9.3x62 vs 35 Whelen

J

Jevyod

New member
Like the title says, which one would you go for? I am not sure what the application would be, I just want a bigger gun! Currently I do not have anything larger than the 8x57 Mauser. I want something that I could take moose hunting, pig, elk, ect. I know my mauser would handle all of these, but I got the hankering to get a bigger one!

So what is the difference between these 2 rounds? Can the 9.3 handle anything that the Whelen cannot? Is there a better bullet selection on one versus the other? Is one difficult to load for? Is there a big difference in felt recoil? Is one flatter shooting?Ammo cost is not really a factor since I reload. I know I have a lot of questions, but need help deciding!
 
The difference between the two is negligible, .008" in bullet diameter, 10-15% in max bullet weight. Both cases are about the same size, both launch at about the same velocity. They are essentially two versions of a similar idea, one from the US, the other from Europe. 20 years ago my advice would have been to go with the 35 caliber due to bullet availability for reloading, but. 366" bullets are easy to find nowadays.
 
You can make .35 Wheelen brass from a fired 30-06 case (i.e. easily available). How easy is it to find brass for a 9.3X62?
 
I would go for a .375 Ruger. My .35 Whelen kicks like a team of mules. My Ruger and my H&H are much more potent and have less felt recoil.
 
I have a 35 Whelen and the recoil is not bad at all? Mine has a stock that fits me well and a decent pad. The more guns I shoot, the more I realize how much stock fit matters on rifles. I am not a big fan of recoil, and I would much rather shoot my 35 Whelen with 225g bullets, than my old Remington 721 30-06 with 150g bullets.
 
Doyle said:
You can make .35 Wheelen brass from a fired 30-06 case (i.e. easily available). How easy is it to find brass for a 9.3X62?
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Pretty easy Midway, Graf & Sons as well as many other retailers carry it, or in a pinch make it out of .30-06 brass.

Speer#12 manual:
"For many rifles,case-forming involves simply necking up 30-06 or 35 Whelen brass in the 9.3x62mm sizer die. RCBS dies for this cartridge are furnished with a tapered expander ball to perform this operation in one pass.
However,the chamber shoulder may vary from one rifle to another,and a modified case-forming technique can be used to optimize accuracy and case life. Use a .375" tapered expander to neck up 35 Whelen cases. Gradually size these cases in a 9.3x62mm sizer die,pushing the new shoulder back a little at a time until the rifle's action fully closes on the case with slight resistance. This will leave an auxiliary shoulder to support the case against the firing pin blow. Load with a charge at about 90% of maximum and fire-form. The case shoulder will then be precisely positioned for your rifle. Avoid moving the small shoulder during subsequent resizing. This can create excessive headspace."
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reynolds357 said:
My 700 BDL with 250's is pure sadistic torture.
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Model 700's, w/o a recoil pad seem to be - My late bud got rid of one in .30-06 to another bud who says the same thing about it that he did.

The 3rd pal says the recoil of the .30-06 M700ADL is noticably worse then his 1980's .30-06 M70 Featherweight - but it's a tad more accurate.

I'd opt for the Whelan, for nothing else than if not for resale value down the road someday - most Euro chamberings are a tough sell, in a used rifle sale in the US.


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I favor the 35 because of the wide selection of bullets available for reloading. Many 180's and 200's intended for the 35 Rem(including the new FTX) can be loaded to tolerable levels and still be first class deer round out to 200 yards. Sierra's 225gr boattail has legit 300+yard numbers. Nosler and Barnes have the upper end covered.

My Rem 7600 35 Whelen is top end of my arsenal. Full power 250's are as much fun as I can tolerate and I can't think of any critter in the lower 48 I need more gun for.
 
So how would the Whelen perform on Grizzlies? Or would i be better off just getting a 375 or a 45-70 for that?
 
I've owned 35 Whelen and 338-06, let the 35 Whelen go. No first hand experience with he 9.3 but I do have a few observations.


