Herters pistols

[mag41vance]

Does anyone know anything about Herta / Herters revolvers?

[John Traveler]

I've not heard of "Herta", but Herters was a shooter's supply house in Wisconsin, I believe.  Out of business since the late 1980's.
.
They sold various models of single-action "western" style revolvers, basically copies of the Colt Single Action Army.

[44 Man]

I believe they were built for them in Germany, but I'm not sure anymore.  The ones that I saw looked more like a Ruger with adjustable sights and a heavier top strap than a SAA.  Seems they also had a longer grip simular to an 1860 army.  Herters had their own chambering in some of them, a "Herters 401 powermag"

[mag41vance]

I've not heard of "Herta", but Herters was a shooter's supply house in Wisconsin, I believe.  Out of business since the late 1980's.
.
They sold various models of single-action "western" style revolvers, basically copies of the Colt Single Action Army.

It was Herters, my eyes are bad and the engraving is as well.
 This is a fixed site .22  5" barrel. My cousin gave it to me because it wouldn't fire. I placed a thin washer on the cylinder pin between the cyl and the barrel end and that eased the cyl back to the rear of the frame just enough to allow the firing pin to strike the shell rim harder, and now it works fine.

[unspellable]

The Herter's centerfire SA's were made by Saur in Germany.  I cannot say whether or not the rinfires came from the same source.

Herter's did have a proprietary cartridge, the 401 Power Mag.  They promoted it vigorously and sold the 401 revolver for about 60% of the price of the same revolver in 357 Magnum.   I ran across a 401 revolver at a gunshp a couple of months ago.  Closer to the Ruger in overall appearance than to the Colt.

The 401 used a 0.400 inch jacketed bullet or 0.401 cast.  The case was a bit shorter than the 1.29 ub of the 357,41,44 mag cases.

Brass would be hard to come by these days.

[Blackhawk44]

While I have never handled the 22, the centerfires were definitely made by J P Saur & Sohn of Germany.  All I have seen were very reliable and well made.  Unspellable is right, the 401 used 38-40 bullets (in the days before 10's and 40's) and kind of rimmed, shortended 401 Win case.  Check with Starline for cases and RCBS and CH/4-D for dies.

[Winter Hawk]

My first big-bore pistol was a Herters (from Waseca, Minnesota, through the mail) in .44 Magnum.  As already noted, it was made by Sauer and was basically a knock-off of the Colt.  The grip was about 1/2" longer than the Colt or Ruger, which Herters was very proud of.  The hammer was brittle and snapped half-cock notch off, but they provided me with a new one.  

The original Herters burned down in the '70s.  They came back with a much smaller catalog/selection in the late '80s, early '90s.  Cabelas bought them out a couple of years ago.

If you can get a copy of their old, circa 1965 catalog, it is priceless.  Everything was described as "the world's finest..."  They did provide pretty good equipment at a decent price.  They sold replacement stocks which were dandy.  I understand that the fire was in the stock making section.

Probably more than you wanted to know.  Adios!

-WH-

[Flint]

Seems I recollect the 22 Rimfire was on a full sized SAA frame, unlike the Ruger or Colt which are on a smaler frame.

[Deaf Smith]

And its one of the strongest 357s I own the gun is solid like a bank valt and I like the longer grip on the gun as well. Its also has the honor of being the ulgest sixgun I own bar none! I got lucky with this gun I was perusing a local dealers annual handgun sale he had the guns markes 10 15 and 20% off of the tagged price on all his used guns. He had two of the herters a 357 and a 44 magnum. with the used prices (which kept falling as both guns had been in his case over 2 years I know becouse I saw them there and even checked them over occosionally) Well they both had 20% off stickers on them for the sale and as the gun was already priced under $200 OI could'nt resist any longer after I needed a second Sa revolver for SASS shooting anyway and this was WAY cheaper than a blackhawk or a clone. I also noticed a H&R ultr revolver in 32 magnum marked $99 and with a 20% off sticker so i bought both! I ended up with two guns for less than $300. One of the best deals I ever got from a dealer. The ultra was a great little gun and it shoots the magnums perfectly but even better it shoots the 32 longs I have just as well. I love the little 32 rounds so this gun was right up my alley and actually was the first modern 32 I had ever owned the others being the old topbreaks that saw action on our countrys frontier. ie very old.  I have come to love the single six as well its a rock solid 357 and very accurate and due to its weight the recoil even with full magnum loads is minumal. Makes me wish I had gone back and bought the 44 as well the quality is that good. If you ever get the chance buy one it may well be one of the uglest guns ever produced but its a solid value and a damned good gun it will never let you down.
Jim L