I think it would be a swell project to build an offhand Schuetzen-style rifle on a No. 1, with high cheek and hooked buttplate butt and a Pope-style forearm palm rest, chambered in 8.15X46R. Anyone else like this idea? I can't afford to build one, but would love to see one and hear how it shoots.
I don't know why, but that great old German target round has always intrigued me. It was supposedly developed in Suhl in the 1890s and was a favorite for offhand 200-meter target shooting. Now there is a game that will separate the boys from the men!

Interesting that you mention that cartridge. My father in law (deceased) brought back a double rifle from WWII. My son has it now. It’s side by side, pop up cheek piece, external hammers, cartridge trap, fold up peep from stock, lots of inlaid gold, and 8.15 x 46R.
It’s in darn good shape but I have not shot it.

df, if you ever have a photo to share, please do. Sounds like a wonderful bring-back.

Hey Bill,

I have had the same idea befor a few years.
Here in munich, we have every year at the time of the Oktoberfest a traditional rifle competition at 100m off hand with this old target rifle.
Here I‘m shooting with my dads old schutzen rifle. But only at 50m. Accuracy is good with special hand load, ~30mm @50m.
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=3rjBAlQkcPc

Martin

Martin, I love the sound of that action being worked. The large eye cup on the receiver sight on that rifle seems to be one of the defining characteristics of that class of target rifle. It seems a lot of GIs brought examples of the falling-block singleshots home after the war, but many were missing their sights.
Looks like you worked up a nice smokeless load for your father's rifle.

Here's a place to start. CPA also has hooked buttplates. Wonder if anyone fabricates a schuetzen finger lever for the Ruger.

https://www.cparifles.com/coll...s/buttstocks-1/Ruger

Hi Bill. Over the years I have seen a few Schutzen rifles built on Ruger actions, but all in .32-40 or .38-55. I do like your idea though. Any ideas on where to get brass or on a parent case to form it from?

Dave

It's listed in Donnelly's book on cartridge conversions as well as in COTW 2nd edition.

The 8,15x46R can be formed from .30-30.
But you get new brass from RWS, Quality Cartridge and WM-bullets.

Martin

Looks like this brass from Buffalo Arms is made from .38-55 cases. Nothing wrong with either a .32-40 or .38-55 for this game, though!

https://www.buffaloarms.com/8-15x46r-cases-8-15x46r

Huntington's has RWS:

https://www.huntingtons.com/st....php?productid=17356

Bill, let me look up the specs tomorrow in the loading room. It's been many years since playing with this cartridge. Besides, 30-30 brass is much cheaper. Also, I think I still have a brass hook buttplate that I had intended to use on the 25 Krag project several years ago on the Martini action. As to the trigger gaurd, forget NECG but you might consider asking the Colorado School Of Gunsmithing if they would put a student on the project. I have dealt with other institutions in the past that are willing to pass along projects to the students as an OJT job. It is a win/win.

Bill, concerning the data for the 8.15X 46R; Using 30-30 brass, anneal case + F/L size with expander removed. Trim to length (1.82), chamfer + F/L size again. C.O.L. = 2.28. Loading data; 150 G. cast 27 G. IMR 3031 @ 1675 M.V. Additional info is in COTW 4th ed. P. 269. I hope this helps.

Oh + BTW, it is also known as the 8.2 X 46.5R + the 8.2 Patrone. The bore is .316. You most likely know all that but just passing it on.

Randy, thanks for those insights. It seems the German and Austrian guild rifles shoed a great deal of variation in rim thickness, shoulder location, throat, etc. If I were to go forward on this I would be sure to get a "standardized" reamer that would accommodate brass reformed from .30 WCF.