Will Caps Go Bad Over Time?

[Top Jaw]

Have any of you ever experienced percussion caps going bad over time? I have a few misc. tins of older ones that were part of some other "stuff" I recently bought. Don't have a hammer gun right now to check them. Your experience.

Top Jaw

 

[longfowler]

they sure can! a few weeks ago, a co-worker was cleaning out his cellar, and gave me 3 tins of musket caps from navy arms. I have no idea how many years he had these, but 2 whole tins would not fire, and only 3 out of 4 in the newest tin will! they look fine, I don't know how to tell if one is bad, so I don't trust the whole lot. since they were free they're ok to practice with, but I don't trust them when it counts!

 

[k.jacobfrost]

Well if they do go bad, what is the relative life expectancy for a tin of percussion caps? Does anybody know of a way to make them last longer or possibly "revive" them?

Frost

 

[pmc]

Just last month I shot about 30 rounds with some Navy arms caps that I know I bought sometime between 1980 and 1983. every one fired perfectly.

 

[sidelock]

I have some that I have kept in a sealed pint canning jar for almost 30 yrs. and they fire just fine. They are RWS #11. I bought 2000 at a NSSA shoot in VA in 1977 and still have about 50 left. I don't remember having a miss fire with one in all this time. I try to save them by firing CCI for target practice. (CCI sometimes miss fire) I hope to take another elk with ONE this fall. :thumbsup: :thumbsup:

 

[paulvallandigham]

The compound used in percusson caps is chemical, and generally is protected from moisture by a plastic film that covers the chemical explosive. However, if the caps are allowed to stand for years in a damp environment, unprotected, water or moisture is bound to get in to the chemicals, and can change them enough to make them no longer fire. You can always try drying them in the sun on a cookie sheet to see if you can reverse the process, but I doubt it will do any good. If the compound were black powder it would do some good, but being other compounds, the moisture would cause a chemical reaction with the explosive, and neutralize it.

I have old caps my father bought back in the 1960ws that still work, but he always kept them in sealed containers with desicants in the containers to soak up any moisture that might get in. In addition to the sealed tins, the caps were wrapped in plastic bags, again with a desicant pack inside th plastic bag. Keep the caps in a dry, cool, place, and they probably can be kept indefinitely, and still work.

Don't feel bad about caps not going off> I have had matches, both stick, and paper matches that would not strike or burn after being stored in damp places for years. Its the same deal. I always check my percussion caps by giving them a visual check before putting them on my nipples. The only CCI percussion cap I have had that was a dud, was one that had no explosive in it at all.

 

[George Holton]

Useing those old caps is a great way to cure a flinch.When you dont know if they will go,it gives you a chance to study your flinch and control it. It really works ask me how I know.

 

[john s mosby]

I still have a tin of musket caps from my NSSA days back in the late 60's. I tried one last night, it went off okay.

 

[arquebus]

I think it's more a matter of how & where the caps have been stored, rather than their age, that determines their reliability. On the other hand there's always a possibilty of getting a bad batch of caps straight from the factory.

 

[bmues]

I would have to offer up that it could depend on the brand of caps and also how they are stored. I have a tin of Navy Arms and a tin of Conn Valley Arms caps that were in my Dad's equipment. He bought his black powder rifle in the mid 70's so I assume he bought these caps after that. I don't know all of the places these may have been stored between then and now. I know when I retrieved them they were out in the un-climate controlled garage in a wooden box. The compound in the bottom of the Conn Valley Arms caps will just plain fall out of them. Haven't tried the Navy Arms. I'll just keep those tins now for sentimental reasons.

'SnappinCaps'
'.45 Cal. Kentucky Percussion'
"Let's go pop some more caps!"

 

[Coot]

I still have some Navy Arms caps that I bought 25 years ago & they work fine. Stored in cool dry places over the years but nothing special. Your results may vary.

 

[renovato]

I've used caps from the '70's and they worked fine. The secret to cap life is keeping them sealed away from heat and humidity.

 

[JiminTexas]

If caps are made with the same material, and I assume that they are, as primers, then the big enemy and chief hazard to them is oil, and it doesn't seem to matter which kind of oil it is either. the explosive in primers is fulminate of mercury, and primers are deactivated/neutralized/made inert by soaking them in oil. Water or moisture isn't all that good for them either, but when they dry out they'll usually come back to life.