Cleaning primer pocket

[Vtecgunner]

Never cleaned my brass or primer pockets. Reloading for 30 years. Never had a reason to.

Don't your die sets get dirty as all hell?

[jeffo]

No problems with dies and reloading.

[jeffo]

I only reload for handguns. Why would my dies get dirty

[SIGP240]

Let your tumbler help you. Deprime and tumble. The SS PINS LOOK LIKE GREAT ALTERNATIVE. Corn cob is half the cost of walnut shell. Look out for grains of media caught in flash hole. I load 25,000 rounds of pistol on the dillon and never clean primer pockets.....but the debris that falls out has to be blown out with the air hose regularly or it gums up.

[jimk55124]

Agree that it depends on what you're doing with the gun. I shoot for extreme accuracy. Got a Bushmaster Varminter 24" (1 in 9), fluted, matched bolt and chamber, flattop with 6-18 Leupold VX II with target turrets, and two-stage comp trigger. It's basically a DCM comp rifle with a long barrel. Best load to date: \

Prairie puppy load - 24.5 grains H4895, Win brass, full resize, all trimmed to 1.750 (+/- 1/1000) Rem 7 1/2 Br's, 60 gr Hornady V-max, COAL 2.240 (20 thousandths off lands and +/- 1/1000 tolerance) MV - 3100 fps, deviation less than 6 fps. Loaded on single stage RCBS Rock Crusher. Takes time but best group - 6 shots .29 inches @ 100 yds (witnessed). All brass has primers removed, tumbled (corn), measured, power trimmed, Chamfered and deburred if needed and primer pockets are cleaned. I use a RCBS cleaning station with all the necessary tools, including a primer pocket reamer for the military brass and a powered brush for the primer pockets. Hornady makes a good station as well. All rounds have a light crimp using a Lee Factory Crimper (cheap and very consistent)

I also use LC brass trimmed and seated exactly as above...only difference is 24.7 grains of H 4895 to match MV. Shoots about 1/4 inch right of dead ctr so 1-2 clicks left.

I would recommend measuring your chamber to make certain you are not into the lands. The 5.56/.223 is pretty forgiving but one can run the pressure up if you're into the lands. if you don't have the tool, you can give the manufacturer a call and ask them the exact chamber lengths. Bushmaster head gunsmith was a great help. Savage refused to assist for my .308 (1/2" gun)_so I bought the tool. It does take some time but all the rounds are virtually identical and the accuracy speaks for itself. I don't overheat my barrel and take meticulous care of the gun. An 18 inch barrel will have considerably less MV. If you slide or bump fire, you really don't need this kind of accuracy and can do very well with a progressive.

As always, start 10% low and work up the load. Enjoy!@