9.3x74mmRimmed

MTKTM · May 22, 2009

Anyone have any experience shooting or reloading this round? I recently acquired a Ruger No. 1 in this caliber.....kind of an impulse purchase, I tend to like something a little different and was looking for a rifle that would be good for deer or elk in heavy timber.

I had a little trouble finding dies for it, Midway didn't have any but I located some directly from RCBS. I've got 100 brass cases, and located some Hornady 286 grain bullets, and also some Nosler PBs, same weight. I guess I'm ready to go. Should be fun.

2152hq · May 22, 2009

I have a Pre-War German Double Rifle in that caliber that I shot quite a bit with older RWS and DWM factory ammo.

Often compared to the 375 H&H Magnum as a metric equivilent though it's a .366dia.

My rifle only weighs 7lbs 6oz. w/o claw mount scope attached. Definetly not a high round count plinker but fun to shoot!

I have a new set of dies, new brass (Hornady), bullets, etc and was all set to load for it when I broke my arm, wrist, and some facial bones. I have to take it slow returning to heavy recoil. So in the down time I'm replaceing the old tired pad and going through the rifle to touch up a few costmetic things.

The Ruger #1 in 9.3x74R should be a nice rifle and a comfortable one to shoot. Great caliber for most anything that's hunted.

I bought a bulk pak of these bullets to try out. http://www.grafs.com/product/246058

At $29.00 /100 I figured I could do quite a bit of shooting plus use them in my 9.3x72R double and 9.3x57 bolt rifle
I bought the dies and brass from Graf's also.
http://www.grafs.com/product/247071
Decent prices and and only $4.50 shipping fee per order. No other shipping costs.

MTKTM · May 23, 2009

Thank you 2152hq for the information and discussion, that's the sort of thing I was looking for and kind of figured that it'd be such an arcane round that few would have any knowledge of or experience with it. I appreciate your comments.

My research causes me to think that the 9.3 is somewhat less powerful than the 375H&H. I hope so. I neither need nor want that much power. As a young man I had a Win. Model 70 in 375H&H and shot it extensively, it was literally my only hunting rifle for over a decade and I used it for everything, deer, elk, pronghorn, coyotes and even gophers! I ran so many rounds through it (yes, I reloaded), well into the thousands, and all full-charge/factory equivalent, that I had to send it back to Winchester for a new barrel at one point in the late '80s, although by then I had other rifles and my use of the 375 was beginning to taper off.

Not entirely unlike you, although it sounds like you suffered some trauma rather than just simple chronic overuse which was my situation, I developed tendinitis in my right shoulder and it progressed to the point that heavy rifle recoil was uncomfortable. I sold the Model 70 (no, it was not a pre-64, it was circa 1974 vintage) to a friend and have confined my rifle shooting to 308 and smaller for the past 15 years or so.

But I recently discovered, in the course of my trap-shooting and bird/waterfowl hunting endeavors, the joys of a Pact 'field' shoulder pad, plus the chronic tendinitis has very gradually improved, so I'm thinking I could handle a little more recoil now and would like to hunt with something more powerful than a 308 on occasion. I do shoot a Marlin 45/70 quite a lot, but that is with fairly mild loads and is definitely a close-range proposition.

Anyway, thus the 9.3x74R. Sorry for the long ramble and thanks again for your discussion.

mkk41 · May 23, 2009

First place to look for Euro-caliber reloading stuff is www.huntingtons.com.

2152hq · May 23, 2009

The caliber will definetly push you around w/full loads not unlike a 375 H&H. But considering the Ruger is heavier than my DR and stocked straighter, the felt recoil will be less with the same load.

Obviously with reloading and in a single barrel gun, reduced loads can be used with perfect success. Keeping your shoulder safe from recoil abuse and still targeting the load with only a sight adjustment in elevation in most instances. Midrange loads can be very effective in a caliber like this on game without doing the shooters shoulder harm.
Like the 375, that's a large bullet you're launching down range. If the game doesn't fight back, no real need to punish yourself with recoil in bringing it down.

A double needs/has one load to regulate the gun properly to shoot to point of aim and for this caliber it is most likely 100m and not a reduced one at that. Anything else in the reduced load department will be just fun shooting 'hit the dirt bank' type loads'!

The 9.3x74R is a well respected caliber in Africa and Europe and has been for many many years. It is certainly not an unknown in either location.
It is rated for the largest of animals in Africa up to and including elephant. Though there are other, somewhat better choices for that beast, the 9.3x74R will get the job done and is carried by alot of P/H there.
It's only recently been 'discovered' by the North American hunters it seems. Probably the old distain of the metric system here and lack of appropriate bullets and brass in the past.

mkk41's suggestion of Huntington's for reloading supplies is another good source.

