Been reading reading and reading and Im at another point I must ask a simple question Im sure. I have noticed in the catalogs as well as the web site stores items sold as

1) PRIMER POCKET UNIFORMER

2)FLASH HOLE DEBURRER

3)PRIMER POCKET CLEANER

The flash hole deburrer Ive pretty much figured out, but it seems top me as if the uniformer and cleaner are virtually the same thing. Im sure Im wrong, but thats why I asked the question ha ha. Thanks in advance.God Bless.

I'm just new to this as well Sydsdaddy and I'm going through the same thing as you. At the minute I'm waiting for my bullet seating die to arrive but apart from that the sum total of things I've bought are:

Scales (inexpensive Lee but will more than do my job)
Calipers (digital but inexpensive from hardware supplier and work well)
Press and neck sizing die (reasonable quality Hornady stuff - seems to work well for me)
Case mouth deburr tool
Primer pocket cleaner
Powder funnel
Case lube
Lee hand primer tool (OK - functional but I'm not very impressed with it)
Lee case trimmer (inexpensive chuck and pilot for a cordless screwdriver - works very well)

I've got my first lot of brass neck sized, primed and ready for the powder and bullet when the bullet seating die arrives.

As I go along I'm sure that I will gather up more bits but as I see it the list above is the minimum to get me started and with the bits I've got I can successfully reload which is all I'm interested in.

Specially if you are operating on a budget, like I am, I think it is hard to beat keeping it as simple as possible.

the cleaner is a wire brush to clean the scuz out of the pocket,the uniformer removes a small amount of brass if it has to. get the brush if they are dirty.

Get a carbide pocket uniformer (all of the good ones are carbide) and use it to uniform and clean. No need to have two tools. The carbide will last forever.

Ray

Just to elaborate a skoche, the uniformer does just what it says, it CUTS the primer pocket to uniform dimensions, both diameter of the pocket, and depth of the pocket. These actually vary a little bit. I actually use one as Cheechako recommends, I uniform every time I reload, and if the uniformer DOESN'T clean the bottom of the pocket, I use a primer pocket cleaner, basically a stiff steel brush, to clean out the bottom of the pocket. If that brass continues to not be cleaned at the bottom by the uniformer, I pitch the case--maybe overkll--probably overkill--but it's just what I do......
Deburring flash holes is 'nebulous' but on some brass I do it, cause I find a lot of burrs in some brands of brass--nowadays I tend to just buy Nosler, Lapua, or Norma brass, which I have never felt there was any purpose in deburring flash holes for these brands.

Primer pocket uniforming and flash-hole deburring are things hunters don't bother with. These are target-shooters' fetishes, and many of them don't bother with it. In essence, these are not things that require attention at the outset of your reloading avocation.

The uniformer provides a flat foundation so that the three legs of the primer anvil are all solidly in contact with the case. The deburring tool prevents the flash resulting from the hole's formation folding over the hole and obstructing flame propagation. If you find a large bit of flash, it can be removed manually with a drill bit.

You can get a brush-type tool to clean primer pockets, but a small screwdriver will do the same thing. Lee makes a small tool that handles both small and large pockets; it costs about $1.50.

Winchester 69 is probably spot on, that these are things hunters shouldn't be bothering about. Just shows what an anal old grouch I am

I de-burr flash holes once only. Judging by the hugely differing amounts of brass shavings I get out of a batch of new brass, I feel it's a good thing to do (Consistency is everything).

I uniform primer pockets after each firing. You'd be surprised how brass seems to 'flow' in the case head area. My reasoning is that: a) I have a square base for the feet of the anvil; b) All primers are seated to the same depth, thus take the same strike from the firing pin, and; c) ALL my primer pockets are CLEAN

See what I mean about anal old grouch?

SOME hunters do all the things that Benchrest shooters do. I shoot Benchrest. I find that it takes only a few seconds to clean primer pockets, trim case length, brush out case necks, etc. each time I load. Most Benchrest shooters are even more meticulous than I am.

It is a habit that I carry over even to cartridges such as 30-30. These things definitely improve your ammunition for the accuracy cartridges but probably don't make a nickels worth of difference on hunting rounds, but what do you lose by doing it? If you feel that your time is better spent watching TV, most of them can be done while watching.

Using cheap tools may seem like a good-enough idea, but you are better off in the long run spending a few bucks for good tools which will last longer than you will.

JMHO

Ray

+1 to what Cheechako says. I have reloading equipment in order to make the best ammo--not the cheapest-- that I can. I don't skip steps on any ammo I load.

Some hunters would argue that they are only trying to hit a dinner plate sized target at moderate range, but if you're taking a snap shot or estimating range in unfamiliar country without a laser range finder, or the deer starts, that extra 1/2" of accuracy could mean the difference between a clean kill or a long hike to run down a wounded animal.

Fooling with primer pockets may be very well and good if you are using military brass in which the primers were crimped in, and the ridge from that crimping is still there after decapping.

Other than that, IMO anything you do to a commercial case after decapping, besides seating the new primer, is a waste of your finite energy!! (I am not a benchhrest competitor!!) I have found NO DIFFERENCE IN PERFORMANCE between ammo where I did all the neat things to the primer pocket before seating the new primers vs ones where all I did was to punch out the fired ones & seat the new ones... not one bit of difference!

Here's several groups shot with four of my hunting rifles where the primer pockets were NOT fooled with.

quote:

Originally posted by Winchester 69:
In essence, these are not things that require attention at the outset of your reloading avocation.

