Powder horn prices?

[hulk]

Hello all,

New member to the site. Been a lot of fun reading a lot of the recent topics posted by you all, I have learned so much already!

I have a question regarding powder horns. I see on TotW that there are (plain) powder horns ranging from about $15 to $80, what, if any, are the benefits of spending more money for a horn? Are the cheaper horns coming from India or Pakistan do you think and are just poorly made or are they adequate? Your input is much appreciated.

 

[Elnathan]

Size and color of the horn have something to do with it - large white horns are pretty hard to get ahold of these days. The price spread is a bit odd, though - it may that they are trying to get rid of some sizes/styles that aren't selling well.

Can't speak for workmanship, but the only horns that look like originals are the Frontier series. Those would actually take a bit more effort to than the others, which only have a bunch of grooves filed around them to give a superficial resemblance to the fancier horns of times past. :barf:

I'd recommend either making your own (they aren't all that difficult, but like most good products of this hobby take a considerable amount of handwork that makes mass production difficult) or saving your money and buying a nice one from a professional horner. I'm poor, so I make my own. :wink:

Have a look at these guys: http://www.powderhornsandmore.com

 

[hawkeye2]

The cheap ones are imported and generally quite serviceable. They may not always be watertight if that's an issue but you can seal them. On the down side the baseplug is usually a non native wood but you can always saw that ugly "acorn" off, add a staple and dye the baseplug a dark color. The color of the horn isn't always ideal and the file work around the spout isn't great either but again you can do some work there if you wish or ignore it. I have pulled the tacks or nails and drilled for wood pins (toothpicks) too. It depends on your budget but most originals were pretty primitive affairs and often homemade, just a tool to carry powder and keep it dry.

 

[Elnathan]

Another source for ready-made horns at reasonable prices: http://www.turkeyfootllc.com/powderhorns.html

 

[wattlebuster]

I used to think a horn was a horn. I bought a couple el cheapos off a couple different places an thought it was just what I wanted TILL :hmm: I saw my first Sibley horn. Powder horns is just like everything else, You get what you pay for

 

[hulk]

Do most of you use a powder horn? Or powder flask? If you do use a horn, do you have a plug/stopper in it or a valve/spout?

 

[Black Hand]

Horn with a stopper...

 

[Elnathan]

Horn with a stopper.

 

[Stumpkiller]

Horn with a stopper.

 

[Cruzatte]

Do most of you use a powder horn? Or powder flask? If you do use a horn, do you have a plug/stopper in it or a valve/spout?

Horn with a stopper

 

[necchi]

I installed valves on all my horns after I lost 1/4 # of Swiss when the stopper dropped out.

 

[Coot]

All of my horns have stoppers. A valve looks too modern for me.

 

[hulk]

I currently have a flask and bought a horn with a "quick" pour spout but it is turning out to be a piece of junk. I filled it with powder labor day morning when I went shooting and it would not dispense powder worth a dang. This is why I am trying to decide if I should buy another, better horn or just use the flask I have which works fine but in my mind is not "as cool" as having a powder horn. Plus I already have a new shooting bag and jute strap for the horn coming from TotW. And to be honest, I am not a super crafty, build your own type of guy. I would rather work extra at my job to make the money to buy something already made but trying to determine how much $$$ I should be putting into the horn.

 

[Coot]

Not everyone makes their own gear. Buyers help support some fine craftsmen. That said, how much $$$ depends on how nice a horn you want.

 

[hulk]

I think I could go for something in the $50 to $60 range at this point of my muzzleloading journey. Might consider more but just looking at pictures online is much different than looking in person. But maybe that's a good thing for my wallet.

 

[Grenadier1758]

Do most of you use a powder horn? Or powder flask? If you do use a horn, do you have a plug/stopper in it or a valve/spout?

The choice of horn with stopper, horn with valve, or valve with measure depends on whether I am at a reenactment, rifle match or club competition. In all cases I pour the powder into a measure and pour the measured powder down the muzzle after I insert the stopper more close the valve.

 

[nhmoose]

Horn with stopper with my Flint's and some percussions.

Flasks with my later day Fowlers and SXS shotguns.

Irish shot snakes with all the Fowlers and shotguns.

 

[Boomerang]

I bought a cheap horn once and I couldn't get it to toot for nothing! :rotf:
Actually I did buy a cheap imported one that holds about 1/3 pound of powder. When I first put powder in it, it wouldn't come out very good and found that there was horn shavings plugging the hole up. So I took a 1/4" drill and drilled it out. Now it works good. :thumbsup:

 

[Rifleman1776]

Do most of you use a powder horn? Or powder flask? If you do use a horn, do you have a plug/stopper in it or a valve/spout?

Horn with stopper. The users just have a hunk of branch wood whittled and forced in. For ronny or hunting I pull with my teeth and hold until finished loading. Can't forget to put it back in that way. Display only horns usually have a pretty carved stopper but are never used. BTW, only wood should be used as it will compress. Stoppers made from bone, antler, etc. can split the horn at the spout because they do not 'give' when forced in.

 

[Billnpatti]

In genereal, the lower price horns are darker in color and smaller in size with no decoration and usually a simple plug such as a fiddle peg. They are quite serviceable. You can count on any horn that you buy from Track will be a good one even if it is smaller, plain and dark in color. When I say that it will be a smaller horn, it is not tiny, it is quite large enough for any use you may have for it short of carrying a pound of powder. I have a friend who bought one of Track's less expensive horns and he is very pleased with it. Of course, he wasn't looking for a pretty horn, just a horn that would carry enough powder for all practical purposes.

The darker horns do not lend themselves to scrimshaw simply because with the dark color, the scrimshaw doesn't show up very well, if at all. However, you can carve them and have it show up farily well.