Herter's Super O Maximum strange Ram???

[Swagerman]

OK, calling all experts on Herter's stuff...we know you are out there. :confused:

A friend of the forum has asked me about his new Herter's press, and the strange looking extra ram that came with his purchase.

The ram has a bevel at its top, and an indent hole in the very top...that looks remarkably like maybe a nose punch for a SWC lead bullet of what caliber I have no idea.

However, I really have my doubts about the top being a nose punch, as none of my nose punches are made like that...but what the heck is it???

If it were a nose punch, it would not go into the swage die at all.

Looks pretty scared up from some use.


Any ideas.

Jim


http://i42.photobucket.com/albums/e321/44and45/100_1631Hertersram697X.jpg


http://i42.photobucket.com/albums/e321/44and45/100_1632topofHertersram669X.jpg

[floodgate]

Jim:

Bounce this one off "The Herters Guy" - Ken Neeld - at <Herters @netins.net>

Doug.

[Swagerman]

Hi floodgate, I went to that site you recomended. Could not get anywhere with it on my question about the Herter's ram...couldn't make contact with Ken Neeld, or any one for that matter.

The site was about Vietnam and gun trucks???

Jim

[floodgate]

Swagerman:

Try again, omitting the space between the "Herters" and the "@". If that doesn't work, e-mail me and I will forward your question and photos. I know he's there; i just swapped e-mails with him.

floodgate

[MightyThor]

Swagerman:

Try again, omitting the space between the "Herters" and the "@". If that doesn't work, e-mail me and I will forward your question and photos. I know he's there; i just swapped e-mails with him.

floodgate

Might also try him or others on the antique reloading website.
http://www.antiquereloadingtools.org Have seen several messages by Ken Neald there and also many discussions about older reloading stuff.

[garandsrus]

Jim posted this on my behalf...

I did some more checking on the ram and it won't fit the Herter's press. It is about .005 too large. It is also twice as long as the ram that is in the press. The picture doesn't show it well, but the ram is about 10" long. The ram is way too long to be of any use in the press. It is about the length of the ram in a Dillon 550B press.

I guess I will just use it to turn something else out of.

Sorry, I should have checked the size more closely when I first wondered what it is. Since it came in the box with the press, I assumed it was for the press.

Thanks for the help everyone...
John

[georgeld]

O/T a bit.
Someone here months ago was bragging about RCBS sending him a new ram for his problem.
I talked him out of the old one.

Cut top end off, and turned the bottom of that to fit an OLD Herters C press I got in 1958 when I first got started. Now I can use RCBS, Lee etc shell holders without having to hunt down the one that's sold.

Have been thinking about trying to use this press to swage some small cal slugs, but, been dragging my feet on that idea too.

[Swagerman]

Garandsrus, can you measure this odd ram and see if it will fit the Herter Super O Maximum press, then cut or turn it down to work in it?

That could work out to your benefit for maybe a shorter stroke ram.

Jim

[garandsrus]

Swagerman,

Good idea!

The "new and longer" ram is about .005 wider in diameter than the other ram I have, so it could be turned down to fit the press. I know that I have a Herters Super O, but don't know if it's a "Maximum" or not. How dould i tell?

I would need to figure out how to hold the end with the slot in a lathe. I think that the entire shaft would need to be the same diameter. Maybe a steady rest and a lathe dog to drive the shaft, then adjust the position of the steady to finish the cylinder?

Thanks,
John

[Swagerman]

This is what a Maximum looks like on the left, has diaginal cross over O frame set up, weighes about 25 or 30 pounds.

The Herter press on the right side of it is a No. 3 model, its open C frame type.

Jim

http://i42.photobucket.com/albums/e321/44and45/PB090012.jpg

[georgeld]

Swagerman:

Thank you for posting this picture. I'd forgotten about the "3" on that press.
This Herters 3 C is exactly the same thing as the one I have. Got it new for $25 from Herter's in 1958 when I was 14. That's where I got started reloading for the old 1917 Enfield '06's.

[Swagerman]

Glad we got that straightend out, you first told me you had a Maximum press...which is a massive O frame press. Now its the No. 3 press.

I would tell you that the No. 3 model I had to shorten the linkage bar that connects the handle toggle to the ram by a 1/2 inch cut.

This is required to make the press's ram do a 1/2 inch shorter stroke in the swaging die. Otherwise, the ram punch will not top out at a break-free point that is called top dead center in its stroke. The TDC stroke makes things a whole bunch easier when swaging.

In this fashion the No. 3 Herter's press will do swaging, but not as good as the Super O Maximum that has an adjustable linkage bar with pre-drilled holes to take care if its stroke height. It also has a more massive diameter ram.

Jim

[garandsrus]

Swagerman,

I have the Maximum press... I knew it was a "Super 0", but didn't see a Maximum name on teh press.

Georgeld has the #3 :)

John

[georgeld]

That picture of the two shows a Number three on the side of the Herters if you'll look real close.

I've got a Dillon 450 solid top with the four die hole's. Since getting on this section. Then looking it over today. Just believe I'm going to keep the thing and make up a heavy plate for the pins and punches to swage. It's a heavy duty O press. I've got about $275 in it and nobody seems to want it for that. Never used it yet. Just too much $$ for parts to put it in order. Everytime I've ordered parts it was another $40-75. Until I got fed up with it. And a good friend donated a Lee three holer. man, that's easy to run, turns out good un's and don't cost like hell to buy parts for either. Loaded round every ten seconds is all I can stand.

[Swagerman]

Sorry guys, guess the old gray matter is puddling up in my lower extremities...getting the names mixed up shows a sure sign of over the hill in age department.

Jim