Using a powder horn

[KILTED COWBOY]

Finishing up a build.
Now trying to learn about shooting a flintlock.
Powder horns? I hear about measuring the powder for your charge.
I see some horns have valves and some do not.
Would think traditional horns would not have a valve that measures powder. Do you transfer the powder from the horn into another device?
What do y'all use?
By the way will be shooting a .54 cal
Thanks

[EC121]

Get a measure.  Never pour from the horn to the barrel.  Bad things might happen if there is a spark in the barrel.  Horn mounted measures are not good for anything.

[hanshi]

ALWAYS pour powder into a powder measure and NEVER pour the charge directly from the horn.  Failure to remember this could eventually be your ticket to visit the moon.

[KILTED COWBOY]

Anything to look for when choosing a measure.
Looks like lots of choices

[KILTED COWBOY]

Also not trying to be a smart a**.
How did they keep from blowing themselves to smithereens back in the day.
In the movies you see them pouring straight from horns into barrels and pans. Did they not do it that way?
Also in battles with lots of rifles going off in close proximity.
 

[OldMtnMan]

The movies aren't real.

If you know what load you like a fixed measure is the way to stay traditional. An animal horn is always popular.

Back in the day a lot of guns would come with a measure from the gun builder.

[Dowrat]

I suggest you start out with an adjustable powder measure. Experiment with your rifle until you find the amount of powder you want to shoot, then make a fixed measure to hold that amount. Carry it tethered to your shooting pouch, pour from the horn to the measure, then to the rifle. Good luck, and be safe.

[KILTED COWBOY]

Thanks for all the reply's.

[MuskratMike]

To Kilted Cowboy: Dowrat hit the nail on the head. Use an adjustable measure until you have nailed down your "perfect" load for paper and for hunting. Then you can spend your money on some nicely carved horn or antler measures.

[Gun_Nut_73]

Anything to look for when choosing a measure.
Looks like lots of choices

As stated already, get an adjustable measure. 

I would like to add that the measure should have a spout or funnel that fits the bore of the rifle, to make it easier to get all the powder down the barrel, and not slopped all over the crown and ground.  A short starter that also fits the bore, and a pick for the vent hole should round out your needs.

[Marcruger]

As Jim Webb noted, most old timers did not "pour" by tilting up their horn.  They simply rotated the horn 180 degrees around its axis, and the powder naturally pours out.  That is why some horns, attached to bags, have relatively short straps. 

Definitely use a measure!   In the old days there were a lot of accidents and dismemberments we'd like to avoid today.  The adjustable brass measures with a side swiveling funnel on top are very handy.  As was noted, use one until you get your load, then have a fixed one made of brass, copper, horn, bone or wood.  They are more traditional.  Nothing wrong with keeping on using a good adjustable though. 

For a vent pick, use copper or brass wire so it won't wallow out your touch hole. 

As far as horns go, buy a good one to start, so you want get disappointed and have to buy another fairly quickly.  There are some great horners on these forums.  Plan on spending around $140 or $150 to get a good solid one. More if you like "fancy".  Be warned, horns are like women's shoes.....they multiply. 

God Bless, and best wishes,   Marc

[Huntschool]

I cant add much save to laud what has been already said.  You have a fine, fine rifle there and it deserves to be equipped properly.

However, and there is always one of those..... I do also strongly suggest you start with a good horn/bag combination as can be seen here on the forum and … God forbid an adjustable powder measure with a funnel tip.  I have one and the only time it sees the light of day is when I am working up loads at my range for a new gun.  Other then that it stays hidden.  I do use some adjustable but with out the funnel.  Most of my measures are made up to duplicate final loads for each gun in either brass, wood or horn cause I am kind of anal about primitive. 

Also, in general, look around and see what others shooting this kind of equipment are using.  Not the once a month range guys but the folks who are putting a lot of effort into equipping themselves correctly.  There is a learning curve here and you should enjoy that curve as you move forward.

I have been at this for over 50 years now and cool is doing it right...….  Best of luck to you.

[Bob Roller]

ALWAYS pour powder into a powder measure and NEVER pour the charge directly from the horn.  Failure to remember this could eventually be your ticket to visit the moon.

Or with a hand that will never work again or very possible EYE damage.
A measure installed on a horn is an avoidable tragedy.

Bob Roller

[Pukka Bundook]

I too think an adjustable measure is handy until you have your loads sorted out, but I also think when the time comes, making your own horn and measures adds a lot to the satisfaction of the sport.
I did buy an adjustable, but never the others.  Never had the cash either!........maybe that helped the decision.  :-)

[Steve Patterson]

I too think an adjustable measure is handy until you have your loads sorted out, but I also think when the time comes, making your own horn and measures adds a lot to the satisfaction of the sport.
I did buy an adjustable, but never the others.  Never had the cash either!........maybe that helped the decision.  :-)

Ditto here. Plus it's fun

[Daryl]

You can buy or borrow a scale to weigh your own powder charges to adjust your powder measure.

