Herter's press on eBay

[trooperdan]

Now don't all you sharpshooters try to jump my claim and bid against me on this! There is an old Herter's press and powder measure on eBay, it is listed as a model 7-64. I bet some of you guys here would know; I assume it will take standard dies and shell holders, right? I remember reading the old Herter's catalog; the copy writer certainly wasn't shy! Everything was the worlds finest model perfect...etc. I know Herter's stuff was built hell for strong so this press might be a buy for me.

Edited to add: This is apparently a shotshell press so my interest is ebbing as we speak. It is located in Powell's Bluff Orgun so maybe it would be more interesting to someone out near the left coast.

Thanks for any info.

TD, AKA Glock17shooter on eBay

[azrednek]

Most if not all the Herter's presses I've seen DO NOT take the standard shell holders. There is a snap-in adaptor through RCBS that will enable you to use standard shell holders. The Herters shell holders show up on Ebay but they are pricey. The Herter's press I have is a massive and solid press but pretty much over kill, I prefer to use my RCBS Jr and haven't had the Herters on my bench for years.

[KCSO]

Most Herter's Presses take a special HERTERS PERFECT shell holder. I have the plans and I make conversion holderes that allow you to use standard shell holders. If you need the plans I will E mail them to you.

[StarMetal]

Vega Tools in Boulder, Co has been making Herter conversion shell holders for more years then I care to remember for a very cheap price. He use to ad in Shotgun News all the time.

Joe

[XBT]

I bought a Herters press in about 1967, it’s a “Super Model 3”. As best I remember, I paid $13.00 for it. I changed over to standard shellholders a few years ago with an adapter.

I don’t dare guess the number of rounds loaded on the old press, but it’s a lot.

I still use it almost daily and would be heartbroken if I had to part with it. It’s the only press I’ve ever used.

I highly recommend them. Jim

[RBak]

I bought a Herters press in about 1967, it’s a “Super Model 3”. As best I remember, I paid $13.00 for it. I changed over to standard shellholders a few years ago with an adapter.

I don’t dare guess the number of rounds loaded on the old press, but it’s a lot.

I still use it almost daily and would be heartbroken if I had to part with it. It’s the only press I’ve ever used.

I highly recommend them. Jim

I also owned a Herter's, Super Duper, Extraordinair, Made to last, Outstanding Grade Press once...and man! It was a hoss!..... Hell for stout!
I also owned a J9, or U9, (I can't remember which) Herters Rifle in .270 Winchester, that I wish I still owned.
I got the whole package, rifle, scope, sling, case, press, dies, scales, brass, powder, the whole nine yards, for under $100 when they opened a new store back in the late 60's / early 70's here in Olympia, WA.

The catalogs were always fun to just read....Jacques Herter had several adjectives to describe his products, and he used everyone of them on "each" item......Once you waded through all the nonsense, he had some down right good products. That press that was mentioned, was a good one, and it was built to last.

I haven't thought of Herter's for years. But that was truly the good old days for this old boy.

Russ

[Swagerman]

My two babies from ebay a few years back. Super O Maximum and Super No. 3 models. Both used exclusively for swaging boolits...what else.

Got tired of breaking 3/8th link pins on pansy ass presses made today...the Herters have 1/2 inch pins. Haven't bent or broke one yet.


Swagerman


http://www.hunt101.com/img/275896.JPG (http://www.hunt101.com/?p=275896&c=500&z=1)

[carpetman]

ah yes,the Herters book of adjectives. Many don't know this but god ol Felixs lube----Felix World Famous Bulluet Lube was a take-off the Herters naming of things. Started to go aheah and stick in model perfect magnum supreme but stopped short.

[Swagerman]

ah yes,the Herters book of adjectives. Many don't know this but god ol Felixs lube----Felix World Famous Bulluet Lube was a take-off the Herters naming of things. Started to go aheah and stick in model perfect magnum supreme but stopped short.

Carpetman, I'm currious about this Magnum supreme, I've never heard of that Herter's model press. Do you have a picture of one you could share with us.