MTKTM · May 24, 2009

In the course of my 'research' of the 9.3x74R I happened upon the following write-up which, as luck would have it, was also about that cartridge in the fine Ruger No. 1 rifle.

http://www.kifaruforums.net/showthread.php?t=16935

This is the 4th No. 1 I've owned. A number of years ago I got a 270, followed fairly quickly by a 7mm Rem Mag and a 458 Winchester Mag. I sold the 270 and the 458 (speaking of punishing recoil!!), the latter of which I used to shoot gophers! Seriously. I got one deer and about 50 gophers with that beast. I still have the 7mm R. Mag., which turned out to be the best, most accurate of the three. It also had a simply amazing piece of wood on it. The new 9.3 has nice wood, probably nicer than most No. 1s coming out these days although not as nice as some I've seen including the 7RM. Every now and then you'll see one on a rack that is beautiful.

Wayne Dobbs · May 25, 2009

If I'm not mistaken, Finn Aagaard wrote some very complimentary things about this round. I'll check and see if I can find the article.

Neat rifle and I think you're going to have lots of good times with it.

Taos · May 25, 2009

I had a 9.3x74 R in the 70's. used it for bear with hounds. Loved it but got broke and it had to go. Wish I still had it though as I would do just what you are contemplating with it. I had great luck with the RWS H-mantle bullets. Don't recall finding any after about a dozen bears shoulder shot with them. I will look around and see if I can find my reloading notes on it. My old lady probably burned them though.
It is a great round and the 1st Ruger I see so chambered will be mine. Good luck!

2152hq · May 26, 2009

The Ruger #1 in Medium Sporter configuration is a nice looking rifle the way they have it set up.
Thanks for the link to an interesting story. That should be a great rifle & cartridge combination.

MTKTM · May 27, 2009

I'm still waiting for my RCBS dies, I ordered a two-die rifle set for full-length sizing, and a separate neck sizer die as well. I'm not sure that neck-sizing will work for a falling-block single-shot, there won't be the camming action of a bolt to jam the round into the chamber if the fit is tight, but I've read that cases stretch a bit and brass life can be short, and at over $1 per case for unprimed brass I'd like to make them last as long as possible so I'll try it and see. I've also got a couple hundred bullets coming from Midway. I couldn't find any .366 bullets locally.

I'm going to get out and shoot it for the first time this week. If my bullets and dies haven't arrived I'll try the factory ammo I've got. All they had was one box of Norma and two of Hornady, so I bought it all. A lot o' dough for three boxes of ammo, $180!! Anyway, I'll test fire some of those if need be, and zero the gun.

I'll try to post here occasionally as I go along and learn more, try loads, etc.

TSQUARED · May 27, 2009

I used to shoot the 9.3x74R but all I have left is a Lyman 2 cavity bullet mold and a Star suizing die in that caliber. If you are interested send me a note. Unfortunately I discarded the data when I sold the gun.

Originally posted by MTKTM:
I'm still waiting for my RCBS dies, I ordered a two-die rifle set for full-length sizing, and a separate neck sizer die as well. I'm not sure that neck-sizing will work for a falling-block single-shot, there won't be the camming action of a bolt to jam the round into the chamber if the fit is tight, but I've read that cases stretch a bit and brass life can be short, and at over $1 per case for unprimed brass I'd like to make them last as long as possible so I'll try it and see. I've also got a couple hundred bullets coming from Midway. I couldn't find any .366 bullets locally.

I'm going to get out and shoot it for the first time this week. If my bullets and dies haven't arrived I'll try the factory ammo I've got. All they had was one box of Norma and two of Hornady, so I bought it all. A lot o' dough for three boxes of ammo, $180!! Anyway, I'll test fire some of those if need be, and zero the gun.

I'll try to post here occasionally as I go along and learn more, try loads, etc.

MTKTM · May 27, 2009

Originally posted by TSQUARED:
I used to shoot the 9.3x74R but all I have left is a Lyman 2 cavity bullet mold and a Star suizing die in that caliber. If you are interested send me a note. Unfortunately I discarded the data when I sold the gun.

Thanks for the note. I'm not currently set up for lead casting and tend to shoot jacketed bullets in rifles and purchase commercial lead when I go that route either handgun or rifle. I did cast at one time, back in the late '70s, but found it to be more time and bother than I wanted to devote to it and sold my equipment. Maybe when I retire I'll reconsider though!

Click to expand...

fredj338 · May 27, 2009

It's a nice old round that still gets it done. I have a Ruger #1 that I had rebarreled to 338x74K, which is the 9.3x74R necked down to 338 & blown out to an "improved" shoulder. The best brass going, if you can find it, is RWS. I had head separations after as little as 5 firings w/ Norma. A sectioned case shows the RWS is quite a bit thicker in the critical head/web area. I have quite a lot of 9.3 once fired brass I bought up when I had the rifle built. If you would like some of the RWS cases to try out, PM me & I'll karma you a few. You can partial size the brass to extned case life, but you'll have to push them into the chamber, they will be snug.

9.3x74mmRimmed

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