Herters reloading dies

[oldbear1950]

I was looking at some herter reloading dies, and noticed how much they resembled CH RELOADING DIES, did they make their own dies, or did some one make them and label them for Herters?

[barnetmill]

I was looking at some herter reloading dies, and noticed how much they resembled CH RELOADING DIES, did they make their own dies, or did some one make them and label them for Herters?
Herters copied a lot things and also relabeled some things as theirs.

[Harter66]

It is my understanding that there were 2 primary suppliers to Herters of dies and 2 minor suppliers . CH was a primary. Lock rings and stop nuts were not part of the supplied dies and are unique, at least in marking to Herters .

The CH of the Herters days has changed hands at least twice and disposed of some die designs all together.

[AntiqueSledMan]

Hello oldbear1950,

I worked with a guy who used to work at a machine shop in Mitchell, SD.
He told me they made a lot of reloading dies for Herters.
I know Herters had a big store in Mitchell, SD. just off of I-90.

AntiqueSledMan.

[salpal48]

In the earlier day of Loading CH tool and Die was one of The only companies who did there Own Casting Of presses. Herters, Bystrom, Lachmiller and others had Their equipment farmed out. This Included Dies as well. I have Currently Purchases Older name Item from Ch Tool and die , Mainly Lachmiller trim Dies. This was nothing New then.
Nothing wrong withthem

[JonB_in_Glencoe]

Hello oldbear1950,

I worked with a guy who used to work at a machine shop in Mitchell, SD.
He told me they made a lot of reloading dies for Herters.
I know Herters had a big store in Mitchell, SD. just off of I-90.

AntiqueSledMan.

I "think" there were several vendors making reloading dies for Ole George's company.
R.F. Wells in Howard Lake MN is one I know of for sure. Besides dies, they also made other reloading equipment, presses, powder scales, tricklers ...just to name the few I know for sure about, as I have/had them in my collection.
I understand that Ole George was always looking to shave a penny, meaning he had no loyalty to his vendors.


EDIT: after reading salpal48's post, I assume CH sold unfinished castings of equipment, and R.F. Wells did the finishing machining to their specs.

[AntiqueSledMan]

I must add, Herters equipment was the best money could buy.

AnyiqueSledMan.

[oldbear1950]

I got a good deal on a set of Herters 3 die set for 45 acp, standard thread size, and a CH (tc) sizing die, and they all look like they could be from the same set. The top of the dies is identical, and except for the Herters name, you would think (and I have been told) they are all probably CH DIES.

[oldbear1950]

I have been told by Lee and Lyman, that the carbide die thing is only for the sizing die, and the other dies are basic steel dies. I would assume that is a common practice among all die manufacturers

[HangFireW8]

I must add, Herters equipment was the best money could buy.

AnyiqueSledMan.

Yes, George assured us himself. Also his fictional brother, Jacques. And don't forget, Professional Guide Approved.

[lancem]

Not to change the subject but I remember as a boy of pouring over the new herters catalog for days/weeks

[Shuz]

And everything was a "model perfect"!

[Bent Ramrod]

Jacques P. Herter was George L. Herter’s nephew. I read a while back that he’s a shrink in N. Dakota or somewhere. Wish he’d get going on a bio of Uncle George L.; it would make fascinating reading.

George L.’s wife was Berthe E. Herter. George L. always included the middle initial when mentioning family members. According to one of George L.’s cookbooks, Berthe E. could walk into any restaurant in the world, order any dish on the menu, take one bite and then write down the recipe: all the ingredients, the order of addition and the cooking times and temperatures.

There were some pretty wild talents in that family.

And yes, Herter’s products were the first choice of any truly knowledgeable person worldwide, from the crowned heads of Europe to the dregs and detritus of the Third World.

[1hole]

Like "Sear's", "K-mart", "Westinghouse" and other brands of most everything, Herter had labeling contracts for it all from the few real makers for everything carrying many seller's brand name. Most of it is well made, including "Herter's".

I wish I'd had a proper appreciation for the very low price-for-quite good quality ratio of Herter's "perfect" reloading tools (and his firearms, etc.) before Lyndon Johnson's (D-TX) politically driven U.S. government became determined to destroy ol' George's excellent "world famous" mail order sportsman business in the early 1970s. Alas, Johnson's crooked bureaucracies won ....