Primer pocket cleaning
- Thread starter brutus51
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Charlie98
Member
Years ago when I discovered the 'Standard or Magnum' Winchester primers, I thought I discovered the motherlode of primer simplicity. What I've found over the years is they are not very consistent, and... I see I'm not the only one... that they are a mess.
Working my way through mine, too... and when I'm done, I'll be done with them.
Hooda Thunkit
Member
Just counted.
I have roughly 42k Win Large Pistol (for Standard or Magnum). Yes, 42,000.
Of that brand alone.
I'll be awhile working through them.
Howland
Member
There are a whole lot of shooters who use range pick up brass and a progressive press. They have never seen an empty primer pocket.
I on the other hand am afflicted with an acute case of OCD. I clean all primer pockets used for precision (but none for plinking).
Many in that first group shoot better than me.
I on the other hand am afflicted with an acute case of OCD. I clean all primer pockets used for precision (but none for plinking).
Many in that first group shoot better than me.
Ironicaintit
Member
I don’t usually clean the pockets, as it’s usually just kind of an ashy residue that isn’t hurting anything.... that’s with my own CCI primer stuff. But I have picked up or been given brass that was especially grungy, and decided to clean those because they just looked nasty.
they were probably fine, but I felt better
they were probably fine, but I felt better
Charlie98
Member
I have about 12K, mostly small pistol, which I don't reload a lot of (only .380 and 9mm.) Almost all of my LP's are gone, thank Heaven, and I still have a smattering of Winchester rifle primers left.
Personally, I don't clean my pockets. All I have is the little RCBS tool I got with my kit 30-odd years ago and my hands don't do well with tiny tools like that, anymore.
OP
OP
brutus51
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I too have a lot of Winchester primers left as I keep using up the CCI's and replacing them whenever I can.
Gosh darn Obama made me buy more Winchesters during the great shortage because those were all I could find.
Never tried Federal's offerings due to my satisfaction with CCI and because I'm aggravated with them for putting small primers in my beloved .45ACP brass.
Nothing worse than prepping a couple hundred only to find at the expand and clean stage 25% have dem ittybitty pockets.
Gosh darn Obama made me buy more Winchesters during the great shortage because those were all I could find.
Never tried Federal's offerings due to my satisfaction with CCI and because I'm aggravated with them for putting small primers in my beloved .45ACP brass.
Nothing worse than prepping a couple hundred only to find at the expand and clean stage 25% have dem ittybitty pockets.
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Fine Figure of a Man
Member
Can you prove otherwise?
I clean primer pockets of rifle brass sometimes. By doing so I accomplish only one thing, getting the primer pocket clean.
Handgun brass I load by the thousands and will go to my grave without having cleaned the pockets of any.
I might as well chime in here; I cleaned primer pockets for a bit in 1969, then forgot for a few. Those I forgot all shot the same as the ones that were cleaned. I was using a Lee Loader so priming may have been a bit more forceful. Got a press and dies in '71 and still cleaned no pockets and fast forward to 2020, I have never had a misfire, hang fire, nor any noticeable difference in my handloads of cleaned, reamed. reformed primer pockets vs. pockets as they were when a spent primer was punched out...
Skeptic13
Member
I clean primer pockets on my rifle brass. Pretty sure it doesn’t help but I like them clean. Not so much on pistol brass.
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lordpaxman
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I don’t clean primer pockets and I don’t wear masks. So there.
.38 Special
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- Sep 15, 2006
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- 7,330
I could provide pictures, but does anyone really want that?
If you feel better about your reloads when you clean the primer pockets, you will shoot better. Who am I to disagree and never discount the "psychological factor".
I've got my own idiosyncrasies when it comes to reloading that I'll swear make me shoot better.
I clean primer pockets for rifle. Mostly because I load small batches and it seems to be good practice even though I doubt it helps in any way for accuracy. I do believe it helps get a primer seated properly. It that prevents a misfire on the buck of a lifetime its worth it.
For pistol I never bother. I cant remember the last time I've had a misfire either. Again I'm not good enough to notice accuracy differences.
-Jeff
For pistol I never bother. I cant remember the last time I've had a misfire either
. Again I'm not good enough to notice accuracy differences.-Jeff
MySuomi
Member
I clean the primer pockets for pistol. The main reason being seating consistency. I have pretty strong hands and I will screw up a really tight primer in the blink of an eye. I found that if I give each primer pocket a twist or two with my little hand held cleaning tool the primers seat much better. I probably would not have to do that if I deprimed before I tumbled. It sounds wimpy but I did not like depriming first because it left my reloading station absolutely filthy. .
I can easily spend two 8 hour days prepping and loading a new set of 100 x .308 brass for target shooting. Part of that prep is reaming the primer pockets and flash holes to uniform sizes. After the initial prep I will never touch the primer pockets again for the life of that set of brass. Wet tumbling the brass will clean the pockets without changing the primer pocket dimensions.
For hunting / blasting ammo, not a chance! Pop the old primer out and put the new primer in.
There is a huge difference in loading critical competition target ammo and hunting / blasting ammo.
For hunting / blasting ammo, not a chance! Pop the old primer out and put the new primer in.
There is a huge difference in loading critical competition target ammo and hunting / blasting ammo.
Swampman
Old Fart
My takeaway from the thread thus far:
"If you don't clean your pockets, you'll have dirty underwear."
Just what the He!! are you people carrying in your pockets anyway?
"If you don't clean your pockets, you'll have dirty underwear."
Just what the He!! are you people carrying in your pockets anyway?
Hooda Thunkit
Member
Just what the He!! are you people carrying in your pockets anyway?
Just this morning, when I came in from out back, I emptied my pockets.
Right hip picket - clean hankie. Well, clean-ish.
Left hip pocket - Corona hand pruner.
Left front pocket - 52 pieces of 38Spl brass. R-P headstamp.
Right front pocket - Ruger LCP
Average Joe
Member
Never did, can't say I ever had a problem either.
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