8.15x46 chambers

[yamoon]

3D1012CF-DD2B-4B7D-A06E-23F5BAE4B4B6.jpeg
One of the things I enjoy about shooting hundred plus year old rifles is the challenges they produce when reloading. The latest Concurrenz proofed in 1907 would not chamber brass run thru a Pacific 8.15x46 die, this is what was necessary to form shootable brass. Full length resize in a 32-40 die, full length resize in a 32 Winchester Spcl die to create the neck, run all the brass over an 8x57 expander ball. The last step was to accept a stop ring bullet with a .319 base band, and finally make sure the brass would chamber & extract. The only thing I have found on the Concurrenz that I don’t like is the weak extraction of stubborn brass. Notice the distinct neck on the fire formed brass in the photo.
Mike

[mike ford]

Mike, did you have to thin the rims?
Mike

[yamoon]

I used brass I previously made for another rifle. I did not have to thin the rims, that being said I have had to thin rims on other brass for other rifles. The difference between 30-30 and 8.15x46 is about .005” so I measure primer pocket depth, if it will allow seating a primer at least flush after thinning , I thin on the back side, otherwise thin on the inside, I all cases the brass rim has to be reduced to 8.15x46 diameter . I generally make brass for each rifle and mark the container. With as many 8.15x46 chambered rifles as I have, that’s a lot of brass, but making it keeps me out of mischief.
Mike

[mike ford]

Mike,
I used to thin the rims on the inside, because that is the "school solution", but since I found out about Lyman primer pocket uniformers I now thin from the rear. I found the webs thick enough to allow deepening primer pockets enough to seat primers normally. This removes the incorrect headstamp and may avoid some confusion by my heirs. Every once in a while, I find a rifle that needs no mods to 30-30 rims. I guessed someone just opened up the rimrecess. I did find a Martini type rifle that seemed to accept a full thickness 30-30 rim, but the owner complained that the firing pin strike was off center. It took a while, but it was finally found that a full thickness rim wouldn't let the breech block come up high enough. Thinning the rims fixed the problem. Like you, I size all my small diameter (360 case size) cases to 32-40. This makes then small enough to chamber, except 6.5x58R S&S, for which I had to buy a special die. Then, I fireform them to fit the chamber, using fireforming loads without bullets. Then, trimming to length allows loading cartridges without special dies. This way, I can use my 8x57 dies to load 8x57I, IR, IS, IRS, R/360, 8x58R, and 8x72R. I just use the appropriate shell holder and remove the expander button when .318/321 bullets are used. I am currently working on what I think is an 8x48R and believe I can use 8.15x46R dies for it. Considering most of these would require special dies otherwise, using "on hand" dies to necksize saves a lot of money.
Mike

[yamoon]

Mike
Thanks for the tip about the Lyman primer pocket tool. The firing pin strikes very low on my latest rifle, I have some RWS 8.15x46 cases, I am going to size a couple and see if that makes a difference.
Mike

[mike ford]

Mike,
It has been a few years but, as I recall, the rifle I mentioned above was also striking the primer low. With the Lyman tool, if I take .015" off the rim thickness, I need to withdraw the tool three or four times to clear the "chips". It takes fewer times to clear the chips if the rim is thinned less. BTW, it is easier to deepen the primer pocket under power than by hand. I use the lathe, turning the case and holding the "uniformer" by hand. You can also use a drill press by removing the handle and chucking the cutter, but you would have to make a way to hold the case. It will stop cutting when it reaches the correct depth.
Mike

[yamoon]

Thanks I have a small lathe. After looking at the Lyman tool, I realized the Whitetail tools I use to clean primer pockets with are uniformers, no need to spend on a Lyman tool.
Mike

[mike ford]

Mike,
Great, regarding both the Whitetail tool and the lathe. Those of us that load uncommon cartridges find a lot of uses for a lathe.
Mike

[sharps4590]

Mike,
Great, regarding both the Whitetail tool and the lathe. Those of us that load uncommon cartridges find a lot of uses for a lathe.
Mike

I will second that!!

I have two 8.15's and gratefully I didn't have to thin the rims on either. One is a Haenel/Aydt Schuetzen rifle and the other a Bartles stalking rifle.