Powder bottle
Powder bottles , also powder cans or powder horns , were used to store black powder ( gunpowder ). From these containers, the black powder was filled as a propellant into the barrel of a muzzle loader before the actual projectile was loaded.
Dosing device
Powder bottles are not only used to store propellant powder, but also to dose a certain amount of powder. For this purpose, a volumetric metering device is located in the neck of the bottle, in which a slide separates part of the bottle neck from the rest of the bottle. By closing the bottle mouth with your thumb and simultaneously pressing an external button connected to the slider, a lot of powder is brought into the front part of the bottle neck during the following tilting movement, in which the bottle opening points below. After releasing the slide button, the storage space of the bottle is separated from the partial amount of powder in the bottle neck by the slide. This allows the shooter to bring the amount of powder now in the throat through the mouth of the barrel into the weapon. The bottle neck serves as a filler neck, which can usually be unscrewed from the bottle body. For some powder bottles, different filler nozzles are available, the sizes and volumes of which can be selected according to the load required for the weapon. Charge here means adjusting the amount of powder to the type of powder, projectile, caliber of the weapon and the experience of the shooter. Since there are different grain sizes of black powder, the shooter must check before the first loading whether the amount in the bottle neck of the bottle corresponds to the calculated weight of powder.
Risk of accident
Powder bottles are banned on almost all shooting ranges because there is a risk that glowing residues in the barrel could ignite during loading. Since black powder is a mass explosion hazard, serious accidents can result from the powder bottle exploding. Sports shooters have to portion the amount of powder they need for shooting in suitable tubes at a suitable workplace. When loading the weapon, the powder is then limited to the amount in the tube (and thus also the possible damage). Powder bottles are still often used by traditional muzzle loading clubs for reasons of authenticity, but then only for decoration or with z. B. durum wheat semolina filled. This often serves as a so-called "intermediate" between powder and ball, especially with percussion revolvers . The shooter should inquire beforehand with the booth supervisor whether powder bottles, regardless of their content, can be brought onto the booth.
