What do you prime with?

[Dennis Glazener]

I used to always prime from my horn since at the time I only used 3F powder. Then I started using 2F in my 54 hunting rifle and a buddy gave me a 1/2 lb of 4F claiming better ignition. That's an argument for another topic Anyway I had an old TC priming tool that someone gave me. You know the one that you fill with priming powder then push the spout against the bottom of the pan to release the priming powder. I have been using that in my 54 hunting rifle. Saturday the bottom portion (spout/powder chamber) fell off (it was pressed in and had an indentation on both sides) and all I had when I got back to the truck was the top cap still hanging on my horn strap. Before I buy another one I thought I would see how most of you use to prime from. I wasn't particular happy with the one I had, most of the time I had to push the spout 2 or 3 times to fill the pan (I like a full pan when I am hunting!). Also wasn't too keen about the thing hanging down on my horn strap, just Saturday morning I knocked it up against my horn while shouldering my rifle to take a shot at a small buck, spooked him. Of course I can eliminate that problem by hanging it on my pouch strap which I carry over the left shoulder.

This question probably won't tell me  what's best for me but I bet it won't be from lack of opinions!

Dennis

[wattlebuster]

I use one of the little pan prime flasks from TOLW. Got one in each bag I have and the have fffg in them. Never had anything but good results with fffg prime. So as far as Im concerned if it aint broke

[LynnC]

Depending on the gun I prime with the 2F or 3f in the horn I'm carrying. I have small priming horns and tiny priming gourds but have gotten away from using them.  Just inconvenient.

[Maven]

Dennis, I have one of those brass priming powder dispensers (3 gr. I think)  and have had a few problems with it too.  I use FFFFg in mine otherwise it gets balky and needs disassembling and cleaning to throw a charge.  (It came with my first flintlock.)  It's OK with FFFFg, but I'd like to replace it with a nice flat priming horn.  Btw, it's not HC, but a small, flat plastic bottle with a secure spout such as the one Dixon's sells with [his] priming powder works quite well and won't make any noise to spook a deer.

[hanshi]

I had two brass primers, one small and the other larger.  I lost the small one (my favorite) in the woods last year and only have the larger one - it's still fairly small.  Both had screw on bases and tops so didn't come apart at embarrassing moments.  I also have a small primer horn made from a deer leg bone and that's what I use in the woods.  I prime with 4F and all three primers worked perfectly with 4F.

[Scout]

I have two of them, both have the same pushdown tip/spout that unscrews for filling. The brass one that I bought works great, never had an issue with it.
The other one is made from a horn tip I carved like my F&I horn and dyed the same, it also works great but has a smaller capacity.
I keep whatever one I am going to use in my shirt pocket.

Gettin back to the original post, I use 4F.

I tried 3F a few times in my .40s pan and it seemed a bit slower between trigger pull and BOOM. I never tried it in my .50 as I use 2F and don't bring any 3F with me when I take her out.
The slight delay could just be my perception as I've lost a step or two over the last few years too.

Scout

[Dennis Glazener]

Btw, it's not HC, but a small, flat plastic bottle with a secure spout such as the one Dixon's sells with [his] priming powder works quite well and won't make any noise to spook a deer.

Do you have problems with static electricity causing the powder grains to stick to the bottle?

Regarding the use of 4F for priming, I like it in the cool weather but i have problems with it turning to goop in our hot humid summer heat! 3F is better but not a lot.
Dennis

[Maven]

No static cling at all.  A dryer sheet or a rinse with soapy water will nip static in the bud.  Hmmm, FFFFg and humidity almost seem to be made for each other, but I still use it.  However, I really should try FFFg, but not in that little pan charger.

[490roundball]

I shoot 2F in the main charge - rarely but sometimes I prime with that.  but most the time I prime with 4F from a very little flat horn I made from a calf's bud.  one tap on the side of the pan drops a good priming charge.

[alsask]

I use 4F for priming powder, but I have used 3F.  I have a small TC brass pan primer, actually 2 of them as I have a second kit set up for my .32.  They have always worked well.

[Jerry V Lape]

I prime with 4F most of the time because I have a 1lb can of it to use up which seems to take quite a while.  I have primed with 3F and 2 F.  I expect to prime with 3F in the future.  Currently use one of the brass plunger tip primers but want to make a flat horn primer as I don't like having the little brass hand grenade on my person.  

