- Location
- West Quebec
I do them same but inspect rifle brass just in case
Cleaning primer pockets?
- Thread starter lpel
- Start date
I do them same but inspect rifle brass just in case
- Location
- Somewhere on the Hudson Bay Coast
My primer pockets are cleaned in one of two ways every time I reload a case. If I don't clean the case in my ultrasonic cleaner, I hit the primer pocket with my primer pocket uniformer chucked in a battery powered drill set to turn slowly. This usually gets everything, but when it doesn't, that black stain that's left behind doesn't matter. I get that spotless primer pockets are not essential to making good ammo, but some of the steps that I follow, are simply followed because they make me feel better about the ammo I make. I see Andy already made the point.
This. I uniform primer pockets and flash holes first time I load. After that, it's just a quick twist with a pocket cleaner.
Armored Metal
CGN frequent flyer
- Location
- The People's Republik of Kébekistan
I clean the primer pockets of my rifle and pistol brass. Just one or two quick turns with the LEE primer pocket cleaner as I inspect the cases.
I used to shoot in a competition with a guy from Rosebud, Alberta many years ago.
To look at his reloaded ammo for the competition would have made most reloaders shudder.
Cases were only neck sized, and he never cleaned the outside of the necks before sizing, so the necks were black from the carbon being swaged right into the brass.
He never tumbled or cleaned his brass, inside or out, and he told me that he considered cleaning primer pockets a waste of time.
Interesting part is....he won just as often as the anal guys whose loads looked like brand new ammo, shiny and clean.
I personally feel that it would take a pretty accurate rig to detect any difference between clean or not clean primer pockets, and even then, I would be skeptical of any claimed advantage in the cleaning process.
But, if it make one feel better, then the time spent is fine. I used to clean primer pockets religiously, but no longer do so for any hunting ammo.
Regards, Dave.
To look at his reloaded ammo for the competition would have made most reloaders shudder.
Cases were only neck sized, and he never cleaned the outside of the necks before sizing, so the necks were black from the carbon being swaged right into the brass.
He never tumbled or cleaned his brass, inside or out, and he told me that he considered cleaning primer pockets a waste of time.
Interesting part is....he won just as often as the anal guys whose loads looked like brand new ammo, shiny and clean.
I personally feel that it would take a pretty accurate rig to detect any difference between clean or not clean primer pockets, and even then, I would be skeptical of any claimed advantage in the cleaning process.
But, if it make one feel better, then the time spent is fine. I used to clean primer pockets religiously, but no longer do so for any hunting ammo.
Regards, Dave.
I debur flash hole on new brass and uniform primer pockets. After that half a dozen turns with lyman primer pocket cleaning tool.
I ran a into a lot of Win primers WLR that were not uniform and did not seat properly in dirty primer pockets. I could seat them with my press but it required flattening about every third primer approx. clean primer pockets eased the problem. I made it through the thousand primers and have not encountered the problem since. However uniforming and cleaning became part of my procedure as a result and has stayed. As far as accuracy it is usually something else that makes the brow furrow.
I ran a into a lot of Win primers WLR that were not uniform and did not seat properly in dirty primer pockets. I could seat them with my press but it required flattening about every third primer approx. clean primer pockets eased the problem. I made it through the thousand primers and have not encountered the problem since. However uniforming and cleaning became part of my procedure as a result and has stayed. As far as accuracy it is usually something else that makes the brow furrow.
- Location
- Over the rainbow
I've recently started uniforming primer pockets and deburring flash holes. I do both in a power drill, so it's quick, but I figure the carbon in the primer pockets is probably pretty good at chewing up the cutting bit of the uniformer before its time. I wet tumble for a few hours to get the pockets spotless before uniforming/deburring.
- Location
- Somewhere on the Hudson Bay Coast
I've been using the same Sinclair LR primer pocket uniformer for 15 years, and after many thousands of cases, it shows no reluctance to cut nice clean pockets. Rather than degrading the cutter, carbon provides a lubricant that prevents the cutter from grabbing, which can be a problem when you're prepping a batch of brand new brass. When uniforming new brass, I dip the cutter in Imperial Dry Neck Lube which prevents it from grabbing, but when I prep brass that I've picked up at the range, the carbon deposit left in the primer pocket does the same thing.
LOL..................I use mercury laced with trinite. The surface tension is sufficient to keep it from entering the flash hole.
The best way to draw the sample from the primer hole is to use a straw. Be carefull, I sometimes tend to use too
much force and end up swallowing the sample. It makes you dizzy for a while, but it is ffinnee affetrr a whillleee
Andd iit doooess sccreww wiithh yyour mmemmorry........aannd vission..LOL LOL
"sarcasm off"
That sound like a perfect set-up. However, I would use a rubber bulb soldering vacuum when I begin. I have heard that mercury can affect mental capacity and function as well as both short and long term memory. Although I have never seen this effect. Thank you for sharing your method.
ETA: I forgot to ask, would you be willing to provide a source for the mercury/trinite solution?
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- Location
- West Quebec
+1 Thats what I do very quick and effective
At the rate I go through brass I don't bother............that would be like buying gifts for a hooker.......total waste of time and money, and you'll probably never use the same one again anyway................
Gotta keep up my reputation..........right?
Gotta keep up my reputation..........right?
Sherlock Gnomes
CGN frequent flyer
- Location
- St.Catharines
I agree 100 percent. I do use the flash hole uniformer and primer pocket uniformer on first run through my production line however.
