How to make a powder horn?

[Robin Camp]

I just became the proud possessor of a nice raw horn, with the core removed, cow horn. Does anyone have directions on how to transform it into a powder horn? Robin

 

[paulvallandigham]

The Selby book is THE work on how to build a powder horn. Track sells it.

However, you can check this site because it does a pretty good job of illustrating the process with pictures, and text.
http://lumberjocks.com/jocks/decoustudio/blog/2482

There are also other books on making powder horns. Check with Google, or your library, or Books In Print at the bookstore.

 

[Oldnamvet]

http://home.att.net/~mman/PowderHornMaking.htm

is another site with good pictures and instructions.

 

[paulvallandigham]

The Book I meant to refer you to is one on "Recreating the 18th Century Powder Horn", By Scott and Kathy Sibley. My apology for the mis-spelling. It is still available from Track of The Wolf, and other suppliers that deal in books.

What you do with that piece of horn is entirely up to you. YOU CAN try to copy some existing style of horn, using these references, or you can do something of your own.

I rejected a Long, Big Horn early in my involvement with Black Powder after examining some that were owned by other club members, who were carrying a couple of pounds of powder in the horns strung over their necks at the club shoots! Our matches only involved 20 shots, so I thought what they were lugging around was a bit much.

The more I hunt, the more I prefer pre-measured powder charges carried in individual containers. This due to weather, and negotiating heavy brush to get into and out of the woods to a stand. I do own and use a medium sized horn that carries a little more than 1/2 pound of powder. Frankly, other than when shooting my shotgun at the range, its still more powder than I need in the woods.

So, I have some small horns I bought at Friendship, that I hope to flatten, and make into small horns, that can be carried in a pocket. If they carry 300 grains of powder, That will probably be too much. But in a shirt pocket, I know the powder will stay dry, be readily available for reloading, even when I am squirrel hunting with my .36 rifle, and well carry enough powder for a fun day within the daily bag limits on Squirrels( or rabbits). I bought more than one horn, so that if I screw up- a normal expectation- I can just begin with another horn. If I am successful, and make more than one of these horns, I can make a gift on one of them, or sell the others.

 

[boar]

When you get ready to make the base, heres what I do. I press the base of horn in a foam dinner plate to make my pattern. This saves a lot of work. Dilly

 

[Sydney]

I bought the Sibleys book based on a recomendation from here. It's a great book, I would have liked a bit more detail in the scrimshaw section though. However, my horn is coming along, slowly.

 

[Cosmoline]

I've been using a little German hand drill, not a mechanical one. This is slow going, but seems to be less stressful on the material and lets you keep total control.

 

[paulvallandigham]

If you google, " How to Scrimshaw", you will be directed to a number of sites, and they in turn give the titles to several new books out describing the process.

Thry this one, for example:
http://lumberjocks.com/jocks/decoustudio/blog/2473

:thumbsup:

 

[crockett]

Do you have a lathe to turn a round plug? If not you'll have to make a plug that fits the horn.