Hey guys,

Got me a Savage 260 Remington and love that round.It does everything I need it do, and although, not "perfect" would suit me if/when I ever go elk hunting. All that being said, I'm looking for something new. I'll honestly probably never shoot something bigger than a whitetail (maybe a mule deer, but probably not). But, I'm still wanting something new and different. I've always wanted a 257 Roberts and/or 35 Whelen, but would also like a lever gun in 357 or 35 Remington. With my criteria, the 260 will do it. But, well hell, we all like new toys and I'm ready for a new one. The only thing I'd like to mention is, I'm not really interested in a magnum. I've had and shot the 7mm and 300 mags and they kill deer just as dead as a bolt of lightening but so do the non magnums.

So, what do y'all think?

As far as something different I would say the 35 Whelen or 35 Rem. IMO no need for the 257 when you have the 260rem.

If you have a good bolt gun I'd look more towards adding a AR in 556, 6.8 or 308.

These days I'd grab a semi auto while their priced reasonably.

Never know when the next panic buying will start.

I'd go big, like the 35 Whelan or one of the bigger magnums (that you've already dissed); or I'd go small, like the .223 or .22-250.

If you ever get an invite on short notice to go out west for elk, mule deer, or moose, you're gonna want to be ready. Likewise, you might get asked to join a group on a PD shoot or for some coyote calling; then you'll want the lighter guns. In either of these scenarios, your .260 would be OK, but not the best choice.

257 Roberts is an awesome deer round but since you have a .260 I would put that one on the back burner. If you shoot a lot the clear choice from your list would be the .357 lever. Its cheap to shoot with no recoil and can be very accurate and deadly inside 100 yards. The 35 remington is an awesome classic in 336 marlin levers.

The 35 whelen is a whole different animal and is suitable for everything except the largest dangerous game. Very little ammo selection if you don't reload. Also you mentioned not wanting a magnum but recoil on this beast is right up there with them. If you reload look at the 338-06. That was my final choice.

x2
22-250 or .223 bolt action.

Maybe an AR if you like them (I do).

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But, you could also start reloading for the .260 and that would
be fun in it's self. Plenty of 100 gr bullets out there that turn
it into a long range varmint hunter.

I agree, the 257 Roberts is awfully close to the 260 and wouldn't do anything different or better than the 260. Backburner it is.

I didn't think I dissed the magnums. If it was interpreted that way, I apologize.

I do shoot alot but do so with my 17hmr. It's fun to shoot and keeps me in good practice (at a reasonable price).

I don't reload but have a buddy that does and he would be happy to load me up some of whatever. My 260 Remington shoots factory ammo so well, there wasn't a need to load up something custom.

And, the only reason I didn't want a magnum is, I like being a little different.

How would the 358 Winchester compare to the 35 Whelen?

RT IMO the comparison 'tween a 358Win x 35 Whelen is like a 300 Savage x 30'06.

I agree with the going big, and I looked at a 35 Whelen...and bought a 9.3x62 Mauser in a CZ American instead. 9.3 is .366 diameter & the 62mm length is 1 mm shorter than a '06 case's 63mm length...and has a better spread of bullet weights than Whelen from 231 gr's from Norma, 250'gr's from Barnes, Hornady & Nosler, + the "everyday standard" 285/286 gr'ers from several euro co's too, & up to over 300gr's like an H&H yadda yadda ...and does everything that a Whelen can do and more. Even Ruger offered a 9.3x62 in their Safari guns for a while until they needed a SKU for their southpaw 375R. CZ & Zastava '98 commercial Mausers are the 2 most common factory built 9.3x62's since Beretta won't import Tikka & SAKO 9.3's into the US.

A tad smaller and a tad slower with lots less recoil than a 375H&H with similar bullet weights...and does not destroy WTails but entries are bullet diameter sized holes and exits are quarter/half dollar sized holes with nuthin but jelly in between. Since I handload I am using an older Speer SP 270gr bullet akak read "CHEAP" bullet that gives me sub MOA groups at the 100 & 200 distances I've shot game with it at...and great performance on WTails with Zero bloodshot or bruised meat like I get from my 270 & 30Mags with bad bullet placement.

