Cleaning Primer Pockets
- Thread starter jack
- Start date
Help Support Ruger Forum:
SweetWilliam
Buckeye
I all so clean every primer pocket.
I clean them, I deprime toss my brass in my sonic cleaner pockets come out clean, then I resize and into the tumbler to polish. :lol:
Lots of people don't clean them and long as they all go bangs it really don't matter, those of us that clean just have more pride in our work and perhaps a tiny bit better accuracy.
Lots of people don't clean them and long as they all go bangs it really don't matter, those of us that clean just have more pride in our work and perhaps a tiny bit better accuracy.
wayne24263
Bearcat
- Joined
- Jul 1, 2009
- Messages
- 1
I never clean them for handguns. I do for rifles but I load very few of them. Never had a problem with either.
Chuck 100 yd
Hunter
I am in the clean them every time camp. Shooting and reloading is a hobby for me, why take shortcuts? If I can't find time to clean them,I am into the wrong hobby.
I'm sort of like Buckeye - clean primer pockets every time, tumble probably more often than necessary, because handloading is a great hobby. I don't want to save time by cutting steps that may or may not be necessary. Heck, for that matter, I don't handload to save money either. I've even bought guns, sometimes of oddball chambering, just because I thought they'd be fun to load for. 
Rick Courtright
Hawkeye
Hi,
I give each pocket a swipe with the Lee primer pocket tool. Every time the case is loaded. May be overkill, but until someone else starts buying my components and paying for my time while reloading, I'll do it as Frank sang, "My way!"
Can't remember the last time I tumbled a case except that it was before a buddy's tumbler died, years ago. I do wash my cases with a shot of Dawn dish soap and a 1/4 teaspoon of citric acid in warm water, all shaken up in a large size plastic Folger's coffee "can", every couple of loadings. Makes the cases "clean" if not particularly "shiny."
Rick C
I give each pocket a swipe with the Lee primer pocket tool. Every time the case is loaded. May be overkill, but until someone else starts buying my components and paying for my time while reloading, I'll do it as Frank sang, "My way!"
Can't remember the last time I tumbled a case except that it was before a buddy's tumbler died, years ago. I do wash my cases with a shot of Dawn dish soap and a 1/4 teaspoon of citric acid in warm water, all shaken up in a large size plastic Folger's coffee "can", every couple of loadings. Makes the cases "clean" if not particularly "shiny."
Rick C
mr surveyor
Blackhawk
I'm in the clean camp as well. I deprime all my dirty brass with a Lee Universal Deprime die, then is all goes into the ultrasonic bath with a dash of Lemi-Shine and a drop or two of Dawn. When dry, it's completely clean and goes directly to the sizing die. I don't care a whit about "shiny", but I do like clean - inside and out.
jd
jd
wizofwas
Buckeye
Deprime with a Lee Universal Deprime die, clean (I used to clean the way Rick C does, but now I have a Dillion tumbler that I got at a garage sale, cheap.), resize, clean the primer pockets (just a sharp nail on the edges were the primer seats), inspect and then they're ready to be reloaded. I've had no problems so far.
Chuck 100 yd
Hunter
Guys,look at the Hornady primer pocket cleaning tool. They are sharp,made of very hard material,carbide I believe,inexpensive and will last forever. Lee primer cleaners are soft and don't last long enough to even mention. One quick twist and you are done and the handle don't hurt my fingers like the Lee or some others do.
Clovishound
Blackhawk
I used to clean mine every time I loaded. When I started loading a lot more handgun rounds, I started skipping that every other time. I load on a turret press, and it saves time to just put a fired round in the press and move my way around. After a while, I got to where I quit cleaning them altogether.
Haven't had a problem, and the pockets seem to be no more dirty than once fired cases.
Haven't had a problem, and the pockets seem to be no more dirty than once fired cases.
Chuck 100 yd
Hunter
I guess if I wiped my rear end every other time I went to the bathroom it would save time too ,but I still do it every time. I load on a single stage press because I enjoy the process and as I am retired I have lots of time to do it "my way" .
Now if I loaded on a progressive I would most likely not clean pockets either.
While I am inspecting my brass for cracks and any other damage is when I clean the pockets.
Now if I loaded on a progressive I would most likely not clean pockets either.
While I am inspecting my brass for cracks and any other damage is when I clean the pockets.
Nope. Not any more. Note I shoot 99.9% revolver. When I first started I figured it was the 'thing' to do. Then a few years ago I stopped ... and everything still shot the same. Image that! Accuracy was still good. Same goes for tumbling. When I feel I need to tumble I will. My cases never hit the ground (revolver loads), so no worry about 'dirt'.... And guess what still shoot really well.
Chuck 100 yd said:
Ahahahahahahahahaha :mrgreen:
GP100man
Buckeye
Any variable I can remove from the reloading process , I do, & cleanin primer pockets is an easy 1 to do .
Seen accuracy issues solved with cleaning pockets & changing to mag primers in rifles(maybe not in that order) then not cleaning pockets & accuracy suffered. I will say this though , this particular rifle is capable of groups just a bit larger than bore size at 100yds & cost a good bit more than what I`d pay . 6MM Bench Rest was the caliber, forgot who made the barrel , on a Remington short action, custom stock (fiber glass) weighed 17 lb. 4oz. empty & no optics or mounts.
I feel it takes this kind of accuracy to see a difference in cleaning pockets or seeing a difference in brands of primers.
With that said , sure there`s deer rifles that are very accurate out there & shooters to go with em , but on the average shooters are after MOD (minute of deer) accuracy from an affordable rifle ,with not so premium ammo & then there`s handloaders that`ll tune the ammo to the rifle & achive MOA accuracy from a tuned rifle.
Any ways , I clean mine , all ways have , all ways will . Wish I could still see good enuff to shoot the difference !!
GP
Seen accuracy issues solved with cleaning pockets & changing to mag primers in rifles(maybe not in that order) then not cleaning pockets & accuracy suffered. I will say this though , this particular rifle is capable of groups just a bit larger than bore size at 100yds & cost a good bit more than what I`d pay . 6MM Bench Rest was the caliber, forgot who made the barrel , on a Remington short action, custom stock (fiber glass) weighed 17 lb. 4oz. empty & no optics or mounts.
I feel it takes this kind of accuracy to see a difference in cleaning pockets or seeing a difference in brands of primers.
With that said , sure there`s deer rifles that are very accurate out there & shooters to go with em , but on the average shooters are after MOD (minute of deer) accuracy from an affordable rifle ,with not so premium ammo & then there`s handloaders that`ll tune the ammo to the rifle & achive MOA accuracy from a tuned rifle.
Any ways , I clean mine , all ways have , all ways will . Wish I could still see good enuff to shoot the difference !!
GP
Precision32
Blackhawk
I just deprime with a universal decapping die and then tumble. When I started reloading I tried different cleaning tools and I can't see any difference in the ammo produced.
