Primer Pockets

[billt]

On handgun brass, i'll wet tumble with stainless tumbling media then go into reloading without cleaning the pockets. On my .308 precision rifle i'll clean prior to depriming, deprime then use a uniforming tool to clean & uniform the pockets prior to reloading.

Since I've gone to Stainless Steel Tumbling Media, this is a process I no longer have to endure with all of my reloading. Stainless Steel Media cleans the brass, both inside and out to new condition. No need to ever clean primer pockets again. That alone makes it well worth the expense, time, and effort.

 

[Leo]

I never clean primer pockets. I deprime after tumbling so there is no tumbler media. For target rifle, I will uniform the pockets and flash holes, once. I never repeat that process.

Just for the record, I did an experiment with .45acp. I tumbled after depriming. I took 10 cases that had media in the flash hole and 10 cases that did not. I carfully loaded them and shot them over a chronograph. guess what? NO difference. If you have ever known anyone who forgot the powder charge in the .45, the bullet goes pretty far into the barrel before it gets stuck, just from the power of the primer. If the primer alone has enough power to jam a 230 gr hunk of lead into the rifling, I am sure that little piece of corn cob or walnut is not going to be a problem.

 

[Broom_jm]

I never clean primer pockets. I deprime after tumbling so there is no tumbler media. For target rifle, I will uniform the pockets and flash holes, once. I never repeat that process.

Just for the record, I did an experiment with .45acp. I tumbled after depriming. I took 10 cases that had media in the flash hole and 10 cases that did not. I carfully loaded them and shot them over a chronograph. guess what? NO difference. If you have ever known anyone who forgot the powder charge in the .45, the bullet goes pretty far into the barrel before it gets stuck, just from the power of the primer. If the primer alone has enough power to jam a 230 gr hunk of lead into the rifling, I am sure that little piece of corn cob or walnut is not going to be a problem.

Now, there's a guy who's reloaded some ammo in his day!

 

[ssprang16]

I do but only because I use a wet tumbler - wash, deprime & wash again... but I'm anal about my brass

 

[billt]

I've been reloading for over 40 years. I've tried to shortcut every operation in the book. Cleaning primer pockets being one of them. No one is going to tell me that primers don't seat more uniformly and consistently when the primer pockets are prepped correctly. This is especially true when working with military brass. The crimp MUST be removed. It also helps to clean and square the bottom of the pocket. I've done it both ways, and shortcutting it will only make you wish you hadn't. Reloading is another one of those chores where I've learned that sometimes the fastest way, is the slowest way. I don't like rushing into problems that I know could have been avoided.

 

[WyldeShot]

Use this tool,Hornady Lock-N-Load Power Case Prep Trio 110/220 Volt, to work the flash hole and primer pocket depth, after I had a friend at a machine shop adapt my tools to work with it. When prepping one K .223 cases this winter, when the weather was horrible and I had my right hand in a cast due to surgery, it was a snap. Fired cases will go into labeled coffee cans, and the pockets will be easily cleaned in no time, again when the next of Al Gore's global warming hits. Being primarily a rifle guy, I love those one hole groups in the 2's and 3's at a hundred yards. I rarely shoot pistols, so that doesn't figure in.

I use this.
RCBS Trim Mate Case Prep Center

 

[squirrelhntr]

I've been reloading for over 40 years. I've tried to shortcut every operation in the book. Cleaning primer pockets being one of them. No one is going to tell me that primers don't seat more uniformly and consistently when the primer pockets are prepped correctly. This is especially true when working with military brass. The crimp MUST be removed. It also helps to clean and square the bottom of the pocket. I've done it both ways, and shortcutting it will only make you wish you hadn't. Reloading is another one of those chores where I've learned that sometimes the fastest way, is the slowest way. I don't like rushing into problems that I know could have been avoided.

what "billt" said: I've also been reloading for over 40 years and tumble clean the brass then remove the primers and clean primer pockets with a RCBS primer pocket cleaning tool not expensive. it might take a while to do so, a clean primer pocket is always better than a dirty one. primer seats deeper and the primer insert step goes smoother. sure you can probably get away without the pp cleaning, but reloading is supposed to be a fun hobby you should take your time and enjoy every step. safety always trumps speed. your original teacher was right. clean em.

