What's with Herter's?

[Slamfire]

While I don't have a Herter's press, I do have a Lyman Spar T press. This press does not have compound leverage. I have not been able to small base size a 308 case on the thing. Bent the handle trying to do that.

A lot of those older presses did not have compound leverage, something that is on on every press built today.

Regardless of the amount of cast iron in the thing, if it does not have the leverage, don't buy it.

 

[TooTaxed]

Besides my Herter's Lubrisizer, my Herter's "C" press, powder measure, beam scale, and several sets of dies are still in use and as good as new after 50-years of heavy use. I also still have some of the Herter's .30 180-gr SP "Wasp-Waist" bullets, and my .30-06 Springfield still has its Herter's stock.

That said, most reloading equipment simply doesn't wear out even if only marginally maintained. Second-hand presses are a bargain...as long as they use standard case holders!

About the only important recent innovation I see in presses is the Hornady Lock-N-Load die mounting system, now also used by Lee on one of their presses. Lee is probably the most innovative among current reloading equipment producers...their Loadmaster press has some very interesting features. Hornady's drum powder measure with removable powder chambers is a tremendous advance in powders...

But I digress. Must be getting old!

 

[USNvet]

Glad to see the ongoing interest in Herter's. I too remember seeing something about Herters coming back to life, and found this link: http://www.herters.com/

Anyone know anything about Ruhr-American, from Glenwood, MN? They put out a catalog that, if I remember correctly, was identical to the Herter's catalog. Wouldn't surprise me if Ruhr and Herter's were one and the same!

Herter's cheap prices and beefy manufacturing practices hooked me while in high school. I started out using a Lee hand loader for my surplus Mauser, then graduated to Herter's products. I still have my Herter's Model U-3 Super Press, powder measure, one or two calibers of dies and my favorite, the Powermag six shooter in .44mag.

That "will kill any animal on the face of the Earth" slogan sticks in my mind re the Powermag pistols. Of course, my trusty ice pick would do the same if someone would hold the critter down while I poke holes in 'em!

The Powermag was made by JP Sauer (now Sig Sauer), and like models were also marketed by Hawes and Sauer, but with nicer grips. The cheap plastic grips are all that have given out on mine, which I replaced with micarta, plus a stronger spring to keep the cylinder pin from working it's way out due to recoil. I think I paid $59 for it new, but the oddball .401 went for about $20 bucks less!

http://i192.photobucket.com/albums/z149/AtomicPinUp/401HertersPowermag-1.jpg

 

[rcmodel]

Herters coming back to life, and found this link:

Not really.
As mentioned in an earlier post, these folks only bought the rights to the Herters name. They have been around for several years and I used to get a little paper flyer occasionally.

Only offering decoys, clothes, and waders. Nothing at all like the old Herters company as far as gun & reloading related stuff.

rcmodel

 

[USNvet]

Not really.

True enough! I don't expect them to come fully back to life. It would be nice to see some fishing gear (fly tying supplies) and those fancy stock blanks come back.

 

[Marshmaster]

Found this thread while searching the internet for some other stuff related to Herters and thought I'd register and post some info.

Herters was not done in by the GCA of 1968. They were caught for something entirely different and that was the importation of illegal feathers for their fly-tying kits in violation of some other treaty or something. Because of this the Feds hit 'em where it hurt the most, their gun business. I was in the service at the time but got the info from my folks back home in Waseca, MN which was Herters headquarters. They also had an operation in Mitchell, SD which they ended up closing down and eventually went out of business around 1976/77 after I got home from the Navy.

They were then bought by a company and moved most of the the operation to Beaver Dam, WI (mostly the decoy and clothing) where they operated for awhile before being sold at least one more time before being bought by Cabela's.

I don't know who it was that bought all mounts from the Waseca store but I do remember them being all over the place in the showroom.

 

[ADKWOODSMAN]

I'm still using their powder funnel.

Their powder trickler is the best, still in use for my hand weighed rifle loads.

I have a Herters flash hole measuring device and a .357 expander--don't care for the expander.

 

[ranger335v]

"...don't have a Herter's press, I do have a Lyman Spar T press. This press does not have compound leverage."

Mine does! 'Course it took a loong summer Saturday in my home shop and some welding and grinding to make it so. But it sure works better now.

 

[Kernel]

As mentioned in an ealier post Cablela's has the rights to Herter's name.

There was a Herters Store in Beaver Dam, Wisconsin, that I use to shop at. I know it was open in the 2004-2007 time frame, but I haven't been to it in a couple of years. Not like your typical Cabela's. Tiny little place.

Perhaps that's their buisness model. Small stores for small towns. Cabela's stuff with a Herter's name over the door.

 

[TooTaxed]

One of my three concealed carry guns is a Herters .357 Mag double derringer...the others being a Makarov and a S&W Mod 642 .38-Spl w/Lazergrips. The Herters still is completely dependable and is what I carry most often. They were made in Germany for Herters.

 

[James2]

My Herters #3 press was purchased in 1957. $13 new. Of course then I worked all week for $20. What an old workhorse. Still using it. I have a couple sets of Herter's dies from the same vintage. They are just fine. Work the same as any other brand I have tried.

