Priming Horn Documentation Found!

Priming Horn Information.

“The priming-horn is intended to be filled with Pistol Powder, and the Ranger always to prime from it in time of action, by which method he will not be near so subject to burn priming or miss fire as He would by priming from a Cartridge, as the grain of the powder will be small and a very great fault which Men are subject to in time of action will be prevented, Vizt. That of spilling one half of their Cartridge of powder and sometimes more in priming and shutting their Pans, and when they have loaded and discharg’d their Pieces after the common method, it often happens that the Ball is not sent with half the force it is intended or anything near the distance it ought to go, which mistake will (I imagine) be avoided by the handiness of the Priming-horn, as the Men will have nothing more to do with the Cartridge than bite off the top, put it in the barrel at once and ram it down, and if the Cartridge is fill’d with Cannon powder it will have just the same effect I conceive as if fill’d with Pistol powder which will get into the touch-hole and catch fire as quick as can be wished…..” 21



End Note 21 from page 366: HL, LO6927, 13 Feb. 1758 Captain/Major George Scott, ranger captain:

Small Arms of the British Forces in America, 1664-1815, by Dr. De Witt Bailey.

My thanks to Gus for this information.
Keith.

This information copied from: http://minuteman.boards.net/thread/427/finally-priming-horns-fiw-documentation?page=1&scrollTo=3360