Hi. I have a 3rd Gen Smith & Wesson Model 3913TSW. It has a live round stuck in the chamber – a hollow-point, I think. I can only move the slide about 1/8“ rearward – not even enough to get a bite on the spurless hammer so I can try to cock it and fire the round. Trigger won’t budge.

The barrel isn't bulged as far as I am aware. This didn't happen while shooting... not a squib round. I carry it home from the range empty, and load it up with JHP when I get home. I don't recall exactly what the stuck cartridge is because I have a couple brands of JHP around -- it has a silver casing, so it's either a PMC Eldorado Starfire or and old Winchester Black Talon. I can see the rim of the casing through the loaded chamber indicator port on the top of the barrel shroud. If it's Black Talon, those bullets are somewhat elongated in case that matters.

Any idea how to eject out the round that doesn't involve using sledge hammer? Thanks.

I put it in a padded vise, frame only and put a dowel on the front of the slide right by the barrel and give it a whack with a mallet. Light at first, then heavier if it doesn't get it. You MAY pull the bullet so check your shell casing and the barrel and clean the powder out of the works.

Oh, before you make with the mallet I hold the slide with as full a grip as possible in the left hand and hit the back of the grip into to the web of my right hand between my thumb and fingers. In this position it's also easier to muscle the slide open even before you hit it. MAYBE.

I had a TERRIBLE time with some 'small ball' bullets that I loaded. I ended up seating them LESS than 1.06" OAL and because the coating had some defects in it, some STILL caught on the lands. No more of those durn bullets. Regular round nose has more of a taper to the bullet ogive and you can hardly mess them up.

Keep it pointed in a safe direction as you do this. I haven't had a round go off, but you never know.

I especially have a hard time with compact pistols as they have NO extra space in the chamber for bullets seated out with some types of bullets.

Was this factory ammo? I like to get to the bottom of things and a caught bullet is pretty serious once. If it happens again.....

Note. SWCs are easy to load out too far. Seat far enough to just have a fingernail of the bullet shank showing above the mouth.

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"He was kinda funny lookin'"

Most guns won't fire even if you are a tiny bit out of battery. I've tried to hit the back of the slide on a stuck round and just end up pushing it in tighter. If it takes more than a tap to get it into full battery, it's better not to force it in farther. Kinda reminiscent of whacking a bolt forward to get a stubborn cartridge to seat.

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"He was kinda funny lookin'"

While that does sound like one method, I would first try a different method:

I would try to pull the extractor hook off the case rim, draw the slide back and field strip the pistol as if it were empty and if possible, do that and work on removing the round from the chamber once the barrel is removed from the pistol.

Of course, this assumes that the ONLY thing that is causing this is literally one round "stuck" in the chamber. If that is indeed the problem, then only the extractor hook grabbing it is keeping you from drawing the slide rearward.

Happened to me, too.
My fix was to clamp the slide securely in my appropriately padded vise.
Solid thump on the backstrap with a dead blow plastic hammer popped it free.

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-jwk-
US Army '72-'95

What TAROMAN said... and nothing important in front of the muzzle. Just in case.