Mini horn

[Dan Herda]

I bought this at the same estate sale as the Lancaster horn. The tip is obviously new but the horn itself I would like opinions on. It’s the smallest I’ve ever come across so couldn’t pass it up.

[Tim Crosby]

 Neat little horn, could have been a horn for a small cal. rifle. The fact that it has a staple and a carved area at the neck for a strap make me think it was carried rather than being a pocket or bag horn but we'll never know for sure.
 How about a shot of the butt and staple, are those Brass tacks?

   Thanks, Tim

[ed lundquist]

Dan, that is really neat!

[Dan Herda]

Neat little horn, could have been a horn for a small cal. rifle. The fact that it has a staple and a carved area at the neck for a strap make me think it was carried rather than being a pocket or bag horn but we'll never know for sure.
 How about a shot of the butt and staple, are those Brass tacks?

   Thanks, Tim

I’ll get to that after work tonight

[Tanselman]

That horn is so small, it probably needed a string on it just to find it and pull it out of the bag!

Shelby Gallien

[Dan Herda]

Four pins non magnetic.

[Tim Crosby]

  Thanks, that looks like a modern shaped eye screw in the end but the wire at the tip looks old and I have seen others with a twisted wire on them at the neck for a single strap.

   Tim

[D. Taylor Sapergia]

It could be either a little salt horn or a primer for a flinter.  For a .25 or .32 cal rifle, it could be a pocket horn for a day hunt.

[Notchy Bob]

That's a neat little horn.

It might have been a cap horn.  Old-time percussion caps were susceptible to damage from wetting, and a good horn will be airtight.  Also, if the lid of a cap tin gets a little rusty and sticks, and you pull with too much force, you can spill caps.  This is less likely to happen if the caps are stored in a horn like that.  During the percussion era, people used a lot of ingenuity in designing cap-holders, often affixed to the strap of the shot pouch, which would keep a small number of caps readily accessible.  The cap horn would be used more for storage or protection of a larger quantity.

My dad (born in 1907) grew up shooting muzzleloaders.  He liked carrying his caps in a cap horn instead of a tin, and he made several very similar to that one.

Thanks for showing that cool little accessory!

Notchy Bob

[Dan Herda]

Measurements of this horn are
3” around outside curve
Base plug is 1 1/4” x 13/16
ID of spout hole is .180
I measured a caps od and it is exactly .180 but turn and measure corner to corner its .220.

[mr. no gold]

Seems to me that N Bob has nailed it; a cap horn. Great container for caps and as mentioned, you get a controlled access to the contents. No spilling them all over the place, especially when you really need one. Have seen others that still had the contents intact. Neat items! Dan, you did it again! Thank you for showing it here. We all have enjoyed seeing it and having the opportunity to discuss a rarely spoken of subject.
Dick

[Tim Crosby]

  I would think .180 is pretty small being less than 3/16"  to have caps roll out easily with out getting jammed up but anything is possible. Is there any carbon stain in the hole?

   Tim

[Dan Herda]

Dirty lite grayish but yesterday when I measured it, I lightly tapped it on my bench and did get two powder flakes and some dust out.
It is what it is.
Fits nicely in a shirt pocket, even better before thong or eye screw I think.

[Rodd.Boyer]

I have one about that same size...

[Beaverman]

Dan, I have a tiny horn similar to that I use it for a primer

[TDM]

That's a neat little horn.

It might have been a cap horn.  Old-time percussion caps were susceptible to damage from wetting, and a good horn will be airtight.  Also, if the lid of a cap tin gets a little rusty and sticks, and you pull with too much force, you can spill caps.  This is less likely to happen if the caps are stored in a horn like that.  During the percussion era, people used a lot of ingenuity in designing cap-holders, often affixed to the strap of the shot pouch, which would keep a small number of caps readily accessible.  The cap horn would be used more for storage or protection of a larger quantity.

My dad (born in 1907) grew up shooting muzzleloaders.  He liked carrying his caps in a cap horn instead of a tin, and he made several very similar to that one.

Thanks for showing that cool little accessory!

Notchy Bob

Agree with Notchy Bob. It’s a neat little horn.