Reloading 9mm-Do You Clean Your Primer Pockets?

I clean all primer pockets with the little Lee hand tool I have but that's it. Just habit from when I started reloading.

Uh, no...

But if I was going to.... I'd deprime them all with a universal decapping die, and then tumble.

not on pistols

I do, but I also trim all my brass regardlkess of what it is. But that is me and I'm the worst of anal reloaders that I know of.

GS

Nope, never done it. Never had one not go bang

Never cleaned the primer pockets. All I do is verify the flash hole is clear which is easily done by looking inside the case as pull it out of my depriming/sizing die.

Previously, I didn't clean the pockets of my handgun brass either. Lately, with two young granddaughters who like to be at my side constantly, I've decided that I didn't want the dust floating around from dry tumbling with the primers in place. So I now decap and wet tumble with ss pins, hot water from the tap, a bit of citric acid and Dawn. Aside from the occasional nicks and dings, the brass looks like new, even the primer pockets. I couldn't care less about impressing others with shiny brass, and even though my goal was different, having them come out pristine is just a side benefit that I can live with.

As an aside - I finally found a use for that loadmaster that's been collecting dust under the bench. With the case feeder and a universal decapping die, it's great for decapping a large amount of brass in short time.

For the OP, even though they're not crimped, I always run s&b brass through the pocket swager because they are always tight (the first time).

I load with a Dillon RL550B so deprime/prime happens in stage one with no pocket cleaning option. I'm curious how primer pockets can become fouled thus requiring cleaning.

RevDerb said:

I'm curious how primer pockets can become fouled thus requiring cleaning.

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There is some primer compound ash stuck to the bottom of the primer pocket after shooting. If you clean the pocket with a primer pocket brush or cleaner, when finished with all your cases, you will have a small pile of ash.

Many experts, gun writers, and pundits say it is not an issue.

I clean all my primer pockets but I am pretty anal when it comes to reloading. Ammo goes from ground to tumbler. Lube pad, decapped, clean the primer pockets with a Lee hand tool, then back in the tumbler for 30 minutes to and hour. Takes off the resizing lube and anything I missed in the primer pocket.

Yes, I clean primer pocket's, flash hole's on everything I load. Just for the fact that you should and it give's me a feeling of a complete job.

+1. I clean primer pockets and true it up with a primer pocket reamer on all of my once fired (and new WW brass) pistol or rifle brass. I also use an RCBS flash hole reamer on all new WW cases (haven't found a need to do this with Starline cases) and for a quick check on my once fired cases.

Nope. I barely do it with rifle hunting loads. I found that it doesn't make a difference.


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You are giving up the primary advantage of using a Lee Classic Turret or a progressive if you stop and clean the primer pockets.

^
And then trickle charge each and every load.

crank em out go bang

I found out years ago that it was a waste of time.

I only clean the primer pockets in my rifle rounds, and only then because I want to squeeze the most accuracy out of them. You do not need to worry about 9mm, unless you are shooting at 250 yards with them.

Mauser lover said:

.You do not need to worry about 9mm, unless you are shooting at 250 yards with them.

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Like that'll make an angstrom of difference.

My wet stainless tumbling media cleans the pockets for me.

gamestalker,

got ya on this one. i clean all primer pockets with a primer pocket reamer, pistol or rifle. always!

murf

dickttx said:

You are giving up the primary advantage of using a Lee Classic Turret or a progressive if you stop and clean the primer pockets.

Click to expand...

This

I uniform rifle primer pockets when the brass is new along with all of the other tedious brass prep and very seldom clean them unless I'm very bored and trying to kill time (rare!). Pistol, nope.

I just decrimped a bunch of military .223s this afternoon. I use the Hornadyh cutter with handle and chuck the cases in my electric drill. Just takes a few seconds per case.

I also have decrimped some 9mm military brass, but don't bother with the electric drill for that. I just keep the tool on the bench and pull the crimped case when I realize the primer's not going in.

I never have understood why anybody would want to deprime prior to tumbling. It's befuddling!

No reason to waste the time on 9mm!