doublegunshop.com - home Forums General Discussion DoubleGun BBS @ doublegunshop.com Is the 9.3x74R "enough gun" with Barnes...........

..... using Triple Shocks or their solids? I mean enough gun to stop a buffalo charge? We're talking 286 grain bullets at 2350 fps or so.... I KNOW that before the advent of Barnes, the minimum would have been a .375 H and H.... has the Barnes TS bullet and/or solid beefed the 9.3x74R up enough for the job?

Thanks,

Duncan Hill
Bozeman, MT

Several writers of the day were enamored of the 9.3X74 for all African game, save elephants. But, they were there, and I am not.

Still, I'm sure the round would distract the big fellow, at the very least.
Best,
Ted

A wonderful cartridge but not a "stopper". Good for Buff if you put your bullet in the right place first and have a .470 riding on the PH's shoulder. Then no worries and more likely than not the .470 bore will gather cobwebs for the whole trip. I prefer to use Woodleigh bullets, especially in a double rifle, however. Barnes are a tough slug to swallow for a fine old girl. The new Hornady ammo could be good too. Uses a bonded bullet but Ive not had a chance to test it. Good shooting,

C. Kofoed

Although I have a 9.3, I've never used it on buff. However, the cartridge is so close to a 375 flanged that I wouldn't hesitate to substitute it anywhere I'd use that. Having said that, the 375 H&H family are rather marginal for charge stopping at close range. Clair has it quite right, that's where you want a 450-476 family or even bigger. After all, it's the pf's shoulder and he's used to it. The 375 is great for buff you stalk, not as good for wounded angry ones. I've only once had to deal with a surly buff heading in my direction and I had 70 paces to do it it. You'd be surprized how fast you can reload given sufficient incentive and collective throw-weight counts for something! It was a 375.

This is a topic that comes up uver the fire and the only phs I've met who would prohibit a 9.3 were those who had a highly legalistic view of the (government) 375 minimum regulation.

All that said, I have a little Chapuis 9.3 that will shoot sub 2" groups at 100 yards all day and comes up like a bird gun. It would make a great African one-gun safari rifle.

Leo has stated it best. The 9.3 and .375 are some of the best all around cartridges. Given the right shot, they will and have taken every thing that moves. Neither is a stopping round. In many countries, it is a question of law, or the ph's discretion.

For an endless series of discussions about this and other rounds fit to be called "stopping rounds", check out Accurate Reloading:
http://forums.accuratereloading.com/eve

Pete

Duncan,

Didn't you have a 40 caliber double rifle? .405Win or somesuch?

Duncan, good to see you home. Weren't you in Africa on a religious mission? Bless your heart!

The 9.3 x 74 (.366) is a great medium-heavy caliber. I, too, would like something a bit bigger backing up a buff charge. They lack a sense of humor.

I had a Belgian .35 Win for awhile. For the past 5 years since I sold Hill Rod and Gun to Charlie, I've been building orphanages in Uganda fulltime, but still live in MT, travelling to Africa 3-4 times a year. So far, I haven't had the opportunity to hunt over there, but that may change.... thanks for all the opinions and advice, and the referral to the accurate reloading site. yeah, I think I'd want the PH at my side with the big stick, no matter WHAT cartridge I happened to be shooting.