Post by Bullshop on Sept 26, 2018 10:21:40 GMT -7
Catchy title huh ! Sounds so domestically exotic, so Euro Americana ! Stay with me for just a bit and I will try to articulate the reasons somewhat more clearly than mud.
The 9.3x62mm Euro cartridge though not as well known on American shores has been for many decades eminently accepted on shores on the opposite side of the oceans connecting us as a dependable work horse cartridge especially so to the Euro settlers on the dark continent. True that the 375 flanged cartridge from Holland & Holland received all the glory from professional hunters but requiring special long housing most of the working class farmers just did not possess the means to acquire a 375 magnum.
Reminiscing on the writings of one of my all time favorite gun writers Finn A'agard brings the acceptance and regular use of the 9.3x62mm into clear focus. In Finns writings over the years he told us of his youthful years growing up in the game rich farmlands of African countries made famous by their P H's. He and his childhood friend Joe Cheffings tramped about the veldt taking all manner of African big game with their work horse farms rifles in 9.3x62. Finn's writings were so thoroughly enjoyable to me something I have missed dearly since his passing. The single greatest impression he made on me was with the no nonsense down to earth work horse nature of the cartridge he praise so highly the 9.3x62mm.
Now with that said this brings me around to the American version, my 9.3x62 American. For the American version we simply have to depart from the Euro case being wider at the head than our all American the 30-06. Switching to the 06 case gives it the signed by uncle Sam American pedigree. Secondly we have to get away from metric designations and call this a .366x06. Actual bore groove dimensions of this American cartridge are .366" x .375". OK OK I surrender your onto me now. Yes this cartridge of which I speak is nothing more than the 375 Whelen but before you leave off reading this in distrustful distaste let me give a bit of ballistic comparison and see of you too do not agree that the 375 Whelen AKA 375-06 is not truly the American version of Mr. Aagard's beloved 9.3x62mm.
Looking in my 2016 data book from Hodgdons at loads for the 9.3x62 I see velocities for the two most commonly used bullet weights in the 9.3mm the 286gn and 300gn. The single load that achieved 2400 fps with the 286gn weight went 2407 with most loads hovering around 2350 fps. With the 300gn bullet weight max velocities hover right around 2200 fps.
In comparison with my Euro style 27" barreled .366x.375 a recently chronographed string shooting a 310gn paper patch bullet went 2261,2250,2263,2272, and 2246 fps with a load of 50gn of IMR 4895. Since this cartridge has the same bore diameter as the Euro version has a groove diameter bullets for the Euro version can be paper patched for the domestic version. That is exactly what I have done with our 286gn 9.3mm bullet patched it up for the 375" groove version. This produced about identical ballistics that Hodgdons gives for the 9.3x62 with the 286gn bullet weight right at 2400 fps with both cartridges. Now by virtue of its increased expansion ratio and something the Euro version just cant match is my favorite smashing load using my design of a 375/375 LFN type bullet. That is correct a 375 caliber 375gn flat nose bullet with an M.V. of 2280fps. I used this load in Alaska on a very respectable bull caribou. This is going to sound a bit of a stretch but at about 75 yards with a solid shoulder hit this load sent such a tremor through the bull that it blew off both antlers. The exit hole in the off side shoulder was fist size. This is where the American takes the lead by a nose in that not only by virtue of its greater expansion ratio but also in conjunction with its faster rifling twist rate. Ever since 1912 and the introduction of the 375 H&H the twist rate for 375 caliber has been established at one turn in twelve inches where as the Euro version has been restricted to 14" and 16" twist rates. The 375/375 bullet I designed maxes out the allowable bullet length for the 1/12" twist and when it comes to swatting large and potentially mean beasts heavier bullets will always be preferred. So with that you can see that the two are near ballistic twins the 9.3 version having an edge in sectional density but the 375 version having a slightly larger frontal area when both use the same bullet weight but when the bullet weight exceeds 300gn the American begins to pull ahead at the home stretch and adds FPE where it works for the better at the wide flat meplate of a high sectional density torpedo.
