35 whelen vs 9.3x62
 

My son is looking for a 'big boomer' and he says he wants something cooler than my 'plain Jane' 338 win mag, he has come down to two options listed above, does anyone have any advice or experience on these calibers?

Thanks.

you can make brass easily for the 35 if you need to or you're likely to find it. it sounds more difficult to make 9.3 brass

Do you or your son reload? I don't have experience with the whelen but I have experience with 9.3x62

Lots of 9.3x62 brass has been made without difficulty using 30-06 brass, necking up and fireforming. 9.3x62 is seeing a big gain in popularity and isn't as hard to find as it once was.

Trade Ex is the best place for all things 9.3x62. Prophet River carries some too. If he shoots right, CZ, Zastava, Ruger and Husqvarna are some of his options for 9.3x62 chambered rifles.

I had a 9.3x62 Zastava but it didn't fit me very well so I sold it. I may revisit the cartridge down the road. It is pretty versatile - you can shoot cheap cast bullets at around 2200fps. Jethunter on here makes and sells them. You can shoot bullets from 232-320gr the standard being 286gr pushed around 2500fps. Powder's 9.3x62 seems to like are Varget, RL15, BL-C2, etc. Privi brass and bullets are very good products for the price.

9.3 vs 35 whelan
 

I have owned both, and they were both great choices to handle anything in north america.
If I had to make the choice, I would swing towards the 9.3
The 9.3 offers a larger bullet, and contrary to what many would think, ammo and components have NEVER been hard for me to find. I have made brass from 30-06 cases in a pinch for both.

Plus many jurisdictions in Africa recognize the 9.3x62 as comparable in terminal ballistics as the .375 H&H and the .404 Jeffrey Big Thumpers,,,

Yes we do, does ruger currently chamber the 9.3x62?

Ive never really heard to much about the zavastas.

Looking at Ruger's site, no they don't although they did just update their website. I believe they did for a short while in the past but I could be wrong.

Zastava's are modern mauser action's. They are a bit rougher than a Winchester, Ruger, etc. I found the biggest short comings to be in the stock. I'm currently contemplating buying another and sending it directly to a smith for polishing, refining and having a new stock made as they are the only factory option for left handed Mauser's. Go onto CGN and you will see a lot of guys content with their Zastava's. I would tell your son to look very hard at Trade Ex and see if he can find a Husqvarna. They are the best bang for the buck out there, in my opinion.

Heym is fine rifle, nothing domestic from Canada or USA comes close,,they are big into urocalibers

Check HEYM U.S.A. Website

Here is a 1942 Husqvarna 9.3 x 62 mm , it is in my gun safe , just an old under the seat beater,,, lol , it has fired about 60 rounds since 1942,,,, probably "shot-out now"

I haven't heard to much about the zavastas, are the model 70's decent rifles?

He's not wanting to spend more than $1100 - $1200

I had a Zastava in 9.2x62 it was on a 98 action shot very well I was shooting 250 gr RN Woodleigh bullets at 2615 Fps. Here is a review I did on CGN

http://www.canadiangunnutz.com/forum...-9-3X62-review

The Ruger 77 Hawkeye African 9.3x62 Looks intereting, if you can find one.

Tell him to build a 338-06 ...he will be happy and a lot COOLER !!:sHa_shakeshout::bad_boys_20:

Or bump up to the 9.3x66 (Sako 370)

I have a husquarvna M98 in 9.3x62, very happy with it, havn't had any problem sourcing ammo, would love to find a box of 250gr accubonds, to try out.
Not much difference between them in performance, I don't think.

pm "raised by wolves", he had a 35 whelan and shot one many times. He can shed some light on this calibre. very knowledgeable about guns. He let me shoot it once and i thought i broke my clavicle and thought my heart stopped. too much gun for me.

Not quite to my taste, but it should be well under $1000. Well worth trying in 9.3x62.
http://www.zastava-arms.rs/en/civili...g-rifle-m70pss

Not sure that would be his style

9.3x62
 

Its an african work horse from years gone by! I have one in a husqvarna, and its quite accurate with 54 grains of H4895 and 250gr accubonds. I havent shot any game with it yet, but many more before me have. its tested and true. Very managablebe recoil to shoot as well.
Its a fine choice! I rather enjoy shooting mine!!

An African plantation owner has dispatched over 600 documented Buffalo kills with his 9.3x62 mm over several years of pest control,,

PESTS ,,, hahahaha :sHa_sarcasticlol:

Zastava's are somewhat crude in their execution. The roughest bolt action I have ever cycled! They can be smoothed out, if you have the time or money to get it worked on. I wouldnt buy another one, too many well made rifles out there to mess with those that aren't. Take your time and find a good used one. Sako, CZ and others make them. I find if I'm patient I can usually find something nice for a reasonable price. Plus the longer I wait the more I have put aside in the "war" chest.

good advice :)

I just got rid of a very accurateCooper Classic in 35 Whelen. Prophet River has it on their consignment page. The recoil was surprisingly mild. More of a solid push than a fast crack. The only clavicle this one would have broke was one with osteoporosis:) However, the stock design is a good one and the gun was heavy to begin with (like all Coopers).

Whelen recoil is about like a 30-06 or 7 Mag in the same weight rifle.

My Whelen is 7lbs 11 oz scoped and my 7 Mag is 8lbs even. The difference is too little to perceive. My 280AI is 7lbs 4 ounces and it recoils more than the others.

The 9.3 I shot in a Zastava was heavier but about the same recoil.

Comparing the 9.3 x 62 to the Whelen is like comparing the 270 and 280.

A bit more bullet diameter and a bit more weight in the common hunting bullets. Can't see there being much difference on game.

I just looked at it on the prophet river website, beautiful gun.
Recoil doesn't bother him at all he shoots my 338 win, 325 wsm an 375 H&H with no issues