I was talking with some guys on another forum and they stated that they clean/ream the primer pocket on their pistol reloads. I have the little Lee pocket cleaner but have not used it. I tried it on a batch of 45's and got a little black carbon out but no big deal. For plinking/range loads, seems like a waste of time to me. I tumble the brass before de priming so there is no media stuck in there.
What do you think??

There was a thread recently on this very topic. Try a search on "clean primer pocket" and I think you'll find it. There didn't seem to be a consenses, as I recall.

Sgt Preston here. I have never cleaned a primer pocket. HOWEVER I do look inside of the brass to make sure the flash hole is open, free from corn cob & dirt. Preston

I clean every primer pocket. It's not a big deal to do so why not?

No.

Just my Magnum rounds only since I use magnum primers.
Equalizer

I shoot thousands of 45acp each year in action pistol. I reload 'em on a Hornady LNL progressive press. If I were to clean the primer pockets.....you would find me in a looney room somewhere.

It just ain't happenin!

BTW......no misfire's from the thousands of "un-clean" primer pockets at this point......but I'll keep ya posted.

Dave

I conducted an experiment on this years ago and found no difference in accuracy for handloads for my handguns. Coincidentally, once I quit cleaning the primer pocket, I got FTF from my Model 625. It turns out that a piece of walnut hull tumbling media blew back into the weapon and got under the extractor star. After that, like Sgt. Preston said, I learned to check each hull to ensure the flash hole was clean. I still don't clean the primer pocket and haven't had any problems.

Regards,

Dave

quote:

Originally posted by 44forever:
There was a thread recently on this very topic. Try a search on "clean primer pocket" and I think you'll find it. There didn't seem to be a consenses, as I recall.

It might have been this one:
http://smith-wessonforum.com/eve/forums/a/tpc/f/570103904/m/7761014772/p/1

I do not think it is worth the extra step for general shooting. Perhaps rifle or heavy magnum loads.

Never no matter what the brass or the primer.

I load on a progressive so I don't clean or check primer pockets. I also don't decap before I tumble them, so the decaping pin seems to clear out any stray media.

On new unfired brass I will chamfer and debur the case mouth and debur the flash hole before the first loading. Both are one time operations and last for the life of the brass. If I were to trim the brass I would chamfer and debur the case mouth again, but I have not had to trim handgun brass... ever...

I do clean primer pockets when loading for my 45 on my rockchucker if I am working on new loads. I never do on my Dillon 550b but still inspect every case before and after loading.

I used to. When I started reloading.

Now that I load on a progressive I don't. Hasn't been an issue yet.

I always clean mine ,just got in the habit of doing it.

NEVER