Primer Pockets

[engineerairborne]

I'm new at this, and I'm wondering how important is it to clean the primer pockets? More specificly .45ACP and .308WIN. I have a primer pocket brush that I pourchased and put it in my Drill Press, and it cleans the pcoket out in about 5sec, but it does add up when doing about 1000 rounds.

I guess the question is not so much the best way to clean them, but is it neccesary?

 

[RH4540]

Re: Primer Pockets

I don't clean the primer pockets on handgun brass, and shoot about 10,000 a year, for the last 15 years without any issues, but, I either uniform, or clean the primer pockets on my rifle brass--MOST of the time.

 

[308isgreat]

Re: Primer Pockets

I usually only clean the primer pockets in my rifles.

 

[Suasponte]

Re: Primer Pockets

I never cleaned primer pockets on pistol brass, and never had any problems. Rifle on the other hand I did.

However, since I have changed the way I clean my brass the dirty primer pocket issue and carbon on the inside of the case and case necks have disappeared. How you might ask.

The answer is in this post! >> Cleaning Rifle Brass

I wish I had this 20 years ago. I deprime all my stuff at the range after I shoot and just toss it into my Tumbler with the Stainless steel media, Water, and Joy dish soap. Depending on how dirty the brass is it usually take 3-4 hours of tumbling! When you dump the water out it will be pure black with carbon! The inside of the case will be as bright and shiny as the outside and the primer pockets will be completely clean also.

Found this picture might expain better!

Terry

 

[engineerairborne]

Re: Primer Pockets

So if I'm just reloading because I like to shoot, and I'm not looking for perfectly matched ammo, how much of this cleanning and polishing so I need to worry about? I want to make sure that ammo works, and general will hit the target, but I don't need to have a dime sized grouping at 1000 yards.

Although if someone can teach me how to do that with my 1911 I might change my mind on how hard I work on my brass.