Poll- do you clean primer pockets?

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UltimateReloader

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Hey guys- yet another chance to participate in the endless debate... To clean or not to clean!

http://ultimatereloader.com/2011/10/19/poll-do-you-ever-clean-primer-pockets/

**Edit: To follow-up on what 'ants' reported below, I have validated that there are *no* issues with the link I posted to ultimatereloader.com. I checked with IE, Firefox, Chrome, and iOS/Safari. I did notice that there is a THR banner ad here that shows up in my post, and that may be what was clicked on. I any of you have lingering doubts , please google "reloading blog", and you'll see that my site is legit, and shows up first in the search results. Thanks! Gavin.
 
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I clicked the link and got attacked by a virus.

So I switched from the desktop to the laptop and clicked the link. Again attacked.

Norton logs this: "Fake App Attack: Fake AV Website 24. Attacking computer: www3.topasarmy.in"
 
It's probably something coming through one of their advertising affiliates. The site looks legitimate. I'm running Ubuntu Linux though which is immune to 99.9937% of the viruses out there so I typically don't mind looking around :).

In any event - no, I don't typically clean my primer pockets. Never had any issue with them failing to go bang. I'm not a benchrest loader though - I load to save money rather than for precision accuracy, so my requirements aren't as stringent as some others'.
 
Good morning
Some powder/primer combinations seem to leave more residue that others. When finished tumbling a batch of brass I look into the pocket after knocking out the spent primer & then decide. If it looks excessive then I clean then while watching the news.
Mike in Peru
 
I sort of clean them. I like to deprime before tumbling, that's about as far as I go in "cleaning" primer pockets. I think I might own one of those little brushes, but it's never been used that I can recall.
 
Not going to go to site after above reports.

I clean them every time.

I also floss daily, wash behind my ears, etc. :p
 
Ants: Can't reproduce your issue, nor have I had any other reports of such a thing. I've edited the original post above to reflect. I'm guessing that you clicked on one of the banner ad links that shows up in the inline ad here on THR. Feel free to PM me if you need additional info.
 
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Getting back to the subject at hand: I pretty much concur with what most of you are doing, I only clean rifle brass primer pockets, and only for "match loads". The case neck is really where you get most benefit from sorting, prepping, etc.
 
Ditto on the SS media.

Since I changed to using it, no more dust either.

Another benefit for those trying to make the "perfect" round. The SS media cleans the inside of the case like no other media out there (except perhaps the ceramic). I found that when weighing cases to match them up I had a wider variation of weights on those cases that hadn't been cleaned versus those that were fresh from the stainless steel median cleaning.

I sure like loading with brass that's just like new, inside and out and I don't have to bother with a separate Primer Pocket cleaning procedure.
 
My usual weekly range diet is 300 cases, mix of 9mm and 45ACP. Each is deprimed, tumbled up to 4 hours in corn cob/NuFinish and then the primer pockets are cleaned. Agree with other observations, Federal brass seems to have cleaner pockets, Winchester the dirtiest (true regardless of primer used in my case). Winchester brass is also the hardest to get clean, while Federal, PMC, and Remmington clean up easily.
 
I sometimes clean rifle primer pockets, sometimes not.

I rarely clean handgun primer pockets.

I do tumble cases after resizing and de-priming, even if to be loaded on a progressive, and primer pockets get some cleaning in that process, both rifle and handgun.

DoI think it is necessary? No.

Does it make me feel good? Yes.
 
Retired 12 years---i got time to kill---I clean all primer pockets--especially new Win 30 carbine cases--it lets CCI primers seat more easily.--:):)
 
I use a Sinclair tool to square the primer pockets initially for all precision rifle and pistol ammo. The sinclair tool becomes my primer pocket cleaner subsequently for those rounds.

Practice pistol rounds for 50 yards & under and practice rifle rounds for 100 yards and under - no primer pocket cleaning.
 
Yes. There's gunk in there that wasn't there when I loaded it last time. Besides, this gives me another chance to ensure the case is good to reload (including making sure there's no obstruction inside).
 
;)
UltimateReloader

Ants: Can't reproduce your issue, nor have I had any other reports of such a thing. I've edited the original post above to reflect. I'm guessing that you clicked on one of the banner ad links that shows up in the inline ad here on THR. Feel free to PM me if you need additional info.
Click to expand...

I just clicked on the link and got a giant yellow screen from Norton saying the computer was under attack. I jumped over to my other computer running Linux and got the web page without any warnings.

Norton Anti-virus must think this web page is being run by long haired commie pinko perverts. :eek:
To be clear I have NEVER seen a virus warning that took up the entire screen before so it must be some sort of Norton software problem.

I clean all my primer pockets because I tumble them with a rock tumbler and stainless steel media.

STMCleaning.gif

I don't eat off dirty plates or use dirty silverware either.
(But the 5 second rule applies to dropped food if the dog doesn't get it first) :D
 
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If somebody ever does a real study and can prove, statistically at a 95% confidence interval, that cleaning actually improves the accuracy.
Until that time, I just see it as a worthless activity that works as a placebo. Just because the OCD benchrest shooters do things because "it couldn't hurt" does not fill me with confidence that the activity actually pays any dividend for the time spent NOT reloading and shooting. I learned very early as an Engineer that "it couldn't hurt" almost always hurt.
 
9mm Pistol brass: never have at 200-250/week for years.
I clean/polish the cases a little excessively for smooth feeding and just because I like how they look.

Rinsing them off and drying them also shot seemingly just as well 'til I got a tumbler.
 
Not in many years and it hasn't made a bit of difference. Life is too short to spend time cleaning primer pockets.

Pete
 
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