Herters Super U3 press

[richhodg66]

I was watching one of these on Ebay, wasn't gonna pay what they were asking as a minimum bid, eventually, they sent me the "make an offer" thing, so I lowballed less than half the minimum bid and they took the offer. It arrived today.

Massive thing. Looks like it oughta be as strong a press as is out there. I need to get this thing set up on something and use it.

[richhodg66]

251552251553251554

[Pressman]

You have a nice new toy, actually a nice press. As Model 3 variant the U-3 Super is one of the more interesting ones. It was the first Herter's press I owned and the reason I took off down the rabbit trail of tool collecting. Herter's made this model from 1965 to 1975. There are three variants based on the hole location for accessing the shellholder retaining screw. The original design had no access hole, instead a very short Allen wrench was supplied with the press. Trying to get it on the screw and turn it will spike your blood pressure and not improves your vocabulary. The first model also had a removable die bushing that was machined into a recess of the raised boss your die threads into. There is no practical way to remove this bushing. The second version that you have has an access hole drilled after the press was fully finished, the inside of the hole has no paint. This was a quick fix to keep customers happy. There is another version with the access hole near the bottom of the right side and it has paint in the hole. It's a nice press, other than changing shellholders is a little awkward. A sister press, the Model O-3 Super has a large vertical window rather the the solid side, it is much nicer and easier to use.

Ken

[Rick459]

richhodg66,
i have the same press picked up on ebay last march. the hole on the right side of the press is for the allen wrench to remove the shell holder as pressman stated. also if you look on the left side of the press and follow the rib up to the hole with the allen head set screw in it underneath that set screw should be a spring and a detent ball. if you look at the ram in the up position you will see a groove all the way around the top of the ram and a shallow groove running down the left side of the ram.that is where the detent rides and then when the ram is in the down position the detent ball locks into the top groove so that the handle stays in the up position. you can adjust the pressure on the detent ball using the allen head set screw on the left side of the press. if the spring and detent ball is missing it takes a 7/32 detent ball and spring. you should be able to find them at ebay. this is one beast of a press mine came with the adapter to use modern shell holders. also i had Dan at inline fabrications make me a quick change plate to mount it on for his press stand. had to modify the quick change plate and also the plate on the stand nothing major. if you need any more info PM me. enjoy the press.
Rick

[richhodg66]

Thanks for all the info!

I'm gonna have to build a bench that will let me mount up all these reloading tools I've been accumulating.

This press cost me less than $60 including shipping. I see good old presses at gun shows for less than half that. Can't understand why people but new, entry level Lee presses when this kind of thing is around.

I really like the looks of this one and could see it becoming my primary press. It does use the old Herters shell holders, of which I have a few and also have an adapter, might juts put the adapter in this one and start using in instead of the Rockchucker.

[alamogunr]

I sold one of these a few months ago on S&S. The one I had was in very good condition but a previous owner had slopped some paint on it(looked by accident) so it didn't look as nice as yours. One thing I had to be careful of was the handle flopped down by itself. I would hate to have a finger in the way of the ram if that happened. I used a small bungee cord to hold it up.

I've got a copy of Herter's shell holders. If you would like me to mail you a copy of this copy, just PM your address. You will see the 3 shell holders that went with the press indicated on the copy.

[1hole]

.... might juts put the adapter in this one and start using in instead of the Rockchucker.

If you do that you'll quickly learn about the leverage advantage of the compound toggle actions that quickly drove the old simple toggle presses out of the market.

Your old massive cast steel (IIRC) press is a good one and will still do anything the common reloader needs done. But, you'll certainly have to work harder to resize cases and you'll have to have very sturdy support under it to prevent bench sagging under pressure.

[onelight]

Pressman's posts always amaze me .
His knowledge of reloading equipment is always informative and interesting .
Thanks a lot Pressman

[Pressman]

Hey, just doing what I love doing.

[richhodg66]

Pressman's posts always amaze me .
His knowledge of reloading equipment is always informative and interesting .
Thanks a lot Pressman

Yes, me too.

I'm the classic "jack of all trades" type who seems to know a lot over a broad range of things, but isn't a subject matter expert on anything, and it impresses me when I run into someone who has studied anything as in depth as he has. All interesting stuff.

[Green Frog]

The only thing I’ll add here is that an old machinist/gunsmith friend, now deceased, put me on a quest many years ago to get one of these presses for him to use for heavy duty sizing and swaging. Rightly or wrongly he felt like it was the strongest thing out there. He was a good friend and I was glad to get it for him, then I thought about it and decided I had to get one for myself. As soon as I get a round tuit I’ll be mounting it on my bench, replacing the RCBS Jr single stage in that spot now. The only disadvantage I see to it now is the proprietary shell holders or need to use an adaptor, but I’ve found a handful of the ones I need, so I’m good there. :-D

Froggie

[15meter]

For Michigan people looking for a Herter's press this appears to be a cool one:

https://nmi.craigslist.org/spo/d/owosso-herters-press/7008522568.html

I'd go look at it but I'm in the middle of downsizing my reloading stuff, I've run out of space and need to simplify, can't find what I need half the time.

