Herco powder

[Deadeyejedi]

Looking for opinions on some old herco powder I acquired . It's a four pound keg made by Hercules and says herco smokeless shotgun powder on it. I can't seem to find much data on it other than it closely resembles unique in burn rate . I wanted to try and load some 44 mag with it but not sure if it's to old . I had an old friend that was very knowledgable about reloading stuck his nose in the keg and said "nothin wrong with that powder" what do you think?

 

[Big JJ]

It will work for 357 mag and 38 special loads.
158 grain bullets.
Start at 5 grains of powder for the mag.

 

[zaphar]

Pour some out on a piece of white paper and take a look at it. If it looks like this: http://www.ilrc.ucf.edu/powders/sample_detail.php?powder_id=121
and there isn't any discoloration/red dust you're probably OK.

I used a pound of Unique a few months ago that was bought in '82 or '83, but looked to have been made in '78 according to the date code. It worked fine and didn't have any problems with it.

 

[LiveLife]

2004 Alliant load data has Herco loads including cowboy loads - http://www.thehighroad.org/attachmen...7&d=1364769070

I too bought an old pound can of Herco for the keepsake can and using it up for 45Colt but thinking about testing for 40S&W loads.

 

[A Pause for the Coz]

I use quite a bit of Herco.
What I have found is, just about any load I work up with Unique I can get a comparable load accuracy wise with Herco.
The good part about Herco is for the same pressure I can get 100 more fps.

Example:
I have a great plinking load for my Rossi M92 357 mag Lever action.
LEE 125gr rnfp ahead of 4 gr of Unique. Very very accurate at 100 yards. I dont have my data right here but I think they go about 1400 fps.

The same load but ahead of 5 gr of Herco, gets me almost the exact same pressure. The exact same accuracy. But adds 100 fps to the speed. Gets out there at 1500 fps.

Also have a good unique load for my 30-30 and 150 gr cast bullets.
Same results except the accuracy was better with the Herco load and of course 100 fps faster.

Just about any fire arm that has some barrel to it will benefit from a slower burning powder.
I have a Savage Sporter in 32-20 that I have just about settled on a Unique load. Going to try Herco in it next.

The only exception I have found for that is the loads I made for a Hi-Point 45 acp carbine.
I got Unique to perform pretty well. But Herco did not seem to play well with the Hi-Points blow back design.
I actually loast accuracy and Velocity. The Hi- points work better with real fast powders.

I am building a 45acp Mauser conversion. Pretty sure that one will perform better with Herco.

 

[Potatohead]

Ive used it in 9mm. I really like it. Does seem like shotty powders are a little snappy in 9mm though.

RC gave me some recipes, Im sure he would share them with you if you ask him real nice

 

[Peter M. Eick]

I picked up 8 lbs of it recently and found it works well for 38 special and mild 38/44's. I will burn it up as 38 special loads with 5 grns and a 158 Lswc. Nice round to shoot out of my 38.

 

[jstein650]

The fact that Alliant's current manual hardly mentions Herco is no reason to believe that it is not perfectly suitable to many other load applications. I had to go back to a 2005 manual - after I'd already loaded up some 240gr .44 magnum. I worked up to about .3gr over max, but fired out of my '92 Puma, they were very accurate and pretty potent loads. The manual shows 10.5, and I was 10.8. I've used it in 9mm, 45acp, 38 spcl., and 357 mag. Not full power loads like H110 in the magnum cases, and it is pretty bulky for the auto rounds, but very usable IMO.
(Also the best 16ga powder out there)

 

[Jlr2267]

I really like Herco for cast bullets in 357/44. I use 11.3 grains with 240gr hardcast SWC, and 7.5 gr w/158 SWC. I am about to try it with 45 Colt bullets and I expect good results there too.

Disclaimer: Work up your own loads, verifying all with cross references. All my loads listed above were for *my* Ruger Redhawk and GP100

 

[capbuster]

You might try accessing the older Lyman manuals especially their older cast bullet handbook for powder load information. I used this powder back in the 70s for my Smith & Wesson model 29. using this old powder will be your call. It you decide to make the leap, you might consider using the starting load if noted and load a small lot to test. If my memory serves me I had great results with this powder in my .44 magnum.

 

[GP100man]

Great powder , does`nt meter worth **** ,but I get consistent throws at 7gr. from my Lee auto disc after treating it with 1/2 teaspoon of graphite/lb.

The smaller ya go with the load the more inconsistent it becomes.

YMMV with different measures & techniques.

GP

 

[Jlr2267]

Great powder , does`nt meter worth **** ,but I get consistent throws at 7gr. from my Lee auto disc after treating it with 1/2 teaspoon of graphite/lb.

The smaller ya go with the load the more inconsistent it becomes.

YMMV with different measures & techniques.

GP

^^^^very true. I have to measure every charge but I like the results so much that I don't mind

 

[GaryL]

I like Herco. Works great in 45acp, if you don't mind some unburned flakes everywhere. Not sure why, but I get good accuracy with it. Probably should use it in higher pressure applications.

My very first reloads was with Herco in 45acp. It was very accurate. Used a friend's recipe, and like an idiot I threw away the box with the load written on it. I've never quite found it again, but I'm beginning to suspect it was on the high end from an old manual that he had (and I don't).

 

[1KPerDay]

Does it look like this?


Works great for me in .45 ACP with LSWC. (top target)

 

[Salmoneye]

Try this for a 2005 'paper' manual...Pistol data starts on page 42:

http://www.idpaitalia.it/documenti/manuale_alliant.pdf