To Bill R. : On priming from the Horn

Posted by Joe Hinson on February 15, 1998 at 10:11:19:

Hi Bill, Sorry to have not posted sooner about this... I hardly ever use a small priming horn anymore.. I load and prime from the main horn ,as do most of the fellows I shoot with. I did at one time use one but it just became a hassle to find the thing in my shooting bag..And I stopped hanging things on the bag straps... it makes it easier to slip through the woods when you don't have a lot of stuff swinging and bouncing off of each other making noises that can tip off the Hurons. I use fffg powder in my rifle and my musket .. I just vary the charge to accommodate the different cal's. As for different grades of powder I'dsay yes ,there was a screening method they used to separate the different grades, but I don't think it was as precise as it is today...As I said this is just one woodsman's opinion about the priming horns, they were used , I've seen them in museums and the collector's encycopidia.. but I believe that the woodsman would have used the main horn just for the speed and ease of loading.. Remember that the touch holes in these rifles and muskets were moch larger than what we now think is the correct size , They wanted it to go off every time... and this was one sure way of causing that, There was a reference in one book I read that as Pontiac was setting up to spring a trap on the defenders of Detroit . The english commander brought his men to attention and they slapped their locks, forcing powder from the main charge, priming the pans, this caused Pontiac to call off the trap because he knew that they were waiting for it....
Later Friends,
Good Hunting Bill...
Joe Hinson

Follow Ups:

• To Joe Hinson....On priming from the Horn While Hunting Hurons E 19:25:12 2/18/98 (4)
  • Re: To Joe Hinson....On priming from the Horn While Hunting Hurons Joe Hinson 22:38:07 2/18/98 (3)
    • Re: To Joe Hinson....On priming from the Horn While Hunting Hurons Myrrh 09:49:35 2/19/98 (2)
      • Re: To Joe Hinson....On priming from the Horn While Hunting Hurons Bill R 09:52:43 2/19/98 (1)
        • Re: To Joe Hinson....On priming from the Horn While Hunting Hurons Marcia 10:25:34 2/19/98 (0)

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: Hi Bill,  Sorry to have not posted sooner about this... I hardly ever use a small priming horn anymore.. I load and prime from the main horn ,as do  most of the fellows I shoot with.  I did at one time use one but it just became a hassle to find the thing in my shooting bag..And I stopped hanging things on the bag straps... it makes it easier to slip through the woods when you don't have a lot of stuff swinging and bouncing off of each other making noises that can tip off the Hurons.  I use fffg powder in my rifle and my musket .. I just vary the charge to accommodate the different cal's.   As for different grades of powder  I'dsay yes ,there was a screening method they used to separate the different grades, but I don't think it was as precise as it is today...As I said this is just one woodsman's opinion about the priming horns, they were used , I've seen them in museums and the collector's encycopidia.. but I believe that the woodsman would have used the main horn just for the speed and ease of loading.. Remember that the touch holes in these rifles and muskets were moch larger than what we now think is the correct size , They wanted it to go off every time... and this was one sure way of causing that, There was a reference in one book I read that as Pontiac was setting up to spring a trap on the defenders of Detroit . The english commander brought his men to attention and they slapped their locks, forcing powder from the main charge, priming the pans, this caused Pontiac to call off the trap because he knew that they were waiting for it.... 
: Later Friends, 
: Good Hunting Bill...
: Joe Hinson


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