With the shortages, is anyone using Herco for handguns?

[ddixie884]

I ended up with 3 pounds and have been loading some............

[frkelly74]

I am using my way through an 8 pounder of Herco I got some time ago. I have been using it in 38 Spl under a 150 gr round nose boolit and it is working well. Also 11 to 13 gr makes a nice comfortable load in 8mm Mauser with the lee boolit. It pretty much solves the " it shoots 10" high at 100 yds " issue. We were shooting empty 1 lb propane tanks at 100 yds with it the other day just for fun. Also was getting pretty good results with a 308 using the 312 155 boolit . It acts a lot like Unique.

[lotech]

Herco data is not interchangeable with Unique but it's pretty close and burn rate is similar. I've used Herco in most, maybe all, popular handgun chamberings.

[black mamba]

Herco runs about 7-8% slower than Unique, so any load with Unique would be safe with Herco instead. I've found several very good and accurate loads with Herco, all thrown from an old RCBS measure with no problems. Excellent case fill as well, it's even bulkier than Unique.

Here are a few of the best ones:
44 magnum . . . 8.5 gr. . . . 240 gr. SWC . . . C300 primer . . . 1,000 fps
44 magnum . . .10.0 gr. . . . 265 gr. SWC . . . C300 primer . . . 1,150 fps (hunting load)
45 Colt . . . . . . . 8.4 gr. . . . 200 gr. RFN . . . . F150 primer . . . . 925 fps
45 Colt . . . . . . 11.2 gr. . . . 250 gr. RFN . . . . C300 primer . . . 1,075 fps (tier II load, not for Colt SAA)

[farmerjim]

I use it in all my handgun loads. Many of the old manuals and manufacturers load data have herco pistol loads.

[Brassmonkey]

Maybe it’s just my noob showing, but every load book I look at shows about ten different powder choices and I just roll my eyes about it all then pick the load for the powder that’s on hand and try it out.

Just loaded 20 rounds of .243 with 100gr Speer spbt with 38gr RL17 win 8 1/2 LRP. could’ve used RL19 or RL22 also :roll:

I also rolled my eyes at the mechanic in the bay next to me with 30 hammers in his toolbox, or my friend with 50 knives in his kitchen. To each their own.

[MT Gianni]

It was a great choice before the shortages so why not now?

[lotech]

It seems Herco has lost popularity over the years. There are probably many handloaders that started in the last twenty or thirty years that have never heard of Herco, let alone used it and it doesn't get much coverage in loading manuals anymore. We have many duplicate powders that are marketed today that aren't improvements over older ones. Herco remains a very versatile powder for many handgun cartridges.

[Kraschenbirn]

Been usin' it for years...my 'go-to' for .44 Specials and not too shabby for 'plinker' loads in my .30-30, either.

Bill

[toallmy]

It’s a very useful powder that covers a lot of ground , it’s a bit old fashion

[MostlyLeverGuns]

I've used Herco much like Unique, mostly 45 Colt and light cast boolit loads in 30-30, 308, 303 Savage. I liked Herco better than Unique for no good reason. Measures about like Unique, using HP38, Tite-Group and Universal for similar duties now, due to better consistency through powder measures.

[littlejack]

Nothing wrong with Herco at all in handgun cartridges ( I haven't used it in rifle loads), but no reason why it wouldn't work. It works best at higher pressures with the heavier projectiles, (burns cleaner). Herco also has good case fill in the medium and bigger cases, being the .41 and 45 Colt
I use it for my heavy loads in the 45acp, with the heavier 250-260 grain slugs.
Mild to medium heavy loads in my .41 magnums with 220 grain cast projectiles.
In my Uberti "Evil Roy" 45 Colt single action with 255-260 grain slugs, 9 grains of Herco burns and performs great in that particular handgun.
In my Winchester AE Trapper, I've stoked that same weight cast slugs to just under 1400 fps, and theres room for more.
No powder fowling or leading in any of these loads. These powder weights work very well in my firearms, YMMV, begin with suggested starting loads and work up.
Regards

[dverna]

I am not very picky about pistol powders, but I do not hunt big game with pistols. If there is load data, I look at the cost per round. Using 4-5 gr of $25/lb powder beats 7-10 gr of $20/lb powder.