I reiterate my point. It is not that these practices are without merit, but rather that someone on a budget shouldn't think it necessary to deplete scarce funds to acquire a $30, carbide uniforming tool. (The worse sin would be in acquiring a uniforming tool lacking heritage.) Reloading for a factory-chambered hunting rifle certainly doesn't warrant it as no benefit will be realized. My proposal is to invest wisely where long-term benefits will be realized.

However, it is never too early to understand the practices of the advanced handloader, and it's certainly not my purpose to discourage that end.

How bout primer sealant I have seen that and always wondered if it was worth it.

quote:

Originally posted by marquezlc:
How bout primer sealant I have seen that and always wondered if it was worth it.

How many decades are you planning to store your ammunition?

I’ll just keep this simple, fooling around with primer pockets and flash holes may not help the average hunting rifle/cartridge combination. But it doesn’t hurt anything either. Some people put the minimum into their reloading and some people go to great lengths in their reloading. The bitch is, both come out with the same results (sometimes). Go figure. But after all these years of talking and dealing with people that reload, the ones that put more effort into their hobby are much more interesting people to talk to and fun to be around.

They generally have a better sense of humor and are less angry. And less likely to vote for Obama.

Well, here's what I do. I first started de-burring flash holes and uniforming primer pockets back when I was shooting black powder cartridges. Supposedly, American brass has the flash hole punched leaving burrs on the inside of the case that can retard/misdirect the flame of the primer. This, possibly leads to improper/unequal ignition over the powder column. I don't know personally if this does or does not happen. I do know that I get a surprising amount of brass particles after I've de-burred. I've carried this habit over to my smokeless cartridges as well.
On new brass, my procedure is to resize, trim, chamfer the mouth, uniform the primer pocket and then de-bur the flash hole. The deburring, obviously, is only done once.
I always uniform the primer pocket when I reload. I'm surprised at the small amount of brass that is shaved off.
Do I or anyone else need to follow these procedures for normal hunting rounds? Probably not but as was mentioned above, I personally want to eliminate as many variables as I can think of so that if/when that one shot becomes necessary, I KNOW my rifle & ammo can do the job. I'd probably advise a beginner to to steer clear of de-burring and uniforming the primer pockets. There's too much to learn at the start but with experience, the individual could do those procedures if he wished.
Just my comments for what they're worth.
Bear in Fairbanks

quote:

Originally posted by MickinColo:
I’ll just keep this simple, fooling around with primer pockets and flash holes may not help the average hunting rifle/cartridge combination. But it doesn’t hurt anything either. Some people put the minimum into their reloading and some people go to great lengths in their reloading. The bitch is, both come out with the same results (sometimes). Go figure. But after all these years of talking and dealing with people that reload, the ones that put more effort into their hobby are much more interesting people to talk to and fun to be around.

They generally have a better sense of humor and are less angry. And less likely to vote for Obama.

I agree o the point about those who are interested in their hobby, but I take issue with the idea that cleaning primer pockets, "deburring" flash holes, etc., is proof of anything concerning one's attitude toward trying to do the utmost for one's hobby. For example, I know people who clean primer pockets & flash holes who have never fired a black powder arm, or cast a bullet!

I put a lot of time and energy into sizing my cases, trimming them (by hand), chamfering the mouths, and belling the mouths for cast bullets when using them, casting bullets, trying to determine the limits of velocity & accuracy of various arms, etc. In addition, I make sure that all primers are seated uniformly and that ones showing any deformation are replaced. But I have never been able to prove any benefit from spending energy on primer pockets, although at one time I did do the cleaning, etc., of these little holes...

quote:

Originally posted by El Deguello:

quote:

Originally posted by MickinColo:
I’ll just keep this simple, fooling around with primer pockets and flash holes may not help the average hunting rifle/cartridge combination. But it doesn’t hurt anything either. Some people put the minimum into their reloading and some people go to great lengths in their reloading. The bitch is, both come out with the same results (sometimes). Go figure. But after all these years of talking and dealing with people that reload, the ones that put more effort into their hobby are much more interesting people to talk to and fun to be around.

They generally have a better sense of humor and are less angry. And less likely to vote for Obama.

I agree o the point about those who are interested in their hobby, but I take issue with the idea that cleaning primer pockets, "deburring" flash holes, etc., is proof of anything concerning one's attitude toward trying to do the utmost for one's hobby. For example, I know people who clean primer pockets & flash holes who have never fired a black powder arm, or cast a bullet!

I put a lot of time and energy into sizing my cases, trimming them (by hand), chamfering the mouths, and belling the mouths for cast bullets when using them, casting bullets, trying to determine the limits of velocity & accuracy of various arms, etc. In addition, I make sure that all primers are seated uniformly and that ones showing any deformation are replaced. But I have never been able to prove any benefit from spending energy on primer pockets, although at one time I did do the cleaning, etc., of these little holes...

El Deguello,

I don’t know if we became cross with each other over reloading practices, I hope not.

My treatment of the flash holes and primer pockets is only done once to my new brass. It’s done at the time I take them out of the original packaging.

Primer pocket uniforming is not that big of deal but I still do it. Does it make a difference? I don’t know.

Deburring the flash hole? It does matter in my opinion.

How people prep their brass doesn’t really matter to me, just “getter doneâ€. When a person asks a question, I’ll tell them what I’m thinking. Good or bad,, that’s what I was thinking at the time.

Mick

Someone needs to market a carbide primer pocket sizer with a small pin in the center to knock the corn cob out of the flash hole while it cleans the bottom of the pocket.

quote:

Someone needs to market a carbide primer pocket sizer with a small pin in the center to knock the corn cob out of the flash hole while it cleans the bottom of the pocket.

Amen to that!