Interesting Info On Powder Horns

[Ohio Joe]

I ran across this video on YouTube, and found it pretty interesting. In short, it covers the basic powder horn and safety within the building of one. Check it out...

[prairie dog]

Good information.  Thanks for posting that.

[Ohio Joe]

His use of bees wax and wood pegs for the horn base plug does make a lot of sense.

Also, I do agree with him on the usage of "priming horns..." I do use them, though it never occurred to me that the little "priming horn" was actually a "powder horn" for possibly handguns. I never (after 40+ years in this game ever thought of that,,, at least of what I can remember.

[rollingb]

His use of bees wax and wood pegs for the horn base plug does make a lot of sense.

Also, I do agree with him on the usage of "priming horns..." I do use them, though it never occurred to me that the little "priming horn" was actually a "powder horn" for possibly handguns. I never (after 40+ years in this game ever thought of that,,, at least of what I can remember.

Yeah,.... I call rubbish on the "pistol powder horn" claim he's making , IMO,... the smaller powder horns were more likely used/prefered when carrying small caliber rifles. 
 

[Ohio Joe]

His use of bees wax and wood pegs for the horn base plug does make a lot of sense.

Also, I do agree with him on the usage of "priming horns..." I do use them, though it never occurred to me that the little "priming horn" was actually a "powder horn" for possibly handguns. I never (after 40+ years in this game ever thought of that,,, at least of what I can remember.

Yeah,.... I call rubbish on the "pistol powder horn" claim he's making , IMO,... the smaller powder horns were more likely used/prefered when carrying small caliber rifles. 

And I agree with Rondo as well. I'm pretty flexible about this stuff. 

This is kinda one of those topics (small priming horn) that resembles the (ball block) discussion of if they were ever used, and of course now we know they were... I believe Rondo discovered the bags with ball blocks in a post he made not to long ago. I'll also say that I like my little priming horns 'cause I don't make near the mess as I do when I prime from my main horn.     

[Bigsmoke]

In looking at the size of his "priming horn" example, I'd say it was a bit large for that.  Or a pistol powder horn as well.  Baloney there, too.  A powder horn for a small bore rifle sounds like just the thing.  Or even for a large bore rifle, I would think that if it held enough powder for 4 - 6 shots it would be a plenty.  You are not going out to fight a war, for crying out loud.  In the day, you might have been, but not today.

[Winter Hawk]

Or even for a large bore rifle, I would think that if it held enough powder for 4 - 6 shots it would be a plenty.  You are not going out to fight a war, for crying out loud.

Nesmuck (George Sears, not OUR Nesmuck) made a trek of over 200 miles and started out with only 6 cartridges for his Billinghurst rifle (muzzleloader of course, 60 balls to the pound).  I think those were his sentiments exactly!

~Kees~

[Thunderhawk1828]

That is Keith Burgess (Australian) and in my opinion he is very knowledgeable and his you tube channel is very good. I would highly recommend him. Believe he has also provided some information / responses on the forum in the past. Check him out - believe you will like him as well.

Thunderhawk 1828

[River Runner]

I have sat through many discussions on small powder horns.  Around here (central NC) many of the collectors of late flint NC rifles contend that many small horns that we think of as maybe priming horns were "day" horns that were  carried in the shooting bag for local day hunts. This makes sense when you consider that the calibers were small (around .36 plus or minus) and locals didn't range out far on their small game hunting trips. 

[rollingb]

I have sat through many discussions on small powder horns.  Around here (central NC) many of the collectors of late flint NC rifles contend that many small horns that we think of as maybe priming horns were "day" horns that were  carried in the shooting bag for local day hunts. This makes sense when you consider that the calibers were small (around .36 plus or minus) and locals didn't range out far on their small game hunting trips.

I fully agree with those thoughts regarding the small powder horns.   

[Nessmuk]

I'm sure "Multi-use" items didn't start with our generation. A small horn would be perfect for both functions.

[Ohio Joe]

I'm sure "Multi-use" items didn't start with our generation. A small horn would be perfect for both functions.

Yes, yes it would. 

I find myself thinking again... I have several small "priming horns" that's what I use them for, and I think the only reason I use them for that is that I have 4fg powder on hand (bought for that purpose) so what else would I use the 4fg for if not priming?  I'll keep my small horns and use them for that purpose...

I have primed with 3f, 2f, and even 1f powder - just testing it, and it all works as a prime - so maybe when the 4f is all used up, I'll just load and prime from one horn... We'll see.   

[Bigsmoke]

Maybe some 40 years ago, I decided that priming horns seemed just a bit too bulky for my personal taste and I surely did not care for the push type valves on primers that were made by Treso.  So, I came up with the idea to press fit a horn bushing into a 150 grain fixed powder measure and then screw a regular horn valve into that with a 15 grain measure installed.  I felt that was THE answer to the problem. 
A year or so later, Linda and I were displaying at the SHOT Show and I had one of those on the table.  So, one morning, Don Minor and Andy Fautheree (owner and manager of House of Muskets) came walking by and stopped to visit.  Linda and I were chatting with Don about something and Andy was checking out stuff on the table.  All of a sudden, he calls out, "Don, look what they are doing to our products!!!"  So Don looks at the primer and says, "I can make these better than that.  How many do you want?"  I said, "If you can make them markedly better, I will take 100 of them.  When will they be ready?"  And so it went.  I have no idea how many of them I have sold since then, but it has been a bunch.  I think they now have a 135 grain capacity body and a one piece valve/nozzle.  The nozzle holds about 3 grains, so it is pretty right for priming and 4 Fg flows out of the valve like water.  Priced at the factory in Thompson Falls, MT, they are $16.00.  I would guess Fffg would also work in the primer, but Ffg would probably be a little coarse.  It is called the Free Flow Primer.

Over the years, I have used 4Fg, 3Fg, 2Fg and 1Fg in various flinters and they all work pretty good.  I can see using any grade of powder to prime with, and I don't think you really loose much if anything by priming out of the horn as far as ignition time goes.