Herter's 401 PowerMag??

[FullClip]

Does anybody else have and shoot one of these "world famous" single action beasts?
My brother and nephew found one and gave it to me for Christmas of 2015. No ammo for it to be found, but I managed to resize some 41 Mag brass with my 10mm dies, trim down the case length and using 180 grain 10MM bullets and make some cartridges.
Last week I scored 50 brand new old stock brass for it. Still in the bag. Also brand new RCBS dies. Now to find some bullet moulds....the 10MM (.400) XTPS work,...but want to roll own.

 

[dickydalton]

When I was young, this gun was the one I dreamed of.

 

[Sarge7402]

https://www.buffaloarms.com/reloadi...1-herters-power-mag-cases-401herters?___SID=U


These folks have fresh brass for just over a buck a pop

 

[Sarge7402]

here's a box of factory rounds

http://www.gunbroker.com/item/633652137

 

[DWFan]

http://www.singleactions.com/401HerterPowermagCaseForming.html
You can also make brass from the .30-30 case. RCBS has a full die and tool set for that.

 

[Clark]

8 years ago my brother bought one from the neighbors. Very old gun considering no wear. He made dies from scratch and I came up with a load for him.

 

[Monac]

Were the Herter's Powermag revolvers made by Sauer & Sohn? I am pretty sure they were made in West Germany, and I am pretty sure Sauer made some Colt SAA clones, but that's where I run out of gas.

I do not have a Powermag, but I have a Herter's double-action, swing-out cylinder 357 Magnum revolver, which they sold briefly before the Gun Control Act of 1968 made them get out of the mail-order gun business. It is a big thing, somewhat bulkier than an N-frame Smith, with a rear-sight arrangement slightly reminiscent of the Powermag (not my picture): http://www.gunauction.com/buy/12971424

The DA is marked made in West Germany, but not by who. I suppose it could have been chambered for 401 if that cartridge had not been squashed by the 41 Magnum.

 

[Sarge7402]

http://www.gunblast.com/Fryxell_Herters401.htm

History

 

[FullClip]

Thanks for all the information and links to stuff about this "classic" loading. There does seem to be a small cult following.

Yes,The Herter's 401 was made by Sauer and Sohn. Their insignia is stamped on my gun and "Made in West Germany" stamped on the barrel. German proof marks on the cylinder. Think they also sold revolvers under the name Hawes. Like others, I used to go through the Herter's catalog when I was a kid and believed everything that was written about the products. The .401 always stood out and I remembered it all my life. Needless to say I was surprised with my Christmas present.
I tried the 30-30 case transformation, but wasn't happy with the results. Ended up with rather wasp waisted cartridges. I guess they would fire form, but the .41 Mags looked a lot better and seem to work well when loaded with the minimum .41 loads topped with a 180gr XTP in 10MM. (all I had on hand at the time)
I picked up a .357 cylinder for it via Numrich last week (only 55 bucks) and took the cylinder and revolver to my gunsmith yesterday to have him bore out the .357 cylinder and rechamber it in 10MM. Figure it will make a nice plinker with mild loads. The .357 cylinder fits perfect and timing seems spot on.

I guess the .400" diameter bullets may be a bit undersized but seem to group within the minute of a soda can at the gravel pit. I may see about getting .403 sizing die somewhere and see about squeezing down my ..41 castings. Or maybe a 10mm mold would be slightly over-sized and not need much of a trimming?
I have never seen a picture of one like mine with the brass plated hammer, trigger and base pin along with wooden grips. I wonder if if was a special order, or if some previous owner did some customizing?

 

[FROGO207]

Yep homely enough that I lusted after one for years but settled for a 44 MAG or two as they were more available/mainstream. Still if the circumstances line up-----you never know.

 

[DWFan]

The Sauer and Sohn six-gun lives on as the EAA Bounty Hunter. Weihrauch bought the tooling when Sauer combined with Sig Arms and named their revolver the Arminius. It was redesigned to incorporate a transfer bar ignition (like Ruger) and renamed the Bounty Hunter. I have no idea if any parts are interchangeable with either the Hawes or Herters or even the earlier Arminius but the grip profile is identical to the Colt SAA and it still uses a leaf spring lockwork.

 

[CraigC]

I've been threatening to build a Ruger .38-40/.401 convertible for years. May eventually get around to it.

You might want to try the 200gr LBT from Beartooth.

 

[Rock185]

Neat! I remember those from way back, and still see one occasionally a gun show. I think that extra 10MM cylinder is a good idea. I had one of the 10MM/38-40 Blackhawks years ago. As I had other 10MMs, and already reloaded 10MM, never did around to shooting any 38-40 in it.

 

[Speedo66]

Neat! I remember those from way back, and still see one occasionally a gun show. I think that extra 10MM cylinder is a good idea. I had one of the 10MM/38-40 Blackhawks years ago. As I had other 10MMs, and already reloaded 10MM, never did around to shooting any 38-40 in it.

Unless you reload for .38-40, shooting one can get real expensive real fast as in $35-$75 a box..

