OOPS in the olden days.

[Crow-Feather]

"In about an hour after, an unpleasant accident happened to one of our men, named McCarey. He had been running a buffalo, and was about reloading the gun, which he had just discharged, when the powder in his horn was ignited by a burning wad remaining in the barrel; the horn was burst to fragments, the poor man dashed from his horse, and his face, neck, and hands, burnt in a shocking manner. We applied, immediately, the simple remedies which our situation and the place afforded, and in the course of an hour he was somewhat relieved, and travelled on with us, though in considerable suffering. His eyes were entirely closed, the lids very much swollen, and his long, flowing hair, patriarchal beard and eye brows, had all vanished in smoke. It will be long ere he gets another such crop." John Kirk Townsend 1834 (Reference).

 

[Notchy Bob]

Interesting! Thanks for posting! I've run across a few other mishaps in the period literature, some tragic, and some not... Misses, misfires, dryballs... I'll see if I can find any of them again.

Notchy Bob

 

[Troyfairweather]

Have there been any real test done on powder horns when Ignited, I know things are done to try to prevent them from exploding. Seems I've Hurd some explode and some just pop into flames, guess it depends on how much power was in the horn.

I believe there was a horn on the wall at Dixon's think it was mostly intact from what I remember.

 

[necchi]

Have there been any real test done on powder horns when Ignited,

Uhm, it's been a little over 30yrs now, but I've seen a horn explode when a feller was speed loading,
He lost the pinky finger on his right hand and half of the one next to it.
To his credit, he did show up to work that following Monday, hand all wrapped up. They did find lite duty work for him.

I don't think they did any tests with that horn, seeing it was enough for me to believe.
,

 

[Troyfairweather]

Uhm, it's been a little over 30yrs now, but I've seen a horn explode when a feller was speed loading,
He lost the pinky finger on his right hand and half of the one next to it.
To his credit, he did show up to work that following Monday, hand all wrapped up. They did find lite duty work for him.

I don't think they did any tests with that horn, seeing it was enough for me to believe.
,

Ya everyone should definitely be cautious when loading and keep the powder sealed up, I'd like to see a more scientific test.
side note if your going to loose a finger the piny is probably the one to loose. I had a accident and my middle finger on my right hand took a vacation one day at work. A few surgeries later and it's back on, lost 3 months of work and things the did to prevent problems down the road didn't work out. I feel it would have been better to just leave it off.

 

[tenngun]

Three things of note
1) a horn that comes apart easily won’t be a bomb. However a horn full of powder in your hand, say half a pound or more is sure going to cause some damage. Neither the guy holding it or the spectators would tell it from an explosion
2) here a good deference of a plains man in mountian man times wearing a beard
3) Wad. This fellow was shooting a smoothie

 

[user 36911]

Too many people are making horns now to have any sort of regulation. I'm sure some of them are epoxied together and would be bombs.

Flasks are the same way. They're supposed to have weak seams lightly soldered together so they'll split easy and not explode.

 

[mushka]

I don't and won't load directly from a horn. I use a measure and funnel. I'm an old fuddy duddy and believe in the power of igniting black powder.

 

[coloradoclyde]

Too many people are making horns now to have any sort of regulation. I'm sure some of them are epoxied together and would be bombs.

Flasks are the same way. They're supposed to have weak seams lightly soldered together so they'll split easy and not explode.

The problem wasn't the construction of the horn, but rather the use of it. I'll bet he was loading directly from the horn.

 

[Musketeer]

Here's a vid on the subject. Make of it what you will. He starts talking about the horn at around 1:30 and the action takes place around 6:10 or so.

 

[user 36911]

The problem wasn't the construction of the horn, but rather the use of it. I'll bet he was loading directly from the horn.

Not sure who you're talking about? I was just making a general statement.

 

[nhmoose]

Too many people are making horns now to have any sort of regulation. I'm sure some of them are epoxied together and would be bombs.

Flasks are the same way. They're supposed to have weak seams lightly soldered together so they'll split easy and not explode.

Yes we need more regulation on this Explosives being handle this way We need more law and regulation.

Note sarcasm PO

Lets feed the anti's and uneducated.

 

[user 36911]

I'm doing my best to ignore your post. I may fail.

 

[Eutycus]

Sure why blame one careless individual when you can blame horns in general and everyone who carries one.

 

[kje54]

Yes we need more regulation on this Explosives being handle this way We need more law and regulation.

Note sarcasm PO

Lets feed the anti's and uneducated.

I think the Darwin Awards has that covered quite well..........

 

[deerstalkert]

in my formative years (around the age of 18) i worked in a hospital. i collected small normal saline bottles that had been emptied.
while relaxing on a canal bank stripe bass fishing and drinking Jack, i would fill those 30ml bottles with bp and run a trail of powder to the bottle. light, run and hide.
made a pretty nice bang and thew rock and fumunda a hundred feet. last one i was short on brains, piming powder, and fleetness of foot.
it went off just as i was getting up speed. the glass, rocks, debris was faster. still have a piece of glass in my a..........sixty odd years later.
i don't underestimate what a horn with even a few hundred grains could do to ruin ones day.