OK so I will now confess to steeling your attention for a short time through deception but it was not wasted time as I hope that as I have you dear reader have also learned something and I hope enjoyed the time spent.
The 9.3x62mm Euro cartridge though not as well known on American shores has been for many decades eminently accepted on shores on the opposite side of the oceans connecting us as a dependable work horse cartridge especially so to the Euro settlers on the dark continent. True that the 375 flanged cartridge from Holland & Holland received all the glory from professional hunters but requiring special long housing most of the working class farmers just did not possess the means to acquire a 375 magnum.
Reminiscing on the writings of one of my all time favorite gun writers Finn A'agard brings the acceptance and regular use of the 9.3x62mm into clear focus. In Finns writings over the years he told us of his youthful years growing up in the game rich farmlands of African countries made famous by their P H's. He and his childhood friend Joe Cheffings tramped about the veldt taking all manner of African big game with their work horse farms rifles in 9.3x62. Finn's writings were so thoroughly enjoyable to me something I have missed dearly since his passing. The single greatest impression he made on me was with the no nonsense down to earth work horse nature of the cartridge he praise so highly the 9.3x62mm.
Now with that said this brings me around to the American version, my 9.3x62 American. For the American version we simply have to depart from the Euro case being wider at the head than our all American the 30-06. Switching to the 06 case gives it the signed by uncle Sam American pedigree. Secondly we have to get away from metric designations and call this a .366x06. Actual bore groove dimensions of this American cartridge are .366" x .375". OK OK I surrender your onto me now. Yes this cartridge of which I speak is nothing more than the 375 Whelen but before you leave off reading this in distrustful distaste let me give a bit of ballistic comparison and see of you too do not agree that the 375 Whelen AKA 375-06 is not truly the American version of Mr. Aagard's beloved 9.3x62mm.
Looking in my 2016 data book from Hodgdons at loads for the 9.3x62 I see velocities for the two most commonly used bullet weights in the 9.3mm the 286gn and 300gn. The single load that achieved 2400 fps with the 286gn weight went 2407 with most loads hovering around 2350 fps. With the 300gn bullet weight max velocities hover right around 2200 fps.
In comparison with my Euro style 27" barreled .366x.375 a recently chronographed string shooting a 310gn paper patch bullet went 2261,2250,2263,2272, and 2246 fps with a load of 50gn of IMR 4895. Since this cartridge has the same bore diameter as the Euro version has a groove diameter bullets for the Euro version can be paper patched for the domestic version. That is exactly what I have done with our 286gn 9.3mm bullet patched it up for the 375" groove version. This produced about identical ballistics that Hodgdons gives for the 9.3x62 with the 286gn bullet weight right at 2400 fps with both cartridges. Now by virtue of its increased expansion ratio and something the Euro version just cant match is my favorite smashing load using my design of a 375/375 LFN type bullet. That is correct a 375 caliber 375gn flat nose bullet with an M.V. of 2280fps. I used this load in Alaska on a very respectable bull caribou. This is going to sound a bit of a stretch but at about 75 yards with a solid shoulder hit this load sent such a tremor through the bull that it blew off both antlers. The exit hole in the off side shoulder was fist size. This is where the American takes the lead by a nose in that not only by virtue of its greater expansion ratio but also in conjunction with its faster rifling twist rate. Ever since 1912 and the introduction of the 375 H&H the twist rate for 375 caliber has been established at one turn in twelve inches where as the Euro version has been restricted to 14" and 16" twist rates. The 375/375 bullet I designed maxes out the allowable bullet length for the 1/12" twist and when it comes to swatting large and potentially mean beasts heavier bullets will always be preferred. So with that you can see that the two are near ballistic twins the 9.3 version having an edge in sectional density but the 375 version having a slightly larger frontal area when both use the same bullet weight but when the bullet weight exceeds 300gn the American begins to pull ahead at the home stretch and adds FPE where it works for the better at the wide flat meplate of a high sectional density torpedo.
OK so I will now confess to steeling your attention for a short time through deception but it was not wasted time as I hope that as I have you dear reader have also learned something and I hope enjoyed the time spent.
