Herter's

[terry f]

    Who remembers reading the Herter's catalog? As a poor kid with no money, it was a dream book. I had to google it to see what happened to them, looks like some feathers took them down.

[starmac]

I actually still use an old heavy duty herters press. Remember the catalog well.
I also have and use an old hollywood 12 station press. I like the old iron.

[Autocar]

For sure it was the greatest dream book ever printed. That brings back alot of memories.

[mart]

Used to wear out their catalog every year. Couldn't buy much back then but loved looking at the catalog. I have two of their Powermag revolvers now. One a 401 and the other a 44. Homely but well made gun.

[millwright]

I have a couple of old Catologs that I look at every once in a while. It's amazing how much they had.

[beenthere]

Remember those catalogs well.   Thanks for the reminder. Will drag out an old copy, if I can find it.

https://prezi.com/sw59mojxuigy/the-history-of-herters/

[trapper]

we had a store half way between Fond du lac and Madison. I bought real fur and leather stuffed animals for the kids there.  Had a couple of Georges books.  One was George the housewife.  He was an authority on everything.  Still have a set of herters 270 dies for reloading also a bullet swaging tool.  Took 30 cal. cast bullets and swaged them into .270 using the loading press. 

[Chuck White]

I used to buy quite a bit of reloading stuff from Herters!

[Magicman]

I loved those old Herter's catalogs.  No doubt they knew how to write an item up so that you would think that it had to be the best ever.....and that you could not do without it. 

[Grandpa]

Yes, I remember them from my childhood and still have one.

Mr. Herter, (or someone) was a marketing genius. The descriptions were written in such a way that you couldn't help but look at something just to see the description.

I also still have a press, case trimmer, and some dies that must be 45 years old and still work just fine.

Has anyone ever seen a rifle chambered for a Herters ram magnum or a Herters missile magnum?

[Chuck White]

Just went and checked, and I still have 90 30 caliber jacketed bullets still in the original Herter's box.

These are 220 Gr, .308, Round Nose.

No idea where I used the other 10, most likely loaded a few for a friend.

[trapper]

Listening  on the radio today a lady who is the nutrition person for a local nursing home was telling about the antioxidant value of eating the white between the skin and the pulp of an orange. George Lenard Herter wrote about that in one of his books 40 years ago.

[petefrom bearswamp]

Good old Herters was a staple with me too.
Just retired the old powder measure and scales last winter.
Model perfect and  super maximum were two of their descriptions regarding their stuff.
I remember George Leonard's book "How to Live with a Bitch" among many others

[Ron Scott]

They had great duck decoys and duck hunting supplies.

[Slingshot]

    I still have one of their hunting knives. My father-in-law and I both bought
one back in the 60's. I lost mine but still have the one he bought. Good feel
to it, walnut handles and 8-i/2 inch overall length.



 



 



 




____________________________
Charles

[Bibbyman]

I use to read their catalog end to end and shop for hours.  The first reloading I did that wasn't Lee kit set was on a loaned to me Herter's press that weighed as much as a small block Chevy engine.  My brother-in-law drove way up north to get a Herter's 401 power mag pistol.  He didn't keep it long.  I wonder if it would have collector's value now?  I see shotgun shells with Herter's brand name on them. Are they in business?

How about the JC Whitney catalog?  I custom built thousands of cars in my fantasy reading their catalog.

[terry f]

   Having a 52 WILLYS as my first car, JC Whitney and Sears were the two places for parts in the 70's

[mart]

My brother-in-law drove way up north to get a Herter's 401 power mag pistol.  He didn't keep it long.  I wonder if it would have collector's value now?

I have one of the 401 Powermags. They have a small, devoted following but not really any serious collector's value. Most run in the $350-400 price range for one in excellent condition. They are a very well made, albeit somewhat homely handgun. I have both the 401 and the 44 magnum in the Powermag. They also made the Powermag in 357. I haven't had much luck finding one to complete my trio.

[trapper]

cabelas owns the herters name They use it on waterfowl hunting things and ammunition

[Delawhere Jack]

Just posted this in another thread. A Herter's universal neck sizing die. (Extended to the max for comic effect...)


 

[Gearbox]

Herters was dealing in migratory bird feathers and by the time the feds got done with them they went bankrupt or at least broke .

[Larry]

Cheeez, you me Herter's is completely out of business?  Now where am I to find my ammo?  Down to my last box.

Nothing compares to Herter's ammo!



Back in the dark ages, I think Herter's was the only place that carried 6.5 X 55.  Even brass was hard to find.  It did shoot pretty good for factory stuff but was on the expensive side.

Seems like I sold them squirrel tails at one time.  There musta been a shortage of quality tails for me to get my foot in the door.  Can't remember exactly the details.

[Chuck White]

I like the 6.5x55, Larry.

I only ever shot one, it was a model 94 Swedish Mauser.

That was back in the 70's, been looking for one ever since!

[Yoder409]

I was in the Mitchell, SD store in 1976.  Pretty big deal for a kid from the east back then.

My first bow came mail order from Herter's.

Still own a pair of their .401 PowerMag revolvers and a bunch of original ammo/brass.

[trapper]

Did they have the big guy in the driveway you could sit in  his hand and get your picture taken?  How about the stuffed horse?  They were there when I was there but don't remember the year.