Thanks, Swagerman

[Scrounger]

Herter always had advice on many different subjects. I remember a couple of advisories on women:
1. Women are like drums; they need to be beat regularly...
2. The only way to beat a women is with a hat; grab it and run...
Women's lib would have had a lot of fun with him.

[carpetman]

Swagerman---That wasnt a press---it was a potential name for FWFBL----Felix World Famous Bullet Lube. What did Herters make that wasnt Custom,Deluxe.Magnum Supreme? Their duck decoys weighed 18 pounds by the time they got all the name printed on them.

[RBak]

Their duck decoys weighed 18 pounds by the time they got all the name printed on them.

ROTFL...You are soooo right! I can't even begin to think of some of the most Gawd Awful descriptions that man could come up with to describe a simple fish hook, or a spinner bait.

His bullets.....I have no clue who may have really made them, but "his" bullets, with super wasp waisted transonic features were guaranteed to go where no bullet had ever gone, and give you change from a five dollar bill in the deal.

Like I said...Those were the days! I miss 'em.

BTW...I do remember back, about 1999, (IIRC) when FWFL was getting started. I also remember, in that same time frame, Buckshot trying to explain to me how to Paper Patch a bullet....He did improve on that, and I saved it, and passed it out to a lot of people, before Paul Matthews books became so widely available.

Russ

[Swagerman]

Herter's, I don't care what they call their products as long as they function the way I expect them too...and so far, its been just that. Viva Geo. Herter.

One of the weirdest presses they made was the double barrel shot gun type that had side by side rams that went up into two seperate die stations. Was tempted to take one from a friend in Arizona, but held out for the Super No. 3 model with its 1/2 inch link pin. Found out it was not suited for bullet swaging until I shortened the toggle linkage to the ram by 1/2 inch, now it tops out on the up stroke just right.

But I am envious of Buckshot's Corbon press, but not the prices they charge. If you buy any accessories for it can get really expensive. But BS can make a lot of his own equipment...heard he has an excellent table saw.

Swagerman :-)



Super O Maximum up close...notice the Herter's cartridge type shellholder with my nose punch fitted into the primer hole with shank running thourgh to the bottom where a nut secures it in place.

[wills]

herters press on e bay

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&category=71120&item=7150226370&rd=1

shellholders at

http://www.vegatool.com/

[Bent Ramrod]

Ah, Herter's. I remember a writer in a gun magazine said once:

"Herter's stuff doesn't always work the way it's supposed to, but it sure is cheap!"

My experience with the Herter's "9-Ton Bullet Press" kind of bore that out. The bullets came out about .226", as I recall. Couldn't go wrong on the loading presses or bullet sizer-lubricator, though; pounds and pounds of cast iron overcomes almost any fault.

I especially enjoy George Leonard Herter's books. It always makes a day when I find a new one at a gun show. Whatever the books are about (and they're about nearly everything), the basic premise is always that nobody in the history of the world has ever done (whatever the subject of the book is) correctly. After millennia of everybody screwing around and botching the job, we now get the benefit of George L. Herter's wisdom to straighten us all out. You gotta admire the guy; he could have commanded armies. :grin:

Bent

[seagiant]

Hey KCSO!
I'd love those plans if you could find the time to send them! My E-mail is seagiant@gobigwest.com. Thanks!

[KCSO]

I Still have some cans of powder marked HERTER'S Mitchell S.D. and they are still good. I will say this for the Herters press, my best friend had one and NOTHING ever hurt it. He has a Herter's canoe that is fibergalss and weighs about 200 pounds. I see that Midway aka Frankfort Arsenal has taken up the torch of hyperbole.

