At my last range trip I was shooting .38 specials out of my 686 when one round felt very weak and I didn't see a new target hole. After checking I found the bullet about 4" down my barrel. I was told to knock the round out using a wooden dowel and a mallet. Is there anything I should be careful of when I do that? Also, what's the most likely cause of my bullet getting stuck. I've loaded thousands of rounds with no hiccups and I just could see how I would have missed a powder load. But I guess it is possible.

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S&W 686-6 Plus Pro Series

A cartridge with NO powder and a live primer will usually drive a bullet in the forcing cone preventing the cylinder from turning.the bullet is usually driven back into the casing so that the cylinder can be opened and cleared.

A low powder charge will usually lodge a bullet far enough down the barrel so that the cylinder WILL open....therefore I suspect a low powder charge and not a round with NO powder.

Others will chime in and offer their suspicions....

Randy

I loaded a pair of 38s several years ago with no powder (not intentionally!) and as Randy said,they lodged between the cylinder and forcing cone.Im guessing a tiny powder charge or incomplete ignition,if that's even possible.

I prefer a brass rod for driving out jacketed bullets, to avoid the risk of the wooden rod splitting and wedging into the barrel. Sounds unusual with the bullet 4" down the barrel of a revolver. Have driven out quite a few for shooters at the range.

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Science plus Art

Might suspend the revolver muzzle down and pour a penetrating oil like Kroil down the bore and let it set a while first; makes the bullet easier to drive out.

Many years ago I made up a set of brass rods with large round wooden knobs blued on the end. One for 45 and one for 38. I have only needed the 38 one one time, and never the 45, but have loaned them out several times.

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H Richard
SWCA1967 SWHF244

I also prefer brass squib rods to wood. I have had at least one wooden one come apart on me.

Another thing that is easy is a wooden dowel with an empty brass case on each end (inverted). Really just a cheap brass rod. If you can find a case small enough to fit the barrel. Works better with 40 and 45 as you can use 9mm or such. Maybe you have some 32's laying about?

Craig

Low powder charge I bet. I had one recently. My first and hopefully last. It was with my 1911 and the bullet stuck as yours did. Scary part is it didn't sound remarkably different than a normal shot and I didn't notice it at first. When I realized the pistol hadn't cycled completely I looked and found it. Rattled me pretty good. I quit and went home. Pulled all my remaining rounds from that batch and redid them.
I used a piece of brass rod to pound it out.

The one time (thus far) I had this happen I used an oak dowel. Oak being a bit harder than pine or whatever normal dowels are. It worked fine for me. But the weakness of the dowel was obvious, if I had had to put much more force into it, I could see it splintering.

Do NOT use wood of any sort to knock that bullet out. In my former pistolsmithing career I have spent more time than I care to remember in dislodging a customer's stuck bullet and broken off and cramped wooden dowel. As mentioned use a properly sized brass rod. Brass is softer than the rifling and will not damage. Use a little Kroil Penetrating Oil for a few hours before driving out a bullet that has to travel 4" back down the barrel. Take the brass rod and insert it from the muzzle. While holding the brass rod inserted invert the handgun (remove the cylinder) and tap the rod downward on a solid surface. Increase the force used until you feel the bullet start to move. Then continue with that amount of force until the bullet is driven out the breech end. Clean the barrel before you start shooting. ........... Big Cholla

Kudos to you for following up the squib and checking it out.
This is much better than the "look what happened to my gun/my hand/my face today" threads!

Brownells makes the Squib Rod...

SQUIB ROD | Brownells

I have only had 2 squibs. One was a factory 22 Rem Jet round with no powder. The second was a 32 H&R Mag with H110 and the powder never lit off. With both, the primer moved the bullet past the forcing cone and into the barrel. But these are smaller diameter rounds.

I used to slug barrels with oak dowels. Driving a jacketed squib out is considerably more difficult. I converted to solid brass rods after reading about wood dowels breaking during use. I didn't have to experience it myself to learn. I am more than happy to learn from what others share.