Do you clean your primer pockets?

[marklyftogt]

I wanted to take a poll and see what the opinion is out there. Do you clean your primer pockets when you reload? I have heard people talk on both side of this. I do, but it sure takes a lot of time and adds a step...

[Jim243]

For pistol NO. For Rifle I will use the pocket tool but I do not get them shiny bright just scrape a little of the carbon off.

Jim

[bumnote]

I've started using an ultrasonic cleaner on my brass, so it takes care of itself. Before that I would look a each piece and clean out the ones that looked dirty.

[joshf128]

Yes. I clean my cases in a tumbler, deprime, clean primer pocket, then prime. I'll prepare 50-100 cases that way then start with powder and bullet tasks (I use a Lee Classic Turret). I think it helps my focus to separate the tasks like this instead of working every cartridge cradle to grave.

As for why I clean the primer pockets? It is another chance to inspect the case prior to loading and it gives me more if a sense of pride in my finished product. I dont think it makes much difference in performance unless there is anything obstructing the flash hole.

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[Axelwik]

For handgun practice ammo, no. For the rifle and handgun stuff I might have to depend on, yes.

[William T. Watts]

I uniform my primer pockets for both pistol and rifle before loading the first time, I also clean them after each firing too! William

[AllenJ]

For rifle I clean the primer pockets every single time I reload the case but for handgun I rarely do.

[MADISON]

YES !!!
I have a LYMAN electric trimmer with HORNADY primer cleaning gear on the other end. It only takes a very few minutes to clean 50 primer pockets.

[Slamfire]

Rifle yes, pistol no.

I have a bud who set and won several NRA long range events. He told me he never cleaned his primer pockets. So maybe what I do cleaning rifle pockets is a waste of time.

There are lots of other stupid things I do, things that have no scientific basis, just belief, and probably all wrong.

I can live with that.

[lemming303]

I do, but I am kind of a perfectionist. I can't stand putting things together half dirty....

[Brian Pfleuger]

I clean rifle pockets only because I feel like it doesn't take any real time and can't (reasonably) hurt. I'm a low volume, try-for- precision shooter though, no doubt high volume shooters would have a different take on the time factor.

Handguns, I don't bother.

[snuffy]

For general plinking rounds for both rifle and handgun, no I don't clean primer pockets. For precision target and hunting ammo for rifle, I do.

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SENT BY HAMMER AND CHISEL ON A SMOOTH ROCK! Gave Fred Flintstone a part time job!

[jwrowland77]

In my limited experience to date, I have cleaned every primer pocket and have also started using a flash hole uniformed on both pistol and rifle brass. I figure that's the best way I can check and see if the pocket is loss or not. Just my .02.

[zxcvbob]

Generally not, but I've just started playing with stainless steel tumbling media and that does a good job of cleaning inside the cases (some say it cleans too good) and the primer pockets.

I'm not going to get rid of my vibratory cleaner, and will keep using it at least for handgun rounds loaded on the progressive press. But for rifle cartridges and blackpowder handgun cartridges, and nasty used cartridges picked up at the range, I think wet tumbling them is the way to go.

For handgun stuff loaded at the single-stage press, that's a hard one and I haven't decided yet.

[NYPD13]

I use an RCBS case prep machine, so it only takes a second to clean the primer pockets. I feel better doing so after seeing the amount of crud that comes out.

[Clifford L. Hughes]

marklyftogt:

I havn't cleaned primer pockets in forty years and I've not experianced any problems. I shoot one inch groups quite often. However, when I reloaded some .45 Colt that I shot with Pyrodex I couldn't seat the primers until I cleaned the pockets.

Semper Fi.

Gunnery Sergeant
Clifford L. Hughes
USMC Retired

[BigJimP]

No, for handgun ammo ....I don't clean any primer pockets...

I inspect the cases after I clean them ( in a vibrating tumbler ) ...and if they pass ( they go into a "clean and sorted bin by caliber" ..) ....and into the case feeder when I get ready to run that caliber...

[David Bachelder]

Rifle ..... most of the time. Pistol, not normally.

[Salmoneye]

I do run a one turn through the primer pocket, blow a breath of air to clear the soot, and visually verify the that the 'touchhole' is open before I seat a primer on all cases...3-5 seconds max per case...

Is it 'necessary'?...Dunno...

Makes me feel better, and I 'believe' it allows my primers to seat better...

[jepp2]

I uniform my primer pockets for both pistol and rifle before loading the first time, I also clean them after each firing also! William

Me too. My reason for uniforming primer pockets is to make primer seating more consistent. I realize clean primer pockets aren't a "must do" but I just prefer seating a primer in a clean pocket instead of one filled with all the combustion products of numerous previous firings.

[Vance]

I decap, then tumble in stainless steel pins with water and soap. Every part of the case get shiny clean.

[TheNatureBoy]

If there is a lot of build up in the pocket I will. If not......

[RobertInIowa]

Rifle brass yes, handgun brass no.

[GP100man]

Yes.

[jaguarxk120]

Yes