I believe in some African countires they allow the 9.3 for hunting some larger game and not the 35 Whelen because of minimum caliber restrictions. I cannot see where it would make a bit of difference. Neither are big enough for me to hunt the big boys with but the 9.3 meets their requirements and not the 35 Whelen if that is a concern.

357 pistol bullets can be loaded light in a 35 Whelen for small game hunting. Not something I'm interested in, but an option for those who are.

All of these rounds are the poster boys for the anti-magnum crowd. But a 300 magnum loaded with well constructed 200-220 gr bullets will out penetrate any of them and do it with less recoil. There isn't an animal on the planet I'd hunt with either, and not hunt it with a properly loaded 30-06 or 300 magnum. If you NEED something bigger, you NEED to move on up to one of the 375 magnums. If you WANT to hunt with something a little different and still have an effective gun either will get the job done.
 
So how would the Whelen perform on Grizzlies? Or would i be better off just getting a 375 or a 45-70 for that?
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Here is a good article prepared several years ago by the Alaska game and fish dept. In a nutshell any of the magnums 375 and up worked best, but recoil levels are a concern. Gunwriters and professional guides Finn Aagard from Africa and Phil Shoemaker from Alaska both worked on similar tests. They all 3 concluded that short of a 375 mag a 30-06 loaded with 220 gr Nosler Partitions outperformed everything else tested. Including 35 Whelen, 338-06, and 45-70. While the various 338 mags had more energy, they couldn't match the .30's for penetration.

http://www.fs.fed.us/pnw/pubs/gtr152
 
The 9.3 starts to shine where the 35 ends, above 250 gr. The 9.3x62 is a big game stopper with 285 or 293 gr bullets. If you like the lower end weight, I prefer the 338-06 for flatter shooting. BTW you can buy Prvi 9.3x62 for less than a dollar a round typically, no need to start from brass.
 
^^ what he said.

The 9.3 is best when thought of (and loaded to) just shy of 375 H&H.

My African pairing (tripling actually) is a CZ in 9.3 paired to either a custom Model 70 in .458, or a 1906 John Wilkes .450 Nitro Express double rifle. Basically we thump Ngati smartly on the forehead with the big rifle and shoot *everything else* right in the boiler with the 9.3 with confidence and success.

Solids rule.


Willie

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I'm quite certain that I would rather have a 35 Whelen firing the 225 gr TSX @ 2700 fps than a 30-06 Spfld. firing the 220 gr Partition @ 2400 fps. I'd be very surprised if the TSX didn't out penetrate the Partition, and I'm dead positive the larger, heavier, faster moving bullet would hit with more authority.

If I remember correctly, at the time he used it, Elmer Keith killed the record grizzly with a 35 Whelen and 275 gr cup and core bullet @ 2300 fps.
 
You can make .35 Wheelen brass from a fired 30-06 case (i.e. easily available). How easy is it to find brass for a 9.3X62?
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Doyle, I have made 9.3x62 brass from 30-06 brass. Just like the Whelen, only there is a trimming step involved.
 
I own a custom 35 Whelen made from a model 760 Remington. Muzzle was Magna-Ported to eliminate muzzle jump. LimbSaver recoil pad reduces the kick quite a bit, too. Barrel length is 25 inches.

35 Whelen is a great cartridge for truly large animals.

Jack
 
Sort of like asking which is better between the 327 Chevy and the 350 Chevy.

Actually, I think there is more difference between the two engines than there is between the two calibers.

I would choose the Whelan just because .358" bullets are more plentiful than are .366.
 
http://www.fs.fed.us/pnw/pubs/gtr152
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Interesting read, but more than a little dated. The '83 report cites sources dating far back as 1951, and doesn't mention wildcats like the Whelen(standardized in '87). No mention of Nolser, Barnes, etc... just standard off the shelf Win,Rem,and Fed copper lead factory loads of the era. 45/70 was off the shelf BP level loads.

Good reminder of how much better today's hunter has it.
 
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