[Larry Pletcher]

Dennis,
I use a small flat horn with a plunger type valve. The horn is small enough to fit nicely in my hip pocket. I carry 4fg or Swiss null b in it. I find this more efficient for me that priming from the horn. I have nerve damage in my hand, so I don't like handling a main horn and stopper twice. Instead I reach for the flat horn in my hip pocket. 2-3 plunges and back it goes. No valves or stoppers to handle. 4fg meters well from the valve. That helps too.  One last thing: by carrying 4fg or nul b, I have helped two others on a woods walk who dry balled. We could meter fine power through the vent when we couldn't with other powders.

Regards,
Pletch

[LynnC]

Boy am I out numbered   

[Gene Carrell]

I prime with Null B from a small  flat horn carried in  a pocket.  It has a  wooden plug  with a  vent pick  on the horn  end. I like having a  'manual' plug on the  horn  as this  reminds me to  plug the horn each time it is used. I have tried the brass  'push' primers  and found sooner or later  they will stick open and  empty themselves where  and when  I don't want  them to. The little flat horn  is light and easy  to slip into a pocket.

[Keb]

I use 4F in a brass dribble primer. Always have, always will.

[Hungry Horse]

I prime with some old Dupont I got in a trade ( red oval can w/small cap) . This stuff is coated like blasting powder. You can carry it all day in the drizzle, and she'll go off. I only use 4F if I'm shooting off the bench, and some times not even then. Some shooters are more equipment collectors than shooters.

                 Hungry Horse

[Dphariss]

Depending on the gun I prime with the 2F or 3f in the horn I'm carrying. I have small priming horns and tiny priming gourds but have gotten away from using them.  Just inconvenient.

Its like shop practice and gun makers. I can have someone explain how they do something and I think its a$$ backwards but it works fine for them.
I consider priming from the horn a PITA and too difficult.
I think not having ffff along with a FL is a mistake.

I have always used a priming horn of some sort since I  was a kid, I think its easier.

Dan

[Roger Fisher]

I use 4F in a brass dribble primer. Always have, always will.

So do I plus a 2nd primer horn I stuck together antler & plunger spout.    Those plunger spouts need watching worse in high humid conditions.  Must take apart clean the plunger tube area and try not to lose that little bitty coil spring... Beware the brass since it can and has been a grenade.... After priming put it in safe protected place.

[Dennis Glazener]

I use 4F in a brass dribble primer. Always have, always will.

I am familiar with a modern powder dribbler like this
 
but don't think this is what you are talking about. How is yours made? Sounds like something I might be interested in making.
Dennis

[Scout]

I consider priming from the horn a PITA and too difficult.
I think not having ffff along with a FL is a mistake.

I have always used a priming horn of some sort since I  was a kid, I think its easier.

Dan

I agree, it is a PITA for me too.
I guess my technique is sorely lacking as I end up overfilling the pan when I tried the horn method. I need to call up Mel Gibson or Daniel Day-Lewis to see how they did it while running thru the woods.

[Al Lapp]

I prime from a small horn. And like an earlier post mentioned if you dry ball it is easier to get 4f powder through the flash hole. Ask me I know, so I always prime with 4f powder.  Al

[hanshi]

Boy am I out numbered   

Sho do look dat way. 

I still have an old can of Dupont 4F and a couple cans of Goex.  It'll be a good while before I'll need any more 4F.  That's my preference from waaay back.  If I could log onto photobucket I'd post a pic of the little deer leg primer.

[david50]

i prime with 4f,basically because i have five pounds of it. here is my little priming horn.

[George Sutton]

NULL B

Centershot

[Brian]

I started off using 4F and one of the small brass primers with the auto dispenser built into the tip.  It worked okay for the most part, but after several people pointed out to me that I was hanging a potential “brass grenade” around my neck I decided not to use that any more.  The pro’s and con’s of that theory can be debated in a different thread at a different time, but I decided discretion was the better part of valor.  A personal decision.

So I looked around to see what the more knowledgeable and experienced shooters than I were using, and saw most of them were just using a small priming horn with a simple wooden stopper.  Effective, and safe, and once you get on to it actually quite quick.  So that’s what I went to.  Works for me.

I’m still using 4F for primer.  As far as I know we can’t get Nul B up here.  Wish we could as I’d like to try some.