 

[Broom_jm]

I've got the RCBS trim mate case prep center and the old-school, wrist-buster primer pocket cleaner. The thing is, I've done all the testing I need to do to know, to my satisfaction, that it makes no difference whatsoever whether or not you clean the primer pocket. The handloads I put together for my son's 308 shoot into 1/3 MOA groups at almost 300 yards (under an inch). The handloads for many of my boring old hunting rifles shoot less than an inch at 100 yards, quite often.

I'll put it like this: IF cleaning primer pockets makes any difference at all, it certainly is not a major difference. In fact, I would challenge anyone to cite a documented study or even a subjective article that claims to have found clean primer pockets make a measurable difference in accuracy or reliability.

 

[billt]

IF cleaning primer pockets makes any difference at all, it certainly is not a major difference. In fact, I would challenge anyone to cite a documented study or even a subjective article that claims to have found clean primer pockets make a measurable difference in accuracy or reliability.

It isn't a question of accuracy, or even reliability. But rather RELOADABILITY. It is far easier, and more consistent to seat primers in clean primer pockets, than it is in dirty ones. Yes, once you get it in there, it's going to go bang regardless. The point is you don't have to force anything when the pockets are clean.

 

[squirrelhntr]

I've got the RCBS trim mate case prep center and the old-school, wrist-buster primer pocket cleaner. The thing is, I've done all the testing I need to do to know, to my satisfaction, that it makes no difference whatsoever whether or not you clean the primer pocket. The handloads I put together for my son's 308 shoot into 1/3 MOA groups at almost 300 yards (under an inch). The handloads for many of my boring old hunting rifles shoot less than an inch at 100 yards, quite often.

I'll put it like this: IF cleaning primer pockets makes any difference at all, it certainly is not a major difference. In fact, I would challenge anyone to cite a documented study or even a subjective article that claims to have found clean primer pockets make a measurable difference in accuracy or reliability.

no difference in accuracy or reliability just aids in a "proper seating depth and smoother brass reprimes". RCBS technician's quote.

 

[Broom_jm]

I guess if I ever run into a problem getting primers to seat fully and easily, I'll know what to do.

After more than 25 years and many thousands of rounds in a couple dozen different cartridges, I'm not exactly worried about it.

 

[squirrelhntr]

I guess if I ever run into a problem getting primers to seat fully and easily, I'll know what to do.

About 35 years ago I ran into some problems properly seating some primers on cleaned, tumbled .45ACP brass I was reloading. that's when I started tumbling the brass then removing the primers and cleaning out the pockets. I was shooting a 1911 back then and didn't want any primers protruding past the cartridge head (case base). they're supposed to be a few millimeters below flush. a protruding primer can cause problems. haven't had that problem since either. I am going to clean some primer pockets on some .44 spl. brass this afternoon.
have fun. keep safe.

 

[BE Mike]

Cleaning primer pockets is a waste of time unless you are loading match ammo for rifle, and then isn't necessary unless you are into precision rifle shooting like bench rest or shooting at 500 yards or greater. Loading for shooting prairie dogs; it might give a little edge on those tiny critters.

 

[shibumiseeker]

About 35 years ago I ran into some problems properly seating some primers on cleaned, tumbled .45ACP brass I was reloading. that's when I started tumbling the brass then removing the primers and cleaning out the pockets. I was shooting a 1911 back then and didn't want any primers protruding past the cartridge head (case base). they're supposed to be a few millimeters below flush. a protruding primer can cause problems. haven't had that problem since either. I am going to clean some primer pockets on some .44 spl. brass this afternoon.
have fun. keep safe.

I DO hope you meant to say a couple thousandths (of an inch) below flush, because a few millimeters below flush would have them flat against the flash hole...

I clean primer holes if there's a lot of crud in them preventing them from seating just below flush, but 99.9% of the time I don't bother. I clean them on my precision rifle brass because it makes me happy to do so, but that's really the only reason.