An adjustable measure is nice to use when working up a load for your gun, then when you find THE load,

make a measure to hold that amount of powder.  Making up a WHACK of measures, solves not having

the correct one.

These, made from brass tubing from a hobby store (top row left 2 and top row right  2- with wooden interior plugs) as well as from range - pick-up brass cases run from 20gr. to 165gr.
The brass tubing can be purchased in about any interior size, from 1/8" to 1", in .015" increases - thus, is unlimited.
I have found in testing, that 3/8" interior diameter or smaller, gives much closer "shot to shot" weights of powder.  Larger interior diameter measures, including horn or bone,
give large shot to shot "throws".

An old friend, Lester H. Hawkes of Kalispel, my BP shooting mentor from 1972 on, now passed on himself, taught me that consistency in loading is close to 50% of your accuracy. The other 50% is what you are loading AND your abilities.

[Smokey Plainsman]

Anything to look for when choosing a measure.
Looks like lots of choices

As stated already, get an adjustable measure. 

I would like to add that the measure should have a spout or funnel that fits the bore of the rifle, to make it easier to get all the powder down the barrel, and not slopped all over the crown and ground.  A short starter that also fits the bore, and a pick for the vent hole should round out your needs.

The old timers didn’t know what a “short starter” was.

They used a knife handle to start the ball, had coned muzzles, and often used a looser ball patch combo than we do today.

[Darkhorse]

Things don't need to be fancy and expensive to work. I started shooting BP in 1976. I went down to the slaughterhouse and scrounged up a couple of horns and made a powder horn. That is the only horn I've owned or carried in all the years hence. I like to keep things simple. In 76 I bought an adjustable powder measure with a little spout that swivels out of the way. That's the only brass powder measure I've owned and it gets called on a lot when I'm trying out new loads and such.
I've made some simple measures from deer antler that holds 30 grains 3fg. My .40 flintlock's accuracy load is 30 grains. My turkey load is 60 grains. One measure fills the bill.

[Pukka Bundook]

What Darkhorse says above reminds  me of another thing;
When you make up a real carrying measure, it can be made to throw a target load, and used twice for hunting.
When I had a Hawken type, (.54) I'd go 60 grs for targets and 120 for hunting.
Same with a homemade .44 cal barrel.   (40 & 80 grs).  Shot well with both.

It's just a case of figuring out what your rifle likes.

[OldMtnMan]

I keep it even simpler. I work up a hunting load. Meaning, the most accurate load with the most powder. Once I have that worked out I shoot it all the time no matter what type of shooting/hunting i'm doing.

[Daryl]

I keep it even simpler. I work up a hunting load. Meaning, the most accurate load with the most powder. Once I have that worked out I shoot it all the time no matter what type of shooting/hunting i'm doing.

Me too.  The hunting load is the most accurate load for THAT rifle. It gets used for everything, whether it's shooting gongs, strings, cards or meat.

The only rifle I vary from that rule is with the .69. I shoot the entire trail now with 82 or 85gr. 2F of the newer GOEX(which ever measure is handy). This gives me 1,250fps, which is 25fps more than
82gr. 3F and is more accurate as well. Thus I do not use 3F in that rifle, any more. My hunting load for that rifle is 165gr. 2F.  A few years back, when we were shooting the 200yard mail-in match,  it seemed as if 140gr. of 2F GOEX gave as good accuracy & elevation at 200yards as my old 165gr. load. I found this was in error, as the 165gr. charge was zero'd at 200 METERS, as before, not yards.  140gr. 2f GOEX shoots low at 200 meters(underneath the 200 meter sight). Accuracy was good though.

[Pukka Bundook]

With mine shooting just as straight for targets (within 100 yards) I use the half hunting charge as it saves a lot of powder and noise.

Same groups with the 60 as the 120 grains, but the 120 prints a tad higher.    I'll stick with this, but well understand we all have our own druthers!  :-)

[alacran]

Only time I use a horn is at Rendesvous.  When hunting I use this rig.

5 two piece paper cartridges for powder. They are sealed with spar polyurethane. A leather cartridge box with a wooden block for the cartridges. My short starter fits on the side of the box. A ball block and priming horn. of course if hunting with a cap gun I carry a capper.
If I happen to lose a cartridge in the field no big deal. 

[Daryl]

That's a cool setup.
I carried this sort of rig for my .69 for moose hunting.
not shown is the round capper, a circle of doubled leather than holds 24 caps
around it's periphery.

Of course, the tapered plug form is left at home. No short starter needed, just a choke up on the rod to get them started
then down they go, cap, aim and shoot. When practiced, I could load, aim and shoot the second shot in 8 seconds. A third
shot would have taken longer as the rod ends up on the ground - somewhere.



 

[alacran]

Daryl, I suppose 8 seconds would seem like 8 hours if you have a wounded charging moose coming at you.
I see you have your ball in your cartridges.  Do you just use the paper as your patching or is the ball patched. I've seen some Brit cartridges made from greased lined where there was a string tied just below the ball and another atop the ball.