I"m a convert ! (pistol primer pocket cleaning)

[SASS#23149]

Out of boredom because of a monsoon here at the coast, I deprimed a hundred .45colt brass,and started cleaning the pockets with a cordless drill....carefully.

I was AMAZED at how much crud can build up over time ! I think most of the 'blame' is the low-powered 'cowboy level' load I shoot.

Ran into Reloader Fred ,at the range, and he said 'yep,it's a pita,but should be done as part of the loading process.


It shall be done ! from now on ,especially for match ammo.

anyone else taking the time to clean primer pockets in handgun ammo ?

my walnut/corn dry media in a tumbler does nada to them btw.

 

[Schwing]

I haven't had to clean a primer pocket since I switch to rotary wet tumbling with ss pins. I was, frankly, surprised that those pins could clean out the primer pockets so well but they do.

 

[ReloaderFred]

I clean each and every primer pocket I load. We haven't had a primer fail to go off for many, many, many years, and the amount of residue left in the catch box after cleaning is considerable. Primer residue under a microscope looks like jagged glass, too. I prefer to put as little of it down my barrels as possible, so I clean the pockets.

Hope this helps.

Fred

 

[Milt1]

I clean every primer pocket using the Lyman case prep tool. It doesn't take long to do and it's amazing how much crude builds up in the primer pocket. IMO it also helps when seating primers.

 

[JPDeacon]

I dry tumble (enough to clean the crud off so as not to foul my die), resize & decap then ultrasonic bath for 20 min...works for me for clean primmer pockets and cases.

 

[TheDomFather]

I clean my primer pockets using a RCBS primer pocket brush in a drill and also a pocket uniformer. Get the crud out! If it was intended to be there new brass would come with crud already in the primer pocket

 

[bbqreloader]

Clean em all the time as part of my process, both pistol and rifle. I fully agree with your observation, to much crud build up.

 

[HOWARD J]

I always cleaned primer pockets but I cleaned in a hurry
Now I have a RCBS Trim Mate & it is perfection.

 

[cfullgraf]

... and the amount of residue left in the catch box after cleaning is considerable.

Yes, it is amazing what gets cleaned out of a primer pocket.

Generally, I feel it is better to have clean primer pockets than not. I clean cases after depriming and if the media is fine enough, it does a good job of cleaning the primer pockets. Wet tumbling with stainless pins also does a good job. So, if my primer pockets get cleaned during tumbling, so much the better. I just do not make an extra effort.

On the other hand, I've never had a mis-fire due to a dirty primer pocket.

Many of the gun rag experts say cleaning primer pockets gives no improvement in accuracy.

If cleaning primer pockets makes you feel better about your reloads, go for it. Never underestimate the power of the phycological factor.

 

[Reloadron]

anyone else taking the time to clean primer pockets in handgun ammo ?

Handgun as well as my rifle loads. Retired in NE Ohio during the winter I have a heck of a surplus of time on my hands. On the case prep center (thanks to my brother at Christmas a few years ago) it takes literally a few seconds to clean pockets.

Ron

 

[macgrumpy]

For over 30 years I have cleaned the pockets on both my rifle and pistol brass each time I reload them, I also use a pin gauge to verify that that pockets have not expanded beyond SAAMI spec. Over sized pockets can cause powder burns on the bolt/slide face, erratic pressures, and operational issues.

 

[the count]

I have never cleaned any of my pistol case primer pockets and they have gone through at least 20 reload cycles. To each his own OCD I say!

 

[splattergun]

I use a piece of stranded copper wire chucked in the cordless drill to clean out the primer pockets of my rifle brass. I don't bother for pistol. THe walnut media does make a difference IMO.

 

[ColtPythonElite]

I have never cleaned any of my pistol case primer pockets and they have gone through at least 20 reload cycles. To each his own OCD I say!

Same here.

 

[JO JO]

I wet tumble as well which leaves nice clean pockets, primers seat correct and never a misfire in thousands of rounds

 

[FROGO207]

For many many many years I never bothered to clean a primer pocket with no ill effects. Some time ago I got a second hand Thumlers tumbler for a great price. Then the cheapskate in me caused me to drag my heels getting the SS pins as they cost more than I paid for the tumbler. I eventually got things and now wet tumble after size/decap. Primer pockets look like factory along with the rest of the brass. I will never go back to a rattle box with walnut media.

 

[Reeferman]

Wet tumbling for me as well.

 

[z7]

I wet tumble and all rifle rounds pockets are cleaned.

For pistol rounds i dont decap first, they dry just fine with primer in unlike rifle cases. I shoot 40sw and 9mm so i dont track my pistol brass because i lose enough and pick up enough new brass to not worry about it

 

[SARuger]

I use the RCBS brushes in all of my primer pockets except 9mm. Just part of the process. Unbelievable how much crude comes out of there.

 

[jmorris]

anyone else taking the time to clean primer pockets in handgun ammo ?

No, I find other useless stuff to do when it's raining.

Oh, I have for my XP-100/Contender ammo and inadvertently do so with brass that I use in my automated machines because they get ran through twice with an extra tumbling.

If it's one of those feel good things you do, I'd keep doing it but once your ammo is loaded up and you had 100 with clean pockets and 100 without, you couldn't tell by looking at them or how well they grouped.

 

[webrx]

I clean primer pockets, but I dont remove primers prior to tumbling, keeps the walnut media out of the primer hole. easy to do, and you can clean em while watching the tube if you want, just put a old small cookie sheet under em and use a hand tool (rcbs brush). My kind of multi-tasking

When my son is bored, I have him clean em while I deprime, or vice versa.

 

[TheDomFather]

Its pretty clear that wet tumbling is the best way to clean your brass, With Steel pins and a litte dawn (Dawn has a degreaser in it which is why it is so effective) and some Lemi Shine it will clean inside and outside of brass as well as primer pockets. Note I dont do this as wet tumbling takes more time and you have to dry your cases afterwards. I tumble in corn cob, use some franklin arsenal polish in the media, cases look great on the outside still a little dirty on the inside and then I resize and decap followed by a RCBS primer pocket brush in a drill or a RCBS pocket uniformer which also cleans well. To each his own but I sometimes have problems in my Hornady LNL AP in seating primers and want to remove dirty primer pockets from the equation.

 

[Fine Figure of a Man]

I load most pistol rounds on a Hornady LNL. I run it in full progressive mode, i.e. a case with a spent primer goes in and a few pulls later loaded round drops out.
I think time dedicated to cleaning pockets and other details is better spent on rifle ammo.

 

[murf]

yes. i use a primer pocket uniforming tool for that job.

murf

 

[ArchAngelCD]

It's probably a good idea to clean all primer pockets but with how much I shoot I don't think I would have time to clean the pockets and load too. It's bad enough I find it hard to find the time to load .223 and 30-06 ammo in bulk for the AR-15 and my Garand.