 

[billt]

Cleaning primer pockets is a waste of time unless you are loading match ammo.......

Tell that to the guy at our local club who blew up his $1,700.00 Springfield M1-A with a slam fire, because his primers were all several thousandths ABOVE the bottom of the case. I asked if he cleaned the primer pockets before he seated the primers. He replied "why?"

 

[BE Mike]

Tell that to the guy at our local club who blew up his $1,700.00 Springfield M1-A with a slam fire, because his primers were all several thousandths ABOVE the bottom of the case. I asked if he cleaned the primer pockets before he seated the primers. He replied "why?"

I highly doubt that a residue build up could cause such a thing. There is a strong possibility that the primers were just not fully seated. There is a possibility that the primers used weren't of good quality or of the wrong type. The reloader may not have used quality brass with primer pockets within specifications. I totally believe in proper case preparation of rifle brass, to include trimming and primer pocket uniforming. Although one must often check brass for proper length, once the primer pocket has been attended to, there is no reason to repeatedly clean it (except for maximum accuracy). There is every reason to inspect the primer pockets of reloaded brass for enlargement or foreign debris. I've loaded some .45 ACP brass for 15 times. I never cleaned the primer pockets and the build-up was never that great. I have loaded ammo and not seated a few primers fully to the bottom of the primer pocket. This was my error. It was with a Dillon 650 press and loading .45 ACP. It resulted in some misfires.

 

[red_zr24x4]

Tell that to the guy at our local club who blew up his $1,700.00 Springfield M1-A with a slam fire, because his primers were all several thousandths ABOVE the bottom of the case. I asked if he cleaned the primer pockets before he seated the primers. He replied "why?"

I can see a slam fire from high primers, but you can get that with certain primers anyways high or not. I still don't clean my primer pockets except for the tumbling media.
As to blowing up his gun with a slam fire, unlikely, an out of battery firing yes

 

[Broom_jm]

If you really want to blame anything for the destruction of that M1-A, look no further than the thumb of the guy doing the reloading. Every case I prime gets one thumb or finger run across it to confirm the primer is flush, or slightly below flush. In all the years of reloading, I have certainly felt some proud primers, but that's when they get seated further.

Trying to assert that uncleaned primer pockets leads to improperly-seated primers is to misplace blame for poor reloading practices.

 

[billt]

I highly doubt that a residue build up could cause such a thing. There is a strong possibility that the primers were just not fully seated.

It takes very little buildup to fill the corner of a primer pocket, thus making full seating to the bottom of the pocket difficult, if not impossible. Many reloaders even go as far as to square out the bottom of the pocket with a cutter to remove the small radius in the corner. I've done it along with cleaning, and I can honestly say it's worth it. It's nice to have consistency in primer seating. A primer is not something you should have to force into a pocket. Cleaning helps this a great deal.

I've been reloading for over 4 decades, and in the process I've tried to shortcut every operation in the book. None of it was worth the time saved. Especially when you run into problems. There is the quick way.....And the right way. I'll save time somewhere else, not reloading.

 

[BE Mike]

It takes very little buildup to fill the corner of a primer pocket, thus making full seating to the bottom of the pocket difficult, if not impossible. Many reloaders even go as far as to square out the bottom of the pocket with a cutter to remove the small radius in the corner. I've done it along with cleaning, and I can honestly say it's worth it. It's nice to have consistency in primer seating. A primer is not something you should have to force into a pocket. Cleaning helps this a great deal.

I've been reloading for over 4 decades, and in the process I've tried to shortcut every operation in the book. None of it was worth the time saved. Especially when you run into problems. There is the quick way.....And the right way. I'll save time somewhere else, not reloading.

I have been reloading for as long as you. I sure don't know it all, but my practices haven't resulted in any major problems. If you want to spend your time cleaning primer pockets and it makes you feel good, have at it, but it isn't a necessary step. I'm still not convinced of your assertion that not cleaning primer pockets is an unsafe practice, and I'm a stickler for safety.