How to Make Black Powder Horns

Black powder has been used for hunting for centuries. In early pioneer times, hunters made vessels to carry the powder in out of available materials. One such method was hollowing out a bull horn. These are also referred to as powder horns. Powder horns can be intricately designed and carved into fine works of art, though their purpose is to hold black powder for hunting with muzzle-loading weapons. Making a homemade black powder horn can be accomplished with little difficulty.

Things You'll Need

  • Bull horn
  • Knife
  • Medium and fine grit sandpaper
  • Soft cloth
  • Mink oil
  • Drill
  • Cordage
  • Horn and hoof glue
  • Threaded PVC insert collar
  • PVC plug
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Instructions

    • 1

      Whittle and sand around the horn exterior with a knife and medium grit sandpaper to remove bumps and smooth the horn's surface. Sand the horn again with fine grit sandpaper, then buff with a soft cloth and apply mink oil to shine up the horn.

    • 2

      Measure 3 inches from the pointed end of the horn and make a mark. Cut the measured portion off using a saw. This piece will be used to make your powder measure. Sand down the area that you just cut and smooth out flat.

    • 3

      Drill a hole into the top of the wider end of the 3 inch piece of horn with a 1/2-inch drill bit until the hole is 2 inches deep. This forms the cup of your powder measure.

    • 4

      Drill a smaller hole through the side on the sharp end of the powder measure piece. Thread a piece of cord through the hole, long enough to tie in a knot and hang the powder measure around your neck. This makes for a convenient way to carry and access the powder measure.

    • 5

      Drill a 6-inch deep hole into the top of the wide end of the large piece of horn using a 1/2-inch bit. Widen the hole to a diameter of 2 inches using larger bits. Remove any debris from drilling.

    • 6

      Brush horn and hoof glue onto the flat side of the threaded PVC plug insert collar. Fit the insert into the wide part of the horn. Allow the glue to set for a few hours.

    • 7

      Drill a hole through the side on the narrow end of the horn using a 1/4-inch bit. Thread a piece of cord, long enough to sling the horn around your shoulder, through the hole and tie the ends together. Fill the horn with powder. Twist the PVC plug into the threaded PVC insert tightly. Now you have a black powder horn ready for field use.