Proper way to hang Powder Horn?

jeffdrown · Mar 13, 2012

I'm making a powder horn. What is the proper or historical way to hang your horn over your shoulder ?

I see in photos some put base end forward....some with the spout forward . This might be a silly ??? but what way do you do it ! Thanks ..Jeff

tg · Mar 13, 2012

I have found it much more convienient with the spout foreward and would guess this was the norm based on experience in usage in the field, and thye can be filled from the spout so a special plug threaded or other ways to fill the horn from the rear is not needed and was probably not the common way in the past.

Coot · Mar 13, 2012

All of the period illustrations that I recall & all the people that I know use a spout forward carry. There are practical advantages to this - the plug is less likely to be pulled out if brushing past something, a missing plug is more likely to be noticed, it is easier to pour in this position. Where did you see photos of backwards carry?

Rifleman1776 · Mar 13, 2012

Never heard of a spout backwards carry.
But, this being a 'do yer own thang' avocation, anything is possible.

BillinOregon · Mar 13, 2012

Jeff: Another thing to keep in mind is that horns were typically hung from their own strap in earlier times. The practice of suspending the horn on short straps or thongs from from the bag strap is I believe, at least post-Revolutionary War if not later.

George · Mar 13, 2012

Spout forward, whichever side you carry it on. The only place I've seen a horn carried butt plug first is in some very poorly researched movies.

Spence

hanshi · Mar 13, 2012

:thumbsup:

Yep, spout forward; I don't see any way of using it when it's backerds.

Rifleman1776 · Mar 14, 2012

BillinOregon said:
Jeff: Another thing to keep in mind is that horns were typically hung from their own strap in earlier times. The practice of suspending the horn on short straps or thongs from from the bag strap is I believe, at least post-Revolutionary War if not later.

I'll venture a guess that it is more like post-1950 or 1960 when the 'primitive' movement started. There are lots of silly things on some current day mountain man clothes and accessories that very likely never existed in the mountains.

Coot · Mar 14, 2012

Rifleman1776 said:
BillinOregon said:

Jeff: Another thing to keep in mind is that horns were typically hung from their own strap in earlier times. The practice of suspending the horn on short straps or thongs from from the bag strap is I believe, at least post-Revolutionary War if not later.

Click to expand...

I'll venture a guess that it is more like post-1950 or 1960 when the 'primitive' movement started. There are lots of silly things on some current day mountain man clothes and accessories that very likely never existed in the mountains.

While there are plenty of "rondyisms" - things that look old timey to our modern eyes, horns hung from the bag strap is not one of them. Plenty of examples are in Grant's books & while his dates are inconclusive, they are clearly pre 20th c. setups. Like BillinOregon, I believe that the horn on bag strap is a later development, likely a 19th c practice.

tom deinek · Mar 15, 2012

If you were subsistence hunting 300 miles away from your closest neighbor, why would you feel obliged to comport yourself to everyday standards?

If you wanted to carry you horn backwards, on the wrong side or like your grandfather & his contemporaries did 50 years before, who would rat you out? If you had a physical disability due to injury or misadventure, would you care what people thought about your unconventinal use?

Adapt, improvise, overcome.

Rifleman1776 · Mar 15, 2012

2571 said:
If you were subsistence hunting 300 miles away from your closest neighbor, why would you feel obliged to comport yourself to everyday standards?

If you wanted to carry you horn backwards, on the wrong side or like your grandfather & his contemporaries did 50 years before, who would rat you out? If you had a physical disability due to injury or misadventure, would you care what people thought about your unconventinal use?

Adapt, improvise, overcome.

I fail to see that what I said would generate that response. :idunno:
What is your point?

Billnpatti · Mar 15, 2012

Spout forward is the only way that makes sense. If the spout was pointing backward, it would make loading pretty awkward. What would be the sense in it? :idunno:

Claude Mathis · Mar 15, 2012

Billnpatti said:
Spout forward is the only way that makes sense. If the spout was pointing backward, it would make loading pretty awkward. What would be the sense in it? :idunno:

Yep.

Rev_William · Mar 15, 2012

Claude said:
Billnpatti said:

Spout forward is the only way that makes sense. If the spout was pointing backward, it would make loading pretty awkward. What would be the sense in it? :idunno:

Click to expand...

Yep.

Well if you were all in a line the guy behind you would have better access to the powder in a fight while you were being the shield :rotf: :rotf: :rotf:

tom deinek · Mar 15, 2012

Do your own thing.

Seems to flow logically in my mind.

No flame nor offense intended.

David W. · Mar 15, 2012

Coot said:
Rifleman1776 said:

BillinOregon said:

Jeff: Another thing to keep in mind is that horns were typically hung from their own strap in earlier times. The practice of suspending the horn on short straps or thongs from from the bag strap is I believe, at least post-Revolutionary War if not later.

Click to expand...

I'll venture a guess that it is more like post-1950 or 1960 when the 'primitive' movement started. There are lots of silly things on some current day mountain man clothes and accessories that very likely never existed in the mountains.

Click to expand...

While there are plenty of "rondyisms" - things that look old timey to our modern eyes, horns hung from the bag strap is not one of them. Plenty of examples are in Grant's books & while his dates are inconclusive, they are clearly pre 20th c. setups. Like BillinOregon, I believe that the horn on bag strap is a later development, likely a 19th c practice.

I carry my horn on a strap separate from the bag. Of course that's my own choice.

Rod Lassey · Mar 15, 2012

Here's a sketch, done by R.F. Kurz, at Fort Union in 1851, that illustrates a bag & attached horn combo---and what appears to be a Hawken rifle. All belonging to Edwin Denig, the factor at Ft. Union.

http://user.xmission.com/~drudy/mtman/images/kurz/plate19.jpg

Rod

Rifleman1776 · Mar 16, 2012

Rod L said:
Here's a sketch, done by R.F. Kurz, at Fort Union in 1851, that illustrates a bag & attached horn combo---and what appears to be a Hawken rifle. All belonging to Edwin Denig, the factor at Ft. Union.

http://user.xmission.com/~drudy/mtman/images/kurz/plate19.jpg

Interesting. Yes, it does look like the horn is attached to bag straps. However, I am hesitant to use sketches and paintings as authentication. I know, often they are the best reference we have. But, that does not make them necessarily correct. After all, artists, by definition, are creative.

Rod

Billnpatti · Mar 16, 2012

My personal preference is to carry my horn on a separate strap from my bag. I tried carrying my horn on a strap attached to my bag but found it not to my liking. I am right handed so I like to carry my bag on my right side where it is handy for me to reach in with my right hand when I need anything. But, I like to carry my horn on my left side so that I can pour powder with my left hand into my measure which I hold in my right hand. Some folks like to carry their horn tucked up high on their side but I prefer to carry it lower. It's just what I have found over the years that works best for me. In my personal opinion, there is no one HC way of wearing your bag and horn, it is all about what works best for you.

Claude Mathis · Mar 16, 2012

Rod L said:
Here's a sketch, done by R.F. Kurz, at Fort Union in 1851, that illustrates a bag & attached horn combo---and what appears to be a Hawken rifle. All belonging to Edwin Denig, the factor at Ft. Union.
http://user.xmission.com/~drudy/mtman/images/kurz/plate19.jpg

In the top sketch, it appears that the man has that strap around his neck and rather than under his arm, as most might carry it. Could that be a mistake on the part of the artist?

I think it's possible that artists put together "scenes" after the fact, based on memory. They may not always have the accuracy of a photo.

Proper way to hang Powder Horn?

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