Just recieved 60 plus unfired Herter 7x57 cases. Anyone know who manufactured these for Herter, comments on quality. These are probably form the 1960's as they came with bullets and tools from that era.

Bill

Hello
If I recall they are made by Norma of Sweden. The quality is excellent.
However, I got a hold of some Herters 7x57 brass a while ago and found them to be extremely 'thick'. I had to get a neck turning tool and take a few thousands of an inch off the necks because I could not chamber a loaded round in my rifle. Once I did that all was good.

I have a 7x57AI and after fire forming I found the internal capacity of the fire formed Herters brass to be only 0.5 of a grain more than a standard non fire formed Remington case!

So I would check this for yourself so you know what you are working with.

I used the Herter's brass in .243 and 30-06 for years. Never had any problems.

digging deep in the memory banks now....they were made either by Norma or RWS....either way.....good stuff.

Norma.

Some boxes for Herter's cases were marked "Made in Sweden" while others were marked "Made in Finland". I've used both the Swedish and the Finnish Herters brass and found it of excellent quality. Most people assume that the Swedish brass was made by Norma, but I'm not certain that is true. Also, most assume the Finnish brass was made by Sako, but that's because no one had heard of Lapua in those days. The bottom line is that the manufacturer is irrelavent; it's good brass. Besides, Herter's was not above marking something "Made in Sweden" when it might actually have come from Taiwan or Mexico, for that matter.

Most I have used does tend to be a bit heavier (and therefore less capacious) than American-made brass of the same caliber. I necked down a bunch of 7x57 to .257 Roberts years ago, but I don't recall it having an especially thick neck as no thinning was required. Of course, my Roberts chamber could have been rather generous.

quote:

Besides, Herter's was not above marking something "Made in Sweden" when it might actually have come from Taiwan or Mexico, for that matter.

Some Herter's brass was also made in Canada. I picked up a couple of boxes of 8mm Mauser brass at a gun show about 10 years ago. Canadian manufacture is identified in 4 places. Top, bottom and front declare: "MADE IN CANADA BY PRECISION CRAFTSMEN" (I've heard of craftsmen that do presicion work, but never ones that are precise-made themselves ). On the back it notes: "CUSTOMS OFFICIALS NOTE: CONTENTS MADE IN CANADA".

More Herter's hyperbole, from the back of the box: "HERTER ULTRA PRECISION INTERNATIONAL MATCH GRADE CASES. UNCONDITIONALLY GUARANTEED MADE OF THE FINEST PROCURABLE VIRGIN CARTRIDGE BRASS. UNCONDITIONALLYH GUARANTEED MADE TO CLOSER TOLERANCES AND WITH FINER WORKMANSHIP THAN ANY CARTRIDGE CASES MADE IN THE WORLD."

It seems to be good brass, but certainly not noticeably better than F C, LAPUA, R-P, W-W, etc.

Cheers, Al