[Dr. Tad Hussein Winslow]

That's the question.

[freakshow10mm]

I never clean handgun pockets. I seldom clean rifle pockets. Maybe every 5 firings or so.

[rscalzo]

Rifle only everytime. I'm fussy about getting a high primer and it takes very little time.

I stopped doing it to handgun cases many years back with zero problems.

[MkgReloader]

I've never cleaned pistol primer pockets in 35 years of reloading.

[Mal H]

There's an echo in here! ;)

Same here - no to handgun cases, but sometimes to rifle cases (maybe 25% of the time). For rifles it depends on the intended use of the rounds.

[NCsmitty]

For rifles, yes.

NCsmitty

[SSN Vet]

short answer....

no, not every time

[Rebel Dave]

Yes I do. Rifle and pistol. I like the RCBC primer pocket cleaner best.
Just me.

Rebel Dave

[David Wile]

Hey Tad,

When I first started reloading nearly 50 years ago, I was taught to clean every primer pocket on every case every time I reloaded it. No exceptions! That wasn't such a big deal to me since I was using single stage presses back then. When I got a progressive press, I was not about to size the cases to remove the primers and then clean the pockets before running them through the progressive press. I started to skip the pocket cleaning on those shells that I was reloading on the progressive machine. If I was using a single stage press, I would continue to clean the primer pockets. After about a year of cleaning single stage pockets and not cleaning progressive pockets, I came to the conclusion that it did not make a difference to me. I have since stopped cleaning any primer pockets whether I am loading on a progressive or a single stage. I think my old mentor who first started me in reloading would be ashamed of me, but I take the chance anyway and keep on skipping primer pocket cleaning.

Best wishes,
Dave Wile

[Floppy_D]

Pistol never, rifle always.

[Walkalong]

I use a primer pocket uniformer on my 6PPC Benchrest gun brass every time. I clean other rifle primer pockets most times, no uniforming. I never clean pistol primer pockets. They only get just so dirty, and then just kind of hold even without getting worse.

Sort of like 7.333333333333333333333333333333333333333333. :)

[NorCalRanches]

Rifle everytime. I'm of the belief it doesn't really make a difference, but I like my primers to seat well. Using the piece of aircraft cable chucked into an electric drill method it takes me a couple of minutes to do a 100 cases--so why not. N.B. that I'm loading on a single stage press, I probably wouldn't if I was cranking volume out on a progressive.

[R.W.Dale]

no practically NEVER

about the only time I clean em is if I get some brass that's been wet in order to remove the oxidation

[schmeky]

What's a primer pocket :D

[The Bushmaster]

Yup...Every time and every caliber...Handgun and longgun. Only takes about a minute to clean 50 cases (my method) so why not.

And my head WILL NOT swell if everyone agrees with me. Couldn't afford the new hats it would take...:evil:

[Zeke/PA]

In my youth when I started reloading I once assembled a batch of rifle ammo with which I expireanced several hangfires.
Since then I clean the primer pockets of ALL my rifle reloads and also the handgun ammo loaded on my single station press.
With pistol ammo on my turret press I do not, with no apparent problems.

[jcwit]

Hand gun never, Rifle sometimes, no set rule.

[Shimitup]

Rifle and pistol every time, RCBS pocket brush in the drill press makes it go as fast as I can pick them up and drop them. I tend to treat every round as if my life may have to depend on it, maybe overly meticulous but it makes me feel better.

[dagger dog]

Yes, yes, yes ,yes and I wash my hands after every pocket and I also tumble every case before and after cleaning the pocket, then I hand rub every case with polishing compound and give each a coat of carnuba wax. Then comes the bullets:D

[Dark Skies]

I always do. Pistol and rifle loads. Did it when I first started to reload and kept the habit. Fiddling around with gadgets is all part of the fun. I use one of those small pistol-type battery handrills. Only takes a second.

[Thingster]

I only do with S&B rifle brass. For some reason it's really easy to get a high primer with their 7.62x54R.

Nothing else unless I have to, like as if the brass got wet/really dirty.

[bullseye308]

I just deprime and resize then tumble it. So I guess it would be a yes? If you meant by hand, then it would be a no.

[30Cal]

Just for rifles where the potential for slamfire exists.

[RidgwayCO]

Yes.

I decap with a Lee universal decapping die, hit the primer pockets with the RCBS Trim Mate primer pocket uniformer, and throw in the tumbler for a couple of hours. After they're shiny, check each case for cracks and media in the flash hole, and they're ready for their next trip through reloading wonderland.

[sniper5]

Didn't know a primer had pockets. Must be awful small:D

[moooose102]

NO, but i do look at them. if they look like they need cleaning, i do it. if they look pretty clean, i leave them. UNLESS it is for HUNTING / PERSONAL DEFENSE ammo.

[bobotech]

No.

Don't really see a need for them to be clean.

[edelbrock]

No for pistol. Maybe every 3rd reload for rifle.

[remingtondude58]

always!

[azar]

I do clean primer pockets every time...I remember. Which is probably 3 out of 4 times. The primers simply seat easier and (I assume) more uniform when I do.

I only load for rifle, so I can't say what I would do for pistol.

[Flash!]

I may not clean it every time..... but I do inspect it every time.....I clean it if I see excessive buildup or filth.....

[chriske]

Yes.

[Hummer70]

I have done alot of testing and examination with borescopes. Rifles that had cases that did not have cleaned primer pockets show gouges in throat area. Rifles that have had cases tumble cleaned with stainless media to where thy look new do not show this condition.

don't believe primer residue gets hard? Fire 20 cases, deprime immediately scrape the pockets. Residue will be soft and flakey. Reload these cases and fire them and wait a week to deprime and scrape primer pocket and you will find it has gotton hard and requires work to clean.

Logic: What do they put in steel to make it hard? Carbon

What is hardest tool steel? Carbide

What is hardest substance? diamond and it is ??????

Look at the expander ball on your reloading dies. you will see they are scored and in turn they score inside of case mouths. This is from carbon residue on inside of case mouth. Expander balls are hardened steel so brass is not going to score them unless there is something imbedded in it harder. C A R B O N is BAD. CLEAN IS GOOD

[RonellCooper]

Its the part of the reloading process that I hate :banghead: but yes I do clean primer pockets (each load).

[qajaq59]

On the rifles? Yup....

[jjohnson]

Yep, looks like a common response.

I don't shoot competitively just now - but for long range precision loading, yes. I shoot .22-250, .228, 7mm-08 and .30-06 for accuracy, so yes on those most of the time.

For pistol, I do shoot a T/C Contender in 7mm TCU, so those get precision level attention. For plinking and informal range shooting, never.

[Mags]

For practice/target loads NO
For self defense loads Yes

[wankerjake]

Handgun no, and never needed to after reloading the cases many times. Rifle yes, they seem to need it every time.

[Byron]

I clean both rifle and pistol pockets each time.Misfires can happen.In revolvers,rotation can be binded.Slam fires in self loaders happen when a high primer occurs from not cleaning a pocket.A friend damaged his Gold Cup with a slam shot due to a high primer. I have used a single stage press for 30+ years.It is a hobby and a way to reduce ammo cost. I want mine to be safe.
Byron

[GTS Dean]

Rifles - always.

Pistols - only after dip-cleaning the brass.

[Clarence]

Rifle yes

Handgun never

[JDGray]

Handgun cases, no.

Rifle cases, yes.... It helps grind the tumbling media out of the primer pocket:D

[army_husbandky]

I'll clean the primer pockets on pistol brass, when I'm watching tv and bored