Today was my first attempt at snack sticks. It started off terrible when I realized the casings would not fit the horn. I just picked up a cabelas stuffer which comes with a 15mm,20mm, and 30mm horn. I was trying to use 16mm casings. It did not work. I tried to fashion up a 3/8" horn using pex but that didn't work either. I then decided that it I just take the casings (collagen) and pull them out that I could get them to fit on the stuffer. Barely. It was tight. So I start cranking down and nothing but air comes out. Yet my stuffer is supposed to have an air release. Meat starts coming out and right off the bat the casing breaks. I get a new one on and this time crank slowly so I hear the air come out the release. I keep going and after about 6" of stuffing a huge air pocket comes out and breaks the casing again. Next, these casings are 16mm and they looked like breakfast sausage coming out. Will they shrink that much during smoking/cooking that they will resemble snack sticks? I hear of people using 21mm and I can't imagine how big that looks coming out of the stuffer. So now I'm shopping online looking for a 3/8" horn that will fit my stuffer and trying to figure out how the hel* to do this. Any help would be appreciated. This forum has been so helpful so far for a beginner like myself. You guys and gals rock!