Powder flask questions

[Cbriggs57]

https://www.google.com/search?q=pow...&ved=0ahUKEwiLmMqrv9bJAhXE6yYKHeB9B2QQnUAI2gM
This is the url to a listing for a powder flask identical to one I got with a used TC Hawken. Never used one before, so I have no idea how to use it, and it is full of an unknown powder, possibly Pyrodex RS. Hope someone can view this and give me some information. Does this setup measure, or just dispense powder? How do I empty and refill it? What would you suggest doing with the old powder, use as fertilizer? Figuring my kit for this rifle so I can take it hunting.

 

[mooman76]

First, no way to tell what powder is in it. The safe thing is to dump it. Yes it measures and dispenses but that is unsafe too to pour directly into the barrel, it turns the dispenser into a bomb. Unlikely to happen but it has happened. Plus you are stuck with the one side it dispenses. Get a spate measure and pour into it and then into your rifle. You use it by turning it upside down and turn the lever which is spring mounted and it pours out. Just fill it with a small funnel, that's the easiest way.

 

[Cbriggs57]

What looks like a lever or cover to one side of the spout seems to be a dead end. It's just a sealed tube. Is that just to hold an extra charge? Can't fill with it.
By the way, I did take a chance and loosen the setscrews holding the top on, so I can dump the powder.
I'm taking your advice and not planning on loading with it. I just don't see a good way to adjust and calibrate it for hunting loads. It's "old-timey-looking", but that's about it, I guess.
Thanks for your quick reply. Got to finish my setup and get ready for a memorial service later. Rainy-misty here in Michigan today, but if the weather holds off I can hunt tonight.

 

[Rifleman1776]

is full of an unknown powder

Dump and discard. Unknown means possibly dangerous. And, as others have said, use flask only for carrying your black powder. Pour into a measure and then that into the rifle.

 

[nwtradegun]

that dead space is for storing balls. the flask was made to be used with a revolver.

 

[mooman76]

Some people(for hunting) including myself get some tubes that are quick loaders. They are the same size as your caliber and you preload them with powder, patch and ball. Just remove the cap dump the powder and push the ball in. That cuts down on taking allot of extra stuff, not likely needed. Some of them even come with a little cap holder. You can also make your own from PVC.

 

[mooman76]

By the way when I go to the site from my computer it brings up a bunch of flasks so I just figured you were talking about the common tear drop shaped flask.

 

[Cbriggs57]

For revolver....ooooohhhh, now I get it.

 

[Cbriggs57]

I did get quick loaders with it, so I'm using those. The flask just seemed like a good backup. Hm. Revolver flask...might be a cap'n' ball revolver in my future. After all, I already have the flask... :grin:

 

[M. De Land]

Not loading a revolver from a flask is modern day propaganda and nothing more! Originals were always loaded from a powder flask.
They were designed for and used by all revolver shooters of the era the guns were made and used in.
A rifle or hand gun requiring cloth patching is a different matter and a separate measure was used originally and should be used now as well.

 

[smoothshooter]

What is a "spate " measure?

 

[Grenadier1758]

Never used a spate measure. I do have several spare measures and most often I use a separate measure.

 

[smoothshooter]

I always load directly into the chamber from the flask spout.That's the way they were meant to be loaded. Perfectly safe unless paper cartridges were fired previously.

If reloading immediately after shooting, I DO spin the cylinder a couple of times while blowing hard into the chamber mouths to blow any lingering sparks out of the chambers, which is probably unnecessary.

Long guns are a different matter.

I never load directly from horn or flask into the muzzle of any long gun.

 

[Rifleman1776]

Not loading a revolver from a flask is modern day propaganda and nothing more! Originals were always loaded from a powder flask.

Not propaganda. Simply current day common sense for safety.
I don't know about the "always" part you refer to. The flask was primarily a military tool for fast reloading. Fast with built in danger was still safer than getting shot while reloading safely and slowly.

 

[M. De Land]

For one thing when looking at cased sets of percussion revolvers one seldom if ever finds a powder measure other than the spout on the flask in the sets.
If it makes one feel more safe to use a separate measure for percussion revolver shooting than by all means do so but the idea that it is unsafe to use the flask alone in patently false.

 

[Coot]

I too do not recall ever seeing a separate measure in a cased set. On the other hand, if speed of reloading is needed, combustable paper cartridges were a better choice than measuring charges either by the flask spout or a separate measure.

 

[M. De Land]

The flask would not be used at loading time any way with paper cartridges as they are pre-made.