D99 a great hunting weapon!

[retrieverman]

What bullet are you running/would you run if heading out after the smaller southern whitetails or would you recommend for a thin skinned 40kg fallow doe?

I know you are asking about the x74, but I hunted east Texas (100-175#) and NW Oklahoma (150-250#) whitetails with a x62 this season with great success. I used 250 gr Accubonds, and there was less meat damage than deer that I killed with a 165 gr Corelokt out of my BBF 308. Basically, the entrance and exit holes look pretty much the same, and there is not a lot of blood shot meat.

[NE450No2]

GBE

The 9,3x74R is one of the best hunting rifle calibres on the Planet.

I prefer 286gr bullets for everything. I have used them on whitetail deer, wild pigs, bobcat, coyote, beaver, turkey, raccoon, armidillo, skunks, black bear, impalla, civet cat, jackel, zebra, waterbuck, baboon, caracel, kudu, giraffe, cape buff and elephant. .

However I will say, that I liked the D99 Duo so much, that I bought one in 308/308/20ga to use here in Texas so I could save my 9,3x74R Duo for out of state trips.

Also I was able to fine an extra set of bbls in 308/20ga/20ga, that fit that reciever. I have a bunch of 308 ammo so I can basically shoot this D99 as much as I want for free.

I have had no problems with extraction of the rimless 308's.

So I would say to you, get yourself the D99 in the calibre you like the best.

If you are basically a rifle hunter that would like a shotgun "around", get a D99 Duo.

[NE450No2]

r man

If you would try some 165 Trophy Bonded Bearclaws [just buy a box of the Federal factory loads] or some North Fork Softs, you would find that they bloodshot the meat much less than conventional softs. They do cost more, but after you get sighted in for them how many will you shoot a year at game???

[retrieverman]

r man

If you would try some 165 Trophy Bonded Bearclaws [just buy a box of the Federal factory loads] or some North Fork Softs, you would find that they bloodshot the meat much less than conventional softs. They do cost more, but after you get sighted in for them how many will you shoot a year at game???

I wasn't necessarily complaining about the amount of blood shot meat from the 308 but just using that as a comparison of my positive experiences with the x62.

For the price, the Corelokts are the way to go for me. I can use them for plinking and hunting without worrying about the cost per shot, and they have proven to be quite adequate on everything I have shot with them.

I forgot the coyotes that I shot last month with the x62, and there was basically no pelt damage at all. I didn't bother doing an autopsy to examine the internal damage, but the doggies never knew what hit them.

[NE450No2]

r man

No doubt the Corelokts are plenty good for any deer sized game.

My favorite bullet when I was reloading 308 was the Sierra 165gr HPBT [the Gameking, not the Matchking].

However since I started testing factory 308 ammo for work I have not had to reload... [So I have become a lazy *&^%$*@]

But I am an EXPERT on Factory 308 ammo.

In truth it is hard to get a bad bullet in the 308...

But I am a Premium bullet freek when it comes to BIGGER or expensive game...

The Wife used her 308 R 93 in Zimbabwe for wildbest, zebra, kudu, etc with no problems. Bullets, Federal factory Barnes 180 MRX and 165 Trophy Bonded Bearclaw.

I had her "testing" bullets, but she did not know it...

[retrieverman]

I guess you could say that I am a cheap %&^%*$@ for only wanting to shoot the Corelokts, but I do have a few "premium" bullets in my inventory. If I ever decide to "pay to shoot/hunt", I might decide to load up some 180 gr Accubonds.

[NE450No2]

r man

Exactly, if you ever hunt expensive BIG, big game then you can get "Spendy" with your bullets...

[starlight]

I bought my 9,3x74R D 99 Duo specifically for one hunt, that I do nearly every year.

I wanted to have a gun with me 100% of the time that would be very effective on black bear [or elk,wolves, deer etc.] as well as be able to take a grouse at every oppertunity..................<snip>...................The D 99 Duo is very accurate, so IF I need to make a longish shot at a bear,elk,wolf,etc. the Duo, with its scope is accurate enough for the job.

It is a Great Hunters Gun.

I recall you have posted your preference for the 9.3x74R on here before, however I'm still trying to convince myself that a 9.3 is a good choice for small pigs and deer such as fallow out to 200m.

What bullet are you running/would you run if heading out after the smaller southern whitetails or would you recommend for a thin skinned 40kg fallow doe?

Knowing you, I would suggest that you use the same load as you would for Sambar. You and I both know that the wrong load would be in the chamber when that huge stag gets up... In contrast, a Fallow hit solidly in the shoulder with a 286gr projectile is only going one place. The ground, and quickly.

[Gun Barrel Ecologist]

Welcome to Blaserbuds Starlight

Trouble is I made that mistake with the 260g Accubonds from the .375H&H - long tracking jobs until I remembered where there necks were

As we've discussed, I want a happy (ballistic) medium between the .30R Blaser & 9.3x74R. Trouble is, one exists but factory ammo is only made by one manufacturer for big $$$$s

[starlight]

Welcome to Blaserbuds Starlight


As we've discussed, I want a happy (ballistic) medium between the .30R Blaser & 9.3x74R. Trouble is, one exists but factory ammo is only made by one manufacturer for big $$$$s

Isn't it possible to make your 8x75 from 9.3x74R brass? According to my (old) copy of Cartridges of the World, the dimensions are within a couple of thou, something a die should clear up? Or has it been tried and failed?

[Gun Barrel Ecologist]

Yep, that is where the brass heils from. Just not 100% sure if it is as simple an operation to neck down with just one pass of a 8x75RS die (it should be however RCBS sell a seperate "conversion" die at ~$300US for the task )
Last Huntingtons catalog I looked at had the "conversion" die listed, but not the reloading dies - last place I saw them was in a Triebels catalog for ~$200US

[NE450No2]

With the 9,3x74R, for ANY game, where a soft is needed, either a 286 Woodleigh Soft, or a 286 Nosler Partition will get the job done...

[Gun Barrel Ecologist]

Agree with you about the D99, but mine is just a drilling as std which I'm very happy with.

D99.jpg

This from last year right after a driven hunt where a friend and I went out to the west coast to take some goose, the 20 bore took two of them at the same range as my friends 12 bore took one, since then I've been impressed with the 20 bore

goose hunt.jpg

Explorer, do you have to use non toxic shot where you are? What shells were you using? they looked like they did the trick

[Explorer]

Yes we are for all kinds of shotgun hunting and in most woodland area we're at the same time not allowed to use steel, its either tin / bismuth / tungsten
The best for waterfowl is the Kent Fasteel with 500 m/s / 1640 fps

When I was in Sweden I did some patern/speed test for my D99 with lead and the best load was the Sellior & Bellot Magnum 33.5 gram / 1.18 oz with a nice pattern at 360 m/s / 1180 fps

[starlight]

< I'm still trying to convince myself that a 9.3 is a good choice for small pigs and deer such as fallow out to 200m.

What bullet are you running/would you run if heading out after the smaller southern whitetails or would you recommend for a thin skinned 40kg fallow doe? >

You could try the Norma 235gr Plastic Point (if it is still available), Frank O'Riellys had some as components...