Percussion Caps

[Ole Mule]

How long can you keep #11 caps in storage?

 

[Coot]

Stored cool & dry, a long time. I have some Navy Arms caps that are 30 years old & still go off.

 

[bpd303]

As long as they are stored dry and away from items that would contaminate them (solvents & oils) I would imagine almost forever. I have a collection of original caps from the 1800s and they still fire.

 

[ohio ramrod]

Stored dry they will keep a long long time. I buy by the thousand and vacuum pack the extras to protect from Ohio's humidity and have never had problems even after twenty years for some that "got lost" in the back of the gun cabinet.

 

[cynthialee]

Got an old tin of #12's that are probably as old as I am. Last time I tried a few they all went off.

 

[Spikebuck]

Thirteen years ago when I started shooting muzzleloaders I found what had to be an error in pricing at a big-box store and bought Remington caps for $.97/100 pc tin. I took all they had, which was around 30 tins. I just used them up and the last shot just as good as the first. They were stored in my gun safe that has a dehumidifier in it.

 

[Jumpshot]

I have a collection of original caps from the 1800s and they still fire.

You know you can't just say something like that and not post pictures, right?

 

[bpd303]

OK...I'll round em up and post a photo.

 

[bpd303]

They are not all from the 1800s, the real old tins on the bottom were given to me by my grandfather who said he had them as a young man. The top ones I bought over some time in the 1960-70s.

Ever see one like this. Have no idea what it would fit (two piece).

My poor little camera doesn't take very good close-ups.

 

[Jumpshot]

Cool pictures, thanks.

 

[George T.]

I have had some for years that worked like new. I have some CCI small pistol primers that are 40 years old and still work fine!

Geo. T.

 

[Jumpshot]

Those funky French caps I bought a few weeks ago work great. They apparently are pre-WWII.