Another Herters 234 Turret press

[abunaitoo]

Not sure why I did it, but I won another Herters 234 turret press off of evilbay.
This one has the handles and primer set-up.
Picture is how it was posted.
280181

[smithnframe]

Hefty looking brute!

[Green Frog]

A friend of a friend had his drilled with more holes, spaced between the originals, so his had twice the original number of die stations. Apparently it was a perfectly simple set up and after about 3 decades or so is still working admirably. That's the main reason I would want to own one of these! :mrgreen:

Froggie

[abunaitoo]

It puts the newer turret presses to shame.

[eastbank]

i bought a shell holder adapter to use rcbs shell holders, i think it was 14-15 dollars when i bought it. it swaps out to my two hollywood univerial 12 hole presses

[abunaitoo]

I have an extra universal shell holder someplace.
It's taking so long to get here.
Shipped fedx.
Paid Mar 18.
Suppose to be here Apr 14.

[44magLeo]

I just got a 234. it came with 11 different shell holders so I don't think I need the adapter. Found it at a pawn shop for not a bad price and came with a lot of extras.
I have a thread about it.
Leo

[Green Frog]

I just got a 234. it came with 11 different shell holders so I don't think I need the adapter. Found it at a pawn shop for not a bad price and came with a lot of extras.
I have a thread about it.
Leo

Hey Leo, I don’t guess one of those shell holders would be a #25 (32 S&W size) is it. I’ve got a bunch of other sizes to trade if you need, but for whatever reason I can’t seem to corral that one! :?

Froggie

[abunaitoo]

It seems to be stuck in a commie state on the west coast.
been there for the last few days.
Sure hope it gets moving again.

[richhodg66]

I have a couple of Herters and a Lachmiller which use the old shell holders. I did get an adapter, but truth be told, the old ones are niether hard to find or all that expensive if you're patient.

I have to admit here and now to never having used a turret press, but this is the second thread about these ones in just a few days with many guys raving about them. Serious question, what makes this one better than say a Lyman All American?

[Pressman]

Price, Herter's was cheaper. Strength, Herter's is cast iron.
Herter's has a better primer system.
Herter's has a semi effective primer catcher, Lyman has none.
There's no difference in force applied to the ram, both are 4 to 1.
Lyman was in the catalog for 21 years.

[Green Frog]

The only real point of contention with either the Herter’s 234 or the Lyman All American is that both use (different) proprietary shell holders, and if you want to prime on press, using adaptors for RCBS type shell holders introduces a whole new set of challenges. As Ken mentioned, both will probably spread spent primers around your shop floor, but I just consider that part of the “cost of doing business.” Both presses are sufficiently strong for all but the most extreme sizing, and while the AA is the one I use now, if I were”forced” to switch to the 234, it wouldn’t bother me at all.

Of course it should be noted that neither would be all that appropriate for bullet swaging beyond the simple sizing available with Lee or NOE type dies. Then again, I wouldn’t try serious bullet swaging on any turret press.

Froggie

[abunaitoo]

Not made for swaging and probably case forming.
But will resize fine.
It's still stuck in that commie state on the west coast.
I sure hope it get moving soon.
I know it's not happy there.
I know I wouldn't be.

[abunaitoo]

It was suppose to be here today.
Now it telling me 4/28. I hope it 2021 and not 2022.
Was sent fedex.
I guess USPS is not so bad after all.

[Green Frog]

I don’t use FedEx very much... mostly because their store is inconvenient for me to reach. Truth to tell though, I’ve had pretty good results with them (coming and going) so maybe I should make the extra effort. :Bright idea:

Froggie

[abunaitoo]

I've never sent anything with fedex, but have gotten a few.
They are slower that ups.

[rboeser]

Not as slow as the USPS. I mailed my last purchases from the swapping and selling area on the 6th and it is now the 16th and my priority mail is going in circles between two post offices. I stopped by the local post office and they told me I had to wait 60 days to file a claim. No recourse whatsoever. All this after price increases. I can't even mail my payments by mail anymore, you never know when it will arrive. I'm now forced to use online payments and it scares me terribly.

[Green Frog]

The USPS seems to be recovering a little bit. I had a Christmas ornament stay around the outskirts of Chicago for about a month. It finally got to me just in time for New Years. It kept showing as “Arriving Late” but it stayed at one airport or another for about a month. I began to wonder whether a black hole had opened at O’Hare airport and the guv’mint was keeping it a secret!

[abunaitoo]

Now I'm getting a message that it will be delivered by usps.
What a mess.
I just hope it get to me.

[Green Frog]

“All things come to him who waits.” I did have my Christmas ornament in time for Easter! :wink:

Froggie

[abunaitoo]

Surprise, surprise, surprise.
After a long wait, it came today.
Paid on 3/18 and got it today 4/27.
No damage.
I forgot how heavy this thing is.
It's in better condition than it looked in the posting.
Paint in good condition.
Even has the primer arm, and a shell holder, 30.06.
Needs a little cleaning and lubing.
I'm happy with it.

[Pressman]

Congratulations, the long wait comes to a happy ending.

We need pictures when you have it set-up and running.

Ken

[Green Frog]

It probably took the USPS that long to find someone who could lift it! :kidding:

Glad you finally got it though. For some reason that’s about the only “normal” Herter’s press I’ve never had the opportunity to buy. From what I know of them though, they seem to be versatile, and from the weight, they have to be pretty stout. Congrats on a good acquisition.

Froggie

[danomano]

These presses are great!!!, see my Avatar. Congrats on yours. I actually sold the one in my pic to my father in-law for a dollar...He needed it more than I did at the time. Then I missed it and got another one that needs to be freshened up. I don't bother with the shell holder adaptors, it takes length out of the stroke. The shell holders are easy to find and not to bad on price, there was/is even a guy in Southern Oregon that would make one for any caliber. I set it up and leave it.

[TNsailorman]

I have never handled one myself but from the pictures I have seen, they look like a perfect start of a weight lifting programs. lol, james

[Green Frog]

I have never handled one myself but from the pictures I have seen, they look like a perfect start of a weight lifting programs. lol, james

It would be a short program, Mr Sailorman! Once it was bolted to the bench, you probably wouldn’t want to move it. In fact, if you doubled up on the number of holes as many have, you would just change shell holders, turn the turret, and pull the handle. The exercise comes from buying one... that’s getting to be a heavy lift! :wink:

Froggie

[abunaitoo]

I've collected so many presses, most are not mounted.
Just don't know what my problem is, but tools just catch my interest.
Maybe someday I'll finish my loading room and mount some of the presses.

[Green Frog]

I've collected so many presses, most are not mounted.
Just don't know what my problem is, but tools just catch my interest.
Maybe someday I'll finish my loading room and mount some of the presses.

They’ve followed me home for years too, abunaitoo! I decided a while back I needed to thin the herd but they don’t want to leave! ;-)