Historical Muzzle Loader Accessories: what are they and can I make them? Kieth explains

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Two of the authors five leather gunpowder bags.

A gunpowder bag is used for carrying extra gunpowder on extended journeys into wilderness areas, or when one plans to be living in the wilderness long term. A leather bag of gunpowder is far lighter to carry than multiple powder horns.

Documentation:
The Gunpowder Bag.

“ takes fire readily from the spark of a steel: but it is much improved by being kept dry in a bag that has contained gunpowder.”

Samuel Hearne, Northern Canada, 1772.

A hundred miles upstream from Jamestown, on an exploring journey by canoe, Smith was badly burned and injured by the explosion of a gunpowder bag.

http://www.teachersyndicate.com/documents/oct_2010/TTC%20Guidebooks/American%20Identity.pdf

Supplies for 24 Abenakis and Iroquois who have joined our party:

24 pounds of gunpowder in one bag of half an ell

Supplies for the six militia men: 6 pounds of gunpowder in bags of one eighth of an ell.

1756-1760 journal of Louis Antoine de Bougainville

France, Archives de Colonies series C11A, volume 117, folios 191v to 194, National Archives of Canada, microfilm f-118.

15 Leather Powder Bags

From American Fur Co. Papers. Vol. Y, Z. Missouri Historical Society

Invoice of Sundry Merchandise furnished Rocky Mountain Outfit 1837 under charge of Fontenelle, Fitzpatrick & Co.

"He thinks every man should have a wallet of Oznabrigs to carry his provisions in when they leave their horses at the passes of the mountains, and two pair of mockasheens, that blankets would be wanted and clasp knives, thread for the linen and woolen bags for transporting the powder when taken from the waggons

Letter of Judge Henderson to Propietors remaining in North Carolina
Boonsborough June 12, 1775.

"Wednesday Morning a sorrowful Accident happen’d at the House of Cap. Thomas Homans in the westerly Part of this Town near Hooper’s Meeting House: A small Quantity of Powder (suppos’d to be about a Quart) in a Leathern Bag, having been some time since put up on the Jam of a Chimney in a Chamber wherein they had been us’d to make a Fire, and the Family being about moving into the Country, did not suppose they should every have Occasion for a Fire there: But a young Child being out of Order two or three Days ago, they made a Fire in the same Chimney, and unhappily forgot the Powder…….

The Pennsylvania Gazette
April 12, 1739
BOSTON, February 26.

Copyright: https://woodsrunnersdiary.blogspot.com/2018/11/the-gunpowder-bag.html
Keith.

Good reading, they definitely had a different way of saying things.

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shot_table%201%20Evidence%20of%20Shot%20from%20George%20Washington's%20Invoices%20and%20Orders shot_table%202%20Evidence%20of%20Shot%20from%20the%20Colchester%20Store%20Inventories
http://www.mountvernonmidden.org/content/Shot.html;
Keith.

@Keith What are the other options apart from powder horns? (I don’t have a horn and need to make one) There are flasks, what about pouches?

Also, with horns what is the brass nozzle\outlet? Is it just a tube with a wooden plug or a special cap?

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Great post on the powder horn assembly, Keith.
Went straight to the BP kit and retrieved the horn. You guessed it.
Now in the process of reassembling the right way. Not that it has ever been charged with powder, because I pre-measure my powder into glass vials. But, the day will come, and when it does, things will be “right”.

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There are flasks, but you still need to use a separate powder measure. I do not recommend using a brass adjustable measure as a spout on a powder horn, they are not as safe (spark resistant) as an ordinary plug, & again you need to use a separate powder measure to load with anyway.

You can purchase off the shelf powder horns, but I do not recommend it. They are usually made by people who know nothing about powder horns & they are not safe to use!

Custom made horns are expensive, & you need to make sure the horn is made properly.

More information on my blog here: https://woodsrunnersdiary.blogspot.com/2014/07/more-info-on-making-powder-horns.html

https://woodsrunnersdiary.blogspot.com/2014/04/a-powder-horn-safety-test-in-belgium.html

https://woodsrunnersdiary.blogspot.com/2012/12/researchresearch-research.html

Keith.

I used to be a hornsmith, & have made many powder horns in my time. The ones I have made for myself are rather plain, because I like plain things. When I made my first powder horn I had just an old hand drill & a round file, no other tools & no experience in horn making. Instead of trying to make a wood base plug, I used leather. This first horn served me well for years.
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This last horn belonged to a close friend of mine.
Keith.

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This lower shot pouch belongs to one of my sons.
Keith.

@Keith I plan on making a horn Kieth. Can I ask.
What would be the average length of a horn?

And more importantly, what diameter hole do you recommend for the powder outlet?

Also I have 50 cal CVA cap lock and was told to buy FFF. Since then Ive discovered almost everyone uses FF. Is it OK for me to continue to use the FFF. And whats the difference in real life.

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I am not sure there is an average length of a horn Ob, they vary a lot in length & circumference. Mine is 9 1/2" long from base to spout not including the plug length & not going round the curve of the horn.
Here are a couple of originals:

Centimetres: 32.3 (length), 7.8 (outside diameter)
c. 1762 - 1765
Area of Origin: Quebec, Canada
Sigmund Samuel Gallery of Canada

This one is 11 inches long.

Outlet hole anywhere from 1/4 inch to half an inch. You can either use a piece of dowel, or you can make a plug from scratch. The plug will need to have a slight taper for a tight fit.

3FG powder is usually used in calibers up to & including .45, over that 2FG is used. You can use 3FG in a .50 caliber, but the pressure created is higher, so you need to bare that in mind when working up a load. Some say 3FG burns cleaner, I never noticed much difference if any, I used 2FG in my .50 caliber CVA back in the Territory for hunting buffalo.

.50 RIFLE .490 ROUND BALL. Patch thickness .015. Minimum load 50 FFG. Maximum load 100 FFG

https://cva.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/08/Side-lock.pdf
Keith.

Thanks Kieth. That’s pretty much what I was thinking. Faster burning and higher pressures. I’ll just assume 90gr to be max until I use it or swap for some FF.
I’ve discovered horns are hard to find. Lol

@Oldbloke, You might get lucky at an abattoir if there is one near by.

I wonder if anyone ever tried to modernise this design. Perhaps make it smaller, more portable and include priming compound and a projectile. All in one sort of. Hmmm.

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I tried the abattoir. They don’t have horned beef anymore. Probably an OHS issue. Lol.
I now have someone on another forum from up north keeping one eye open for me. Just have to keep looking. In the mean time I’ll keep using the wife’s (SWMBO) tuppaware. Lol

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+1. :rofl: :vulcan_salute:

Can we sack that idiot? :rofl:

What about test tubes? Seems like the most practical option. Pre-measured, etc.

I think it would atleast call for a vote…:joy::joy::joy::heart_eyes:

LOL grandpa is ranting again

Merry Xmas. Hi Ho Hi Ho :joy: