Powder storage

[Avio]

I plan to do an extended trek this summer and I will need more powder than will fit in my horn. I thought of storing it in a cache inside of tin canisters. Any thoughts?

 

[Norskie]

Hawkenboy;
Two thoughts come to mind. Then a bunch of questions.

1) Moisture
2) Theft

How close to this cache will you be trekking? Can you check on it frequently? Will it be hidden? How will you shelter the cans? One pound conventional powder cans, I'm assuming.

I'd find me a holler tree.

 

[Stumpkiller]

It all depends on how long and how authentic you want to be. Back in the Y2K scare I knew of folks who dug holes and buried goods on top of bricks and then set a five gallon pail upside doan over the goodies. The trapped air pressure kept the ground water from leaching up into the cached items. A .50 or .30 cal surplus ammo can buried upside-down is another good solution. These are already fairly air and water tight (unless the gasket is damaged).

For just powder I'd feel comfortable with the original can with the cap either sealed with wax or silicone and stuffed in a Zip-loc baggie if buried. A slightly more authentic solution may be to cork the powder in an empty wine bottle. Be more fun to prepare, too.

 

[faw3]

all this s good , thinking of the y2k days.. UNLESS your someplace someone walks thru with a metal detector..then you need pvc pipe with caps..you didnt say what kind of place youd store it..yrs ago we use to go down a old river bottom used after Sunday church in 1890s to 1920s for lunch after every good rain wed find coins up to silver $1 and a gold $5 once.

 

[Avio]

I was tinking of getting some tin canisters made, just big enough to hold a horns worth of powder, and then corking them and sealing with bees wax. I want to be as authentic as possible

 

[Stumpkiller]

UNLESS your someplace someone walks thru with a metal detector..then you need pvc pipe with caps

Graphite is conductive and a detector will pick it up, anyway (black powder is coated with it). :winking: That's what they make the anode of in dry cell batteries. It won't register on a coil set to be selective of coins, but for relic hunters (like myself) who dig any hit you'll still lose your powder, unless you go 12" or deeper (width of the coil = depth range for "small" signatures).

Of course, if I start to dig and see what looks like an explosive device I generally skedaddle. Wrap a black and red wire around the can. That would be enough to shoo me off. :haha:

I was tinking of getting some tin canisters made, just big enough to hold a horns worth of powder, and then corking them and sealing with bees wax. I want to be as authentic as possible

Lewis and Clark used lead powder containers. They could be melted down for balls.

I'd go with the wine bottles, also sealed with wax over the cork.

 

[Bountyhunter]

How far are you going? How much are you going to shoot? A pound of powder gives you 100~70 gr loads. That is about 2-1/2 to 3 pounds of lead balls. Actually, that is a lot of shooting on a trek.

It is hard to improve on the metal one pound cans. If you want to conserve weight, I'd say eat a little less pizza before you start out. If you dont want your nice bright red and white Goex cans shining, I'd say take some paint remover and take the paint off down to the metal. However, by all rules of common sense and safety, the cans should be labeled as to what they are.

I think you are in a generation gap. Better just take an extra can of powder with you if you think that you will need that much or, make plans for a trusted friend to check in on you at certain points with extra powder and lead balls if you anticipate that need. There comes a point in all of this where modern rules and safety and politics
overshadows period correctness. If anyone asks, just tell them that you just passed through Bents Fort, and that was all the powder that they had.

B

 

[Harddog]

I plan to do an extended trek this summer and I will need more powder than will fit in my horn. I thought of storing it in a cache inside of tin canisters. Any thoughts?

Why not do as our ancesters would do and carry your extra powder in a supply horn that you could carry in your haversack. That and get yourself a large horn representative of the time period. My personal horn carries about 1-1/2 pounds which has proven to be more than enough for anything I have done. A large personal horn and a supply horn in your haversack should be enough powder for your extended trek. I just can't imagine needing any more than this.

Randy Hedden

 

[Avio]

thanks i think that is what i will do

 

[faw3]

L and C was pretty smart guys, even got on some coins we all would pay for to make that trip today. I didnt think about the coating. Well its hang it in a tree time,,,,,, fred