Primer pocket cleaning

[Buckfever]

Gents what do you use for this?  I didn't seem to get anything with my RCBS kit.  I reload about 200 cases a year for hunting and they do both practice and hunting.  I weight every case and really take my time.  Until now I have had new cases to work with but today I cleaned some 300 cases and are about ready to reload shot cases.  I  really like reloading.  Even though I am pretty new to this it is a great way to get through winter in Minnesota.
Plus my cartridges are quite accurate!  I am also going to go on a Prairie dog hunt this spring and will come home with a pile of .223 cases, next winter's project. 

Thanks  Buckfever

[Chuck White]

Buckfever
For years, I just used a small (pocket type) screwdrive.
Just scraped out whatever came easy.

Now I have an RCBS Trim Mate that has several stations on it and I use a primer pocket cleaning brush on one of the stations.

You can buy primer pocket brushes and a universal handle to clean your primer pockets with.  They would run around $10.00 -  $12.00 for the combo.

[beemanbeme]

Or you can be like us slobs that don't clean 'em out. If it don't come out in the tumbler, it don't come out.  Why don't you load up say 10 rounds with clean primer pockets and 10 with dirty pockets and put the groups in seperate paper sacks with a piece of paper saying which was which. Then have someone switch the sacks around so you won't know which is which until you've fired them all.  No cheating now.

[Davemuzz]

I use to clean the pockets of my .223 when I loaded 'em on a single stage press. But then I went "big time" and got a progressive. Haven't cleaned one since and haven't noticed a bit of difference in accuracy.

Dave

[EVOC ONE]

I use an RCBS Primer Pocket cleaner.  The brushes come in two sizes for small and large pockets.  It doesn't take much effort.  A couple back and forth spins should do it.

If I have a lot of cases to clean, I'll chuck the brush in a 3/8's drill motor, set the speed just enough to do the job and lock the trigger.  I have a homemade rifle cradle that I sit the drill motor on.  It works fine, but can be a bit noisy depending on the drill.   

[Davemuzz]

Evoc One....Earplugs man....earplugs!!!! Besides....it gives you a great excuse to actually say you didn't hear your wife call your name!!!!

Dave

[EVOC ONE]

Evoc One....Earplugs man....earplugs!!!! Besides....it gives you a great excuse to actually say you didn't hear your wife call your name!!!!

Dave

Correct!  I actually wear the same ear protectors I use at the range.        

[dave375hh]

Buckfever,
RCBS used to make a small wire brush just to fit primer pockets, I used one for years but I don't know if they still make them. What I use now is a primer pocket uniformer in a power screwdriver. Since the bottom edge of the pockets is the only part that needs to be clean the uniformer does only the minimum that's needed. When they say the brass flows under pressure that includes the head of the case to a small degree. So using a uniformer keeps them clean and true at the same time. This process needs to be powered or it will get tedious quickly.

[PlacitasSlim]

For my regular loads and cowboy loads I just run the progressive and don't worry about primer pockets. On my have to go bang load for hunting and self defense, I also use an RCBS Trim mate and both clean and true the primer pockets. I try to make that brass as close to new brass as I can.

[nodlenor]

All my reloading books recommend cleaning the primer pocket. I used to use a Lee tool to do this job  but I recently bought a RCBS Trim Mate and am glad I did. It speeds up the process. I don't want to do without it now.

[LaOtto222]

My reloading books I got years ago recommend cleaning pockets so that is what I do. I also have a trim mate to do this job. I have cleaned them for so long that it just not feel right to seat a primer in a dirty pocket. That is one reason I never went beyond a single stage press. I do all of my brass in batches. 1. Tumble 2. Press out primer ( I use a universal die with a small Lee press for this) and clean primer pockets 3. size (full length or neck) 4. Seat new primer 5. Weight powder and seat bullet. With some pistol types, I some times use a special crimp die. I do this for all cases handgun and rifle types.

[SHOOTALL]

i take the old two ended pocket cleaner and chuck in in my bat. drill , put drill in a vise and can clean as fast as i can pick them up .