cleaning primer pockets?

[jhalcott]

Is it just busy work or does cleaning primer pockets have benefits? Better accuracy smaller velocity spreads or... ? I have been doing it for years since my grand pa started me reloading in the 1950's. I'm getting lazy in my older years and just wonder.

[Oklahoma Rebel]

I wold think that maybe as that carbon builds up on the wall of the pocket the primers will star to "stretch" out the pocket, so when it is cleaned it may have a loose fit. I could be totally wrong though. im sure another more experienced person will add their opinion, which I am curious to know, I don't have a pocket cleaner, and don't always clean them, but I use a flathead screwdriver that fits perfectly in them to get at least mmost of the crud out. have a good day, Travis

[white eagle]

started handloading probably 25-30 years ago when I first started I used to clean them but after a 100 or so cases I have never cleaned another
never had a misfire or noticed any difference in my loads

[toallmy]

I clean and have always cleaned my rifle primer pockets , but handgun pocket is a different story some of the time I just load and shoot . I feel as if it may make a difference in seating primer depth at a point but I have never got to it . I generally deprime my handgun brass after a couple loadings and wash it before tumbling anyway just to clean it up . When I get new to me used brass that needs a good look so I clean the primer pocket and inspect good , I have found some ' once fired ' 45 acp brass with the primer pocket flash holes enlarged . I chuck the little hand held primer pocket cleaner in the cordless and have at it . I am very picky with my rifle brass , but strangely enough I don't mind it being tarnished through . Possibly corrosion in the primer pocket would be a problem ?

[Texas by God]

I don't clean them unless they are horrible. I do clean military pockets after removing the crimp because the rotating brush is right there beside the chamfer tool on the Hornady power unit.

[trails4u]

:popcorn: This one might get good.......

[308Jeff]

When processing once fired military 7.62x51, I always hit the pockets with a Redding Primer Pocket Uniformer after I remove the crimp. Like TbG, I hit all my rifle pockets with the brush that's in the RCBS prep center.

Don't know that I've every cleaned a pistol pocket.

[OS OK]

:popcorn: This one might get good.......

Gotta X-tra bag-o-corn...? Egos are gonna fly!

[Ballistics in Scotland]

If the case is used often, it might be worth scraping the bottom of the pocket with a toothpick, cut to a flat end. It will be too cheap for anybody to sell you in a green or orange pack. Scarcely any fouling should get on the sides of the pocket, but if it does I can't think of anything better than forcing a tight-fitting non-ferrous metal cylinder with a little resiliency into it.

[w5pv]

I use a hand fitted wooden dowl in a drill motor to clean my primer pockets after they have been champered if needed.I find the Hornoday deburing tool perfect for this

[tdoyka]

i do mine everytime. it only takes 1 or so seconds, i don't find it to be much to be a big deal. of course, this is how i was taught, so i'll keep on doing the primer pockets.

yours may vary.....

[Texas by God]

I have a double ended hand tool (Lee?) That has sp on one end and lp on the other. It's neat. Hardly ever use it.

[ikarus1]

I look at it this way....with wet tumbling, a clean pocket is free so why would i not decap with a universal decap diex throw em in the tumbler and clean the whole case like new?

Has the added benefit of drying faster since air and water flows thru the flash hole

[1bluehorse]

I not only clean primer pockets (wet tumble) I even uniform them...:shock: do it make a difference accuracy wise, probably not for "informal" handgun shooting. It's just part of MY procedure. It does make priming easier though. And, I do think it makes a difference with your rifle brass for consistency, if you're into that sort of stuff...:-)

[smoked turkey]

I will not say that cleaning primer pockets will absolutely and every time result in more accurate or more reliable ammunition. Many of the projects that I do around the house are not perfect. I allow for less than perfect on some things. However, I don't think that making ammunition should be one of those things. So as a part of my reloading regimen I do give each case a quick look to see it there are any abnormalities or anything that might result in a malfunction of some sort. As a part of that I do take the time to clean the primer pockets. In doing that I am assured that the primer will seat fully in the primer pocket. I have on occasion had a "high" primer that locked one of my revolvers. Upon examination I have always found that the high primer was a result of my not getting enough power on the handle during the primer seating process. So the seating of primers is something I take extra care in and that includes the cleaning of the pocket. That is just me and obviously from the above posts it is not always a problem for everyone.

