Question about powder horn plug nails

[Ridge]

I have a small collection of about 20 antique powder horns.  What I have noticed as I collect them is that even though the spacing around the butt of the horn for the pegs is even, many have a section where there are 2 pegs very close together.  Often one of the pegs will be a nail that I'd guess was added later.

At first I just thought that it was a repair, but the more horns I buy the more of this I'm finding.  Since I'm in Appalachia, I'd wager that powder horns were used later than in other parts of the country.  So there still may be some validity to my theory.  What's puzzling though is that I can see no obvious signs of damage when I find this oddity.

Does anyone know why this would be done?  Has anyone else found this while handling old horns?

[Tim Crosby]

 In some cases it may be a repair and you will see maybe an odd grouping but I think some makers used a pattern with their nails or pegs and you may see nails and pegs. Sometimes you see groups of Two or Three, maybe even more spaced around the horn. Others I've seen have Two then Three spaced around the horn. It may have even been an owner somewhere along the line who added nails for decoration.
 M2CW Hope it helps.

  Tim C.
 

[Ridge]

Thanks, Tim. 

[Stophel]

My guess would be that it is something so simple as the maker decided to make his nails say, 1 inch apart.  He picks a starting point and goes around the horn one inch at a time...and at the end finds that his last nail is closer than 1 inch to his beginning hole.   He figures it's no big deal and puts them in just like that.

[Jerry P.]

How big are the nails and can you add a pic? Maybe it was used to hold the strap?