[swheeler]

Russ B; if your 270 was a mauser it was a J9, it it was a BSA action was a U9. The first rifle I ever owned that would shoot moa was a J9 300 win , quite an improvement over the old 94 30/30 and 1917 enfield. Some of Herters stuff was ahead of its time, wasp-waist boat tail bullets, sure wish I had a handful now to chrono. Used to load a 150 gr WWBT and 81.0 gr surplus 4831(no H or I back then), would pick antelope off way out there, nothing left to eat though! Wonder if Barnes and Lost River Tech have been reading old Herters catalogs!
Scooter

[Pb head]

Another thing Ol George had was some damn nice stocks semi inletted in fancy grades of different species of wood real cheap. I had more then one rifle built on them.

Pb head

[Safeshot]

Just wondered, Did you get the Herters press from eBay?

[Swagerman]

Not sure who you asking, but if its me, yes, I got two of them from a gent on ebay who specializes in Herter's equipment. His name is ED...got his address somewhere if you need it let me know.

Swagerman

[Denver]

Swagerman,

I have a Herter's Mod. 3 Super Reloading Tool also. It was the first reloading press I owned and bought it sometime in the 60's for about $30 if I remember right. I have a 1976 catalog (#86) of their's that lists it at $29.97. Prices didn't change with every new catalog back then. I also have one of their swaging dies in 357 cal. along with a number of shell holders and some dies, (some I still use). Good products at good prices in spite of the Barnum & Bailey style advertising. I haven't used the press for a number of years as I bought a Dillon 550 for my handgun ammo needs and use a RCBS RS 5 for rifle. Lately I've been thinking about making a bumping die to bring undersize cast bullets up to more useful diameters. The old Herter's press would be ideal for this duty.

Ron

[Swagerman]

Hi, Denver.

If I may suggest, if you plan on using the old No.3 Herter's press for any kind of swaging operation, you take out the linkage pin and remove the bar link with its two 3/8 inch holes. This is the link that connects to ram and the other end to the handle which has a 1/2 inch pin for super strength.

Use the link for a pattern to make a new link, but shorten it by 1/2 inch in OAL. This means making the new link with the same exact 3/8 inch holes only bringing them closer together by the link being shorter.

This will effect the press raming action so the bullet being inserted into the die in the press will top out at the right height...otherwise, you would find your die having to be unscrewed by a 1/2 inch upward. Not good for swaging operations.

Plus, you will be able to restore the old press by to its original configuration by reinserting the original bar link if you want to.

Good luck, and let me know if this works for you.

================================================== =======

PS The Herter's Super O Maximum press has a huge ram of about 1 1/4 inch diameter, it also has an adjustable linkage bar so you can change out the top out rise of the ram. This is ineffect what we are talking about on the No. 3 press. The Super O Maximum has tremendous leverage strength far greater ease than the No. 3 press...but I find the No. 3 very useful for nose shaping the bullets ogive and the sizing diameter with the right die that does this.

================================================== =======


Swagerman

[Southron Sanders]

George Herter: " A Man that was a Legend in his own Mind, Long Before It was Time."

[Char-Gar]

A couple of years back I picked up a Herter's press on Ebay. I don't remember the model number the the top of the press was like a quart oil can with one third of it sliced off on the front side. It is heavy, heavy, heavy. It came with a mess of Herters shell holders and two priming arms. I sold the shell holders, the primer arms and bought an RCBS adapter to use standard shell holders. When it was all said and done, I have a whole dollar ($1.00.00) invested in the press. It is a well made, smooth operating, hell for stout single stage press.

[Swagerman]

They make excellent small boat anchors as well.

But keep them lubed up so they don't rust on you. :mrgreen:

Jim

[TAWILDCATT]

I have one #3 it came railway ex to station by the club.$13 and the powder measure and scales.the scales are exactly like the old redding.have full set of shell holders.also the universal dies.I dont use it much now but have it mounted to removable base.:coffee:[smilie=1::Fire:

[Depreacher]

The main thing I remember about the catalogs were the descriptions of the loading dies and other tools. Yep, the worlds finest, just ask your machinest friend. Sadly enough, I didn't have a machinest friend so I just took a chance. The powder scales I had checked dead on with a later Lyman D7. I still have my professional guides manual. Some of the contents were actually very useful on a camping/hunting trip. Some were, well??????????? Preacher

[georgeld]

I shot a couple nice muley bucks with the Wasp Meat Waster Bullets.
First one was 1/3 hiding behind a big pine tree about 15 feet away.
Could only see from the short ribs back, but ,the angle was right to "BLOW" it out thru
his far shoulder. One shot kill for sure!
Could have buried a basketball in the crater where his shoulder WAS.

