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" :D

[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.

[Wayne Smith]

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.

Actually a mm short. The 30-06 is the 7.62x63mm in Europe.

[Duckiller]

Wayne I was trying to say that the .30/06 is 1mm too long and needed to be trimmed.

[Four Fingers of Death]

Well, yesterday I was in Sydney and met a friend who bought a coach gun off me in a gunshop / shooting range. When I was there, I saw a SS Ruger Alaskan in 375Ruger. Man, what a nice looking rifle, hell for stout. A box of 20 factory cartridges was $AU100! 220 rounds worked out the same as the new rifle! I rang around today, but none of the other big shops had one. One of the shops had one box of 20 cartridges for $AU86. The young lady at one shop I rang said that they had a 375 in stock. It turns out she was talking about a 375 H&H Zustava at $AU810 (my gunsmith charges $AU840 for a rebarrelling with a Walther barrel along with truing up of the action, which is pretty typical of Aussie gunsmiths, who generally prefer to true the action first, barrel cost is $AU450). I went and had a think about it and rang back about 15 minutes later, credit card in hand. I ended up with a guy this time and when I asked for the 375, he straight up said that he was pretty sure they only had smaller calibres. He checked and apologised on behalf of the young lady and said that she must have made a mistake. Thanked him and rang off, very disappointed. I rang the normal big shop I deal with (when my local gunshop can't provide what I want). None on the shelf, guy went out the back and said all they had was a 9.3x62. I asked if it was wood and had open sights and he checked the box and said 'yep, sure has!' Ok, lets try this one. When he opened the box to check numbers, etc he found that the factory had incorrectly labelled the box and it was in fact a synthetic stocked SS version, with no sights. It was $AU690. He knocked $40 off the price for the trouble, so I ended up getting it for $AU650, so now, I metricated with a 6.5x55 Swede and a 9.3x62!

I'm looking forward to a trip to Sydney to pick them up.

Nowwwwwwwwww, the local gunshop has a Synthetic stocked SS 300WM on the shelves. I'm tempted to get it (and sell the Ruger M77) and then all of my medium to heavy hunting rifles are all Zustavas; 6.6x55 Swede, 270W, 3006, 300WM (maybe), 9.3x62. I need a 22/250 or 243W and a 458WM to round it off, lol.

[390ish]

Go 9.3x66 or what is commonly known as 370 sako. It is just 30-06 brass -- run it through the die and you have a whopper cartridge. Makes a lot of sense.

[g5m]

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.;)

Back in the 1960's a number of marketers marketed the 1917 as a P17. I suppose that's where it originated.

[g5m]

Yup... Hybred!

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

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.

[Four Fingers of Death]

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.

After the American Revolution, your country was isolated from England (actually a pretty cool state of affairs). Consequently a lot of your spellings are the older spellings, whilst the English language in the Commonwealth of oppressed nations, evolved to include different spellings. With that in mind, you could argue that American English is more English than English English if you can understand my English.

But, we digress! Lets stop hijacking the thread before we get pinged by a moderator!

[725]

The Britts contracted US makers to produce the P-14 in 303 Britt. As the world warmed up and we needed some arms for ourselves, US makers chambered the P-14 in our .30-06 and it was called the P-17. I can only assume, because I don't know, that the Britts got this off the ground in 1914 (.303 Britt - P-14) and we first produced the .30-06 version in 1917, hence "P-17".

[Four Fingers of Death]

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.

[725]

Yeh, I knew it was something like that.

[Duckiller]

Civilian Marksmanship Program people refer to the U.S Rifle, Caliber .30, Model of 1917 as a P17.

[rugersworld]

Why are you set on a 9.3x62? Buy or build a .338-06. Better ballistics and less expensive to load for.

[Four Fingers of Death]

Why are you set on a 9.3x62? Buy or build a .338-06. Better ballistics and less expensive to load for.

Unless you have some compelling reason, the 338/06 is a good choice, although I am not aware of factory rifles at a reasonable cost available in it, but the 338WM is an excellent calibre and is available in a Ruger M77 Hawkeye at a reasonable cost.

The 9.2x62 Mauser is becoming very popular in Australia for hunting and one of the reasons is that at the sightly slower (some will say saner) velocities, conventional old fashioned cup and core bullets work very well and it doesn't consume huge amounts of powder and with a bit of fiddling, you can use cheap or free 3006 brass (anybody who has been reloading has some of these kicking about under the bench, lol), so it does make sense.

I am looking forward to getting mine (SS / Plastic stocked M70 Zastava). Mind you, if Zastava made a 338WM, I don't think I would have entertained one.

[texasnative46]

To All,

Unless you plan to hunt in Africa, there's little reason to select the 9.3x62 over the .338-06 or the .35 Whelen.

I hope to take plains game, a Cape Buff & perhaps a leopard next Fall with my Model 760, as "reformatted" to 9.3x62mm by JES. - Few nations in Africa will allow the .338-06 or the .35 Whelen for "dangerous game" but all allow the 9.3x62.
(Offhand, I can think of no creature that currently walks about on Planet Earth that won't fall to a good hit with a .366 bullet of 280-300 grains at over 2,000FPS.)

Personally, I can tell little difference in the "kick" of a 9.3x62 over a .30-06, out of similar rifles.

yours, tex

[Oklahoma Rebel]

or, let people get whatever they want, I have been wishing/saving/waiting for 2+ years for a cz550fs in 9.3X62mm and am so close I am going nuts. wanna try to talk me into a 338'06? just my 2 cents, which is worth...... probably about 2 cents!

[vzerone]

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.;)

Read this, maybe you'll learn what it was/is:

http://thecmp.org/cmp_sales/rifle_sales/m1917-enfield/

[Four Fingers of Death]

Probably meant an M17

[vzerone]

Probably meant an M17

Who knows what he meant, but it was often called that, the P17, even though that isn't the correct name for it.

I thought the 303 would have had a better bore and chamber in it size wise, but been told that British inspectors over looked the production of them as they were being made here in the U.S. and that they were made with the "sloppy chamber" and large groups diameter. Anyone know for sure? Anyone have one that can tell us about the chamber and bore/groove?

[Four Fingers of Death]

Who knows what he meant, but it was often called that, the P17, even though that isn't the correct name for it.

I thought the 303 would have had a better bore and chamber in it size wise, but been told that British inspectors over looked the production of them as they were being made here in the U.S. and that they were made with the "sloppy chamber" and large groups diameter. Anyone know for sure? Anyone have one that can tell us about the chamber and bore/groove?

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.

[The Lord Flashheart]

or, let people get whatever they want, I have been wishing/saving/waiting for 2+ years for a cz550fs in 9.3X62mm and am so close I am going nuts. wanna try to talk me into a 338'06? just my 2 cents, which is worth...... probably about 2 cents!

In my opinion an upstart European cartridge like this deserves nothing less than a European Mauser actioned rifle.

In this case that means a CZ550.

They are usually accurate, hardy and dependable.

[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... :D

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? :D

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... :D

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... :D

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.