[John Anderson]

Several years ago I found at the local gun shop a like new Herter's 401 Power Mag! The price was right and it came with a set of RCBS dies so decided to pick it up! Let me tell you, this thing will shoot. Me and the boys in the area have a freindly informal shoot once a month and we shoot alittle mid range ( 125 yrds) pistol competition! They all shoot mostly 44 mags, also a few 45 long colts and a 454 casull! The 401 isn't the biggest or the fastest but I usually do very well. So well in fact the guys started giving me a hard time when I'd bring it! So I had a Ruger 3 screw blackhawk in 357 rechambered to 401 in the hopes of being able to sneak it into a match! Same #### thing, this gun also shot extremely well. I have limited 401 brass so I make mine from 41 mag brass. The 41 brass is swaged down in the 401 resizing die then a small amount of brass needs to be turned off with a lath near the rim!  Case length for the 401 is 1.29 where the 41 mag is 1.28. My favorite load is 16.5 grs of 2400 under a 260 gr cast bullet for a 40-82 winchester! Basically It's a super 38-40 or a 40 mag take your pick. Where everyone else is going to these 454 and larger hand cannons, Iv'e decided to go on a road less traveled, and when my buddies all pull on there little shooting gloves that help the recoil or put there howitzer down because the pain isn't fun after a few rounds I'll still be shooting with a big grin on my face. Now all's I need is to chamber a Marlin 94 up and try it out in a rifle!

 

[RugerNo3]

John, I can remember when you could buy one of those PowerMags for &#3640. Was the price that good?<!--emo&--><img src="http://beartoothbullets.com/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/wink.gif" border="0" valign="absmiddle" alt=''><!--endemo-->

 

[John Anderson]

Ruger NO 3, I'm not sure what they originally sold for but I wish I had about half a dozen as I've got a few buddies who would like them!

 

[Contender]

Ah, the days of the U9 rifle and 401 Power mag revolver.

I miss old George and Bertha and their catalog that I used to read and dream about when I was a little punk kid.

I still have my Bertha Herter Bull Cook Knife and their "Improved Bowie". The book that came with it was worth more than the knife for info. LOL

I even have a couple of pairs of there wool socks that are still going strong unbelievably.

Weren't those U9's made by BSA if I'm not mistaken? I've seen a few at gun shows in the past.


Regards,

 

[Coldfingers]

Talk about stirring up old memories.

I was raised about 30 miles from the Herters store in Waseka, Minnesota.

It was a grand spring day indeed when Kenny and I would skip school and start the day drooling over all the stuff there and then wind up frittering time away along some crik, fishing and plinking with various "tools of the trade" for our planned escape from society.

I spent the first year with my wife caretaking a lodge deep in the Wrangle Mountains in Alaska. One of the few books we had for the loooonnng winter was "The Professional Guides Manual" by George Herter. Some of the stuff was a real hoot!

Oh, for the misspent days of youth!

Thanks for a trip down memory lane.

Scotty

 

[Leanwolf]

Yep, the U9 action and bbl., was a BSA. The 401 Powermag was made by Sauer. Good firearms!

I still have and use a number of Herter items, bought in the '60s and early '70s. My first reloading press was the Herters "O" press. What a strong beast! Reloaded thousands of rounds on it. My nephew still uses it.

Too bad they folded, but most of the problem was the 1968 Nazi/Communist  Gun Control Act, that put them out of business.

J.B.

 

[Contender]

Yes that's right! GCA '68 really screwed things up.

Imagine ordering a U9 rifle through the mail back then. But, you know, guns are just too available nowadays............NOT!

These antis crack me up.

I better stop here.


Regards

 

[RugerNo3]

John Anderson,  IIRC a post on another forum, it is possible to put a chamfer on the chamber so you don't need to remove the excess swaged brass. Do you get my drift? Might be worth checking it out.

 

[John Anderson]

Ruger NO 3 That would most likely be the way to go, but as I own a little hobby lath it is no big deal to do this. I turned about 200 peices awhile back and that will last a long time!

 

[RugerNo3]

As long as you enjoy it, it's pure relaxation. Reloading is a great hobby with much to be learned. Enjoyable thread.