Another way to describe the comparison would be to think in terms of a 300H&H x 300WMg for a 9.3x62 x 375H&H...or about 250-300fps apart in similar bullet weights...with 30'06 like recoil.

Go look at Graf's or Midway for loaded ammo & reloading supplies....even Remington was doing runs of factory ammo earlier this year in 286gr CoreLokt's.
Cheers
Ron

Wiley,
I've never herard of the 9.3x62 and did some research...not a whole lot of factory ammo and even fewer available in lefty. Yep, I'm a Southpaw. Looked at the ballistic tables and looks like a good caliber, but, I need something more mainstream. (did I really just say that?)

Get you a .30-06 action, a 7mm barrel, have a smith chamber it in .280 A.I. and you're good for everything including elk, at reasonable distance.

By the way, the 280 fits between a 7mm-08 (308 case necked down to 7mm) and a 7mm Rem mag.

A 280 or 280 A.I would gather no dust, if I owned one. I don't own one because I have a .260, and a 7 Rem Mag, so I don't "need" it.

Come on buddy, you always "need" another rifle.
Mitch

But, seriously, haven't thought about a 280. Food for thought.

Think about it. The 280 is a Bad Dude!

All you need is a 260AI and a 35Whelen AI

But seriously, how does cost and availability of 35W vs 338 Mag compare? I see the latter on shelves quite a bit.

My favorite caliber is a 243. You can load bullets from 55-115 grains and kill anything from prairie dogs to Elk with it. Low recoil, good speed, plenty of energy and ammo is available anywhere that carries ammo in case you don't reload. Its also chambered in any gun you might decide to buy.

I have a Marlin in .35 Remington. It's fun to shoot and doesn't tear up meat on deer compared to some of the higher velocity rounds. In 50 years of hunting, there were maybe a dozen deer that I would not have tried to shoot with it and that would have been due to the range of the deer. I also hunt with a .25-06, .270 and 300 Win Mag.

For fun shooting a 357 magazine leveraction is hard to neat and works well for deer pigs and small. Critters out to 125 yards

RT Go look at the Zastava Mausers at www.K-Var.com under bolt action rifles, scroll down to the last couple entries and look at the Right hand AND Left hand Zastava Mausers in 9.3x62. OBTW Remington was importing them in a few Ameriacan calibers under the Model 798 moniker....7 for a Remmy long action CF & 98 for the original 98 Mauser design of the rifle.

The other common 9.3's, beside the Austrian Blaser at mega dollars, is from CZ-USA in Kansas City built the Czech Republic. Dunno if they offer a southpaw version or not though. My CZ is scary accurate totally untuned.
Cheers
Ron

Ron...you seem to be the forum authority on the 9.3x62 round, and I say that with all respect. I'm seriously considering selling the majority of my gun collection and buying the Blaser R8, maybe two stocks (Luxus and Pro camo), and a few barrels. I'm debating between the 375H&H and 9.3x62, what would be your choice or recommendation? I have always admired the .257 Weatherby, so likely get that, the 22-250 and the 300wsm. It's very unlikely that I will ever hunt dangerous game, but quite possible big african game and hopefully Alaska.

Anyone else have recommendations I would be happy to hear them.

look at the 22-243 a great long range round and its kinda of a fun one.

IMO & YMMV but without African DG critters in the mix I'd lean more towards the 9.3 but then I AM biased about these things. Grizz is no sweat for a 9.3x62 out to 250-300 yards with good bullets, and big enough to use as a stopper with Woodliegh 320gr'ers at 2200fps.

I was yakking at a guy on "another channel" the other day about a 6.5x57 Zastava I'm thinking about - really easy & cheap conversion possible for a 6.5x'06 that might be mo bettah than a 264Wmg and a good replacement for a 270WCF performance wise, and he sez he got his x57 in a 2 caliber swap barrel Blaser rig ...with a 9.3x62 barrel for the other 1/2 which is what he bought the Blaser to get in the 1st place. Now THAT swap barrel rig might be something to look at in that price range.

