Horn Bugs

[Hawg]

Carpet beetles or whatever you want to call them. I have three powder horns between 10-20 years old. I never had a problem with them. We moved out here about a year and a half ago and they were fine when I boxed them up. I haven't used them since I've been here. I unboxed them today and found this. The top horn is around 20 years old and is still airtight. It has some powder in it. The middle one is empty and completely destroyed. It's between 10-15 years old. I might could seal it up and use it but it would be unsightly. The bottom horn is my biggest and favorite. It is about 10 years old and is about half full. It does leak but I can fix it and it won't look too bad. Has anybody else had horn bug problems? I've looked around on the net and didn't find any solid answers. Some say they wont eat them if they have powder in them. They will and it is Swiss powder in them. Some say they won't eat horns that have been dyed. They will.

[Marshal Will]

Possibly larder beetles?

[Hawg]

I think those are too big. I would have seen some evidence of them in the box. I haven't seen anything. My leather shooting bags were in the same box with no damage.

[Marshal Will]

It's amazing that they would eat those holes. Maybe next time pack them with one of those no-pest strips.

[Zulch]

powder post beetles?

[Navy Six]

Sorry to hear of this. I've had a few similar unwanted surprises and always upsetting when it happens to gear you care about.

[Hawg]

powder post beetles?

Those only eat wood right? I think they're carpet beetles because they eat horn. I don't understand them not eating the leather tho. These things are only about 1/64 of an inch long.

[Captainkirk]

Well, that would downright tick me off. I only have one powder horn. I leave it out on display on my mantel. Makes me wonder if having them packed away had anything to do with it, as in: 1) the larvae were in the horns already and just needed a quiet place to work uninterrupted, or 2) they found your box and were able to go about their business because the horns were out in the open?
Either way, I've never heard of or seen that kind of damage before.

[mike116]

Never heard of this before.    I have three or four finished horns and at least 10 raw horns.    I looked all of them over and found nothing wrong.     The only thing I know of that chews on horns around here is the dog.

[Hawg]

Well, that would downright tick me off. I only have one powder horn. I leave it out on display on my mantel. Makes me wonder if having them packed away had anything to do with it, as in: 1) the larvae were in the horns already and just needed a quiet place to work uninterrupted, or 2) they found your box and were able to go about their business because the horns were out in the open?
Either way, I've never heard of or seen that kind of damage before.

Like I said mine are from 10-20 years old. I never had a problem either until I boxed them up and moved out here. It's not a country thing either. I lived further out in the boonies before and never had any damage. Being boxed seems to have something to do with it. I do have carpet here that I didn't have before but the carpet is old and doesn't show any damage.

[AntiqueSledMan]

Years ago I shot a 2-1/2 year old Bison bull,
I had the head cooked out to save the skull
and had the hide tanned with the hair left on.
I put the hide in a rubbermaid tote and packed it away.
Then many years later I took the hide out and it stunk.
I decided to take it to a trade show and sell it,
I asked a guy who deals with such and he told me,
"if you'd put it in a cardboard box, the mites would have destroyed it".
So I guess it really doesn't matter where you are, if you want to preserve something you must seal it up.

AntiqueSledMan.

[Sooty Barrels]

This is terrible, thanks for pointing it out to us

[Hawg]

I sprayed them down with bug spray. I'll get some epoxy tomorrow and seal the holes up. I ordered a polished horn today. I'm going to try to make one. It's probably money wasted but it will give me something to do that I've never done before. I've been trying to save what money I could every month to try to get a flintlock rifle kit. I was hoping to order it this month but it didn't work out. Maybe next month. Or maybe I'll botch the horn and rethink the whole thing.

[mike116]

I have some horn making supplies....   brass plugs,  valves etc.   Let me know what you have in mind.    Cheap or free depending on what it is.   I also have several polished horns.   I'll never get around to using it all.

[Zulch]

sounds like a good plan Hawg.