The other buck was running about 65yds off into a high headwind. Don't know how I did it at age 17. But, put three in a 3" group kneeling thru him. But, thru the flanks. Flat out running, and into the high wind sure blew those bullets back too far. Biggest buck I've killed even yet.

Hole out the far side was about the size of a coffee can which out of an '06 was about right in 1960-61.

Had a nice gentleman send me two of those bullets two yrs ago for the memories. Still have them as keepsakes.

I've got a M 3 C press and some shell holders too, a few sets of dies and powder measure & scale. Whoever said his was accurate needs to compare to these that never did get a charge within 20%, most were further off than that too. Still have them in a box somewhere. Junk far as I'm concerned. But, the press will come in handy once I start swaging.

In one of the real long posts Thor ran a few months ago are several pictures. One is of the double bored loading press. Take a look.

If you got that/those from the ebay, what did they cost ya??

[NoDakJak]

A friend taught me to handload in 1962. He used all Herters equipment. I liked the Herters press and bought a Model 3. A Webster Scale and a Redding Powder measure seemed to be much better than the Herters variants and I bought them. I had used Herters dies in 38/357, 45acp and 30-06 while learning. Even then they seemed to be crudely made and poorly polished both inside and out. C&H dies were rare around my area. RCBS and Echo were probably the best available but economically beyond my young military pocketbook. Lachmiller appeared to be the best value considering quality and price. I bought seven or eight sets before they were bought out by RCBS. Most of my newer die sets are Lee. Thank god for Lee dies. They are well made and have forced the other manufacturers to reduce their prices. I am shelling out about the same money for dies that I did thirty years ago.
Dies come onto my bench but very rarely leave. Right now I am set up for about seventy different cartridges and by using a variety of dies can cobble up loaded rounds for probably three times that many. Reloading equipment is for the most part better now than it was when I started. With one exception! The RockChucker is a fine press but I definetly prefer my A2.
Neil

[KCSO]

I had a Model 81 Super with two link pins. The press is like two #3's welded together. One handle worked two rams. The press came with swageing dies and an extra link. The fellow I got it from bought it new in 1955 for $27.00. The press also came wiht 20 and 12 gauge shotgun shell dies.

[georgeld]

I've been doing it since 1958, but, used only Herters dies and M3C til after the Army in '73. Still have those dies in some I seldom/don't load for. I never part with dies. Made many a deal to load the first 100rnds for the dies and I kept them for the labor. Right now I've only got around 37-40 different cal dies.

Made a trade a few yrs ago for a '50's Lyman 4 hole turret. Used that several yrs and it's a dandy. Buddy donated a Lee 3 holer and traded another buddy out of ten plates. That's my main press now. Do have a RL450 I've never been able to afford all the $50 to $80 kits to make it work. Decided to use it for swaging .22 jackets once I get started at it. Herters is laying on the floor, for 'someday'. Have a little Lee bench press for belling cases and sizing bullets, and other petty stuff. All four of them are mounted on a two ft sq half inch plate clamped to my desk. Drilled and tapped the holes, ground the bolts off. Fine setup and can be moved in case.

For most of my loading am using a press plate mounted Lil Dandy measure. Seems nice and quick, real easy to use. Made a fine deal not long ago for 23 drums/$100.

Wish I had measurements for the other six drums powder holes so I could turn and drill those too. Then I'd have ALL the drums for it. Have three extra's now. Made a wall rack for them that's real handy, out of the way and within reach. Couldn't ask for more except to finish out the set.

Have two Lil Dandies, and two Uniflows now. best measures I've ever used. Wish I'd discovered them 25yrs ago.