Cleaning Primer Pockets

[Ole Joe Clarke]

Some folks will yell at me for posting this, but it works for me. I clean all primer pockets with an old Erector Set motor that I got many years ago. Don't know who from, or where I got it. It takes about 2 seconds to clean a pocket. The motor shaft is threaded on one end, about 8-32 or so, so I made and adapter and screwed on the shaft. The adapter is drilled and tapped for the cleaning brushes sold by RCBS or Lyman or somebody? I just screw the appropriate size brush in the adapter and I'm ready to go. I did put a inline on/off button in the power cord. Used it for many years and it works like a charm.

Correction: The shaft is not threaded, it is straight, I drilled the side of the brass rod for a tiny set screw. The brass adapter is drilled all the way through. My apologies for putting out bad information.

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)

[flashhole]

Very nice. Have you considered a Primer Pocket Uniformer attachment instead of the brush? Looks like a simple way to go.

[Ole Joe Clarke]

Never had a need to, I have a primer pocket reamer somewhere. Just don't have the problem of too small primer pockets.

[JLarsson]

I made an adapter to put a Lee Primer Pocket Cleaner onto a .5 HP 1725 rpm electric motor I scavenged out of...something. I also use it with my flash hole trimmer. I did the same as you - put an on/off switch inline in the cord.

[ReloaderFred]

I made a mount for an electric hand drill that mounts the same as your motor. I make my own brushes from plastic coated cable, and by holding about 6 cases at a time, I can "zip, zip, zip" right along. It takes me about 40 minutes to clean a thousand primer pockets.

I made a tray from a used USPS small flat rate box that goes right under the brush to catch most of the debris.

I also made two sleeves for deburring tools, one for inside and one for outside case mouth deburring. The Wilson deburring tools (or RCBS) fit inside the sleeve and are held in place with a set screw. The sleeves were turned down to a 3/8" shank for mounting in the drill chuck.

Hope this helps.

Fred

[Garyshome]

I remove the primer and tumble, then re load it.

[Ken in Iowa]

That's pretty innovative Joe!

[noisewaterphd]

I remove the primer and tumble, then re load it.

Yep, me too. $30 little Lee press and a Universal Decapping Die. Tumbler cleans primer pockets for me.

[OS OK]

Yep, me too. $30 little Lee press and a Universal Decapping Die. Tumbler cleans primer pockets for me.

Yep, me too. Stainless steel pins clean the flash hole too.

[Walter Laich]

SS media does it for me too. when ready to reload a give the primer pockets a quick hit of spray lube (bullets are in loading black mouth down).
I put them in loading blocks to check condition of cases before reloading then again as I put them in press.

try SS 'chips' now and like them better as they don't slide out the tumbler as much when pouring off water but pins or chips, they both do a great job

[georgerkahn]

A great adaptation! I acquired an old Unimat which had pretty much nothing other than its motor and stand, and did precisely the same thing as you did. Specially for loading gas guns, I believe it is imperative to have primer pockets clean as well as uniform. I use a tool called the Primer Pocket Uniformer I bought many years ago from Sinclair on first reload case preps, and a different tool -- called the Crocogator -- on subsequent brass preps. I also have my home-made dial-indicator equipped gage to indicate primer seating depth. Holland Shooting Supply sells a tool for this, too, but again, I have and use the one of my own design. I'm pretty confident that ensuring uniform pockets -- from flash hole size, to burr elimination, and clean square edges to insure uniform seating VERY MUCH contribute to accuracy.
BEST!
geo

[lightman]

Its pretty cool to see some of the gear that you guys have made by repurposing other stuff. My case prep center is a Mikita cordless drill and a hospital puck bowl!

George, I uniform primer pockets and deburr flash holes too.

[flashhole]

George, where in Northern New York? I'm in the Southern Tier ... Owego.

I think you are the only person who has put the word Crockogator in a reloading thread. I have one and love it for work after the primer pockets are uniformed. I use the EJS tool for uniforming.

[r1kk1]

I use a primer pocket uniformer each time I reload brass. It's amazing how it squares the primer pocket each time. It may not clean as well as a brush but using pin tumbling, pockets are clean. Primer seating feels better. I spoke with Eric Sinclair and he stated you can never remove more than the tool allows.

Take care

r1kk1

[mdi]

I'm not a primer pocket cleaner (personal choice for my handgun loads. been doin' it like that fer 30 years) but I'm interested in that motor you have there. How fast does it turn? Does it have much torque. I've run int a couple projects that could use a small gear reduction motor (that doesn't cost an arm & a leg)...

[Ole Joe Clarke]

MDI I haven't a clue as to RPM on the motor. I would guess it runs about 1,450 RPM, but that is all it is, a guess. As for torque, it doesn't have much, but it works for my needs.

[Don Fischer]

I don't clean primer pocket's on handgun ammo but do on rifle ammo. To do it I tool a 16 penny nail and glued it into a 1" hardwood dowel. One quick turn around the inside of the pocket and it's clean.

[Virginian]

Very cool repurpose of the motor.

[OS OK]

"You guys be careful how loud you say…"clean primer pockets"…you're going to get us labeled as 'clean freaks' or something.
Some of these 'hi-speed' brass stuffers around here haven't looked into a primer pocket since they began this 'brass stuffin' business.
They throw their brass into the tumbler and go from that to an automatic press where they 'size/deprime' then reprime right on the press. No idea about that end of the round other than installing a new one of those little round thingies. Everything starts right there!
The crud in the pockets just keeps mounting up. no telling how well they are igniting rounds…sorta leads to high discrepancies in the avg. FPS etc. Seems like if it goes 'boom' thats 'good nuff'.

[Ole Joe Clarke]

Yea, I know it, but I clean em any way. As long as it is safe and works, that's all that matters. Some guy on the S&W forum couldn't understand why I decided to prime off the Lee Classic Turret that I recently purchased. I was taking away from it's ability. My short answer is, I do it because I want to.

Have a blessed day,

Leon

[Sam Casey]

I was just about to order some things from MW and was thinking the small RCBS brush on some sort of motor should work for both L & S pockets. Any real need for L brush?

[Ole Joe Clarke]

I was just about to order some things from MW and was thinking the small RCBS brush on some sort of motor should work for both L & S pockets. Any real need for L brush?

I have both the large and small pocket cleaner brushes, and I use them both since they both just screw into the tapped brass part. I don't think they are expensive, I've had mine so long I've not idea what the cost is.

I'm sure you can use the small brush to clean large primer pockets but it would take longer just to make sure they are clean. I don't like to clean primer pockets so I want to do it quickly and efficiently.

[flashhole]

Never was a fan of that method, I always had trouble with the bristles bending.

[Sam Casey]

You right; sometimes I carry "cheap" too far. If one is good, two must be better for $5.

[Le Loup Solitaire]

I made a primer pocket cleaner by grinding the ends of a worn out hacksaw blade; one end for small pp and the other for Lpp. Hacksaw blades are hard steel. Have cleaned thousands of pockets and no sign of wear. Started with a 10 inch blade so it should outlast the age of the world. LLS

[BCB]

I use the same type of clearing brush as the OP, but I chuck it into a drill press...

Shiny primer pockets...

Good-luck...BCB