The 9.3x57 Mauser was introduced around the turn of the 20th Century. It was created by simply necking-up the 8x57 Mauser case to accept 9.3mm (.366" diameter) bullets. The 9.3x57 is reasonably popular in Scandinavia for hunting moose (alg) and wild boar. Its purpose and ballistics are similar to the .358 Winchester cartridge.

It is important not to confuse the 9.3x57 Mauser cartridge with the similar 9x57 Mauser, which is based on the same 8x57 case but necked-up to accept 9mm (.356" diameter) bullets. The 9.3x57 Mannlicher is a different cartridge, but similar in appearance. The 9.3x57 Mauser is not interchangeable with either of these cartridges.

The 9.3x57 Mauser retains the 8x57's case dimensions in regard to rim and head diameter, case length, and shoulder angle. The larger 9.3mm bullet diameter is the big difference, with consequently a much reduced shoulder area. Since the 9.3x57 is a standard rimless case that headspaces on the shoulder, that small shoulder could cause headspacing problems, but apparently its angle is sharp enough that it doesn't. Never the less, if I were reloading 9.3x57mm cartridges, I would watch case length carefully and check for incipient case head separations.

Norma of Sweden still offers two factory loads in 9.3x57mm. One uses a 232 grain Oryx bullet and the other drives a 286 grain Alaska bullet at a muzzle velocity (MV) of 2065 fps and muzzle energy (ME) of 2714 ft. lbs.

Reloaders can duplicate the performance of this factory load, and A-Square, Barnes, Nosler, Speer, Swift, and Woodleigh offer .366" bullets to North American reloaders in 250, 270, 286, and 300 grain weights. Reloading data for the 9.3x57, however, is not easy to find in North American reloading manuals.

The 9th Edition of Cartridges of the World lists a reload using a 286 grain bullet in front of 43.0 grains of IMR 3031 powder for a MV of 2070 fps and ME of 2721 ft. lbs. At 100 yards the remaining velocity is 1914 fps and the energy 2325 ft. lbs. At 200 yards the figures are 1765 fps and 1979 ft. lbs. And at 300 yards the velocity is 1625 fps and the energy is 1678 ft. lbs.

In the case of the 286 grain Nosler Partition bullet, which has a SD of .307 and a BC of .482, the trajectory would look like this: +1.9" at 50 yards, +3" at 100 yards, +1.9" at 150 yards, -1.9" at 200 yards, -8.5" at 250 yards, -18.1" at 300 yards. The maximum point blank range (+/- 3") is 211 yards.

Note: A complete article about the 9.3x57 can be found on the Rifle Cartridge Page.