[Mytmousemalibu]

I deprime before SS pin wet tumbling which cleans the brass inside and out very well including primer pockets. Its consistency and thats always desirable. They are all clean instead of a mixed variation of pocket fouling. Mostly its to add insurance against high primers/cushioned impact so i don't get malf's in my competition guns but I do it across the board.

[Shawlerbrook]

I clean them if they are dirty. I know this sounds like a wisecrack, but if there is carbon buildup, I give them a turn with the tool. Might not be life or death, but clean has to be better than dirty.

[toallmy]

I must be insane I have been known to clean up the inside of the flash holes in brass .

[ole 5 hole group]

Most people reload according to their wants/needs etc - When I started shooting benchrest I was advised to uniform everything, as it couldn't hurt and just might help accuracy. Uniforming primer pockets and flash holes was among the recommendations. Takes but a couple seconds per case depending upon your method. I uniform both rifle and pistol cases to my satisfaction and I can miss as many shots as anyone else.

I do know that most commercial cases have burrs within the flash hole - uniforming the flash hole you'll see the brass shavings from the burrs. Most commercial brass will also have primer pockets that are just a tish high - running the Sinclair uniformer you will notice variations from case to case.

After firing and tumbling the cases you see some carbon in the primer pocket - if you want to clean the pockets from the carbon, there's several methods, but that Sinclair uniformer with a power drill makes short work of everything.

Does it aid accuracy? One thing for sure, it sure doesn't detract from accuracy.;)

[phonejack]

Yes, every time. I'm retired and I've got the time to do it. I still use a single stage press and a balance beam scale.

[Josh Smith]

I clean them because I had high primers on a few when I thought it wasn't necessary.

After using a pocket cleaning tool, I stopped using that and began using a plastic brush on a rotary tool. Zap it and it's cleaned and polished.

If I didn't feel it was a safety issue, I'd not bother in pistols.

Regards,

Josh

[Traffer]

I intend to clean the primers and reload them also. Remember "a reloaded primer is an inexpensive primer". Also I have learned that shiny is good, whether it is inside or not.

[GooseGestapo]

I use to, but no more. Last time was ~20yrs ago and loading for a friends .17Rem, .22PPC, and 6mmPPC. But only on the first loading when uniforming the flash holes and primer pockets.
we were however working towards .2" groups. Often attained them too.
He won more than a few br matches with the Norma and Sako brass I prepped/loaded for him.

[JSnover]

I deprive after tumbling (walnut) and give each pocket on quick twist of the Lyman uniforming tool. After the first reload the tool almost never touches bottom, there's always a little carbon left but it hasn't been a problem. Primers seat just fine and I'ver never had one fail to fire.

[Rufus Krile]

Always. My OCD requires that I not only clean the pocket, but that I do it while standing on one foot with one eye closed while listening to 'Scotland the Brave' on the pipes. It drowns out the voices.

[trails4u]

Always. My OCD requires that I not only clean the pocket, but that I do it while standing on one foot with one eye closed while listening to 'Scotland the Brave' on the pipes. It drowns out the voices.

Rufus wins the interwebs for today. :)

[JWT]

The pocket gets cleaned on every case every time in my house. Why? Because that's the way I was taught 30yrs ago and I haven't found a compelling reason to change.

[jhalcott]

Grand pop had a friend that would cuss when he missed. Grand pop would say "bet that was a HIGH primer"! This was when most primers were corrosive. He would drill me on cleaning the brass as soon as we got out of the field. I remember one powder he used that was NO. 17. He had two big pickle jars of it. Said the TIN in it kept the corrosion down. his favorite gun was a .30 government. I guess I will keep cleaning those pockets because I feel guilty when I don't.

[wmitty]

I carefully cleaned every pocket until I read Warren Page's "the Accurate Rifle". Have not cleaned one since...

[54bore]

Precision rifle YES, i use a carbide pocket depth cutter on every piece of rifle brass. After resizing it takes little to no effort to put that tool in each pocket and make 1 turn, they look brand new afterward, maybe its not needed? I have been doing this for nearly 30 years and it sure hasn't hurt anything

[dragon813gt]

Waste of time that will yield no difference on target IMO.

[Ateam]

Wet tumble!

[MostlyLeverGuns]

I uniform primer pockets on new brass or once fired factory rounds, also on those 50 cases once-fired in the rifle(s) going hunting. Handgun - not at all, rifle for everyday - probably not, unless crimp removal or really dirty 'once-fired' purchase. Some of the high-power guys do some don't. The more rounds down range, the less likely you will clean pockets. Several gun writers have written about this. Most have found little benefit in cleaning primer pockets after initial uniform flash hole deburring. Some of the long-range guys do flash hole deburring without uniforming the primer pocket. How many rounds, how much do you have, personal OCD and anal tendencies all come into play. Do an honest test of the bench with an 'innocent' assistant feeding you cartridges, probably no difference.

