Horn, Bag, and a question

[yellowhousejake]

I just finished a bag and horn to go with a squirrel rifle I am building. The bag is 5 1/2" by 6" and the horn is 9" around the curl counting the plug. Not much bigger than a priming horn, but suitable I think for a 36 caliber rifle. I made the plug from a cut off of the stock blank and carved it to resemble an acorn cap. Squirrel rifle and all.

I started to make a measure and have a perplexing question. The measure must be big enough to take powder from the horn, I have a 1/4" spout hole, and small enough to pour it's contents into a 36 caliber bore. Without pouring powder on the ground every charge, how do I make a measure that is not much bigger than a thimble?

Any examples of small bore measures would be very appreciated!

DAve

[Tim Crosby]

 Just make the shank larger and drill the hole with a 3/8ths bit, should work well. Nice looking set, I like the  way you carved the butt. If you make your tip smaller as in taper it out more, it will make it easer to pour into you measure.

  Tim C.

[Mike Lyons]

I think I understand your question.  I drilled a hole in an antler tip that held the charge I wanted and then filed a small channel in the drilled hole to help control pouring the powder in the barrel.   I bought an overpriced brass funnel with a wood handle that I use on the range.

[yellowhousejake]

if you make your tip smaller as in taper it out more, it will make it easer to pour into you measure.

  Tim C.

Thank you. It's only my third horn and I was not sure just how small I can go before I end up with a fragile spout. Right now it is under 3/8", I figured I could take more off easier than put horn back on. Would leaving 1/16" around the spout plug make it too fragile?

DAve

[yellowhousejake]

I think I understand your question.  I drilled a hole in an antler tip that held the charge I wanted and then filed a small channel in the drilled hole to help control pouring the powder in the barrel.   I bought an overpriced brass funnel with a wood handle that I use on the range.

That is exactly the question. Getting the powder in a 54 or 58 caliber hole is pretty easy, but the 36 caliber hole doesn't seem very big. I had thought about a channel in the measure, but was unsure how it would work in real life. Does it work well for you? I will be using 3F more than likely.

DAve

[Top Jaw]

If your using a horn tip, I would Drill adjacent holes and connect them making more of an oval opening rather tha a round  opening. That way when you pour it will come out from a smaller channel into your 36 bore easier.  You can also heat a Drilled horn tip and smash it to accomplish the same thing. I did that to one of my measures which helps me pour into my 40 Cal. If you are using an antler tip, look for one that’s more oval shaped and drill it as described or use a Dremel tool to make an oval hole rather than a round one.

[Natureboy]

  Here's my measure, made from an antler tip. You might be able to see the channel that I hollowed out on the lower lip, using a Dremel. Admitedly, this is for a .54, but using a smaller tip would work well for your .36. A local pet store has lots of antler tips for doggie chewing toys, so if you can find a similar shop you might be able to pick and choose. Once I had established my flinter's favorite load using a calibrated measure, I drilled the hole and poured in the powder, cutting down to the right depth using a coping saw. This is about as far as I can go with DIY projects. As Top Jaw has suggested, the hole can be ground out to be oval. Most antlers are oval anyway.

[yellowhousejake]

Many things to think on, thank you. I never considered making the measure oblong or oval.

The fish measure is cool. You description of filling to the mouth cuts makes total sense, seeing those type of measure before I always pondered the why and the how of having a measure with cuts in the sides.

DAve

[Elnathan]

Would leaving 1/16" around the spout plug make it too fragile?

That is about what I shoot for on mine. Remember that the tip is tapered down on the outside, and if you have a tapered hole, on the inside as well, so it is only thin right at the tip.

Using a softwood plug instead of hardwood might help keep the tip from breaking too.

I'd be interested to see what the professional horners have to say.

[Steve Patterson]

I was in the middle of uploading some pocs and read the copyright statement in the front of the book. Sorry. No pics. According to Sketches of hunting pouches powder horns and accouterments of Southern Appalachia, formed leather funnels were a thing. There are two sketched in the bag contents pages. One with a .32 and one with a .40. There's also a two page spread just on different powder funnels. Leather, leather and goose quill, cow horn, gourd, and brass.

[Tim Crosby]

if you make your tip smaller as in taper it out more, it will make it easer to pour into you measure.

  Tim C.

Thank you. It's only my third horn and I was not sure just how small I can go before I end up with a fragile spout. Right now it is under 3/8", I figured I could take more off easier than put horn back on. Would leaving 1/16" around the spout plug make it too fragile?

DAve

 I wouldn't think so, unless you step on it.

   Tim

[yellowhousejake]

Would leaving 1/16" around the spout plug make it too fragile?

DAve

 I wouldn't think so, unless you step on it.

   Tim

I won't say that could never happen...
I am surprised at just how strong horn is now that I have built a few powder horns.

DAve

[hanshi]

My horns are crude and not easy on the eye; so I won't include them.  While my measures are also crude, I make them with a lip appropriate for the caliber.  Here's a couple; 60 grains for a .45 and a 30 grains one for the .32 and .36.

[Tim Crosby]

 Crude? They look right to me, Neat

   Tim

[Marcruger]

Horns can be tough.  The first time I met Tim Crosby was at a show, and I had my family in tow.  I asked my daughter to be careful when handling a horn so as not to damage it.  Tim said, "Oh, let her handle it. She can't hurt it.  Those horns are tough."  He then proceeded to take a partly finished horn and whack it hard on the floor several times.  No damage.  That lesson stuck with me!  God Bless,   Marc

[Elnathan]

Horns can be tough.  The first time I met Tim Crosby was at a show, and I had my family in tow.  I asked my daughter to be careful when handling a horn so as not to damage it.  Tim said, "Oh, let her handle it. She can't hurt it.  Those horns are tough."  He then proceeded to take a partly finished horn and whack it hard on the floor several times.  No damage.  That lesson stuck with me!  God Bless,   Marc

Well, they ARE made for stabbing and banging into things, after all! 

[Steve Patterson]

 Without pouring powder on the ground every charge, how do I make a measure that is not much bigger than a thimble?

Also in accoutrements of southern Appalachia there was an example of a thimble with the edge bent to a pour spout.

 Just a thought.

[Smokey Plainsman]

My horns are crude and not easy on the eye; so I won't include them.  While my measures are also crude, I make them with a lip appropriate for the caliber.  Here's a couple; 60 grains for a .45 and a 30 grains one for the .32 and .36.

Those are great! I need a measure for my new .40 cal firelock, but have a long wait for it first, then of course I’ll need to find a fitting charge.