Flat Buffalo Powder Horn?

[AFriendOfLife]

Hey all. I want to make my first powder horn finally. I bought a buffalo horn, it's ready to go. I would love to make a flat horn, but can I make a flat horn from a buffalo horn? I was told it would be too thick. If I can, did they make flat buffalo horns back then? I would like to be authentic. And if it wouldn't work, I suppose a normal powder horn would be fine too. Thanks!

 

[user 48679]

There was a previous thread here about that very subject:

https://www.muzzleloadingforum.com/threads/flat-powder-horn.86457/

 

[LongWalker]

The problem with making a flattened buffalo horn is the internal ridges. The ridges run full-length of the cavity. To get a decent result, you almost have to remove these so the horn will flatten evenly. (There is often a similar problem with horns from range cattle.)

You can address the problem of thickness by doing as much shaping as possible before flattening the horn.

 

[FishDFly]

Good article in this month's Muzzle Loader magazine on making flat horns by T.C. Albert.

Take that back, it was about heating horns to fit wood plugs in the end of the horn, still was interesting article.

 

[Alexitt]

This is an older thread but I'm curious... How did the Buffalo horn flattening project turn out??? I have one I have prepped for finishing but thought it might be kinda cool to try flattening before I make an end plug for it... I've seen the cow horn ones but never buffalo...