I've had several folks tell me that you can use 32/40 load info for the 8.15x46R cartridge. I'd like to find some good starting loads to try in a friend's rifle. I have a small supply of 150gr .318 soft points I'd like to load up. He has a nice J.P. Sauer single shot in 8.15x46R he would like to shoot.

One load I have heard of is 11gr of Unique for a 165gr lead. Can anyone confirm that this would also be safe for a 150 jacketed??

Thanks for your help.
Mike

32-40 load data usually starts with a 165 grn bullet and goes up from there. The reasoning is that the lighter bullets won't stabilize out of a barrel with the most commly use twist rate (1:16" I think.) Since you are , in a sense, mixing claibers and load data you should talk to these guys:[URL=http://www.assra.com/cgi-bin/yabb/yabb.pl]ASSRA[/URL. The ASSRA is that only place I have seen people talkng about 32-40 and 8.15x46 at the same time.

Good luck

I do not know whether the .32-40 data is useable in the 8.15 m/m. I believe that over their useful applications, the .32-40 was sometimes loaded to higher pressures than the 8.15 was normally used at.

As the cases are somewhat similar, what I would do, BECAUSE I have no authoritative data, are these:

1. I would take each of the cases, and determine their capacities when full of either water or a powder such as AA-2230. Then I would compare their capacities with each other, to determine what percentage bigger or smaller the 8.15 capacity is.

Just for drill, let's say (though it probably isn't actually a fact) that the 8.15 case holds 92% of the same substance as does a .32-40 case.

2. Then I would pick an easy lighting, single-base powder which is in about the middle of the proper burnng speeds for the .32-40, and determine from looking at several loading manuals, what the average "low end" load is of that powder with the bullet weight I want to use.

As one example, the old Lyman book #39 shows powders from Herc-2400 and Herc-Unique through IMR 4759, 4198, 3031 and 4895 as all being appropriate for the .32-40. Based on the charges shown there, I'd probably pick something like 13.2 grains of IMR 4759 from that book.(assuming I want to use approx. 175 gr. bullets).

If that turned about to be about the average amount of 4759 recommended in all the sources I could find, then

3. I would multiply the 13.2 by the 92% capacity figure, and get a result of 12.14 grains of IMR 4759 as a likely safe beginning load.

Because I would be dealing with unknowns here, I'd likely even go a bit lower, to 12.0 grains even, and start there.

4. Then I would carefully adjust my loads up or down, as my shooting indicated was appropriate.

PLEASE NOTE: I am not suggesting any load to you for actual use....I am showing how I would arive at my starting load, having no bona-fide, tested, data to begin with.

Thanks folks,
What I'm really looking for is a good starting load for the 8.15 using a 150 gr bullet.

Please let me know if you have a load recommendation.

Thanks,
Mike