Old stock Herter’s bullets

[19elkhunter51]

When I started reloading, fifty some odd years ago, I would find miscellaneous reloading components at garage/yard sale. I would take the bullets home, go through all my manuals, weight the bullets and pick a load for that bullet weight and design. Most of what I was dealing with, to the best of my knowledge, was cup and core bullets. I shot a lot of really inexpensive bullets. I was always very careful with the powder charges and watched for any signs of excessive pressure. I killed a lot deer with those inexpensive bullets at a time when my financial situation was rather frightful to say the least. I believe that your fathers bullets will be just great at any reasonable range.
A prior post mentioned IMR 4350. For my 30-06 that was my go to powder for many different bullet weights. VERY GOOD starting powder in
30-06. Good luck and good on you for remembering your father.

 

[Rosebud]

Look to Speer and Sierra data , they look an awful lot like Sierra pro hunters, and Speer hot cores. Don't think you will go wrong with that.

 

[dwcpsc]

Look to Speer and Sierra data , they look an awful lot like Sierra pro hunters, and Speer hot cores. Don't think you will go wrong with that.

I want to thank everyone for the encouragement and the help. The existing Speer manual may have been what my dad used since I guess Herter's didn't put a manual out. That sounds reasonable since I didn't find any Speer bullets in his reload box. Most of the unused rounds look like they were done with the Herter's bullets. I'll try a few on the conservative end and, as advised, watch for pressure issues. Between now and deer season, if I can find powder supplies other than my 4064, I should be able to dial in something with accuracy that will provide a few celebration/ remembrance meals. Again, thanks for all the kind words.

 

[MNbogboy]

Thanks. I did check. He had an old Speer Number 6 but no Speer bullets. And there were no notes in the manual. It looks like he was fond of Herter's. He also has the reload dies for 30-30, 30.06, and .243. I don't know if they were more cost friendly options then. It would have been in his early years with Humble Oil before it was Exxon and while an engineer, didn't make much then. And knowing my dad, it wouldn't surprise me to have him reloading just for the precision. I'll post some picture of the bullets. There are a few remaining "live" rounds but I am not going to shoot them. They weren't stored well through the years.

My first manual was a Herters, somehow 2 marriages, 3 more relationships and 3 or 4 houses later it was misplaced or lost.
Would be glad to help you out if i knew where it was. It may be at the hunting shack...where I lived from time to time.
Herters was my local reloading components store back in the late 60s early 70s. Primers were 50 cents a flat and powder wad $2/pound. Bullets were $2 or $3 / hundred. Reason I started loading was to save money.

 

[Rum River]

Lol, when MNbogboy mentioned a Herter's manual - I remembered I have one!

This is from 1964. I checked the data for 150 grain and starting/maximum charges are more "ambitious" than current data.

 

[dwcpsc]

Lol, when MNbogboy mentioned a Herter's manual - I remembered I have one!

This is from 1964. I checked the data for 150 grain and starting/maximum charges are more "ambitious" than current data.

View attachment 279927

I'd love to see what powders they recommend and if 4064 is one of them. I know it's been around a long time. Kind of like me.

 

[Rum River]

Oh well, what the hey.
Here's a scan of the .30-06 data in my Herter's manual.
Remember everybody - this data is 57 years old!!

 

[dwcpsc]

Oh well, what the hey.
Here's a scan of the .30-06 data in my Herter's manual.
Remember everybody - this data is 57 years old!!View attachment 279935

Well that's really interesting! I checked the old Speer manual and indeed the 4064 is there as well. Speer ranges the 150 gr from 50 to 54 and the Herter's lists it as 49 to 54. As mentioned - they are very similar. Thanks very much for this. I don't know if he used the Herter's manual but either way I'll get pretty close. His 30.06 loads always dropped the deer without a flinch. But he was also a really good shot as well. At least that's the way I remember it.

 

[Rosebud]

Oh well, what the hey.
Here's a scan of the .30-06 data in my Herter's manual.
Remember everybody - this data is 57 years old!!View attachment 279935

Powders were much different then, and we had fewer lawyers. My hunting buddy still uses load data from1976 for his30-06. And IMR 4064, I will not post it because its about two grains above max now. But His CZ 550 loves it.

 

[LoneTraveler]

Herters, That name sure brings back memories. When I got out of the army in 1965. I started putting a set of reloading equipment together.
I still sometimes use a Herters powder funnel, Still keep it in its original box. They built a press that had 2 rams with 1 handle, It held sizing die and seating die, Side by side.

 

[epoletna]

I started reloading in 1961, and Herters was very big in the business. I agree with others who have said the bullets look very muchh like Speer or Sierra bullets. I also remember they sold a "wasp waist bullet" that they claimed was more aerodynamic. I wish i had tried them.

 

[Husky user]

I have a set of Herters reloading dies for 25-06.
Great memories of the Herters catalog.
They really knew how to pitch the BS.

 

[VinceMule]

Norma made a lot of bullets for Herters.

 

[skibbyshot]

Herters was like Cabelas (in its prime) back in the day! I have a Herters Sitka 47# recurve bow. Killed my first deer with it and missed a few others too. I still have it and fling a few arrows with it now & then…. I used to love their catalogs.