For some hard facts from a Professional, go find access to the archives in Handloader Magazine, and dig up the series of articles & load info John Barsness has written about the 9.3x62 over the years. John also did the Nosler #6 Manual's opening comments, and the 9.3x62 caliber intro page with a description of a Bull Moose hunt he used his CZ on, that is right before the load data pages, and goes by the handle "Mule Deer" on 24HourCampfire, where he edits their "Ask the Gunwriters" board.

I was steered towards the 9.3x62 almost 10 year ago by an old friend who is a tad older and believe it or not may actually be a bit more beat up physically than I am, who was dropping the use of his 375H&H for thin skinned game hunts 'cause the recoil was getting to him from the daily shooting after a PH buddy gave him a 9.3 as a loaner on a long Cull Hunt. You'll find him at DSC & Reno schlepping a line of Travelling Sportsmans bags long tallll skinny guy from next county north of Tom Green pushing +70 or so...and hard to miss at DSC. He can tell you more war stories about using a 9.3 in Africa for EVERYTHING than I could ever fantasize about. He also founded and ramrods the DFW chapter of RMEF that'll come up next spring, and founded the SAKO Collectors Society back when I was in that bidnizz as a Stoeger Rgl Rep. Be sure to ask him about Jim Lutes and him at the SAKO plant in Rihimaaki for months at a time, diggin out the very last parts for the last series of FinnWolfs ever made in matching 308 & 243 calibers and SR#'s ...he goes waaay back... so when he sez to me don't buy a this or that, but buy this other 'un instead.... I was coming off my 2nd Disc Rehab and was ready for a boomer to use when I thought I had put together a African Hunt, and when this guy sez something that strongly I pay close attention, dug thru all my contacts and bought one of the only two NIB CZ 9.3's in Texas at that time...and his son shoots the same old style CZ 550 American I do....that mebbe is the Other One I left behind! LOL
Cheers
Ron

FWIW I heard a new description of a 9.3x62 in a comparison with the old H&H that may help you understand the lure of the 9.3x62...

...the guy said "a 9.3x62 to a 375H&H about like a 308Win is to a 30'06 performance wise in the same weight range bullets ...so why get beat up by a H&H for 200fps more MV on shots at bush ranges & under 200-250 yards when you are shooting more than 1 or 2 rounds a day ...and not tearing up the wall hanger critters doing it".

Made sense to me when I read it and is also my exact experience with the 9.3 x 300WMg etc at those ranges.
RV

I pulled the trigger on the Blaser R8...found two lightly used Luxus models in 300wm and 30-06 fluted and bought a new Blaser Success leather receiver with barrels for 6.5x55se and 9.3x62...also bought two new Leupold VX-6 2x12 42mm and 3x18 50mm B&C (both have illuminated reticles) scopes and a used Zeiss Victory 2.5x10 rail scope...now I need to figure out which scope to pair with which barrel...I'm going to move one scope over to the Blasers, a VXL 4.5x14 56mm Illuminated B&C.

A fast twist 22/250 that will shoot heavier bullets is a lot of fun in Texas.

If you don't have a 223/5.56 you are missing out on a lot of fun. My trusty 22/250 has been parked for many years and there are lots of 223/5.56's that get out all the time. Must have an AR but I still love a light, short, slick 223 bolt gun and my little box stock howa fits the bill shoots great and i wont be heartbroken if some jackhole steals it out of my truck.

I second the notion of 223 bolt action. Can't really go wrong.

Ammo is cheap to shoot. Despite the recent bs, 223 (not 556) is generally easy to find and cheap. You can get them in all sort of configuration with barrels sizes, lengths and twists. My wife has a Tikka varmint in 223 and that will shoot just about anything.

I generally try to first go for guns I know I'll shoot often. I love shooting 223 bolt with a decent scope. So useful and fun.

My next gun will either be a 25-06 or a 257 wby. I love the 25-06 because you can load it light and make varmints into a pink mist or load it heavy and punch through the shoulder of an elk.