Old Hercules Cans

[Bullwolf]

A friend who knows just how much I like all things reloading, gave me some older Hercules powder cans. A 13 ounce Unique can, and two Bullseye 11 ounce powder cans - For me to display on the shelf over my loading bench.

Attachment 132573 Attachment 132571
Attachment 132572

There was still a small amount of good smelling powder still left in the bottom of the Unique can, and in one of the Bullseye cans.

Notice the $3.40 Sports "Unlimited" price tag on the old Unique can - Wish I could still buy Unique at those prices!

Attachment 132570

Thought I would share these with the folks here at Cast Boolits who seem to appreciate this sort of thing. I got the feeling that the missus wasn't quite as impressed about it all, as I was



- Bullwolf

[358 Win]

I like the old Hercules cans and have sever myself (I also like the price they originally sold for too). I have two cans of Bullseye, one of Herco and one of Unique. All cans are full of powder and they all smell delightful. Due to the high nitroglycerin content of Hercules/Alliant powders, their shelf life, if stored correctly (not in the attic or outdoor shed, is almost indefinate! Heck I have 1lb of MR-3100 powder from 1978 when I bought 16 pounds of it and it smells yummy, has no brown dust, and works today just like it did in 1978 and it's a single base powder containing no nitroglycerin. Hercules made double base powders which have nitroglycerin in their make up. Ball or spherical are also double base powders containing nitroglycerin. My powder stash contains mostly double base powders for long shelf life should the SHTF or an executive order comes down outlawing reloading powders.

358 Win

[fecmech]

Here is my oldest 2400 can.

[Kent Fowler]

Attachment 132605

Bullseye tin. Not sure of the date of manufacture. Shotshell to the left is an old Winchester 24 gauge. Have a couple 32 gauge somewhere in that cabinet.

[jrmartin1964]

That's what the powder cans on my dad's bench looked like when my he let me start helping.
Thanks for sharing.

[Chili]

Notice the $3.40 Sports "Unlimited" price tag on the old Unique can - Wish I could still buy Unique at those prices!

Attachment 132570

Thought I would share these with the folks here at Cast Boolits who seem to appreciate this sort of thing. I got the feeling that the missus wasn't quite as impressed about it all, as I was

- Bullwolf

I bet the original purchaser complained about how expensive powder was at $3.40 a can!

Still a very cool gift!

[jabo52521]

Nice. Here are some garage sale finds.check out the price on the 110 and 4227 cans.

[CastingFool]

Here's a pic from my oldest can, a 15lb keg of Bullseye.

[Bullwolf]

Nice. Here are some garage sale finds.

Wow, I don't think that I have ever seen that old Green Dot can before. That's a real nice looking one.

I have a buddy who loves all things Blue, and he's has been wishing for a older Blue Dot powder can for quite a while. Sadly, all I had for him was an old and empty Hercules cardboard Blue Dot 1lb canister. I keep looking out for an older metal Blue Dot can, just for him.

Love all those old powder can pictures guys, keep em coming!


- Bullwolf

[groovy mike]

I prefer those old cans so I have just kept filling them and using them and throwing away the plastic bottles.

[plesant3]

Weren't the metal cans discontinued long before Blue Dot was even invented?

[Bullwolf]

Weren't the metal cans discontinued long before Blue Dot was even invented?

I'm don't know what year the metal cans were discontinued and replaced with cardboard.

• Blue Dot is a flake powder introduced in 1972. Individual flakes are approximately 1.5 mm (0.06 inch) in diameter and some are dyed blue to aid identification. It is designed for magnum loads for 10, 12, 16, 20 and 28 gauge shotguns and can be used for magnum handgun loads.

Looks like Blue Dot was introduced later than the others. (1972)

Red Dot (introduced 1932), and 2400 (introduced 1932), and even Green Dot (introduced in 1965) have been around longer.

There may not have been any metal Blue Dot cans.


- Bullwolf

[jrmartin1964]

The square-ish metal Hercules canisters were still shown in the 1972 Shooter's Bible (actually printed in late 1971), as well as the 1972 Handloader's Digest (printed in 1972, probably early in the year) and Blue Dot was not listed in either as being among the then-available Hercules powders. Most sources do state that Blue Dot was introduced in 1972, which I have no reason to doubt. I believe Hercules discontinued the metal canisters (and introduced the cylindrical cardboard canisters) some time in 1972, prior to the introduction of Blue Dot that same year.


Jim

[duckey]

I have a Green dot can and have been using the powder, seems to still go bang.

[EMC45]

I have a few of those cans (Unique, Bullseye, 2400) that are still sealed. I plan to open them and use up the powder inside. They came to me from a deceased reloader. Several were opened and smelled and looked good. Shot good too!