doublegunshop.com - home Forums Thread Like Summary - Hunting with the 9.3x57R/360

Good day, I have a question which likely has no definitive answer but that's never stopped me before. What would be the practical live weight and range limit for hunting with the 9.3x57R/360? All assuming that I do everything I'm supposed to and put the bullet where it belongs. Also, I have cast and jacketed RN and original "2-diameter" jacketed bullets all in the appropriate 190-200gr range.

Thank you for your thoughts!

Hoot,
Considering northern whitetails are considerably larger than ours in Alabama, I would think with the "2-diameter", or a 35 Remington class jacketed bullet; I think a 200–250-pound animal at 150 yards or whatever distance you can keep all your bullets in4", whichever is closer. I will be highly surprised if someone doesn't disagree with me.
Mike

Hoot,
Good luck, I have confidence in you.
Mike

you are both right i didnt read very carefully. [ think i had only had one cup of coffee... at least thats my excuse ]

if its close to the 38/55 it should still do a good job on moose and 38/55 is a heck of good caribou cartridge !

I used a black powder proofed 360EX ( 360x2.25”) double to tale a large northern whitetail this past November. https://www.doublegunshop.com/forums/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Number=636745&page=3

The entire 360 family is confusing. The 360 2 1/4 BPE and the 9.3x57R(360) were black powder cartridges in essentially the same case so used BP (or for the Brit, Nitro for BP) loaded to max 28,000 PSI. The 360 2 1/4 Nitro Express used the same brass but was loaded to 34,000 PSI so for newer rifles only and marked for Nitro. The 360 #2 Nitro Express was a much larger in diameter 3 inch case with nearly twice the powder capacity and Nitro only. To add confusion, the 400-360 NE used brass in between the two in diameter and 2 3/4 inches long for Nitro only. I load my 9.3x57R(360) rifles with nitro powder at nitro for black powder levels and I would guess that the Germans did also. Early German and Swedish loads would have been BP. Husqvarna made rolling block rifles in that caliber until 1915 and recommended loads from 50 to 54 grains of BP with bullets from 160 to 195 grains in weight.

No, I'm sorry, Chris, for including that without the Nitro in front of it. Here's a bit from the Imperial War Museum that describes some Eley cartridges marked 360 Express that were in coiled brass cases. https://www.iwm.org.uk/collections/item/object/30027656 (click the Show More to get the data) I suppose that the 360 2 1/4 BPE was so common that the 2 1/4 was not felt necessary and that no one would have expected Nitro loads in coiled brass cases anyway besides there not being room on the case heads for the 2 1/4. British proof houses were very strict about marking Nitro proofed rifles with "Nitro" and the Cordite load and bullet weight used.

HalfaDouble,
Check again In the 360-2 1/4 and 9.3/360s group, the s indicates plural meaning all the 9.3s based on the 360 case, including 9.3X72R E, D, and Normalizert, as well as a raft of others. The 9.3X72( S&S) is often confused in writing with the 9.3X 72R Noralizert(standardized), but in use it is sometimes confused with the 9.3x74R. I have one that I bought as a 9.3X74 that as usual for the time was not clearly marked as to the cartridge it used. I had a scope mounted in claw mounts and it was sighted in as 9.3x74R. After killing several Red Deer with it, it blew a primer. I had a gas tight firing pin installed by another German gunsmith and shot more Red Deer with it. After moving back home, I started loading for a 9.3x57 and having some of the 9.3X74R cases I had shot in the Sauer BF, I just checked to see if a 9.3 250 grain bullet would enter the case. I was surprised that it wouldn't enter. After having the scope mounted, I had discovered that it wouldn't group with any bullet longer than the factory round nose jacketed bullet and I wanted to see if the 250 grain spitzer would work. Remembering the 9.3X72R was loaded with a lighter 185 grain bullet, it dawned on me after all those years that the rifle was chambered for the Sauer and Son round. After close examination of the case fired in the rifle, I discovered that where the case-mouth was crimped into the bullet the case diameter was small enough to go past the chamber into the throat. upon firing it wouldn't expand enough, thereby raising the gas pressure enough to blow the primer. Now I just shorten the cases by 2mm and load the 250 grain bullets in my 9.3x74R dies, it works like a charm. I form 6.5x58R S&S from original length 38-55 cases to avoid shortening 9.3X72R that much. A friend gave me some 9.3s already sized and I may break down and try them. The Brits might not have used cordite when the foil cases were used.

CJF
No problem, as you can see from above, we all sometimes write things that are confusing. I still think your Watson is a very nice rifle.
Mike