Originally Posted by
9.3X62AL
My CZ-550 Lux in 9.3 x 62 wears a Leup 2x-7x. I would be just as happy with a fixed 4X, it isn't a varmint rifle.
For castings I've been running a 270 grain flatnose Mountain Molds GC design to about 1750-1800 FPS atop 23.0 grains of Alliant 2400. Accuracy at 100 yards is a reliable 1.25"-1.5"/five shot groups. Recoil at that velocity isn't bad at all.
Single-best jacketed bullet fuel seems to be IMR-4320.
Owing to its good work with J-words at higher speeds, I have put up some cast boolit loads with the 270 grain GC boolit starting at 46.0 of IMR-4320, and working upward from there. 50.0 grains gives about 2075-2100 FPS, and accuracy holds for 3-4 shots using Alox/beeswax lube before things fall apart. I have assembled a lot of ammo using Lars' Carnauba Red bullet lube, but have yet to run them for grouping. My impression is that at higher performance levels Alox/BW lube breaks down somehow. At 2000 FPS, the recoil increases noticeably; 286 grain Partitions at 2475 FPS are "exhilarating". 250s at 2625 kick significantly less and shoot a lot flatter. In fact, the 9.3/250 spitzer trajectory runs VERY close to that of the 30-06/180 grain spitzer, assuming similar velocities. The difference is that the 9.3 provides half-again more striking energy than the 30-06 does at any given range.
Last but not least......you CAN adapt the 9.3 x 62 to varmint strafing. Just use Hornady 9mm Makarov XTP bullets (.365"), and extrapolate some loads with your favorite medium-speed rifle powder. I got those pistol slugs running close to 3000 FPS, and DID THEY EVER tear the daylights out of jackrabbits. These loads also did a great job of final fire-forming of some 35 Whelen cases I used for my first lot of brass in 2002.