Buffalo Horn Muzzle Cap

[Buffalo Bones]

I've been thinking of using a piece of buffalo/bison horn for a muzzle cap on a Tennessee rifle. What is the best way to
go about this?

Thanks

 

[Norskie]

Gawd, I love a straight line!
Cut away everything that doesn't look like a nosecap!
Seriously, buffalo horn seems too porous. I'm carving away at a scrap piece of black cow horn that I hope to use as a pistol nosecap. Sharp knife and a piece of heavy leather to protect my left hand. I shoulda left enough so I could clamp it in a vice, but I learn from my mistakes.
Very sharp knife, by the way.

 

[rich pierce]

I've been thinking of using a piece of buffalo/bison horn for a muzzle cap on a Tennessee rifle. What is the best way to
go about this?

Thanks

First ya git yer Tennessee rifle, then ya get a bull buffler who is in a bad mood. Then play bullfighter with him and when he charges, poke the muzzle end of the rifle right onto his horn. Then with a quick twist, pop the horn off'n him, and skedaddle! Then finish it up later in the comfort and safety of your shop.

OK, that was fun. If I intended to glue it, I'd glue it onto the forestock with 1/8" dowels in both pieces. There is hardly a place for the dowels, though, if your forestock is as thin as it should be. I'd worry about having enough surface area for a good strong glue bond.

Next option would be to form it like a metal nosecap and slide it on and glue it there. More work (horn is wicked hard) but probably stronger.

 

[davy]

That would be a great tutorial for some skilled gentleman to produce here! :thumbsup:

Any of you guys know of a good supplier of this horn for a nosecap and size you would need?


Davy

 

[Swampman]

"Any of you guys know of a good supplier of this horn for a nosecap"

ebay has bison and water buffalo horns listed all the time.

Anyone ever see an original with a horn nosecap?

 

[Nightwind]

I'm building a bufalo/cross sticks rifle, and will be attempting to use buffalo horn for the muzzle, buttplate, toeplate and more.
At this time, I'm hoping to do this by boiling the horn and shaping it by using preshaped forms. Maybe epoxy the horn material to the stock?

 

[davy]

"Any of you guys know of a good supplier of this horn for a nosecap"

ebay has bison and water buffalo horns listed all the time.

Anyone ever see an original with a horn nosecap?

It is my understanding that many of the English Sporting rifles had horn end caps etc. Has anyone ever made a horn butt cap?

Davy

 

[dlemaster]

Davy
I've never made one but I have seen them on original German guns. Butt plates that is. If that helps.

Regards, Dave

 

Originals fullstocks normally had the horn boiled and shaped around the recessed stock, wich makes for a stronger joint. Woodworker supplyers have flat horn plates in various thicknesses.

Has anybody ever tried to boil+shape black buffalo horn? Is it too brittle?

Robert

 

[rich pierce]

There was a good recent article in Muzzle Blasts about heating and forming horn. Boiling water does not get hot enough to be very effective. They suggested an oven or deep fryer as i recall, and 375 or so.

 

[davy]

I would enjoy reading that article if anybody has it!

Thanx

Davy

 

[Zonie]

I think the temperature was 350 degrees to get a permanent set, using either hot oil or a oven (your wife will forget all about the smell a year or so from now :grin: ).

The article was about Flat Horns and the author said any temperature below this would not remove the horns "memory" and it would return to its original shape.

I was thinking about using horn on the Tennessee I'm making now. The main concern of mine is that horns are rather thick by themselves and there is not a lot of wood up there at the nose of the stock.
I would think the horn would have to be thinned to something less than .050 or so just to assure there would be some wood to support it.

 

[Nightwind]

Zonie, you're absolutely right. Boil horns in oil, not water. OH, outside too!

 

Had all y'all thought about using bone, don't smell as much, fairly easy to work, and the dog gets the leftovers :haha:
An example

Bill