9.3mm Bullets

For starters you’ve got the 9x39mm, essentially a 7.62x39 with a resized neck to accommodate a .366 diameter bullet that weighs 259 or 278 grains (although specs may call for a slightly narrower bullet). Then you have your 9x57mm Mauser, which itself is merely a necked up 7.92x57mm Mauser. The 9.3x62mm Mauser is designed for hunting medium to large game with a Mauser 98, including beasts you can only find in Africa. Continuing in the German tradition you’ve got the 9.3x64mm Brenneke, also a medium bore big game round intended for the Mauser 98. The Germans also gave us the 9.3x74mmR, which they still favor for dispatching wild boar.

None of these cartridges are so rare that they’re unheard of, but their relative unpopularity on this side of the Atlantic means you’ll have an easier time getting your hands on them if you handload. Finding 9.3mm bullets might prove the easiest part of the process – good luck asking the kid working the counter at a big box sporting goods store for 9.3x66 Sako brass.