skip primer pocket cleaning 9mm?

Never waste time cleaning pockets for pistols. Or trimming the length. (I am sure someone will come up with exceptions!)

BGD said:

Is it ok to not clean primer pockets for 9mm? I have about 600 and would just as soon skip cleaning the pockets.

What do you think?

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There you go!

I usually clean my revolver primer pickets after about 10 times firing. Even that is probably unnecessary.
Auto loading brass I don't keep track of the # of times reloaded and haven't ever cleaned primer pockets. If the primer pocket has a crimp (WCC brass or other military brass) then you would need to remove the crimp

I guess I am cleaning them now with using SS pins for tumbling but have over 50k rounds between 45 ACP and 9mm and never cleaned pockets other than soak cleaning

When I inspect my brass (you do that dont you?) its pretty easy to run the little tool through the pocket before tossing it into the "ready for a primer" bin.
It may not be necessary, but I have yet to ever have a problem with primer seating either.

When I first started reloading about three years ago, it was pounded in my head that I should read at least 3 manuals cover to cover and not stray from their advice. After cleaning 50 .44mag cases primer pockets and all, I must admit in an open forum that I no longer clean primer pockets.

I usually don't clean the pockets but I do look at them and if really gunked up I'll clean them. As far as trimming I check every rifle case and trim if necessary.

Clean dirty primer pockets?

I always have & always will clean primer pockets weather pistol or rifle. Clean 50 or so over a white cloth & see how much gunk ya get out, but that's just me....do what ya want just sayin'.

If your primers seat below flush, there is no functional reason to clean the primer pockets.

Said it before will say it again.
Tumbling your brass and not cleaning your primer pocket is akin to washing your pants but not your underwear.

If it makes you feel better, clean them.

Me? I'm not doing it unless one desperately needs it. After loading and shooting many thousands of rounds, I've not done it yet.

I tumble handgun cases after the primer is removed--and resized as well for that matter. At least the lose stuff in the primer pockets get cleaned out, sometimes the pockets get shiny clean particularly when I wet tumble.

It is what it is.

I've never had ignition problems in 35 years of reloading. Many Gun-zine writers have determined that dirty primer pockets do not affect accuracy.

For me, rifle cases are a different matter depending on what the cases will be used for (plinking, competition, hunting, etc).

Arkansas Paul said:

If it makes you feel better, clean them.

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Yes, never underestimate the psychological factor.

There are those among us that enjoy cleaning the cartridge case primer pocket. I avoid those individuals other wise known as Masochists (they enjoy inflicting pain upon themselves and encourage others to do the same also).

Dave P said:

Never waste time cleaning pockets for pistols. Or trimming the length. (I am sure someone will come up with exceptions!)

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X2...

brutus51 said:

Said it before will say it again.
Tumbling your brass and not cleaning your primer pocket is akin to washing your pants but not your underwear.

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I don't wear underwear

I do a quick tumble before depriming. Then tumble some more.
Other than that I don't clean pockets on pistol cases or .223 Ammo.
I do for 7mm Mag but I don't shoot 1000s of those.

In 25 years of reloading, I've never bothered to clean pistol primer pockets unless it's for handgun ammo that I use for hunting.

I clean every one during case inspection after sizing & depriming.

It takes all of 2 seconds each extra time while you are picking them up to look at them.

rc

For a LOT of years I never bothered to clean my primer pockets for handguns or for rifle blasting ammo. Now that I wet clean with SS pins after sizing they are perfect clean every time. So I find that the ammo I make now shoots just the same as it did all those years ago. If you want to and it makes you feel better then go ahead and clean em. I will use that time on other aspects of reloading that give better returns for the effort. FWIW I never did clean the stuck media out of the flash holes when I dry tumbled for those type rounds either and never ever had a problem with one working.YMMV

wlkjr said:

I don't wear underwear

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No underwear ... No need to know!

I just put the brass in my hopper and let my Dillon do the rest. No primer pocket cleaning or trimming to length on pistol calibers.

I do not nor have I ever cleaned pistol primer pockets. Now if the brass cleaning process does it it get's done, ultrasonic or SS pins. Other wise I would spend all my time cleaning and not shooting. As long as your seating the primers till they bottom out you will never have a problem. If your only seating to specific depth you will.