[Mytmousemalibu]

I don't know how many of you guys do competitive shooting but a round that fails to go off can mean the difference between 1st place or somewhere behind that. I primarily shoot USPSA in addition to 3-gun and IDPA. Speed is 50% of the battle and clearing malfunctions is costly. My M&P race gun has a trigger that breaks right at 1.5lbs and to get there the striker spring is pretty light which requires I only feed it Federal primers. If I have a primer that is slightly high or ends up cushioned ever so slightly, it won't fire. Since cleaning primer pockets via wet tumbling, I rarely have any failures to fire. That wasn't the case in the past. Lot of the other guys I shoot with don't clean the pockets and would you believe they have more malfunctions typically. My opinion, there is some correlation there. For the average fella with unmodified guns, probably not going to make any difference but I firmly believe it can effect things. Food for thought.

[Smoke4320]

I don't know how many of you guys do competitive shooting but a round that fails to go off can mean the difference between 1st place or somewhere behind that. I primarily shoot USPSA in addition to 3-gun and IDPA. Speed is 50% of the battle. My M&P race gun has a trigger that breaks right at 1.5lbs and to get there the striker spring is pretty light which requires I only feed it Federal primers. If I have a primer that is slightly high or ends up cushioned ever so slightly, it won't fire. Since cleaning primer pockets via wet tumbling, I rarely have any failures to fire. That wasn't the case in the past. Lot of the other guys I shoot with don't clean the pockets and would you believe they have more malfunctions typically. My opinion, there is some correlation there. For the average fella eith unmodified guns, probably not going to make any difference but I firmly believe it can effect things. Food for thought.

I totally agree if comps or Hunting where a misfire means no shot at the prey clean the pockets
if blasting do what you feel comfortable doing .. just means a slight inconvenience here are there

[Hick]

I clean them them first time I get them (especially range pick-up brass) and get them uniform with my Lyman primer pocket reamer. After that, I only inspect them. I dry my washed cases in our dryer, and we have hard water-- so sometimes I get dried water deposits that can change the size of the flash hole-- that's why I inspect them. This, by the way, is not a detailed inspection-- I put the cases in a loading block upside down to get ready to hand prime-- but I look at all the flash holes before priming-- just looking to see that the hole is actually there and is about the right size. If one is clogged I have a little piece of metal that I use to clear the hole. This is neither fancy nor precise-- and I haven't noticed any bad results. Personally, I think this falls in the category of many of the more precise things shooters do in reloading. If you are a precision shooter with high powered scope and a precision rifle using the best benchrest procedures there are many, many things you probably have to do to get 1/4 MOA accuracy. But a lot of that extra precise stuff is wasted on someone like me who shoots with open sights and old eyes where even the front sight is a little blurry.

[Rdbronco]

Deprime and wet tumble with stainless pins. Makes resizing easy, and easier on the resizing die. Misfires are no bueno...

[JBinMN]

I clean them.

[afish4570]

Back in the 60's we would make our own pr.pocket cleaners by taking a 303 or 8mm berdan shell that someone had discarded. This we would take a hammer and flatten the neck on case and file to fit the empty primer pocket......to adjust for filing too much or wear from use.....put case on hard surface and tap judiciously to increase size of the blade. Simple tool and no cost just alittle time and ingenuity. While watching TV with an old towel in lap...clean away. Not a high speed method but good for a beginner or one reloading his annual hunting ammo. afish4570

[bbogue1]

I clean my pistol primers. I found the dirty pockets sometimes do not completely seat the primer. I use the little Lee tool. I found a flush primer may not have seated fully so when the firing pin hits it the primer moves forward and may or may not fire (TuLa primers are more susceptible to this than CCI ) I also wet wash which gives me a cleaner pocket when I clean right after returning from the range. On about the 3rd firing I also check case length and have found many need to be trimmed. It is a matter of pride to produce a technically correct product.