 

[Maj Dad]

The Lyman 42798 mould for the 200 gr 44-40 should drop some good bullets for it. Use it as cast and I think it drops at about 403 with Lyman #2 allow.

 

[Hairy Clipper]

The Herter's .401 PowerMag and the .41 Remington Magnum are very close in dimensions and ballistics, although George Leonard Herter beat Remington to the punch by 2 or three years. Reforming the .41 Remington Magnum case is the easiest way to make cases. Depending on your gun and lot of brass you may or may not have to change the rim diameter. While I rarely shoot the .401 or .44 magnum versions I can say first hand that the .357 chambered model to be extremely accurate with factory ammo.

George L. Herter and William Ruger had a little disagreement over the use of Sturm, Ruger & Co. "Single Six" trademark that George was having roll marked on his barrels. After the attorneys were done George ended up striking over the "Single Six" with a chisel. Some have one line others have two lines through the words "Single Six". Later production did not have "Single Six" on the revolver at all.

At one time Bernold Nelson, a one time Herter employee was making cylinders for the .401 PowerMag chambered in 38-40 back when he lived in Janesville, Minnesota a dozen or so miles west of Waseca where Herter's was located. I have not seen or heard from Bernie for at least a decade, but, last time he was at the barber shop he mentioned he was moving to Medford, Wisconsin. A search of the internet will bring you to http://www.gadcustomcartridges.com/ his website where he appears to be selling obsolete cartridge loaded ammunition. He did have an advertisement in SHOTGUN NEWS for years regarding the 38-40 cylinders. Other than selling a haircut now and then I have not had the need to do business with Mr. Nelson so do not take this tidbit of information as an advertisement for or against his business operation.


George Leonard Herter at his home on the shore of Clear Lake at the edge of Waseca.

Years ago when Herter's was closing down here in Waseca everything was close-out priced. There were 55 gallon barrels filled with the PowerMag revolvers @ $25.00 each ... and I didn't buy any of them. They say hindsight is 20/20.

 

[444]

I also studied the Herter's catalog when I was a kid. About 10 years ago, I saw a revolver in the case at a gun store and blurted out: Is that a Herter's .401 Powermag ? It was funny how I hadn't seen that catalog for 30 years or more but I remembered exactly what the gun looked like. Turned out it wasn't a .401 but it was a Herter's revolver in .44 Rem Mag. And, I bought it. I haven't shot it a lot, a few hundred rounds, but it seems to shoot very well. I was actually surprised at how well it shot. Mine is one of the ones with the words: Single Six over-stamped with Xs.
Your project sounds very cool and I was happy to read about it.

 

[Englishmn]

So my local dealer called the other day and said he had something I would want.
I left with a Herter's 401 mag, one box new brass and another of box 19 rounds of factory loads and 30 once fired.
Also had a set of Herter's loading dies with it.

 

[chicharrones]

Very nice, Englishman.

 

[Englishmn]

Thanks
I converted some 41 mag star brass and loaded up some coated .40 cal slugs.
Loaded up with h110 to as hot as I want to go primers engraving but cases still dropping out. It shoots quite low. The trigger is as good as my blackhawk.
Gonna keep the box of new brass and remaining factory loads and just use 41 mag brass. Now need to buy a 200 grn mold.

 

[buck460XVR]

When I was young, this gun was the one I dreamed of.

Same here. Don"t know if it was because of the catchy name or because it was something no one else had. Probably a combination of both, plus the fact it was touted as a dedicated hunting revolver.....something I still enjoy to this day. Having a .44 mag, a bad marriage, some hard times and a few years of being a bachelor and living in various parts of the country made it so they were not a real priority anymore. Nowadays it's just another one of those things that I wish I "woulda/shoulda" done, just to say I did.

 

[Taroman]

My dream gun in high school.
Herter's catalog was my dream book.
If a Powermag came along today, I'd grab it in a flash.

 

[robhof]

Does anybody else have and shoot one of these "world famous" single action beasts?
My brother and nephew found one and gave it to me for Christmas of 2015. No ammo for it to be found, but I managed to resize some 41 Mag brass with my 10mm dies, trim down the case length and using 180 grain 10MM bullets and make some cartridges.
Last week I scored 50 brand new old stock brass for it. Still in the bag. Also brand new RCBS dies. Now to find some bullet moulds....the 10MM (.400) XTPS work,...but want to roll own.View attachment 769248

Check Ebay, you never know what will come up there, I got 250 rounds of IHSMA labeled nickel brass in original boxes for my 357Max. and a lot cheaper than starline new, these were unfired in original boxes.

 

[kBob]

Fullclip,

Given any thought to buying another .357 cylinder and having it cut to .40 S&W? Milder and cheaper for plinking and ads another capability to the original revolver.

-kBob

 

[FN in MT]

The Herters catalogs were a real education in the 60's for a gun crazy teen. EVERYTHING Herter's sold was "The Worlds BEST". LOL.

I recall getting a set of .38 special loading dies from them, they were 1/3 the cost of RCBS at the time. They were also finished about 1/3 as well....BUT they DID work fine for many years.

Next time I see one of their old catalogs at a gun show I need to buy it....and relive my youth!