller]

Thank everyone for their advice. Dealer has a Ruger American in .270 for $450.00. Think I am going to get it and rebarrel to 9.3 x 62. Will also put a muzzel brake on it. Next is to get a mold and reloading dies. I am told that the 9.3 is the same case head size as .30/06 just a mm too long. I have a case trimmer as much as I hate using it.

[FLINTNFIRE]

Have you looked at jes rebore , I know they would rebore your 1917 to 35 or to 9.3 they list both on his site , give him a look , I have used him for 2 barrels and he does good work ,, be cheaper then the new gun with a new barrel

[Four Fingers of Death]

A zustava is probably not much dearer and often cheaper than a new barrel. Good luck with the Ruger.