old man down the street just gave me a bag of old 30-06 brass. In this assortment was some I had never heard of like sears, S&W,herters,speer,and Imperial. now some of the names are familiar but I didnt know they made brass. anybody else seen brass with these head stamps?
It's not all that uncommon, I've got quite a bit of old '06 (and other brass) with the same headstamps. The names you see on the brass were the marketers, not the makers. They would contract with a manufacturer for a large lot of ammo headstamped and packaged in their particular brand.
Posts: 8169 | Location: humboldt | Registered: 10 April 2002
Winchester did some private labeling at one time. I'm not sure it's done much anymore but IIRC the Herter's brass was made by RWS
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Posts: 28849 | Location: western Nebraska | Registered: 27 May 2003
Imperial is a brand name of Canadian-made brass. It is not a marketer's name, but a brand made, if I recall correctly, by Canadian Industries Limited (C.I.L.)...just like Super-X was a Winchester brand.
I know Herter's brass was at least partly manufactured in Europe (some lots made there), but I am surprised to hear it was RWS. The reason trhat surprises me is that some Herter's brass was very poorly annealed and split full-length on first firing. I would think RWS would have known and done better than that. But then, life is full of suprises, I find.
Posts: 9685 | Location: Cave Creek 85331, USA | Registered: 17 August 2001
Originally posted by Alberta Canuck: I know Herter's brass was at least partly manufactured in Europe (some lots made there), but I am surprised to hear it was RWS. The reason trhat surprises me is that some Herter's brass was very poorly annealed and split full-length on first firing. I would think RWS would have known and done better than that. But then, life is full of suprises, I find.
I bought some Herter's .270 brass but only once as it was very poor stuff.....and I'm not at all certain that it came from RWS.....maybe someone with a old box of Herter's ammo will post with better info.
I just checked a box of Herter's primers and they are made in Japan.
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Posts: 28849 | Location: western Nebraska | Registered: 27 May 2003
While going through my father-in-laws' old cabinet, I came across a box of Savage 30-'06 loaded ammo. Red and yellow box with the Savage "Indian Chief" logo. Loaded with "180gr. Top Notch bullets for controlled expansion." I also found 2 boxes of Winchester 30-'06 "National Match" ammo.
Posts: 868 | Location: maryland | Registered: 25 July 2004
I also found 2 boxes of Winchester 30-'06 "National Match" ammo.
I loaded a box of that stuff a couple days back. Hope your "NM" brass is better quality than mine, it's pretty poor (significant weight and neck thickness variation) for anything but hunting ammo.
Posts: 1615 | Location: South Western North Carolina | Registered: 16 September 2005
I just looked at an old box of Herter's 6.5x55 that I have. It says on the box, "Custom Officer note: brass and bullets made in Sweden". I would say that would be Norma.
Posts: 8169 | Location: humboldt | Registered: 10 April 2002
Regarding the Herters brass being made by RWS. I don't believe it was. I still have some Herters brass that has never been loaded or fired and it has " Made in Sweden " on the box. I believe RWS brass was/is made in Germany. This Herters brass has the high copper content look that early Norma brass had There was another company besides Norma that made brass in Sweden . Some of it was sold with the "Gevelot" name on it and it also could be found with the name "Metalverken". There was nothing wrong with the annealing on this brass.It was the more common yellow brass .
Originally posted by craigster: I just looked at an old box of Herter's 6.5x55 that I have. It says on the box, "Custom Officer note: brass and bullets made in Sweden". I would say that would be Norma.
Thanks, Craigster. I seem to recall ol'George Herter hisself saying Norma made some of their rifle brass.
I didn't want to say RWS never made any Herter brass, because I know how dangerous it is to say "never" or "always" about anything to do with guns or shooting, but I thought Norma was closer to correct as at least one source.
also think I recall Hirtenberger producing some of their .357 Mag pistol brass, but that could just be a faulty memory playing tricks as it dies of old age.
Snowman - Good on Ya!! You are definitely correct that Herter's had some brass made in Sweden by other than Norma, too. I definitely recall reading something on that just recently in my older reference materials.
Pax vobiscum, y'all.
Posts: 9685 | Location: Cave Creek 85331, USA | Registered: 17 August 2001
i've never heard of herters or imperial but i have .38 spl and .357 mag brass with rest of those headstamps........ it might be interesting in 50-60 years when someone comes across the .357 mag brass headstamped with my first name!