I would use Herco, if it was cost effective and performed well. Never tried it as I have others that seem a better fit for my needs. If it is all you have, and cannot trade it for something “better”, why not use it?

[JSnover]

It seems Herco has lost popularity over the years. There are probably many handloaders that started in the last twenty or thirty years that have never heard of Herco, let alone used it and it doesn't get much coverage in loading manuals anymore. We have many duplicate powders that are marketed today that aren't improvements over older ones. Herco remains a very versatile powder for many handgun cartridges.

It's as good as it ever was but it's not 'new.' I had a few co-workers ask me "what's a good gun?" or "what's a good powder?" before they bought their first gun or picked out reloading supplies. Glocks and Desert Eagles were all they wanted to talk about. Both dismissed the 1911 pattern and any DA revolver as "dinosaurs." Neither had ever owned a gun or filled a case. One actually laughed when I mentioned 2400 and Blue Dot.
You know how kids are, they always want whatever's new.

[Dom]

IMR SR 4756 is virtually the same burning rate as Herco. If you can find it..

[richhodg66]

I believe they've discontinued SR4756.

I've found Herco to be good stuff in cast rifle loads and it works great in my .45-70 100 yard target loads.

[lylejb]

Have used it in 357 and 44 mid level magnum loads. Warmer than special levels, but not the velocity you can get from w296 /h110.
Worked fine, but not much different than unique.

[Randy Bohannon]

I’ve seen exactly one 1lb can of Herco on the shelf in 25 years no wonder no one does load work up today or it’s rarely mentioned. It seems it was a favorite for many years if I could get it consistently I would use it. What does it do better than Unique or Bullseye ?

[Burnt Fingers]

Herco and Green Dot both make great handgun loads.

You might have to dig around for data but they work.

The funny thing is I have over 30 different pistol powders on hand and don't have either one of them.

[Larry Gibson]

In my "Reloaders' Guide For Alliant Smokeless Powders", dated 1996, there are 86 loads listed using Herco in 21 different revolver/pistol cartridges. All with pressures listed [CUP and transducer].

Herco is an excellent powder for many uses in revolver/pistol cartridges giving excellent load density. Herco is my "go to" powder for my 9mm PD loads with 115 XTPs or GDs giving right at 1300 fps out of my CZ75.

[Carrier]

I also use a lot of Herco in handguns especially in 45 Colt.

[Outpost75]

I used lots of Herco years ago and it is an excellent general-purpose pistol, revolver and shotgun powder.

Lacking specific data for Herco, you can use full-charge Unique data as a starting load and not get into any trouble. In a strong, modern gun you can generally increase charge weight with Herco by 5-10% from Unique data, but there is really no need to do so. I don't necessarily recommend you do that without checking against a published source of pressure-tested data and you are loading for a strongly built modern gun, such as a Ruger Blackhawk, Vaquero, etc.

I used 6 grains of Herco with 160-grain SWC in .38 Special for +P and also with 230 FMJ to approximate hardball in .45 ACP.

I used 9 grains in .45 Colt with #454424

I used 10 grains in .44 Magnum with #429421.

All safe, accurate loads.

[Dom]

Now there is HS-6. Was originally caller Winchester 540. Seems to be around & works grate for me in 38 spl/357. 44mag. Even does a good job in my 38-55 with 260gr bullets.

[pmer]

Herco works nice in some buckshot loads.

[r80rt]

I use Herco for .38, .357 , .45 colt, and .45 auto

[RydForLyf]

In my load development testing from a Ransom Rest, Herco has produced the best 20 yard groups in the G17 I’m building loads for. Kind of crunchy in the powder measure, but great accuracy in the 1,050 - 1,100 FPS range.

[RydForLyf]

Deleted duplicate

[rbuck351]

I used to use it in heavy 12ga loads but as I only have a lb or so and have plenty of other powders, I haven't tried it in handgun loads. It has just the right smell in a freshly emptied 12ga hull.