This .338-06 VS .35 Whelen VS 9.3 X 62 thing has one stumbling block.....the 9.3 is accepted legally in Africa for DG and the others are not.

If I was looking to hunt cape Buffalo I'd be looking to the one that was legal.....but most of us wouldn't use any of them opting for more....like a 416

The 9.3 is very close in performance to the .375 H&H and that's very impressive. This takes it out of the class of the .338-06 which most would agree is relegated to plains game.....IMO it's plenty for that.
The .35 whelen is stranded in the middle.....nice round...no home.

I have little doubt that if I was hunting eland and came across a cape buff that was great and had no time to change to a bigger gun, the .338-06 would do the trick. That said....it's not going to be the first choice.

I see it this way.....the .338-06 is a fine plains game rifle.....the 9.3 is marginal as a DG rifle.....the .375 H&H is not hard to get so why are we talking? As much as I'd like to build a 9.3 X 62, I just can't find a reason to do that instead of the old .375

I just am not going to buy that the 9.3 is a better plains game round than the .338-06.....

Maybe the thinking will change tomorrow!!!!