When I did a forum search, it looked like Reloading was the right place to ask this question.

I was shooting remanufactured 148 gr full wadcutters today in my 642. I had my first squib. The bullet made it almost to the end of the barrel. I've tried pounding it back with a brass punch, but it isn't going anywhere.

I was thinking my next step would be to drill a hole in the center of the wadcutter to see if it would relieve some of the pressure on the projectile, then try pounding it back again.

Would that make sense or should I be trying a different approach?

I would not drill a hole in it for fear of damaging the bore. Did you put a lubricant in the barrel before trying to remove the squib? If not, I would try that first.

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Reg. Magnum wants/Rossi wallet

Find some rubber matting to protect your gun. Clamp in a vice, use a wood dowel and beat the ****out of it. They get stuck in there good.
I had a squib 45 Colt load in a Ruger Vaquero, and it took some persuasion to get it out. Lodged half way up a 7.5 in barrel.
BOOM, BOOM , BOOM , POP...........? New right away too STOP Shooting.

The brass rod needs to be as close to full diameter of the bore as possible. I have never had one I couldn't pop out. Several of us built these years ago, and carry in the shooting bag. I have only needed for myself one time, but have successfully done the job for several others.

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H Richard
SWCA1967 SWHF244

Well now that it is pounded in...if you can see the flat nose of the bullet..yes..drill a small hole in the bullet then drill a bit larger..and then a bit larger...Kroil the bore well and use a brass rod close to the bore size and drive it out. Be careful drilling and protect the end of the bore with a brass plate or something to keep from hitting the end of the bbl with the chuck. You will have to protect the frame of the gun as it will need to be mounted in a vice or something to keep it from bouncing around. When I was doing gunsmithing back a few years..drilling was quite often necessary after I got the guns. Once got a 30-30 with a stuck bullet a cleaning rod and some ready rod in the bore. Got it out luckily but there was a gouge in the bore from the ready rod. Still shot fine somehow. If drilling from the end of the bbl. Get a 32 S&W case that will fit in the bore..drill the primer pocket out and use it for end bbl protection and as a centering device

Good advice above. Squirt some WD-40 in there, let soak. Use a brass rod or wood dowel near bore diameter and pound out.

If that doesn't work, I'd take it to a gunsmith rather than drilling a hole in the bullet. Drilling in lead unless you have a lot of practice, usually leads to snapped bits. The lead "grabs" the bullet. And that leads to subsequent barrel damage.

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USAF, 69-92
Vietnam, 72-73

vinegar + hydrogen peroxide
50/ 50 solution
fill bore and let it eat for 90 seconds.
dump solution, mop bore dry, oil and try the rod.

repeat as needed.
once you start you are committed to this task.
for as basic and common the solution might be, its no joke.

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it just needs more voltage

It is absolutely NO JOKE. IT forms a very nasty acid and will eat up your gun if left on there. Have a box of baking soda and some water to neutralize it if you go this route. I would not. Use the method H Richard posted, The more you smash it the fatter the lead got so it's stuck worse now.

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Still Running Against the Wind

Unless you really know what you're doing and have the proper equipment
(a hand cranked drill) don't try to drill. If you can't pound it out with a wooden or brass dowel take your piece to a good gunsmith. That will get the job done the right way and not cause the need for a replacement barrel.

Thanks all for the advice.

Got it out. I let it soak in some penetrating oil for a couple hours. Used a 9/32 brass punch. BFH. Pounded the **** out of it (as recommended above). Pretty sure the oil is what loosened everything up. Bullet was a jacketed wadcutter. Not sure if the jacketing makes it easier or harder.

I think I'll try to make one of those. Looks handy.

Now that you have it out, make sure your bore is clear of any residue ie: copper and etc. Anyway, good job.

What is the actual diameter of the rod?

Glad you got it out.

Never have seen a jacketed wadcutter.

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USAF, 69-92
Vietnam, 72-73

The jacketed (plated) wad cutters are very difficult to remove.
I had a Rainier plated WC stuck 1 inch from the muzzle of a 6 inch M14
barrel. I ended up using a 5/16 inch steel rod. The rod made a small socket in the bullet, which kept it from damaging the bore. Could probably use some heat shrink tubing, but I have not tried that.
When I got the bullet out, the copper plating was stretched to twice its normal length. The lead was in the end of the stretched out copper, and was not changed, as far as I could tell.
I do not use plated WC's anymore, as there is too much surface area and they are likely to get stuck unless a stout charge is used. Kind of defeats using a WC in my opinion.
I have since read on Berry's site that plated WC's should only be used with data that gives over 800 FPS.

Best,
Rick

These were remanufactured from Michigan Ammo. When I purchased them, it didn't specify jacketing or not. I assumed they'd be plain lead, similar to other wadcutter target rounds I purchased from Federal, etc.

I've gone through close to 1,000 rounds. They've been great until this round.

Thanks. Plated I have seen.

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USAF, 69-92
Vietnam, 72-73

I once, long ago, had to melt a stuck lead bullet out of a barrel. I could not drive it out no matter how hard I tried. It did not damage the finish as I was pretty gentle with the propane torch.

Glad you got it out, I have felt your pain...

This suggestion is too late for your problem, but (in the future) it's really good to remove the cylinder before the pounding begins.

Don't ask me how I know...

Will

This is exactly what I had to do many years ago when a jacketed 30 Carbine bullet stuck in the barrel. Squib rods long enough were hard to come by and cleaning rods didn't work. Fortunately the bullet was not jacketed at the base so very little heat allowed the lead to melt and run out. The jacket was then easy to remove. The rifle shoots as well as it did before(it never was the "tack driver" everyone has for sale).

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Bob.
SWCA 1821