Cleaning Primer Pockets

[cynicrit]

Some say it is a foolish waste of time, others say it's a nice practice but seldom necessary, some say it's as important as sizing. I've always cleaned them every time. Have I been wasting my time?

 

[Lefty7mmstw]

nope... you ought to clean them and make sure they are of uniform depth also. High or non uniform primers can cause issues such as jambs, slam fires in autoloaders, uneven lock time, etc... Better to take a few seconds and do it right than risk issues with your ammo because of laziness...

 

[Dosh]

Perhaps a bit pricey to some, but the stainless steel pin tumbler renders brass like new inside and out in clouding the primer pockets.

 

[Varmint Hunter]

I use a Sinclair pocket uniformer for cleaning pockets. It only takes a few minutes to do a box of 50 when chucked into a cordless drill.

 

[bill123]

I use a Sinclair pocket uniformer for cleaning pockets. It only takes a few minutes to do a box of 50 when chucked into a cordless drill.

+1. Great tool. Really fast.

 

[J E Custom]

You are not waisting your time at all. The only downside to cleaning primer pockets is over cleaning
and loosening the pockets. using a reamer type pocket cleaner can ruin the primer pocket and shorten usable brass life if not used correctly. A brush type cleaner is less destructive.

The ss pin tumblers work well if the brass is very dirty, the Sonic Cleaners also work very well and
don,t enlarge the primer pockets ether.

While priming, a clean pocket indicates A better Fit, and improves the grip of the primer.

J E CUSTOM

 

[TackDriv3r]

When I use new brass , I uniform the primer pockets with a Sinclair primer pocket uniformer and square the pockets. Just do not overdo it, and try to go as deep until you barely see scrapes on the bottom pocket face and set the tool for that depth. So after you fire your brass, just clean it with that tool and its essential that you do it after each firing to keep pockets clean and square for your primer seating.

 

[Dosh]

Perhaps a bit pricey to some, but the stainless steel pin tumbler renders brass like new inside and out including the primer pockets.

Forgot to mention, but +1 on the Sinclair primer pocket uniformer. I only use it once and clean with the pin tumbler afterward. As J.E. Custom mentioned, I found out the hard way overuse of the Sinclair can enlarge the pocket diameter. "Ouch" Good thread cynicrit.

 

[FearNoWind]

When I was a kid my mother told me never to stick anything in my ear smaller than my elbow. I use the same philosophy with primer pockets.
It's difficult to control how much the metal "cutting" tips remove from primer pockets. So I just run the brass through my ultrasonic cleaner, rine the brass, wipe out the primer pockets with a Q-tip and I'm done. No muss, no fuss, no loose primer pockets.

 

[Gene]

I use the RCBS primer pocket brush on the Trim Mate prep machine. But I also like this tool:
Primer Pocket Uniformer

It is adjustable for depth of cut.

 

[bill123]

Forgot to mention, but +1 on the Sinclair primer pocket uniformer. I only use it once and clean with the pin tumbler afterward. As J.E. Custom mentioned, I found out the hard way overuse of the Sinclair can enlarge the pocket diameter. "Ouch" Good thread cynicrit.

The Sinclair tool I'm talking about has a fixed depth and no cutters in the sides. I don't see how it's possible to widen the pockets w it. Here:
http://www.sinclairintl.com/reloadi...r-kit-with-screwdriver-adaptor-prod36760.aspx

 

[etisll40]

good stuff

 

[cynicrit]

Lots of good input. It seems that, regardless of your method, cleaning those pockets is good. Thank You.

 

[jrock]

I find that the pocket cleaners don't get all of it and it builds up so I use the sonic cleaner which makes them nice and shiny.