I had a machinist friend make a shell holder adaptor for the press. Now standard shell holders can be used with it.

Just a couple of weeks ago I bought the Herter's Professional Fly Tying Manual on eBay. I had one years ago, but somehow it got lost.

Good company. I hated to see them go.

 

[bracer]

Years ago I would order tie flying supplies from Herters. They had the best prices . Last year at a sale I got a bunch of tie flying supplies and a Herters tool set that were in their orignal packegs and shipping box for $ 2.00. Over the years I have collected Herters reloading equipment and still enjoy reading their old cataloges. Last year I got a shell holder adapter from RCBS but I have not used the tools.

 

[Motodeficient]

Cabelas is selling ammo under the Herters name as well. I bought a 1,000 rnd case of 7.62x39 Herters ammo at Cabelas this month.

 

[351 WINCHESTER]

I don't think Herter's made anything. They just contracted out for the reloading stuff and had it packed in boxes with their name on it. Kinda like Sears, JC Pennys, Western auto, etc. I've never used any of their equipment, but my older friend told me their quality was right up there with the best.

I see someone is outsourcing Herters ammo on Cabelas website. It's just repacked commie stuff, probably wolf.

 

[Stainlessbutcher]

I'm glad to see people talking about Herters. I have one of the model 3 super-O presses, a set of 30-06 dies and the shell holders for the 06 and 30-30. Not only that, but I've got one of those microadjust powder measures too. With all that cast iron, I'm afraid my reloading shed might sink into the ground....LOL. I'm impressed by the quality of all the herters gear I have.

Butch.

 

[Carl N. Brown]

the importation of illegal feathers for their fly-tying kits

As I have heard it, Herter's was done in because AFTER a species of bird was declared endangered, Herter's continued to make flies from feathers they had legally stockpiled BEFORE the birds were declared endangered.

I have tried to warn people NOT to pick up feathers of eagles off the ground where where eagles fly on the Holston River: the feds treat you like you mugged the eagles and pulled their feathers out.

 

[Grump]

Not a SINGLE mention of how the Herter's catalogs always touted their stuff as the

ABSOLUTE

BEST

STUFF

ON THE PLANET!!!!

 

[Taroman]

Guide Quality! Every Item!

I remember the catalogs well.

Their .401 PowerMag revolver was ahead of its time..

 

[fireside44]

I was always told that George Herter lost his European connections and therefore the loss of a massive supply of surplus armaments, effectively shutting him down.

I have an old Herter's bullet sizer. That thing has probably sized two or three million bullets, if not more. It leaks lube everywhere but keeps on sizing.

Some day I fear that the words "surplus rifle" will just be a fond memory of a a bygone era. Already is just about.

 

[ancientriflesmith]

Sorry I was looking to post on this thread but instead posted on another Herter's question above this one on the index.
ancient rifle smith

 

[ranger335v]

"Not a SINGLE mention of how the Herter's catalogs always touted their stuff as the

ABSOLUTE

BEST

STUFF

ON THE PLANET!!!! "

And that's as opposed to a Sear's catalog perhaps saying J.C. Penny's has better deals on some items? Goodness, what a thing to take exception too !!

Herter's didn't deal with "surplus" stuff so that story is a fraud.

 

[TooTaxed]

I still miss Herter's...used to buy a lot of their stuff. Still have a Model 3 press, bullet Lub/sizer, rotary powder scale, beam scale, some reloading dies, and a .357 Mag double derringer...one of my CC guns...in service after fifty years, with no signs of wearing out.

Maybe their stuff was the "best stuff on the planet" at that time!

 

[Carl N. Brown]

Herter's, Hy Hunter, Hunter's Lodge and several other hunting/fishing/military surplus dealers of the 1960s took advertising courses at the University of Hyperbole (same place movie ad writers of the 1950s learned to tout the "Amazing Colossal..." and "Incredible Shrinking..." Whatisits.)

Doesn't mean their stuff was bad for the price, just over promoted, and when they did offer really good products, there was a built-in skepticism among the buying public.

 

[miestro_jerry]

I know this is an old thread, I just acquired a Herter's 9 Ton Bulletmaker SA6D, I am looking for the 30 caliber dies to make rifle bullets and the 44 dies for pistol bullets.

The Gun Control Act was the big blow to the company, my father used to get all of his fly making stuff and things to build his own fishing rods from Herters. Some of his materials were from endangered species and could no longer be purchased. Some where I still have a Herter 40 caliber SA revolver, no brass and no data. Some of the Herters books on animals were excellent, I find them now and then.

If anyone has a lead on where to get a 30 cal and 44 cal dies set it would be appreciated, I have check eVilbay and GunBroker for these with no luck.

Thanks,

Jerry

 

[Carl N. Brown]

My impression is that Herter's reloading equipment was over-engineered and very robust construction. Even though the (original) company is gone, working Herter's reloading eqipment will be around a long, long time.

Like Bannerman's, Herter's is a landmark in hunting and shooting history.