primer pocket cleaning question

[caribouhunter]

i bought a hornady case prep center with a large primer pocket cleaning tool.

here's what he case looks like after cleaning.
i was expecting it to clean completely, not just a outer ring.
is it my case?
is it normal?
the Lee hand held tool does the same.

 

[OU812]

Yep, looks completely normal to me.

 

[Teknys]

The pocket looks clean where the new primer will be seated. The outer wall and the bottom. Looks good to me.

 

[Charlie-NY]

Wow - I've gotta disagree with the first couple of responses. I use a Redding primer pocket uniforming tool to clean my pockets after each use. The pockets are completely clean when done. No black in 90-100% of the pocket. BTW - I'm using the exact same case as you have pictured.
I have never had any pockets, on any cases, look that dirty/fouled after cleaning by any method but that has just been my experience.
Currently deprime and tumble some cases in a SS pin tumbler and the pockets come out cleaner than new!

 

[OU812]

Wow - I've gotta disagree with the first couple of responses. I use a Redding primer pocket uniforming tool to clean my pockets after each use. The pockets are completely clean when done. No black in 90-100% of the pocket. BTW - I'm using the exact same case as you have pictured.
I have never had any pockets, on any cases, look that dirty/fouled after cleaning by any method but that has just been my experience.
Currently deprime and tumble some cases in a SS pin tumbler and the pockets come out cleaner than new!

I use a Lyman primer pocket uniforming tool and the center around the flash hole is never completely clean but where the primer sets is completely flat, which is what i care about.

 

[bigedp51]

Wow - I've gotta disagree with the first couple of responses. I use a Redding primer pocket uniforming tool to clean my pockets after each use. The pockets are completely clean when done. No black in 90-100% of the pocket. BTW - I'm using the exact same case as you have pictured.
I have never had any pockets, on any cases, look that dirty/fouled after cleaning by any method but that has just been my experience.
Currently deprime and tumble some cases in a SS pin tumbler and the pockets come out cleaner than new!

Your pockets are cleaner because you are using a "uniformer" that reams the bottom of the primer pocket to a uniform depth and eliminated the rounded edges of the primer pocket. Meaning many primer pockets are bowl or dish shaped at the bottom.

I just finished prepping 500 once fired Lake City 5.56 cases and was surprised at the variance in primer pocket depth. Meaning using my uniformer many cases just had the rounded edge removed and others had the entire bottom reamed.

 

[bigedp51]

i bought a hornady case prep center with a large primer pocket cleaning tool.

here's what he case looks like after cleaning.
i was expecting it to clean completely, not just a outer ring.
is it my case?
is it normal?
the Lee hand held tool does the same.

caribouhunter

Buy a primer pocket uniformer and ream the primer pockets. This will insure all the primer pockets are the same depth and flat on the bottom for easy cleaning. This is only done once and your primer pocket cleaner should remove all the carbon.

The primer should be seated with a slight primer crush and preload the anvil.

 

[DrMike]

The primer pockets are punched on most brass, rather than being drilled. Consequently, the pocket is convex rather than flat. A uniforming tool will true the pocket. My primer pocket cleaner on the RCBS Case Mate removes 90%+ of the carbon. Big Ed has provided a fine explanation with graphic representation to illustrate what is happening. OTOH, OU812 and Teknys are correct in stating that it won't seriously effect firing, until carbon builds up. I have few of these problems when I use a universal deprimer followed by using my Thumler's Model B Tumbler.

 

[BillPa]

Three pockets, #1 as was, #2 only the 'convex' area removed and #3 fully uniformed and cut to depth.

Bill

 

[truck driver]

I know there are tools for cleaning primer pockets but I just use a straight blade screw driver to scrape out the carbon.

 

[Alderman]

Using the RCBS brush I've had some come out whistle clean and shiny while others have some residue left.

 

[caribouhunter]

thanks to everyone who answered.

what can happen if i just leave it as is?
i don't own a primer pocket uniformer and never felt i need one.
in a couple thousand load so far i never had a missfire.
accuracy with this rifle is pretty good.
it's a savage 16 with a 26" Shilen select match barrel.
it normally group 150 ABLR in about 1/2" when i do my part.

 

[cloverleaf]

So~ a question..... A recent post about "tightening primer pockets" has me asking the question, how can uniforming the primer pocket not have a negative affect on primer pocket tension? Also doesn't any metal amount removed from that pocket would have the potential to weaken that area? CL

 

[Alderman]

I think those doing the uniforming are more concerned with consistent ignition and not so concerned with long case life.



I've never uniformed primer pockets but I'm the kind of guy who is happy if I get a 1" 3-shot group at 100 yards. I've had two rifle fail to fires in 21 years of reloading and thousands of rounds fired.

 

[DrMike]

So~ a question..... A recent post about "tightening primer pockets" has me asking the question, how can uniforming the primer pocket not have a negative affect on primer pocket tension? Also doesn't any metal amount removed from that pocket would have the potential to weaken that area? CL

Truing doesn't remove metal from the sides, so tension holding the primer is still consistent.

 

[Rol_P]

Does pressure during firing a cartridge push a small amount of brass into the primer pocket as the primer is pushed rearward? Over time would this be sufficient to contact the pocket cleaner and result in a completely clean primer pocket?

I am using a Redding pocket cleaner and have experienced both the clean outer ring in the pocket and others totally clean. This is with Nosler 30-06 cases.

 

[bigedp51]

thanks to everyone who answered.

what can happen if i just leave it as is?
i don't own a primer pocket uniformer and never felt i need one.
in a couple thousand load so far i never had a missfire.
accuracy with this rifle is pretty good.
it's a savage 16 with a 26" Shilen select match barrel.
it normally group 150 ABLR in about 1/2" when i do my part.

caribouhunter

If you leave the primer pockets as is, the cartridge will still go bang when you pull the trigger.
Meaning there is nothing wrong with your primer pockets, and some of us have brass OCD. And we do things to our cases normal shooters would never do. I'm retired with nothing to do and all day to do it so I uniform my primer pockets. I uniform the primer pockets to make sure each primer is seated to the same depth. But as long as your primers are a few thousandths below flush you are good to go.

And as long as you clean out the majority of the carbon in the primer pocket you will be fine.