My first horn

[Darkhorse]

I started this blackpowder thing in 1976 as a young, newlywed, with a baby. Safe to say money was almost nonexistent. I bought a .54 Renegade and I thought I was a real Jeremiah Johnson and I bet a few of you felt the same way back in the day.
I needed a powder horn but I've always hated to buy something when I could cobble something together. I lived in a small middle georgia town well off the beaten path and we had a slaughter house. So I went down there and told them I needed a cow horn. One of the workers led me to a 55 gal. drum and said pick one out. In the drum there were several cow heads, some with horns. So I picked one out and he cut both off on a band saw. I took it home and boiled the center out on the kitchen stove then let it harden and started scraping with a piece of glass. I made a butt plug and a stopper out of some nice walnut and used a piece of leather lacing to hold the stopper on. I lost that nice walnut stopper years ago when a small limb got inside the lace and broke it, sending the stopper to who knows where. I would not be the last time that happened.
I still use that horn today. It is the only horn I've ever owned. It works great so why change?
In the photo is that old horn. It's hanging on my .54, the first rifle I built. And the bag is by October Country.

[old salt]

Sweet looking flinter and horn. We always like to see pics.

[beowulf]

not a bad horn at all 

[Red Badger]

Those three items look like they belong together! 

Jim (AKA - Red Badger)

[Darkhorse]

That bag is supposed to be dedicated to the .40 but it's lighter so it often finds it's way to the .54, I have another one with a button closure that's larger I bought for a horseback elk hunt that I never drew a tag for. That's the one dedicated to this rifle. But it just doesn't want to show wear, or develop any patina.

[Hawken50]

  Extremely nice plunder there Darkhorse.

[Hanshi]

I like the horn, I mean, what's better than "self made"?  That's a particularly nice rifle, too.

[DandJofAZ]

First horns can be kind of special for sure..  My first horn has FCF campfire on the plug... Now that horn is carried by my Grandson.  It will probably be in the family for a while that way!! My new horn is from Rev. and Peach Pie scrimmed an elk on it for me along with my name.  Also have a smaller horn form another member with a beautiful wolf face scrimmed  on it that I use for my 32 and 45.

Doug