primer pocket cleaning .. is it really needed?
- Thread starter poker2112
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Hunter0924
Member
Pistol, rifle, or are you loading match grade ammunition?
Grumulkin
Member
I haven't cleaned primer pockets for years.
bogie
Member
It'll probably, in all likelihood, go "bang" if you don't clean 'em.
It'll go "bang" with a lot more consistency (i.e., the shape of the flame, etc.) if you clean them.
It'll go "bang" with a lot more consistency (i.e., the shape of the flame, etc.) if you clean them.
ReloaderFred
Member
It all depends on the person running the shop (you). In my shop, all primer pockets are cleaned as part of the reloading process. When you look at the residue from Lead Styphnate under a microscope, it looks like glass crystals. For my own peace of mind I clean out all the junk and restore the brass to new condition before I make "my" ammunition. I don't figure it will do my barrels any good to add to the stuff being blown down them. It's also a matter of pride for me. I want to produce the best possible product for my consumer, which is me.
Hope this helps.
Fred
Hope this helps.
Fred
PotatoJudge
Member
Plinking pistol rounds are loaded on a turret press, so no (if someone has a good way to integrate this step into a lee turret, I'd be glad to hear it). Rifle stuff and hot pistol loads are done on a single stage, and yes.
ReloaderFred
Member
I size and deprime all my brass on my RCBS Rockchucker, then clean the primer pockets and prime on my Hollywood press. Then I run the primed and sized brass through my Hornady Pro-Jector, minus the sizing/decapping die. This ensures me that all the brass has been prepped to my satisfaction. Those are extra steps, but it satisfies me to know I've done what I feel necessary to make the best ammunition I can. This process is for large runs. For small runs, then I'll just load them on the either the Rockchucker or the Hollywood, depending on what it is.
Hope this helps.
Fred
Hope this helps.
Fred
sublimaze41
Member
I use to, but it became very tedious. I notice absolutely no difference in my accuracy. It's like trimming handgun brass, you could but why?
RON in PA
Member
NO! At least for pistol ammo loaded in a progressive or self-indexing turret press.
Zak Smith
Member
I don't even for match long-range ammo.
koja48
member
I clean mine for all ammo.
Sistema1927
Member
Not for pistol ammo. Since my rifle reloading is low volume it doesn't hurt to clean the primer pocket while examing the case for defects.
The Bushmaster
Member
I clean ALL primer pockets...Period...I ran my own experiment about a year ago. I didn't clean the primer pockets of a 50 piece set of .45 ACP cases. After around 10 to 15 loadings the primers wouldn't seat all the way. Some were even sticking above the case head...I clean ALL primer pockets...Period...
Only on bigger runs that I am putting away for future use. For my general plinking/casual testing batch of brass (3-4 hundred) I don't. Just lazy. It would be better to do so. I have not had any problems with primers seating.
Linear Thinker
Member
I am a big fan of ultrasonic cleaners - one side benefit is they clean the primer pockets. I ultra clean the brass after resizing and tumbling.
LT
LT
RidgwayCO
Member
Yes, you have to... unless you don't want to...
W.E.G.
Member
That's what the decapping pin on the resizing die is for.
Any cleaning more than that is not cleaning - rather its polishing.
Maybe there are some sort of really crappy primers out there that leave a ton of really chunky residue in the pocket. But, none that I've ever seen. What I see can hardly even be described as "dust."
Any cleaning more than that is not cleaning - rather its polishing.
Maybe there are some sort of really crappy primers out there that leave a ton of really chunky residue in the pocket. But, none that I've ever seen. What I see can hardly even be described as "dust."
I'm with the Bushmaster on this, cleaning the pp gives me a chance to notice any irregularities with the flash hole, I also check the flash hole with a .0815" dia pin.
When I started reloading I was having trouble with primer seating this problem went away when I started cleaning the pockets. I once weighed the amount of residue for 50 large primer pockets, I don't recall the number but it surprised me.
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