Neat little horn feature

[JamesT]

Here is a little original powder horn I thought I would share with you folks. Just a plain old horn cept whoever made it added a unique feature. On the side of the neck is a small hole drilled. The way I understand it is the stopper most likely had a small channel or groove cut into one side. Probably an arrow marking carved as well so when you rotated the stopper and lined up the two arrows you could pour a little powder out the hole on the side there. Maybe to reprime the pan more frequently in fowl weather without pulling the stopper. Who really knows what the maker was thinkin. Just a little southern ingenuity. Have you ever seen one like this? Thought maybe some of you guys that craft horns might be inspired by this.

[Fyrstyk]

The hole may have been for a cross pin to keep the stopper from falling out.

[JamesT]

I suppose anything is possible but would seem a bit awkward not being able to remove the plug to fill the horn or pour from the main hole. The little priming hole does not extend through both sides of the neck. It's located on the bottom side of the curve only.

[P.W.Berkuta]

Interesting -- and the "vee" between the spout hole and that side hole might have something to do with that side hole? I also think that hole was for a plug retaining pin. It's anybody's guess !

[mark esterly]

the way the grooves are cut it looks to me like a chord was looped around there like a flemish bowstring on a bow follows the grooves cut for it.

[stikshooter]

The hole could be pin and trickler as there appears to be a definite grove on the right side of the hole ( 2 functions)/Ed

[scottmc]

Cool horn, Jim!

[David R. Pennington]

Very interesting! I say the stopper acted as a valve in conjunction with the hole. Looks like a wear groove to one side of the hole as if a pin rotated into it?

[WadePatton]

Love it.  I'd have no problem pulling the plug, covering the main hole with my thumb and dribbling out pan powder.  Thanks!

[JamesT]

Here's a couple more photos of the horn and the sketch is how I was thinkin it may have worked. Twist the spout and line up the arrows and powder will flow from the small hole. Maybe it just worked like you said Wade by just covering the big hole with your thumb. Who knows. I just think it's really cool what someone was thinking whether it worked well or not is another story. It didn't seem to catch on now did it.

[Smokey Plainsman]

Seems a mite bit potential dangerous to me!

Make sure to turn the plug after trickling, lest a rogue spark find its way into the horn!!!