Powder Flasks?

[Smokey Plainsman]

I seem to recall in Ned Roberts excellent book, The Muzzle-Loading Cap Lock Rifle, the author describes that over the years, shooters began to use powder flasks for their rifles. I don’t have the book in front of me to quote exactly but it would seem to me that carrying a powder flask in place of a powder horn should be HC/PC for a late period percussion gun.



I am beginning my search for accouterments for my Ohio style percussion rifle and it would seem I could tuck a powder flask in the shooting pouch. Would be one less thing to snag on a branch in the squirrel woods.

Anybody else consider this or have any comments? I wonder if the old timers just stuck the flask in their pouch, or carried it on a strap, etc.?

Thanks!

-Smokey

[alyce-james]

May have had the flask in there jacket pocket. AJ.

[MuskratMike]

My flask has Buffalo Trace or Eagle Rare for after the kill and rifle is unloaded.

[Smokey Plainsman]

My flask has Buffalo Trace or Eagle Rare for after the kill and rifle is loaded.

Doesn’t really contribute to the conversation but... okay...

[Dan Herda]

Imo, it would be appropriet to carry a flask for powder for what you are describing. But I aslo think it could be either a flask like you are showing OR a bag horn. I put together my kit with similar thoughts but mine is flint and .36 in nature. Loading with 3F it does give the option of main load and primer even though I dont do that with any of my other long guns.
I still am going to design and build a bag that has an interior pocket or "keeper" for my horn.(which is flat)

[Smokey Plainsman]

Imo, it would be appropriet to carry a flask for powder for what you are describing. But I aslo think it could be either a flask like you are showing OR a bag horn. I put together my kit with similar thoughts but mine is flint and .36 in nature. Loading with 3F it does give the option of main load and primer even though I dont do that with any of my other long guns.
I still am going to design and build a bag that has an interior pocket or "keeper" for my horn.(which is flat)

Thanks, Dan.

The more I think about it, the more it seems it must have been done at least once. There are gobs of original flasks on eBay. Clearly they were made in large numbers. I think it’s very unlikely nobody tucked one in their shooting pouch, especially in the late percussion era.

[45-110]

This year when I went out to hunt for deer or elk I wanted to tote a flask. Picked up a nice Hawksley and that's what hangs from my bag straps. Carried my Dimick some days and my Hawken others. I designed a new small bag last winter that would work with the flask and they travel well together. I had the flask on in the picture of the elk I just took in "black powder shooting". I was worried about noise and they are dentable, but a non hunting issue. I was always intrigued by the US m1841 rifleman's pouch and peace flask combo.
kw

[msellers]

My great grandfather carried a large flask along with his smallish pouch and shot bag for his double barrel 10 gauge. That is the only set I have had in hand from the later percussion era that I had family writings about as well.
Mike

[Feltwad]

Here in the UK I would say that 99% of muzzle loading game shooter carry both a powder and shot flask , a collector of flasks I have enclosed  a couple of images showing the different types.
Feltwad
 Part of flask display

Continental Flasks

Large Fowler Flask ,middle one  very rare throws 9to 12 drms

[WadePatton]

Old things that were not used up, may very well have been passed down or traded off, such that a horn would not be out of place at any time since the common usage of horns for powder. 

But if you cannot reverse things and carry a flask and represent an earlier time.

If you get all your stuff to match the proper latest fashion of say November 1842, you might wind up looking like the guy who rolls into modern hunting camp with every stitch of clothing and gear straight out of the Cabela's catalog (with the tags hanging off) - Green that is.  There is no shame in good, old, second-hand gear, how-ever a old-timer might have come into it. And to be sure some of those chaps did indeed gear up all new at once if they had the funds to do it, but is never how I rolled.

[Notchy Bob]

Smokey Plainsman, if you are seriously interested in flasks and you have any cash left over from that nice Ohio rifle purchase, you might consider ordering a copy of Ray Riling's book, The Powder Flask Book.  It was first published in 1953 but as far as I know is still the definitive reference.  I think it is out of print, but AbeBooks has 46 used copies for sale.  It ain't cheap, but $40 - $60 for a good vintage copy should provide information that's hard to find anywhere else.  You'd probably just spend the money on groceries or a new shirt or something if you don't buy the book.

Some ranges and shooting clubs don't allow loading directly from a flask... You need to throw your charge into a separate charger and then put it in your barrel.  The idea is that a latent spark from the previous shot might light up your charge (and the powder in your flask) while you are loading.  I suppose it could happen...

One other thing to think about is that metals "sweat," or develop condensation on their surface, when exposed to rapid, extreme changes in temperature.  For example, if you have been afield some frosty morning, and then come in a heated building to warm up.  If you bring your flask in with you, it might sweat a little and introduce some moisture to your powder.  One of the several reasons many people continued to use powder horns is that horn doesn't "sweat."  Horn is really an ideal material for a powder container.

Best regards,

Notchy Bob