how to get primer pockets clean?

jambrdly · June 5, 2010, 06:50 PM

How does one get primer pockets clean? I have used corncob media, walnut media etc. - and I use the lee pocket cleaner - still residue left and it makes it hard to fully seat the new primer. I am using Remington 7 1/2 bench rest primers. Are these a particdulary dirty primer perhaps?

Sevens · June 5, 2010, 06:57 PM

Most folks find that no amount of tumbling nor choice of media will clean primer pockets with a vibratory cleaner. I think the new sonic cleaners will do it. For everyone else, it's a single piece by hand operation.

For me, it's easier than ANY method anyone will ever come up with: I quit doing them. I quit! And I haven't noticed a difference. Most of my handloading and shooting is with handguns at 7 to 25 yards.

The other problem with trying to use a vibratory cleaner to clean primer pockets (beyond that fact that it pretty much doesn't clean them...) is that media gets stuck in the flash holes. Can be a pretty ugly when you have those stuck in a primer pocket or flash hole.

The other issue is... how are you getting those primers out before you clean the brass? If you are resizing them -- then you are putting all of that brass filth through your sizing die. Not good.

farmerboy · June 5, 2010, 07:10 PM

Completley same as Sevens stated. I dont even clean rifles other than using a primer pocket reamer (flash holes deburred) but dont clean the pockets and cant even tell a difference.

snuffy · June 5, 2010, 07:21 PM

Quote:

How does one get primer pockets clean?

One whut?

I don't bother either. There's no point in it. The residue is not a problem.

Some have tested reults clean pockets VS. pockets left dirty. Both during shooting groups and chronograph tests, NO DIFFERENCE!

oneounceload · June 5, 2010, 07:38 PM

RCBS makes a primer pocket cleaner that works just fine - it is a short wire brush in a green handle - use it on my BR pistol brass and rifle brass, but I don't bother with pistol brass

oldcspsarge · June 5, 2010, 08:22 PM

http://www.sinclairintl.com/.aspx/pi...ket_Uniformers

Sinclair makes the best primer pocket uniformers I have used. Quickly cleans and uniforms the primer pockets.

farmerboy · June 5, 2010, 09:32 PM

I own the RCBS one but I still dont see a bit of difference one way or the other, so I dont.

briandg · June 5, 2010, 10:02 PM

are you seriously saying that your primer pockets are so deeply encrusted with residue that you can't seat a new primer properly!?

That is something I never would have imagined. Good luck.

ir3e971 · June 5, 2010, 11:43 PM

I don't clean primer pockets either. I used to, but then followed others example and quit. I have not had any problems at all with primer seating despite not cleaning them.

And I don't miss doing it.

At all.

Nope.

cheezhed · June 5, 2010, 11:57 PM

I do clean my primer pockets and what I use is a rifle case that I have flattened and then snipped to fit the pocket. If you need to you can file the cleaner to fit the pocket bottom as not all are flat. I have had problems with getting the primers to fit flush with the case when trying to get them to bottom out with a hand primer tool have set them off.

steve4102 · June 6, 2010, 07:43 AM

Quote:

http://www.sinclairintl.com/.aspx/pi...ket_Uniformers

Sinclair makes the best primer pocket uniformers I have used. Quickly cleans and uniforms the primer pockets.

This. On all my rifle brass, don't do anything to pistol brass.

hornady · June 6, 2010, 08:20 AM

As others have said I don’t think its necessary, However I do clean all my primer pockets, I use the RCBS wire brushes with a cheap wal-mart electric drill, its fast and works well.

bkhann · June 8, 2010, 08:56 PM

Dremmel with 1/8" ss brush. Put 50 in a load tray and it takes all of 2 minutes. A quick shot of compressed air and clean primer pockets.

jepp2 · June 8, 2010, 09:19 PM

As most have stated, cleaning primer pockets for the purpose of seating new primers generally isn't necessary.

However I clean primer pockets to keep the lead residue out of my tumbling media. As soon as I get home from the range, I use a universal decapping die to knock out the old primers. I use a Lyman powered case trimmer, and the RCBS primer pocket brush fits the opposite shaft end. Just takes a second to clean the pockets. I vacuum up the primer pocket residue, and avoid adding that to my media. I tumble and resize. If sizing rifle brass, I tumble again to remove sizing lube.

reloader28 · June 8, 2010, 09:42 PM

I clean pistol pockets once in a while, but usually rifle pockets just because I can. I dont really do it for a difference in the accuracy, but I have had problems with the seating depth. So I clean them once in a while.

The easiest way if you have a RCBS primer pocket brush is to unscrew it from the handle and chuck it in a cordless drill. A short blast of the trigger and 1 second later you have a clean pocket.

Thats part of the reason I do it. I trim, then 2 Forster DBT's chamfer and debur, then the primer pocket in the drill. All lined up on the bench. Takes no extra time at all.

demigod · June 9, 2010, 09:25 AM

A desktop Ultrasonic Cleaner gets primer pockets and the inside of cases spotless clean.

I don't always use the U/S cleaner, but clean brass really makes watching your powder charges easier.

June 5, 2010, 06:50 PM	#1
jambrdly Senior Member Join Date: January 31, 2010 Posts: 105	how to get primer pockets clean? How does one get primer pockets clean? I have used corncob media, walnut media etc. - and I use the lee pocket cleaner - still residue left and it makes it hard to fully seat the new primer. I am using Remington 7 1/2 bench rest primers. Are these a particdulary dirty primer perhaps?