[Dan Cash]

I did not clean primer pockets until I started reloading black powder cartridges. I do not use a wet tumbling method so some times, there is significant carbon residue in the pocket which would keep a new primer from fully seating. To solve this problem, I cut the blade on a Yankee Screwdriver to fit the large primer pocket and gave the end of th tip a nice square edge. I made a wooden clamp that let me mount the screwdriver with the bit upward next to the turret loading press. Now, as I pick up a case to start the loading cycle, I observe the primer pocket and if carbon or media (I use walnut) is present in the pocket or flash hole, the case is placed with primer pocket over the screwdriver blade and given one or two downward strokes. Pocket is clean! I onlly do selected cases and have never observed any accuracy degredation with cases, black powder or smokeless, that are not given the screwdriver cleaner treatment.

[mold maker]

Yes, every time. I'm retired and I've got the time to do it. I still use a single stage press and a balance beam scale.

That makes at least two of us. Funny how age changes our perspective.

[JBinMN]

I did not clean primer pockets until I started reloading black powder cartridges. I do not use a wet tumbling method so some times, there is significant carbon residue in the pocket which would keep a new primer from fully seating. To solve this problem, I cut the blade on a Yankee Screwdriver to fit the large primer pocket and gave the end of th tip a nice square edge. I made a wooden clamp that let me mount the screwdriver with the bit upward next to the turret loading press. Now, as I pick up a case to start the loading cycle, I observe the primer pocket and if carbon or media (I use walnut) is present in the pocket or flash hole, the case is placed with primer pocket over the screwdriver blade and given one or two downward strokes. Pocket is clean! I onlly do selected cases and have never observed any accuracy degredation with cases, black powder or smokeless, that are not given the screwdriver cleaner treatment.


LOL. :D As I read this I literally stopped & laughed, thinking, " I wonder how many are going to read that & wonder what a, 'Yankee Screwdriver', is?"....

I haven't heard anyone mention that name for that tool in a long long time... So, now I wonder if there are some here who are young enough, or even older & just were never familiarized with the name of that tool. I don't remember when they gave up on Shop class in public schools, but that would be probably about the time of when that name was quite familiar to most boys.... I learned it a bit early with the carpenters & craftsman in my immediate family tree. I imagine others might not have been.

Bit of a sidetrack, but I thought it interesting to mention. It was a surprise, but quite an innovative idea to read about, for someone to be using one in cleaning primer pockets...

and...
I still clean them primer pockets... Just did about 150 -200 a few hours ago.

;)

[mold maker]

LOL. :D As I read this I literally stopped & laughed, thinking, " I wonder how many are going to read that & wonder what a, 'Yankee Screwdriver', is?"....

I haven't heard anyone mention that name for that tool in a long long time... So, now I wonder if there are some here who are young enough, or even older & just were never familiarized with the name of that tool. I don't remember when they gave up on Shop class in public schools, but that would be probably about the time of when that name was quite familiar to most boys.... I learned it a bit early with the carpenters & craftsman in my immediate family tree. I imagine others might not have been.

Bit of a sidetrack, but I thought it interesting to mention. It was a surprise, but quite an innovative idea to read about, for someone to be using one in cleaning primer pockets...

and...
I still clean them primer pockets... Just did about 150 -200 a few hours ago.

;)

My Dad was a cabinet maker among other things. At a very young age, my job was to hang doors, and the Yankey was how it was done. I still have 2 of the original Yankees and a shorter knock off.
In this day of battery powered tools, the old reliables are a thing of the past, as are the craftsmen that used them.

[JBinMN]

My Dad was a cabinet maker among other things. At a very young age, my job was to hang doors, and the Yankey was how it was done. I still have 2 of the original Yankees and a shorter knock off.
In this day of battery powered tools, the old reliables are a thing of the past, as are the craftsmen that used them.

Yes, I used one too as a lad, and even as a carpenter long ago. I don't have one any more, but reading the name brought back some memories of Dad, one uncle, & my Gramp's who used them almost daily at times in their lives.

As for cleaning primer pockets... I don't think I would have thought on using one, so I thought that was quite the idea.
Very cool!
;-)

[GhostHawk]

I do not always wash my cases in Citric Acid. When I do, part of the process is to clean primer pockets and give the case an exterior rub on a towel laid on my leg. Just lay the case on the towel and give it a roll removes most of any grime remaining.

For the primer pockets I have used q-tips, which don't last long and which get amazingly dirty very fast. But my favorite tool is a small still bristle brush designed for a dremel. But I just use my fingers. Fits into small pockets a little end pressure swells it up to clean large pockets.

Ever 5 pockets or so I give it a swirl on the towel to remove carbon, debris. Leaves a big black spot.

