Reloading for the 9.3X57 mauser

[Steve D]

My 358 is an old mauser, rebarreled.  It has a short barrel, red dot scope and I don't intend to shoot very far.  I like to shoot heavy bullets, 225+ gr, and I would like to find some heavy cast bullets, as well.  I am sure my gun is safe with the standard 358 pressures, but I don't want to push it.

[Nelsdou]

Here's a pic left to right the 9.3mm 270 Speer, a (.367") 270g hard-cast lead Mt. Baldy, 220 g hard-cast lead LBT in 35 cal, and a pair of 9.3mm 200g Hawks.


The Mt. Baldy bullet has such a big meplat I use a Lee case burr remover to put a chamfer on it so it will feed into the chamber.  I believe they only come in one size and that's .367.  Mt. Baldy Bullets is out of Cody, WY.  I bought the 35 cal LBTs from a fella on Auction Arms to paper-patch in the 9.3.  They would work well as-is in a 358 Win.

I've had good and bad results paper-patching .358 bullets in the 9.3.  That's another science project in itself, after I get the 270's (both jacketed and cast) final loads developed.

Nels

[MooseMT]

Nels
 
I will have to check into the MT Baldy bullets.  I am headed to Billings today, I will hit the usual haunts that will have cast bullets and see if I can find some.  I found an article last night from on lever actions written by a character named Paco.  His loads seem to be a little hot to me, but he talks about a 280 grain cast for the .358 in the article.  
 
I found the article on line under Leverguns.com  "Winchester's sleeper..358 wcf by Paco"  He refers to a Lyman 3589 or 358009, round nose cast 280 grain.
 
I have checked into more references on my little 9.3 and it is looking more and more like a Pre WWII german guild rifle.  The action looks like it was a G33/40 or 98a which was a small ring 98 mauser.  I have to get some photos and send it to the german rifle collectors to try and get more information.  It is a nice working mans type rifle, nothing fancy but it is a real nice shooter.
 
I am not going Elk Hunting until November, most likely will end up tempting fate and taking it just cause it carries so nice.
 
What loads have you gotten around to using with the Mt Baldy bullets?
 
I tried to attach a photo but I have to resize it, I will figure it out in the next day or two.
 
 
 
Jeff

[Nelsdou]

Jeff,

The load that show the best potential for me is 48 grains AA4350 with the bullet seated no deeper than the neck.  I'm lucky that the .367 sized bullets fits my rifle.  I can't recall the specifics on the alloy but I believe they are pretty hard.  I'm still tweakin' that load so I may end up somewhere plus or minus of that 48 grains.

Nels

[sakorick]

Jeff,

The load that show the best potential for me is 48 grains AA4350 with the bullet seated no deeper than the neck. I'm lucky that the .367 sized bullets fits my rifle. I can't recall the specifics on the alloy but I believe they are pretty hard. I'm still tweakin' that load so I may end up somewhere plus or minus of that 48 grains.

Nels

Hello Nels. I am curious why you are seating the bullet no deeper than the neck? Regards, Rick.

[Nelsdou]

Rick,

For cast bullets I like to keep the base of the bullet (or gas check) no deeper than the neck junction to the shoulder.  That way on ignition the hot gases are directed only onto the base (or gas check) and minimizes the mischief the gases could cause if the bullet bearing surfaces/lube is exposed or allow the gases to "cut" past the bullet itself.  

I also tend to seat cast bullets "out" to engage the lands to help get 'em started square.  But due to the huge amount of freebore in the 9.3x57 I can't get there.

Some folks seat their cast bullets deeper than the necks without any problems, but I just prefer to avoid it.

Nels

[HSM_miner]

I have been struggling to find time to find tune my load out to 100 meters. First, I resighted my scope to 100 meters. I did this, as I will be hunting with this rifle in thick cover. I think that 50 to 60 meters will be a long shot, but expect close encounters at 10 to 30 meters.

I did play with the C.O.L. on the H4895 48.0 load. I brought the C.O.L. down to 3.080" from 3.100". This made little difference in my rifle as they shot almost identical groups.

Next, I went up to 48.5gr of H4895 at a C.O.L. of 3.100". I just like this load, my rifle does too.

I have run out of time to play with this load any further. I have some home renovations to finish and some hunting to do! I am very interested to see how one of these 270gr Speers will work on a moose or a deer!:yes:

[gitano]

I am very interested to see how one of these 270gr Speers will work on a moose or a deer!

Me too! Waiting for pictures...
 