June 5, 2010, 06:57 PM	#2
Sevens Senior Member Join Date: July 28, 2007 Location: Ohio Posts: 11,756	Most folks find that no amount of tumbling nor choice of media will clean primer pockets with a vibratory cleaner. I think the new sonic cleaners will do it. For everyone else, it's a single piece by hand operation. For me, it's easier than ANY method anyone will ever come up with: I quit doing them. I quit! And I haven't noticed a difference. Most of my handloading and shooting is with handguns at 7 to 25 yards. The other problem with trying to use a vibratory cleaner to clean primer pockets (beyond that fact that it pretty much doesn't clean them...) is that media gets stuck in the flash holes. Can be a pretty ugly when you have those stuck in a primer pocket or flash hole. The other issue is... how are you getting those primers out before you clean the brass? If you are resizing them -- then you are putting all of that brass filth through your sizing die. Not good. __________________ *Attention Brass rats and other reloaders:* I really need .327 Federal Magnum brass, no lot size too small. Tell me what caliber you need and I'll see what I have to swap. PM me and we'll discuss.

June 5, 2010, 07:10 PM	#3
farmerboy Junior member Join Date: May 16, 2009 Location: Central Texas Posts: 1,343	Completley same as Sevens stated. I dont even clean rifles other than using a primer pocket reamer (flash holes deburred) but dont clean the pockets and cant even tell a difference.

June 5, 2010, 07:38 PM	#5
oneounceload Junior member Join Date: April 18, 2008 Location: N. Central Florida Posts: 8,518	RCBS makes a primer pocket cleaner that works just fine - it is a short wire brush in a green handle - use it on my BR pistol brass and rifle brass, but I don't bother with pistol brass

June 5, 2010, 08:22 PM	#6
oldcspsarge Senior Member Join Date: January 11, 2008 Location: Rocky Mountains Posts: 441	http://www.sinclairintl.com/.aspx/pi...ket_Uniformers Sinclair makes the best primer pocket uniformers I have used. Quickly cleans and uniforms the primer pockets.

June 5, 2010, 09:32 PM	#7
farmerboy Junior member Join Date: May 16, 2009 Location: Central Texas Posts: 1,343	I own the RCBS one but I still dont see a bit of difference one way or the other, so I dont.

June 5, 2010, 10:02 PM	#8
briandg Senior Member Join Date: May 4, 2010 Posts: 5,468	are you seriously saying that your primer pockets are so deeply encrusted with residue that you can't seat a new primer properly!? That is something I never would have imagined. Good luck.

June 5, 2010, 11:43 PM	#9
ir3e971 Senior Member Join Date: August 3, 2006 Posts: 145	I don't clean primer pockets either. I used to, but then followed others example and quit. I have not had any problems at all with primer seating despite not cleaning them. And I don't miss doing it. At all. Nope.

June 5, 2010, 11:57 PM	#10
cheezhed Senior Member Join Date: November 28, 2007 Posts: 302	I do clean my primer pockets and what I use is a rifle case that I have flattened and then snipped to fit the pocket. If you need to you can file the cleaner to fit the pocket bottom as not all are flat. I have had problems with getting the primers to fit flush with the case when trying to get them to bottom out with a hand primer tool have set them off.

June 6, 2010, 08:20 AM	#12
hornady Senior Member Join Date: April 6, 2009 Location: SWPA Posts: 428	As others have said I don’t think its necessary, However I do clean all my primer pockets, I use the RCBS wire brushes with a cheap wal-mart electric drill, its fast and works well.

June 8, 2010, 08:56 PM	#13
bkhann Member Join Date: August 5, 2009 Location: Grand Rapids MI Posts: 98	Dremmel with 1/8" ss brush. Put 50 in a load tray and it takes all of 2 minutes. A quick shot of compressed air and clean primer pockets.

June 8, 2010, 09:19 PM	#14
jepp2 Senior Member Join Date: December 24, 2008 Location: Loveland, CO Posts: 1,476	As most have stated, cleaning primer pockets for the purpose of seating new primers generally isn't necessary. However I clean primer pockets to keep the lead residue out of my tumbling media. As soon as I get home from the range, I use a universal decapping die to knock out the old primers. I use a Lyman powered case trimmer, and the RCBS primer pocket brush fits the opposite shaft end. Just takes a second to clean the pockets. I vacuum up the primer pocket residue, and avoid adding that to my media. I tumble and resize. If sizing rifle brass, I tumble again to remove sizing lube.

June 8, 2010, 09:42 PM	#15
reloader28 Senior Member Join Date: October 13, 2009 Location: nw wyoming Posts: 1,061	I clean pistol pockets once in a while, but usually rifle pockets just because I can. I dont really do it for a difference in the accuracy, but I have had problems with the seating depth. So I clean them once in a while. The easiest way if you have a RCBS primer pocket brush is to unscrew it from the handle and chuck it in a cordless drill. A short blast of the trigger and 1 second later you have a clean pocket. Thats part of the reason I do it. I trim, then 2 Forster DBT's chamfer and debur, then the primer pocket in the drill. All lined up on the bench. Takes no extra time at all.

June 9, 2010, 09:25 AM	#16
demigod Junior member Join Date: March 13, 2008 Location: AZ Posts: 1,129	A desktop Ultrasonic Cleaner gets primer pockets and the inside of cases spotless clean. I don't always use the U/S cleaner, but clean brass really makes watching your powder charges easier.