German single shot

[GOPHER SLAYER]

Attached are pictures of a single shot rifle that I bought about a year ago. It had a broken firing pin bushing. I sent the breachblock to the Schuetzen Gun Co. in Drake, Co. I received the breach block today and I was impressed with the job Richard did.

[swheeler]

So looks nice in the picture, details like maker and caliber, do you shoot cast in it?

[Oneguy]

Hello I,m the new guy today,just looking around and I have had a singel shot rifel for years and want to reload my own rounds. I bought some a few years ago and have looking for the Data,I am new at this and a little lerry.I have lodded pistel amo I am looking for info on 8.15x46R load Data I would like to know if any one here use's this load thanks for any help......Oneguy

[Chicken Thief]

@ Oneguy
First http://i295.photobucket.com/albums/mm153/Chickenthief/Blandet/Smilere/welcome.gif

The 8.15x46R is an old (end 1880's) carridge from Switserland, Germany and Austraia. Used in shooting clubs typically for 50m and 200m offhand, thus the weird shapes of the stocks.
Normally bores run .318-.323 and a 180gr stop-ring boolit is used.
http://www.buffaloarms.com/Buffalo_Arms_Moulds_it-160126.aspx?CAT=4155

You can use shortened 30-30 brass and load data for the 32-40 to get you started.

Here's loads of good info
http://translate.google.com/translate?sl=de&tl=en&js=n&prev=_t&hl=en&ie=UTF-8&eotf=1&u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.feuerbixler.de%2F

[Oneguy]

Thanks for the welcome I found alot of info maybe to much( scarry) but evey bit helps.Ihope to shoot this spring,I just want to be safe I keep bugging the guy at the store for infoe he gave in and said he would help me for lead.....great deal I guess thanks again. I will keep trying to find out as much as I can.

[Chicken Thief]

Ask and ye shall recieve.

[GOPHER SLAYER]

swheeler, this rifle was in a collection of rifles I bought last year and it had a broken bushing when I got it so I have never had a chance to shot the rifle. I have owned one other with the same action. It was chambered in .219 Zipper improved which is about the same as this one. They actions were made by a German firm named Shimdt & Haberman. They were made from the early 1920s until the late 1930s when like everyone else they had to go into making militery weapons. They never came back after the war. They were never black powder actions and it is proof marked for nitro. This rifle has been rebarrled to .225 Winchester but I exspect the gun was origonally in 8.15x46R. Most of them were. I do have one .22 cal mold so I will cast up some of those little phonagraph needles and give it a try.

[Sammler71]

Some more details from Germany!
This typical single shot rifles were used in Germany and Austria from the 1875 until 1933. Schmidt & Habermann was one company in the city Suhl which was producing such "Feuerstutzen". But there were a row of other companies in the area of Suhl and Zella Mehlis specialized in this target rifles.
Older rifles had calibers like 9,5x47R or 10,2x47R based on the old Mauser military cartridge. Later the 8.15x46R was invented as the standard amunition for this target rifles. It was originally a black powder cartridge. Later rifles got an additional proof for smokless powder and have then "NITRO" stamped on the barrel.
In the last years this original rifles got very popular again and are used on "traditional shootings" in south Germany and Austria.

A 170 grain lead bullet with 11grain of Kemira N110 gives a good accuracy. The powder should be hold in position with a small wad or cotton layer. In this old guns pistol primers work often better.

Freehand shooting is fun with this rifles!