Dang Priming Horns

Harry Marinakis · Dec 14, 2024

I made a little 4F priming horn with a turned wood stopper.

The problem is that the throat diameter of the horn is so small that I keep breaking off the stem of the stopper.
And the broken stem gets stuck in the horn.
I have tried turning the stopper from Maple, Oak, Cherry, Ash, and Hickory.
I've drilled out the throat to a wider diameter, but I still keep breaking off the stem of the stopper.

Today I broke off the stem on my first shot, so I spent the rest of the afternoon priming with 3F from the main powder horn.

Surprise, surprise, that worked just fine.

Anyone have any other ideas for natural stopper material? I could hand carve the stopper if the material can't be turned on a lathe.

ArmorerRoy · Dec 14, 2024

Drill the stopper and glue in a wood dowel in the diameter you need. It will be stronger than whittled down wood and you won't be able to see the difference.

nchawkeye · Dec 14, 2024

How about deer antler?

sb 54 cal. · Dec 14, 2024

Second deer antler

WonkyEye · Dec 14, 2024

What kind of wood? I made one out of a bamboo skewer and epoxied it into a chunk of beech. It's held strong since.

Alternatively drill down the center of the peg and epoxy a metal rod in there. I repaired a cracked Mauser stock with metal dowels like that, it's still going strong 15 years later.

Larry (Omaha) · Dec 14, 2024

Harry Marinakis said:
I made a little 4F priming horn with a turned wood stopper.

The problem is that the throat diameter of the horn is so small that I keep breaking off the stem of the stopper.
And the broken stem gets stuck in the horn.
I have tried turning the stopper from Maple, Oak, Cherry, Ash, and Hickory.
I've drilled out the throat to a wider diameter, but I still keep breaking off the stem of the stopper.

Today I broke off the stem on my first shot, so I spent the rest of the afternoon priming with 3F from the main powder horn.

Surprise, surprise, that worked just fine.

Anyone have any other ideas for natural stopper material? I could hand carve the stopper if the material can't be turned on a lathe.

View attachment 368666

Get a chunk of Cocobolo wood. Good stuff. If that don't work, cheat and put a tapered brass stem in.
Larry

WonkyEye · Dec 14, 2024

Also, nice horn, it looks great

Beaverman2 · Dec 14, 2024

Purple heart is harder than the hubs too, it will have a purple color to it but will brown in a few years if let unfinished so the surface oxidizes.

nbogan · Dec 14, 2024

I've used dried rose canes for plugs.

Brokennock · Dec 15, 2024

If you use too hard of a material in hopes of not breaking the stopper,,, you risk splitting the horn.
Is the hole in the horn tappered as it should be?

Why not just keep using the 3f from your horn? It works, and won't have the moisture issues that 4f has if you hunt.

Ohio Rusty · Dec 15, 2024

Can you open the hole in the horn more ?? That larger spout hole may help with the stopper issue as it could be a bit larger. I agree with the other folks that deer antler is tough and less prone to breakage.
Ohio Rusty ><>

French Colonial · Dec 15, 2024

Or you can drill through the middle of the stopper and insert a 1/16" brass rod to strengthen it, leave it extra-long where it goes in the horn and you now have a built-in vent pick.

And there you go....

Harry Marinakis · Dec 15, 2024

French Colonial said:
Or you can drill through the middle of the stopper and insert a 1/16" brass rod to strengthen it, leave it extra-long where it goes in the horn and you now have a built-in vent pick.

BOOM!

Newly O’Brian · Dec 15, 2024

If you make the hole and stopper tapered, it won't seize in the horn.

Best of luck!

rchas · Dec 15, 2024

Maybe what you need is flexibility. Try a scrap of heavy leather soaked in hot bees wax.

Alby · Dec 15, 2024

I have used a thorn from a thorn apple tree for years with no problem. Naturally tapered and very strong.

Terrier · Dec 15, 2024

Or maybe a locust thorn?

Tom A Hawk · Dec 15, 2024

To be honest, I have not encountered this problem. Is the plug especially tight?

Absoroka · Dec 15, 2024

Try a piece of ramrod. Hickory is tough stuff.

Harry Marinakis · Dec 15, 2024

Tom A Hawk said:
To be honest, I have not encountered this problem. Is the plug especially tight?

I think the wood swells with atmospheric changes

Dang Priming Horns

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