Do you clean your primer pockets?

no, do not clean pockets

I load for semi-auto handguns on progressive so no opportunity to look between decap and prime.

I load for Magnum revolvers on single stage, I look but have never seen anything in there to merit a cleaning.

I think the primer shell is against most of the pocket, so only area that can have anything left behind is the base of pocket. But anything left there would be loose so most likely to go with primer during decap. I've read that some reloaders decap and then tumble, but I would think that risks getting media jammed in the pocket and possibly in flash hole.
 
No.
I set the new primers on the return stroke of the press so there's no way to check the hole.
I just trust the spent primer to have cleaned the rough stuff :D
 
There was a time that I spent hours cleaning those stupid things, but I came to the conclusion that my rifles couldn't tell the difference - and I couldn't either. I haven't cleaned one now for years.
 
I try cleaning them, but then I realize I'm using the Lee cleaner. It gets like half of the pocket and then the primer sits funny, so I stopped.
 
My routine with all brass (both pistol and rifle) is to use my Lee decap die to punch out the old primer. I then tumble with corncob media with a bit of Flitz brand polish added to the media. I then use my Lyman 'media poke-out tool' (for lack of a better term) to remove any stuck corn cob remaining in the flash hole. Rifle brass primer pockets get cleaned on my RCBS case prep tool; pistol brass I leave alone.
 
Always,

I have ordered some 20/30 crushed walnut which is approx .020" smaller than the flash hole so that it won't get stuck and clean the pocket at same time.

I uniform the primer pocket(one time) then let the media clean the pocket during regular cleaning cycles. I did have to poke out media with the larger walnut but that was also a good time to inspect the brass closely.

I figure let the walnut do the cleaning without removing material and shortening brass life.
 
ben hunchak said:
If you were to collect all the crap that you scrape out of primer pockets, you might be inclined to do it always....however it makes me wonder how folks do that when using a progressive reloader??
Click to expand...

I decap/squeeze em in my ss press first, then wet tumble in porcelain beads. After that, they go into my case feeder with no lube. Its an extra step that takes a few minutes after each trip to the range (decapping), but I don't diddle with pockets and there's no residual guck from case lube to clean off of my progressive. Fair to say most progressive owners also have a SS press, why not use it ?
 
604shooter said:
I used to, but stopped when I noticed no difference in accuracy.
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Eagleye said:
For the most part, just a waste of time to clean primer pockets.
I have cleaned them in the past, but discontinued the practice
several years ago.
Never found one iota of difference in performance in any load
I have ever used.
My time is better spent in other, more useful, endeavors.
Regards, Eagleye.
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saskcop said:
There was a time that I spent hours cleaning those stupid things, but I came to the conclusion that my rifles couldn't tell the difference - and I couldn't either. I haven't cleaned one now for years.
Click to expand...

There was an interesting article in Reloader magazine about this very issue. The author (can't remember who it was) isolated different tasks in making match ammo. Among other things he tested known, accurate loads and then shot groups with and without cleaning primer pockets. All other things being the same, he couldn't detect a difference in accuracy after cleaning primer pockets. He felt it was the least effective task in developing accurate loads. As has been mentioned, you should spend your time doing more effective loading procedures. I don't bother anymore.
 
ben hunchak said:
If you were to collect all the crap that you scrape out of primer pockets, you might be inclined to do it always....however it makes me wonder how folks do that when using a progressive reloader??
Click to expand...

I do the same as HKMark23. I have dedicated RCBS single stage press setup with a universal decaper. All primers are removed prior to cleaning in a Dillion vibratory unit using the dreaded crushed walnut (dreaded because as pointed out it sticks in almost every primer flash hole). Then when re-loading on the Dillion 550, I have a Hornady hand held primer pocket cleaner that use before I put the brass in stage one of the press. I also debur/chamfer at this point if reloading unkown (range scrounged) brass.
 
If I'm loading ammo to put short-range holes in paper, no.

If I'm putting together a varmint round, something for which precise accuracy is useful, then yes. It can't hurt and might help.
 
I do.

By the reason that I've ever experienced some primers didn't seat deep enough on .223 cases using Lee hand priming tool. My AR's never had any FTF problems, so I always do cleaning primer pocket for safety issue. Just my $.02.
 
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