Powder horn surprise!

[Smokey in Oz]

I received my powder horn last week in the mail, got it on e-bay from the US and delivered to Oz. After opening the package I was surprised to find it 1/4 full of powder. Still cant believe that in this post 911 era that something like this can slip through both US & Australian quarantine/customs inspections and not be detected. I thought big brother was more alert than this. Oh well, maybe not.....
A pic, the flask measures approx 9" x 4".

Smokey :shocked2:

 

[boar]

Thats a FLASK. DILLY

 

and its a dilly of a flask too, Bob

 

[Russianblood]

You can't expect customs to check every package that is shipped. I can't believe the seller was dumb enough to not empty it. :youcrazy:

 

[Ron LaClair]

I can't believe the seller was dumb enough to not empty it. :youcrazy:

My sentiments exactly. :hmm:

 

[musketman]

After opening the package I was surprised to find it 1/4 full of powder.

I would be surprised too, I would also dump it out and dispose of it...

You never know, some nut could have mixed smokeless powder in with it, is 1/4 a flask of unknown powder worth the chance of getting killed?

Am I being overly cautious, perhaps so, then again, maybe not...

 

[CoyoteJoe]

You're right Musketman, I'd never trust any powder that doesn't come in the factory can and maybe not always even then. :grin:

 

[Goldhunter]

I agree. DUMP IT!! Better safe than in the hospital.

 

[DCF]

If the ex owner is daft enough to post it with powder in it he's probably daft enough to mix powders! I'd dump the contents.
Can't see a special Black Powder sniffer dog being over worked at the airport can you? :rotf:

 

[jim gray]

Congratulations on the new flask. That is the Zouave flask, right?

I have to agree with what has previously been posted, that small amount of powder wouldn't be worth the risk you would incur in using it. Too bad you had to pay the postage on it. :rotf:

 

[arcticap]

You say that you successfully received undeclared BP through eBay & the international mail? Now I would classify that as being truely "Free of (any criminal) Charge(s)"! :grin:
That kind of perk seems "AussieSome" to me!:haha:

 

[JeffinNZ]

I am surprised a sniffer dog didn't pick it up somewhere. The bomb dogs have amazing noses.

I am in the freight industry and the local customs dog handler didn't know much about black powder for training his bomb sniffer lab. I volunteered my services and the dog picked up the odour from the residue my hands left on the door handle of my car from the shoot the prior weekend!

Fancy sending a 1/4 full flask. Hells bells!

J

 

[Smokey in Oz]

Thanks for the responses guys.
To be fair to the seller, she was offloading some of her Dads stuff, he died some years ago and she last remembers him using the flask 20 to 25 years ago. I assume now that she had no real idea what might have been inside. Needless to say I wont be using the powder. It's a pretty big sucker, Zouave was mentioned, who knows, cant find a brand name anywhere. It seems to be quite good quality and heavier than one would expect.
Any-one aware of smaller nozzles to fit this flask?
I have a mate (fellow shooter) who works for Customs in Australia, will ask his opinion re its import into Oz.
Cheers, Smokey. :thumbsup:

 

[musketman]

Any-one aware of smaller nozzles to fit this flask?

Most black powder suppliers will sell flask spouts like the ones pictured, these are from Thunder Ridge...

[url] http://www.thunder-ridge-muzzleloading.com/flasks.htm[/url]

Most spouts are interchangeable, all have a standard thread, if you need a charge size that is not listed, buy the next size bigger and then trim the spout to the desired length...

 

[paulvallandigham]

Years ago, a friend of mine who was a master K-9 trainer asked me for some black powder and several different smokeless powders. I gave him flake, ball, and stick smokeless powders, and some FFg and FFFg powder to use as samples to train his " bomb " dogs. A couple of them went to Los Vegas, and L.A. He was most grateful to find such a ready source of gunpowders, and a lesson in the different types of modern powders. We thought( and it was proven to be true) that the dogs would simply cue on the nitro-cellulose, regardless of the shape, but I gave him some of each so he could prove it to inquiring minds.

 

[peashooterJoe]

I've also gotten some full flasks in the mail from several sources. I don't think the people knew what was in them, it was brought to their attention. They just assumed it was heavy and the stuff was supposed to go with it. Since then have reqested them to flush or to dispose of powder.Also got one that had a fire in it at one time. I thought it would have blown up, he said that his father quit muzzleloading after that. :rotf: I'll bet it scared the Heebie Geevies out of him.