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The "9.3×53mmR Finnish" rifle cartridge was designed for large game hunting in Finland and the Nordic countries. It is based upon a 7.62×54mmR cartridge with the neck diameter expanded or "necked up" to accommodate a larger 9.3mm bullet, and has a higher pressure rating. It is also known as the "9.3x53mmRF", "9.3x54mmR ", or "9.3x54mmR Sako", to differentiate it from the Russian 9x53mmR, and 7.62×54mmR cartridges.

The most common type of bolt action rifle generally available in Finland between after World War 1 were variants of the Russian "Mosin-Nagant" Model 1893 rifle chambered in 7.62×54mmR. Many were originally inherited from Imperial Russia with Finnish Independence and their Civil War. There were significant numbers of 1893 Mosin rifles in Finnish arsenals and civilian hands since the revolutionary period. Many such rifles were in use as hunting and sporting rifles in Finland. Finland turned to upgrading these military rifles for their own use. The Finns continually refurbished and improved their original Russian 1893 rifles as well as captured rifles in their posession, and "Sako Riihimäki" was one of the organizations performing significant upgrades to those rifles in 7.62×54mmR. In 1933 Finland made 8mm the minimum caliber bullet for deer hunting, leading to the 8.2x53R cartridge for like-sized game. For some larger and tougher game species, another larger, heavier bullet option was considered. Such a cartridge with a larger bullet diameter and a higher pressure rating would be more applicable and humane for use in a large game or "Moose" Rifle. Since they already had significant numbers of Russian Mosin 1893 rifles in civilian hands and otherwise available, it became most economical to develop a cartridge that required minimal adjustment to the rifle in order to make it fit for purpose. A "necked up" 7.62x54R Russian case to 9.3mm caliber became the accepted solution for a large game cartridge. The Model 1893 Rifle and the 7.62x54R cartridge had been designed concurrently, and it was logical to make the new cartridges fit in the 7.62x54mmR cartridge "family" so as not to require major rework of the entire rifle operating system. Sako had the experience rebuilding, refurbishing and inproving Mosin 1893 rifles and carbines for the Finnish Military and Home Guard, and began production of the new hunting cartridges. Sako, and local gunsmiths, could relatively easily convert Mosin 1893 rifles for the heavier game cartridge, with 9.3x53mmR Finnish commerical cartridge producion by Sako interwar and Lapua after World War 2 in Finland. C.I.P. standardization was in 1995 as a commercial cartridge, and as such it is recognized in Europe and among C.I.P. signatories. It is still considered a wildcat in the USA, and is not loaded by any of the large commercial ammunition makers in the United States. American made reloading dies are available in stock at some providers and are sold abroad, though chamber reamers for the cartridge are difficult to find in the United States.