mikecurnow Posted May 28, 2010 Share Posted May 28, 2010 I've been reloading for about 2 months now using a Lee anniversary single stage press. It's working fine, but I'm starting to think about upgrading to a progressive. I'm wondering when/if you clean the shell pockets in the progressive press process? Thanks, Mike Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
yoshidaex Posted May 28, 2010 Share Posted May 28, 2010 you mean the primer pockets? for pistol, never. For rifle, it depends. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mikecurnow Posted May 28, 2010 Author Share Posted May 28, 2010 Yes, primer pockets for pistol. I was under the impression they needed cleaned, would have sworn i read that in one of the books. So, no problems with carbon building up and primers not seating properly? Thanks. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
justmike Posted May 28, 2010 Share Posted May 28, 2010 When I first started reloading I cleaned the primer pockets in pistol brass. I quickly gave that up. I haven't seen a difference. Precision rifle brass everytime. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chirpy Posted May 28, 2010 Share Posted May 28, 2010 Cleaning pistol primer pockets isn't necessary IMHO. Bench Rest, target and serious varmint hunters do but that is about it. Richard Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CocoBolo Posted May 29, 2010 Share Posted May 29, 2010 Well you are using a Lee press if you have the Lee book it says dirty brass shoots just as good as clean brass. Now I do clean my brass but on pistol I don't clean primer pockets. On rifle I do clean them because the are lubed for sizing, then to get the lube out I put them back in the tumbler. When they come out I ream and clean the primer pockets. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GrumpyOne Posted May 29, 2010 Share Posted May 29, 2010 Pistol, just tumble and load. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
calishootr Posted May 29, 2010 Share Posted May 29, 2010 for pistol?? for what we do on this competition(action pistol) the A zones are pretty generous, so I say load an go for pistol, for somthing like long range or varmint hunting??? yeah I will clean out the primer pockets, as forthe clean Vs. dirty brass out shooting one another??? i think its more for inspection purposes and certainly easier on the dies, I got one lousy piece of i dont know what in a .45 die once and it was trashed, put a mark on every case after that...so for me??? clean brass all the time Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Canuck223 Posted May 29, 2010 Share Posted May 29, 2010 If it's a thing you feel good doing, just buy extra brass and pre-process the cases in the off season. Size and deprime them, then re-tumble them in fine walnut media. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dodge DeBoulet Posted May 30, 2010 Share Posted May 30, 2010 If it's a thing you feel good doing, just buy extra brass and pre-process the cases in the off season. Size and deprime them, then re-tumble them in fine walnut media. "Off season?" What is this "off season" of which you speak? Does it have something to do with weather? I live in northern New England, and I shoot close to 1,000 rounds a month, year 'round . . . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hairtrigger Posted May 30, 2010 Share Posted May 30, 2010 Cleaning primer pockets for pistol brass is like peeing yourself in dark pants.... it gives you a warm feeling but no one will notice Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
caz41 Posted May 30, 2010 Share Posted May 30, 2010 If it's a thing you feel good doing, just buy extra brass and pre-process the cases in the off season. Size and deprime them, then re-tumble them in fine walnut media. "Off season?" What is this "off season" of which you speak? Does it have something to do with weather? I live in northern New England, and I shoot close to 1,000 rounds a month, year 'round . . . Come to northern Minnesota in January and see how many rounds you get off a month. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phil G Posted May 31, 2010 Share Posted May 31, 2010 No need to clean primer pockets on pistol brass. To clean pistol primer pockets on a progressive loader takes the "progress" out of progressive. Phil G Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
