Period powder measure replacements?

[Artificer]

cost would be a big factor in how much powder people bought at 1 time. when i first started shooting BP in the early 70's, i read powder during the fur trade/ buffalo hunting days was the equivelent of about $500 a pound. at that rate, i sure couldnt keep much in stock.  mark

$500 a pound (in 1970's dollars) sounds way too high even for the super inflated prices at a rendezvous. 

The inflated price of powder to a trapper at rendezvous in 1830 was $ 2.50 a lb according to the following link.  In 1830 dollars compared to 2009 dollars, that's about $ 60.00 a pound. 

http://www.lonehand.com/fur_trade.htm

[Luke MacGillie]

AN ACCURATE AND INTERESTING ACCOUNT OF THE HARDSHIPS AND SUFFERINGS OF THAT BAND OF HEROES,
WHO TRAVERSED THE WILDERNESS IN THE CAMPAIGN AGAINST QUEBEC IN 1775,

BY JOHN JOSEPH HENRY, ESQ.
LATE PRESIDENT OF THE SECOND JUDICIAL DISTRICT OF PENNSYLVANIA

LANCASTER; PRINTED BY WILLIAM GREER 1812


Powder and ball, particularly the first, to us riflemen was of the first consequence. At Cainbridge the horns belonging to the men, were filled with an excellent rifle powder—which, when expended, could not be replaced in Canada by any powder of an equal quality. The men had got into a habit of throwing it away at every running object. Upon our return from the Chaudiere, this circumstance raised disgust in us for we had been studiously careful of our ammunition, never firing but at some object which would give us the means of subsistence. Though we drew our loads every morning, from a fear of the dampness of the atmosphere, yet the ball and powder were never lost. Our bullet screws brought the first out with ease, and it was recast— the latter was carefully returned to the horn, where, if moist, it soon became dry. P54