Paul[/SIZE]

[MooseMT]

I am sure you will be very happy with the results.  It is a great work horse round.  I took mine to the range the other day to check the zero.  At 100 yards my first shot was high left (I had cleaned the bore the day before) the next two shots touched each other 2.5 inches high right where I like it, so I didn't see any use in shooting anymore.  I am planning on using this as my main rifle this season.  Antelope season opens this weekend and I have three tags for these tasty little prairie goats in my  pocket. Deer opens in a couple of weeks and I have tags for 5 and then Elk.  I am trusting this rifle for the vast majority of my big game hunting.  I am very confident in shooting any of these critters within 225 yards and that the 270 speer will work just fine.
 
Good luck on the Moose you will not have a problem.
 
Jeff

[Nelsdou]

Me too! I'd like to what you guys get in regard to terminal performance.  Good luck!

[MooseMT]

Today I finally got my chance at one of my antelope.  We have had wind, lots of snow, kept me out of the field until it dried up.  A buddy and me pulled a good stalk on about 30 antelope.  They came out of a draw just drifting with the wind.  The first 4 in range and view were 3 does and a small buck.  I took the third doe in line when she got off by herself and mostly broadside.  One 270 grain speer behind the shoulder at 160 yards, slightly angled away. It hit right behind the left shoulder, out through the center top of right shoulder, she was DRT.  I pulled the skin off and very little blood shot meat, not bad for a shoulder hit.  Like I said before you can eat the bullet hole with these little guns.
 
 So far my tally with the 9.3 x 57 in two years is 4 shots fired two antelope and two deer.  
 
I will head out again in the next week or so for the rest of my antelope, deer opens this weekend as well.  Stay tuned.
 
Jeff

[gitano]

So far my tally with the 9.3 x 57 in two years is 4 shots fired two antelope and two deer.

Hard to beat that. Congratulations.
 
Paul

[Nelsdou]

Can't argue with success.  Good to hear the Speers very well for ya!

Nels

[MooseMT]

I went out and finished my antelope hunting this year. The little 9.3 is rapidlby becoming a favorite for me. The trajectory isn't bad at all, however that wind drift today didn't help my tally for the gun. I ended up stalking on three does and could not get closer than 275 yards. A large herd of about 40 came through the stubblefield and sucked the 3 does and a buck out of their spot and a little closer to me. At about 235 yards the buck stopped broadside to me. I was stable on my shooting sticks and ignored the 15 mph plus wind blowing crossways. At the shot the antelope begain running but they didn't know where I was, I watched the buck as he ran about 20 yards closer to me. He finally cleared the rest of the antelope and all I had was a quartering to me shot. I knew he was hit hard but I didn't want him to get lost in the herd so I took the only shot I had. 210 yards hit him in the base of the neck, and out the same side in front of the diaphram, DRT. Then I swung over to the right and found a doe at the end of the herd. She stopped at 250 but was stopped and broadside. I held just a little higher on her chest and fired. The herd ran east she spun and ran N.W. the stopped quartering away with her head down, I then held behind her shoulder on the left side and high. I saw my bulllet kick up about 4 inches to the right of her, **** wind......Then she ran out a few more yards and stood straight away from me. I knew she was hit and I didn't want her to get out any farther. I held a little above her head and to the left about 10 inches and fired off a hail mary shot. I saw a cloud of dirt to her right and she collasped. I watched her to make sure she was DRT and she was.
 
I tagged and cleaned the buck, my first shot had drifted with the wind about 4 inches and had hit him behind the diaphram, however it wasn't all messy, just holes through the front of the stomach. My second shot busted out at least 4 inches of spine and detached almost all of the ribs on that side, didn't look like much slowed down the big speer.
 
I walked about 200 yard to where the doe was and tagged and cleaned her. My first shot had too drifted with the wind and hit the front part of the right shoulder and exited on the front of the left shoulder. I found that my second shot had barely cut the skin on the right ham and rib cage. The third hail mary shot hit about two inches above her spine dead center in the neck taking out about 2 inches of neck bone. (no way I could have ever made that shot again, but I am glad I did.
 
The little gun and the 270 speers performed great.  Too bad this caliber is often overlooked.  I have a lot more confidence now to take it after elk.  
 
I took photos and will try to post.
 
Jeff
 

[MooseMT]

I am experiencing head separation after 4 reloads.  I have re-checked the die and it doesn't look like I am setting back the shoulder.  It does feel like the case takes a lot of pressure to size it back down to fit in the die.  I might just have an overly tight die.  The only other caliber I have had such short case life is a 308 small base die for my BLR.
 
I am using 8mm winchester cases sized up to 9.3  x 57.
 
What do you all think?
 
Jeff