470nitro Posted August 10, 2010 Share Posted August 10, 2010 Pistol Brass: Tumble each (in quantity) before loading every time. Clean primer pockets = NEVER. Rifle Brass: Tumble each (lower quantity) before loading every time. Clean primer pockets = every time. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MARKAVELI Posted August 11, 2010 Share Posted August 11, 2010 I would clean with walnut media and polish with corncob and let em ride! Cleaning primer pocket on a progressive! What's that? Lol... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GrumpyOne Posted August 12, 2010 Share Posted August 12, 2010 I would clean with walnut media and polish with corncob and let em ride! Cleaning primer pocket on a progressive! What's that? Lol... Why polish? Polishing the brass is not gonna make it shoot any better. Clean with walnut (takes about 2 hours, somewhat dull finish) or clean with corncob (takes about 4 hours, brass looks new....on the outside). Either way, it's good to go. I like the walnut because of the smaller granules...doesn't seen to get stuck in the flash hole as bad, and it last longer than corncob (not that corncob doesn't last, I used the same 10lbs for almost 3 years!) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MARKAVELI Posted August 12, 2010 Share Posted August 12, 2010 I would clean with walnut media and polish with corncob and let em ride! Cleaning primer pocket on a progressive! What's that? Lol... Why polish? Polishing the brass is not gonna make it shoot any better. Clean with walnut (takes about 2 hours, somewhat dull finish) or clean with corncob (takes about 4 hours, brass looks new....on the outside). Either way, it's good to go. I like the walnut because of the smaller granules...doesn't seen to get stuck in the flash hole as bad, and it last longer than corncob (not that corncob doesn't last, I used the same 10lbs for almost 3 years!) Cause my cousins girlfriend works at pet mart and I don't won't it to go to waist! + I like my brass to look pertty! Lol... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GrumpyOne Posted August 12, 2010 Share Posted August 12, 2010 I would clean with walnut media and polish with corncob and let em ride! Cleaning primer pocket on a progressive! What's that? Lol... Why polish? Polishing the brass is not gonna make it shoot any better. Clean with walnut (takes about 2 hours, somewhat dull finish) or clean with corncob (takes about 4 hours, brass looks new....on the outside). Either way, it's good to go. I like the walnut because of the smaller granules...doesn't seen to get stuck in the flash hole as bad, and it last longer than corncob (not that corncob doesn't last, I used the same 10lbs for almost 3 years!) Cause my cousins girlfriend works at pet mart and I don't won't it to go to waist! + I like my brass to look pertty! Lol... Pretty brass is like a pimped out Desert Eagle...looks good, but totally worthless for performance. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MARKAVELI Posted August 12, 2010 Share Posted August 12, 2010 LMMFAO!.... Come on Grump! I was just starting out! Your never gonna let that go are you? Lol... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Corey Posted August 12, 2010 Share Posted August 12, 2010 the ONLY reason you may want to consider primer pocket cleaning on pistol brass is for Bullseye competition. for our game...total waste of time. As others have said, for the rifle game, uniforming and cleaning is a must. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sigsauerfan Posted August 13, 2010 Share Posted August 13, 2010 this thread make me thinking.... i load pistol brass and i occasionaly get some primer pockets clogged with hard deposits sitting in....and noticed these were making a crunchy noise when seating a new primer lolol. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MARKAVELI Posted August 13, 2010 Share Posted August 13, 2010 this thread make me thinking.... i load pistol brass and i occasionaly get some primer pockets clogged with hard deposits sitting in....and noticed these were making a crunchy noise when seating a new primer lolol. Might be just left over media or dust from the tumbler. Try a media separator (squirrel like)cage! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GrumpyOne Posted August 13, 2010 Share Posted August 13, 2010 this thread make me thinking.... i load pistol brass and i occasionaly get some primer pockets clogged with hard deposits sitting in....and noticed these were making a crunchy noise when seating a new primer lolol. Might be just left over media or dust from the tumbler. Try a media separator (squirrel like)cage! I think Marki nailed it. A tip for you noobs...If your press starts pulling the primer back into the primer pocket after you de-prime, take your de-primer pin and sharpen it to a point instead of the rounded end. This will keep it from "grabbing" onto the primer and re-seating the spent primer. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MARKAVELI Posted August 13, 2010 Share Posted August 13, 2010 <---- thanks Grump! Sharpening primer pins!!??? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GrumpyOne Posted August 13, 2010 Share Posted August 13, 2010 <---- thanks Grump! Sharpening primer pins!!??? Yep, it gives the spent primer less material to grab onto. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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