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I would not purposely take it on a hunt where I thought I might have to engage game beyond 250 yards. Beyond that, I’ll take a .338 Win Mag. So 6x on top is plenty.

I would want at least 60’ FOV at 100 yards on low power. A Swaro Z6i can get that at 1.7x. A 1.75-6x Lupy won’t.

The 9.3 isn’t a magnum, but kicks more than an ’06 – so maybe 3.7” min eye relief.

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The VX7 I picked meets your stated criteria (6x max magnification, 62' FOV, 3.8" - 4.5" eye relief, and under 42mm objective).

I haven't developed a bunch of 9.3x62 experience, but one of the rifles I sold after commissioning the additional barrel was a Ruger Express in .338 WM...seemed like just as much overlap as the 375 H&H on the high end. Why wouldn't you shoot a 9.3x62 past 250 yards? I realize the SD and BC are going to be lower, but it seems like it would do just about as well as the .338 WM if you were shooting some of the 236 or 250 grain bullets out there (though I understand those aren't the ideal bullet weights for most 9.3 barrels, and I expect to shoot 286 & 300 grain bullets most or all of the time).

I'm not a fan of long-range hunting- I think there are lots more people trying to do it than there are people skilled/qualified to do it. And I didn't have the 9.3x62 assembly built with the primary intention of hunting it beyond 200 yards. But my plan is to take that assembly to the Henry Mountains when (if?) I finally draw a bison tag and that's one place I think longer range shots are going to be needed. It's also a place I'd want more than a .338 WM, and I'm hopeful that 286 grain Barnes X bullets will shoot reasonably well out to 400 yards if that hunt comes to be.

Not trying to cast stones here, just trying to learn more about this round from people more experienced with it than me.

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TAW1126,

The Leupold VX7 doesn't meet my stated requirements. The objective is too small (below 30mm) and I don't think it is available with an illiminated reticle. Otherwise it would fill the bill. Make it a 1.5-6x32mm and offer illuminated reticle and it would be good to go.

As to the issue of maximum range for cartridges, I admit I'm VERY conservative in this, and many other areas. Many claim to use the 9.3x62 out to 300yds. Just as many claim to use the .338 WM out to 500yds. I zero my rifles to keep the trajectory within +/-3" out to some maximum distance that I refer to as the point blank range of the cartridge. For the 286gr 9.3 you can sight in about 2.75" high at 100 and you'll be 3" high about 120yds and 3" low about 220yds. Add a bit of hold over and your good to about 250 without a rangefinder and a bunch of trajectory tables. A 250gr .338 is traveling about 300fps faster and can do the same point blank trick out to about 280yds and with the same smiggin of extra hold over get you to at least 320yds. If you are less conservative than me the distances and the .338's advantage grows even larger. Obviously, both can be stretched a couple of yards with lighter bullets.

The .338 and the 9.3 have all the knock down you need for any North American game and for any African plains game except girraff. The .338 lets you reach out maybe 70-80 yards further, but at the price of more recoil and a heavier rifle. The .375 H&H gives you more killing power that you don't need unless you are hunting African dangerous game or giraff but with even more recoil and does not give you the flat long range trajectory of the .338WM. The 9.3x62 (like the .35 Whelen) gives you a rifle to handle all of this in a lighter, less painful to shoot package capable of killing any of these out to most normally encountered hunting ranges. I have both .338WM and 9.3x62, but the 9.3 will probably see more use.

Edited by Brazos_Jack (17/08/10 07:37 PM)

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