Using Older CVA #11 Caps in Blue Container

[Hawk54]

Picked up some CVA #11 caps for cheap. They come in a blue plastic container. Don't know how old they are but look to be at least 20 years old I would guess. I haven't had a chance to try them but I think they should still go bang. Anyone used any of these older caps lately?

 

[Eutycus]

I have used the CVA caps but that was way back when.

 

[Phil Coffins]

I would guess more like 40 to 50 years old. Probably still good, try them.

 

[Hawk54]

I was thinking 80's or 90's. Here is a picture of the CVA box they came in. Wasn't sure as I did a search and didn't come up with anything useful.

 

[smoothshooter]

Picked up some CVA #11 caps for cheap. They come in a blue plastic container. Don't know how old they are but look to br at least 15 years old I would guess. I haven't had a chance to try them but I think they should still go bang. Anyone used any of these older caps lately?

As long as they have not gotten wet, they should be good almost indefinitely.

 

[Hawk54]

As long as they have not gotten wet, they should be good almost indefinitely.

The box doesn't show any water damage and they came with a bunch of other .50 cal muzzle loader stuff like cappers, short starters, balls, patches, maxi balls, lube, etc. They look fine. Will give them a try this week.

 

[Mulebrain]

I have 1000's of them, and humidity can get to them. I have been testing here and there on the ones I have. Sometimes go bang, sometimes no bang, or bang is weak. When they don't go off, then you have to get them off the nipple. Pain in the you know what!

 

[Hawk54]

I have 1000's of them, and humidity can get to them. I have been testing here and there on the ones I have. Sometimes go bang, sometimes no bang, or bang is weak. When they don't go off, then you have to get them off the nipple. Pain in the you know what!

Thanks for the info. I got 900 of them and paid $5 for the whole batch last weekend so hoping quite a few go off. Will just use them on the single shots. At half a cent a cap I am not out much no matter what.

 

[user 48702]

I have a dozen containers of old caps, various makes, that I ran across the other day when I was going through some of my gear that my dad put in the garage back in 1977. I'm firm on the date since I went to boot in 1977. Best I can remember I started buying caps about 1973. I had placed them in a sealed bag inside a ammo box. I tested a few and they all went off.

 

[Hawk54]

I have a dozen containers of old caps, various makes, that I ran across the other day when I was going through some of my gear that my dad put in the garage back in 1977. I'm firm on the date since I went to boot in 1977. Best I can remember I started buying caps about 1973. I had placed them in a sealed bag inside a ammo box. I tested a few and they all went off.
View attachment 138872

I hope I have the same luck with mine as you did with yours. I have a little over a thousand of the CVA #11 caps.

 

[Kansas Jake]

I have CVA caps like those that I bought before 1983 but I don’t remember exactly. They still work. Occasionally one is a dud but you should be fine. I’ll bet many here will take them off your hands it you didn’t want them.

 

[toot]

I have a dozen containers of old caps, various makes, that I ran across the other day when I was going through some of my gear that my dad put in the garage back in 1977. I'm firm on the date since I went to boot in 1977. Best I can remember I started buying caps about 1973. I had placed them in a sealed bag inside a ammo box. I tested a few and they all went off.
View attachment 138872

they have all gone the way of THE DODO BIRD, and the DINOSAOURS! a nice collection of them!

 

[desi23]

I have had good luck with the older caps firing. So long as they've been kept dry they seem to hold up just fine. I still have several plastic tins of Dixie, Navy Arms and CVA caps similar to the OP's left over from full sleeves of them I bought years ago. My only issue with them was the brass caps rarely split and sometimes stick to the nipple. A small pair of needle nose pliers is part of my range gear if I am using them. I had gone to using mainly RWS caps for my revolvers and CCI for everything else but with the current supply issues I have dug out some of the old caps and they still work fine for me.

 

[gunpa]

I had some old #11's in my TC capper. It's similar to a Ted Cash but plastic. Most went bang but those that didn't had the priming compound driven into the nipple and it was a real pain to dig it out!

 

[ohio ramrod]

As long as they were kept dry they will fire. I buy by the thousand and then vacum pack them in groups of 300 that way they will keep for many mnay years.

 

[Brokenbear]

During the 50's, thru the 1900's most of those caps were made by Fiocchi and labeled for many different vendors in the US ..
This was all thanks to Ted Curtis of the Alcan Co. ..the first steady supplier of components including powder, paper and plastic wads as well as primers including percussion caps ..
Alcan really forced Winchester, Remington and Federal into the component business ..
And Alcan showed Fiocchi how to come to the USA
We need another Alcan

Bear

 

[toot]

so finally, older is better, & some things still work.

 

[Eutycus]

The caps still work great but has anyone ever figured out what the plastic "tins" are good for? They are bound to have some useful purpose.

 

[Kansas Jake]

Refill with homemade caps since production ones are scarce.

 

[Notchy Bob]

Picked up some CVA #11 caps for cheap. They come in a blue plastic container. Don't know how old they are but look to be at least 20 years old I would guess. I haven't had a chance to try them but I think they should still go bang. Anyone used any of these older caps lately?

I have a green plastic “tin” of CVA caps (at least I think it’s green.. I’m red-green and blue-green color blind) that’s probably 30 years old. It has been stored in a climate controlled building. I tried some of them just a few weeks ago. They were functionally as good as new.

Notchy Bob