Again I realize this is an old thread, but this reply may help someone else who is thinking of useing the 9.3X62 for Africa hunting!
The 9.3X62 is one of the most popular rounds in Africa, by the locals! That cartridge has probably taken more big game in Africa than any other, by local ranchers. It was, and is used for anything they need to shoot, regardless of the fact that it is illegal in many cases, and places, for anything more dangerous, and larger than a Leopard.
The 9.3X62, and the ballistic twin, for double rifle the 9.3X74R, are the absolute minimum for the big five above the Leopard. That fact doesn't mean the cartridge will not cleanly take Cape Buffalo, and with precise placement, elephant. Still it is not a big bore but a small medium, with big bore starting at .400 caliber, produceing at least 4000 lbs of energy at muzzle. With proper bullets, and ammo loaded to proper velocities, I absolutely love the 9.3 in all it's configurations, but my favorite is the 9.3X74R in an 8 1/2 pound double rifle ! I would take on any thing that walks in Africa, or any other place on Earth, but I'd pick my fights with causion! The old 1912, 375 H&H in a bolt rifle, or the 375 Flanged mag in a double has a little advantage,over the 9.3s, but not by much.
Many have problems with the feeding of a 9.3X62 rifle, because they make their cases out of 30-06 brass, and this is not a good idea, because the "head" ( the portion just ahead of the rim grouve) of the 9.3X62 case is larger that the same place on the 30-06 brass, and the case swells there on fireing, most times allowing the case head to stretch more on one side than the other. This causes the rifle to feed badly! That is something you do not want with a lion coming in fast after your first shot didn't put him down.
The fix for this is to buy 9.3X62 brass to start with.
I have three or four mod 98 Mauser actions that I'm comtimplating building a 9.3X62 rifle on! But today my pair of rifles for Africa, are a pair of Merkel double rifles. One a 9.3X74R and the other a 470NE, so no matter which is in my hands at any time the rifle will "DO" for what ever pops out of the thorn, to supprize me!
Once the rifle is feeding properly, and set up properly for a DGR, then the 9.3X62 will do a fine job, if you do your's!