Would I need to, probably not. But as I am retired, I have the time, it is a pleasant way to spend some time while watching a movie or youtube vid's.

[mac60]

LOL. :D As I read this I literally stopped & laughed, thinking, " I wonder how many are going to read that & wonder what a, 'Yankee Screwdriver', is?"....

I haven't heard anyone mention that name for that tool in a long long time... So, now I wonder if there are some here who are young enough, or even older & just were never familiarized with the name of that tool. I don't remember when they gave up on Shop class in public schools, but that would be probably about the time of when that name was quite familiar to most boys.... I learned it a bit early with the carpenters & craftsman in my immediate family tree. I imagine others might not have been.

Bit of a sidetrack, but I thought it interesting to mention. It was a surprise, but quite an innovative idea to read about, for someone to be using one in cleaning primer pockets...

and...
I still clean them primer pockets... Just did about 150 -200 a few hours ago.

;)

Years ago, Mequon Reloading Corp. (MRC) marketed a tool using the "Yankee" screwdriver principle for cleaning primer pockets. It was called the "auto cleaner".

[JBinMN]

Whoah! Now that is a cool bit of history! :)

Thanks for sharing it!
:)

[mac60]

I believe (not sure) that there was somebody else that made a primer pocket cleaner on the same principle. Was it Lee???

[Dancing Bear]

For me vib cleaning usually seems to clean out large primer pockets. Small primer pockets, not so much. So I clean whenever they look dirty, more so for easy primer seating than any accuracy issues.

[RonT]

http://castboolits.gunloads.com/images/misc/quote_icon.png Originally Posted by phonejack http://castboolits.gunloads.com/images/buttons/viewpost-right.png (http://castboolits.gunloads.com/showthread.php?p=3995289#post3995289) Yes, every time. I'm retired and I've got the time to do it. I still use a single stage press and a balance beam scale.
That makes at least two of us. Funny how age changes our perspective.
Same,
Cheers,
R

[Ole Joe Clarke]

Especially since it's in the hunting thread instead of the reloading thread. :-)

[Dan Cash]

Years ago, Mequon Reloading Corp. (MRC) marketed a tool using the "Yankee" screwdriver principle for cleaning primer pockets. It was called the "auto cleaner".

And here I thought I had invented something!

[Ole Joe Clarke]

I clean primer pockets with a old, don't know where I got it, way back in my youth, Erector Set motor with a brass adapter for a RCBS primer pocket brush. Takes about 2-3 seconds, but I have plenty of time. :-)

http://i928.photobucket.com/albums/ad123/olejoeclark/Reloading/20150622_080016-1_zpsp61mbywl.jpg (http://s928.photobucket.com/user/olejoeclark/media/Reloading/20150622_080016-1_zpsp61mbywl.jpg.html)

[trapper9260]

I clean the pockets because that is how I learn the tool that I got to do it I worn it out so I use a small flat screwdriver and clean it that way.It works for me.and I do not have any miss fire.I also found that the small screwdriver work better then the tool i did had.

[Mgvande]

It's a very quick swipe for me. Pay more attention to bp cartridges as the brass is usually converted by me and I want them to last. I'm surprised to see many people not doing it perhaps I can get lazier.
With my 303brits that I just neck size I don't even tumble. Just shoot and neck size, repeat. No issues yet.

[retread]

I deprime before SS pin wet tumbling which cleans the brass inside and out very well including primer pockets. Its consistency and thats always desirable. They are all clean instead of a mixed variation of pocket fouling. Mostly its to add insurance against high primers/cushioned impact so i don't get malf's in my competition guns but I do it across the board.

I always hated cleaning primer pockets but I did it for all my rifle loads. Now that I have discovered the SS Pin method of cleaning, I do it for all my brass including pistol. I use a Lee Pro 1000 set up with a collator and a universal decapper and decap all my pistols rounds with that. Speeds things up considerably.

[Duckiller]

When I first started reloading, 40+ years ago, I had some high primers in 38 Special loads. So high that I couldn't close the cylinder. Tore the loads down and found DIRTY primer pockets. Ever since I have cleaned all primer pockets. All cylinders close and all cartridges go bang. Have used various devices made to clean pockets to match sticks and steel wool. for about the last 10 years I have used a small flat blade screwdriver. Small enough to fit the pocket and a couple of twists and excessive carbon is gone.

[robg]

That makes at least two of us. Funny how age changes our perspective.

Me too