Traditional Muzzleloading on the Cheap

Member’s Closet => Powder Horns => Topic started by: Watauga on December 29, 2018, 07:03:07 PM

Title: Old Original Powder horn question.
Post by: Watauga on December 29, 2018, 07:03:07 PM
I have some friends that buy and collect old original powder horns, They say that the powder they find in them is good after more than at least a hundred years!
They also tell me that horns with powder in them don't seem to be damaged by horn worms and empty ones get worm damaged?! like maybe the powder helps keep the worms from wanting to eat the horns....?!?  Has any of you noticed such a thing??
Title: Re: Old Original Powder horn question.
Post by: Hanshi on December 29, 2018, 08:40:28 PM
I've never heard that the presence of powder in the horn repelled insects.  But I've also never heard of powder that age being bad, either.
Title: Re: Old Original Powder horn question.
Post by: Papa on December 30, 2018, 12:03:05 AM
Have heard of what you are saying about horns but I use moth ball flakes. Old powder will definitely still ignite after a very long time. I collect powder flasks and they often have powder in them. I burn it when it is removed.
Mark
Title: Re: Old Original Powder horn question.
Post by: Winter Hawk on January 01, 2019, 04:29:07 AM
Probably the sulfur content annoys the bugs and they move on.  I have read of tests done on 19th century powder in the 1980s and it lost none of its potency by being old.  I wish I could say the same about me! hdslp  Or Hanshi....   blah

~WH~
Title: Re: Old Original Powder horn question.
Post by: Watauga on January 02, 2019, 12:18:37 AM
Quote from: Winter Hawk on January 01, 2019, 04:29:07 AM
Probably the sulfur content annoys the bugs and they move on.  I have read of tests done on 19th century powder in the 1980s and it lost none of its potency by being old.  I wish I could say the same about me! hdslp  Or Hanshi....   blah

~WH~
[hmm] Well,.. Not to start any trouble pnic pnic,...But Hanshi,.. Did he just say what I think he said about you??? ROFL ROFL
Title: Re: Old Original Powder horn question.
Post by: beowulf on January 02, 2019, 01:03:52 AM
Quote from: Watauga on January 02, 2019, 12:18:37 AM
Quote from: Winter Hawk on January 01, 2019, 04:29:07 AM
Probably the sulfur content annoys the bugs and they move on.  I have read of tests done on 19th century powder in the 1980s and it lost none of its potency by being old.  I wish I could say the same about me! hdslp  Or Hanshi....   blah

~WH~
[hmm] Well,.. Not to start any trouble pnic pnic,...But Hanshi,.. Did he just say what I think he said about you??? ROFL ROFL
hdslp strpot ROFL ROFL ROFL
Title: Re: Old Original Powder horn question.
Post by: Red Badger on January 07, 2019, 04:14:29 PM
Ouch!  this could be trouble when Hanshi digs himself out of the snow... :mini-devil-28492:
Title: Re: Old Original Powder horn question.
Post by: Watauga on January 07, 2019, 04:22:06 PM
Oh No!!!   pnic pnic pnic The Abominable Hanshi Snowman is coming!!!  pnic pnic pnic pnic   cuch  hdslp ROFL ROFL chrrs
Title: Re: Old Original Powder horn question.
Post by: Hanshi on January 07, 2019, 08:46:33 PM
 [hmm] Okay, okay, I did see a bit of accuracy in that description.  Don't forget that I'm also considered the world's most intelligent human.  No, don't tell me about your border collie, African gray parrot, or pet crow; I said HUMAN.  prty
Title: Re: Old Original Powder horn question.
Post by: CampbellClan on January 29, 2019, 08:01:35 PM
My great grandpa purchased a powder horn from a fella back in the 1940s. The horn was nearly full of powder when he received it. Grandpa hung the horn in his office along with an old relic of a Harper's Ferry rifle. In 1980 I was 8 years old and was in my chatty, nosey questioning everything years, and asked Grandpa about his rifle and horn. After telling me the story of the horn and rifle he told me that the powder in The horn was still good and showed me by getting out a pinch and igniting it outside. Anyhow Grandpa passed away in 1981 and I inherited his Harper's Ferry and his horn...which was still full of powder. I actually shot some of it off, with a light load to see if it would fire and it did. I used it up over the years and now it's all gone.... But still have the horn. &)
Title: Re: Old Original Powder horn question.
Post by: Watauga on January 30, 2019, 04:09:01 PM
Quote from: CampbellClan on January 29, 2019, 08:01:35 PM
My great grandpa purchased a powder horn from a fella back in the 1940s. The horn was nearly full of powder when he received it. Grandpa hung the horn in his office along with an old relic of a Harper's Ferry rifle. In 1980 I was 8 years old and was in my chatty, nosey questioning everything years, and asked Grandpa about his rifle and horn. After telling me the story of the horn and rifle he told me that the powder in The horn was still good and showed me by getting out a pinch and igniting it outside. Anyhow Grandpa passed away in 1981 and I inherited his Harper's Ferry and his horn...which was still full of powder. I actually shot some of it off, with a light load to see if it would fire and it did. I used it up over the years and now it's all gone.... But still have the horn. &)
CampbellClan I love that Story  thmbsup  Well  [hmm] It Looks like your Grandpa gave you the Black-powder Disease at a very young age...You will probably never recover... pnic pnic  ROFL  ROFL  chrrs
Title: Re: Old Original Powder horn question.
Post by: Red Badger on January 30, 2019, 05:53:48 PM
I only wish I had been introduced to BP at an early age....  Think of the trouble I could have gotten into!   pnic
Title: Re: Old Original Powder horn question.
Post by: CampbellClan on January 30, 2019, 09:17:31 PM
I've always felt very fortunate to own my grandpas horn and old smoothbore. Yes I got a taste of the BP bug early...I never really got into it heavily until around 15 or so. Glad to share the experience with you guys!
Title: Re: Old Original Powder horn question.
Post by: DandJofAZ on January 31, 2019, 01:53:53 AM
Quote from: Red Badger on January 30, 2019, 05:53:48 PM
I only wish I had been introduced to BP at an early age....  Think of the trouble I could have gotten into!   pnic
Many years ago found out BP doesn't make a very good fuse for blasting caps and attached boom sticks.  Way to fast......