[Green Frog]

OK, while we're on the subject of Herter's presses, does anyone know of a shell holder converter that would fit the Super U and be locked in via the set screw, then allow the RCBS shell holders to be held in via spring clip as many modern presses do? I may have to bite the bullet and get the conversion if I lock down my Super U as my main single stage press... those Herter's shell holders are getting too rare and expen$ive! :eek:

Froggie

[Rick459]

Gerald E. Schwartz
P.O. Box 187
Myrtle Point,Oregon 97458
541-572-0323
elysianfield@outlook.com

[Green Frog]

Well, I went down and looked at my Super U and found out two things... first, I already have the shell holder adaptor I described... I knew I'd seen one somewhere. :roll: Second, my press lacks the die bushing, being threaded for 7/8 x 14 directly, and it dawned on me that I've never even seen one of the bushed presses. My Model 3 has one, of course, but of the Super U's I've encountered, none were bushed. How long was the first variant produced? Is the lug cast into the later bodies big enough to drill and tap to the larger size, or did they change the casting? Any enlightenment will be appreciated.

Froggie

[Green Frog]

PS Thanks, Rick459. That was quick! :D

[Rick459]

you are welcome.
Rick

i have the U3and the model O and niether are bushed

[Pressman]

Mr Frog Person Sir, the boss is large enough to be opened up and threaded for a bushing. The original set down into the boss, flush with then top. Having it fit with the flange on top of the boss would make it practical. Though I am not sure the cost and effort would be rewarded by extra usability.

FYI, I just sent an email to the guy in the link in Michigan, see if he responds.

[richhodg66]

That Michigan Craigslist press looked interesting. What was the purpose of the double ram? Just to have a two die set up all the time?

[Green Frog]

If it has the double ram, it's not the Super U, it has another designation, the Model 81 (if I got my information correct.) Ken (pressman) will be along soon to tell us more, I'm sure. This double barreled "single stage" press (X2) was a strange idea but worked almost like a progressive press, doing two separate actions on two separate cases at the same time. I never thought they were all that practical, but maybe it was because I never had occasion to use one.

Froggie

[AntiqueSledMan]

Hello guys,

Just for your interests,
in 1969 the Model U3 Super sold for $16.95.
The Model 81 Super sold for $23.95.
Herter's Inserts were,
O.D. 1-1/4x18 - I.D. 7/8x14 $.95,
O.D. 1-1/4x18 - I.D. 5/8x30 $.85,
O.D. 7/8x14 - I.D. 5/8x30 $.85.
Shell Holders were $.99 for the Threaded type, Large type, and Modern type.
I always thought Herter's made an adaptor for switching to the Modern type shell holder, but was unable to locate it in my 1969 Catalog.
These are fun to look through, of course the customer feedback is almost as good as the Herter's description's.

AntiqueSledMan.

[Pressman]

They did make an adapter that is very well thought out and really works, far superior to the after market ones available today. It was offered later on inn the 1970's.

[15meter]

Anybody ever find out anything about the press in Michigan?

[Pressman]

I sent a message but never heard back

[15meter]

That double barrel loading press is still up on Craigslist.

[Pressman]

Wonder what it would take to get a response from the seller??

[Rick459]

i e-mailed him today and he replied that the press was still for sale...
Rick

[M-Tecs]

If you do that you'll quickly learn about the leverage advantage of the compound toggle actions that quickly drove the old simple toggle presses out of the market.

Your old massive cast steel (IIRC) press is a good one and will still do anything the common reloader needs done. But, you'll certainly have to work harder to resize cases and you'll have to have very sturdy support under it to prevent bench sagging under pressure.

Yep mine mostly collects dust for this reason.

[Rick459]

my U3 in my well used shop mounted on the inline fabrication quick change plate on press mount.https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20191206/e0490d4882b18d32e1f00c503b97debd.jpghttps://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20191206/68be8940897394cd38af96a1e9b11701.jpg

Sent from my SM-N960U using Tapatalk why are my picture's side ways when using Tapatalk?
https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20191208/aba317fd32d87ab5dbb954112f6f7814.jpg

[Pressman]

That press is all pretty and shiny, I kike it. It's nice to see it well loved and earning it's keep.
Ken

[Rick459]

so i got ahold of the craiglist seller to purchase the press but he says that he will not ship the press so i guess it is a local pick up.
thanks pressman
Rick

[richhodg66]

my U3 in my well used shop mounted on the inline fabrication quick change plate on press mount.https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20191206/e0490d4882b18d32e1f00c503b97debd.jpghttps://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20191206/68be8940897394cd38af96a1e9b11701.jpg

Sent from my SM-N960U using Tapatalk why are my picture's side ways when using Tapatalk?

Can you tell me more about that quick change system? Did you make that yourself or is it available for sale somewhere?

[Rick459]

Can you tell me more about that quick change system? Did you make that yourself or is it available for sale somewhere?

that is a inline fabrication press mount with the quick change plate set up. i had to modifiy the quick change plate and the plate on the press mount to mount the U-3 press nothing major just a 1/4' relief on both plates using my mini mill. talk to Dan at inline 541-246-4691.
Rick
https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20191208/a8c185f6002b000e91a870312cd2ac86.jpghttps://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20191208/e80800eae9a63cd67ac9a060ff71baa9.jpghttps://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20191208/935b4c0433932b41ac9cb0282f77d7bf.jpghttps://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20191208/8ab71ed75717cb8632a321d0dda84406.jpghttps://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20191208/201f630fb3db35b394bacd3cb3aca45a.jpg