Is removing a stuck projectile a job only for a gunsmiths, or can it be tackled at home, and how should it be done? I recently fired a case with no powder (my fault in reloading) so the projectile got lodged between the cylinder and barrel, so I couldn't remove the cylinder. A gunsmith fixed the problem, but is this something others do at home?
Removing stuck projectile from barrel
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SAFireman
Member
Yes, a range rod (brass/bronze) or a hardwood dowel will do the trick. Just be very careful to not damage the bore.
David R
Member
Wood is easier on the inside of the barrel. You can get pounding pretty good with a brass rod if its totally in the bore.
Get a friend to hold the gun.
David
Get a friend to hold the gun.
David
Bozz10mm
US Veteran
My first and last squib, back in 1981, I had to take to a gunsmith. The 240gr Sierra jacketed soft point bullet was stuck a couple inches into the barrel of my .45 Colt Blackhawk . No amount of pounding with a dowel would get it out.
The gunsmith got it out, but admitted he had trouble with it.
I don't where one would even start if you can't remove the cylinder. I suppose you'd have to force the bullet back into the cylinder, remove the cylinder and then pound it out again.
The gunsmith got it out, but admitted he had trouble with it.
I don't where one would even start if you can't remove the cylinder. I suppose you'd have to force the bullet back into the cylinder, remove the cylinder and then pound it out again.
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David R
Member
It will drive back into the case. There is no powder in there and the primer has been spent.
Still, don't point the dowel at your eye.
David
Still, don't point the dowel at your eye.
David
italiansport
Member
I've used wooden dowels when confronted with this situation when helping in gunsmithing. I also mounted the pistol in a padded vise.
Jim
Jim
Murdock
Member
I have learned to keep a brass rod in my range bag. A semiauto can usually be field stripped and the rear of the barrel placed on a firm surface as the bullet is tapped out to the rear. If the cylinder can be opened on a revolver the forcing cone can usually be placed against something firm, like the corner of a work bench or table, etc.
With a revolver firing a squib with primer only and no powder, the bullet frequently sticks in the barrel-cylinder gap, or just beyond into the forcing cone. With a short charge of powder, it can lodge anywhere in the bore, depending upon how much propellant made it into the case, and maybe allowing the cylinder to turn enough to line up the next charge hole and a live round. Bad juju when shooting rapid double action. I have a ringed (but not bulged) M1917 barrel to show for that.
In slow SA fire you can catch this. However in rapid DA fire one CANNOT stop the trigger finger quickly enough to prevent the next round going down the tube. Bang! Bang! Click!!!! Bang! Oops. Elmer Keith wrote about this decades ago, when people still cared about precision, fast, DA shooting.
Now I visually and audibly (my new Dillon 650 has a buzzer to detect a short charge) check to ensure that the powder has indeed gone into the case from my progressive loader's powder measure.
With a revolver firing a squib with primer only and no powder, the bullet frequently sticks in the barrel-cylinder gap, or just beyond into the forcing cone. With a short charge of powder, it can lodge anywhere in the bore, depending upon how much propellant made it into the case, and maybe allowing the cylinder to turn enough to line up the next charge hole and a live round. Bad juju when shooting rapid double action. I have a ringed (but not bulged) M1917 barrel to show for that.
In slow SA fire you can catch this. However in rapid DA fire one CANNOT stop the trigger finger quickly enough to prevent the next round going down the tube. Bang! Bang! Click!!!! Bang! Oops. Elmer Keith wrote about this decades ago, when people still cared about precision, fast, DA shooting.
Now I visually and audibly (my new Dillon 650 has a buzzer to detect a short charge) check to ensure that the powder has indeed gone into the case from my progressive loader's powder measure.
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Over the course of time I have removed a few, both my guns and helping out people. Both rifles and handguns
One day I was shooting at my gun club and had a squib drove the slug into the barrel (686 4’’ with light target loads). Did not have the right stuff to work with but did not want to leave. Went to my truck got a 6'’ Philips screw driver, chucked it into a vise with the shank pointed up. Cylinder was open and I carefully put the barrel over the screwdriver and by applying increasing pressure popped the slug out. Careful and slowed ruled the day and I went back to making Bang, Bang, Bang sounds!
One day I was shooting at my gun club and had a squib drove the slug into the barrel (686 4’’ with light target loads). Did not have the right stuff to work with but did not want to leave. Went to my truck got a 6'’ Philips screw driver, chucked it into a vise with the shank pointed up. Cylinder was open and I carefully put the barrel over the screwdriver and by applying increasing pressure popped the slug out. Careful and slowed ruled the day and I went back to making Bang, Bang, Bang sounds!
Sit on padded bench with gun between legs pointing up,but not at your face! Place dowel in barrel and tap on it until the front of the bullet clears the forcing cone.
Removing squibs
Perhaps a sticky is in order? A wood dowel, with spent cases installed,will cut down on splitting. The dowel can be sanded, so cases will slide on. I insert the dowel in the barrel,hold the gun and tap the dowel on the concrete floor. The bullet will push back into the case allowing the cylinder to open. Bullets further into the barrel require PATIENCE. Remove the grips. Prop the gun barrel up. For jacketed bullets, fill the barrel with a copper cleaning bore cleaner. It will creep between the bullet and barrel, dissolving the jacket, allowing the bullet to be tapped out. You usually have to fill the barrel 2 o r 3 times. It takes hours to creep thru .
You do not dissolve the entire bullet just the outer jacket between the bore and bullet. It can get a little messy and smelly best done away from Mamas kitchen. Place rags under the gun to catch the mess. For lead bullets. use a lead remover and proceed the same . Bore cleaners can destroy grips.
Perhaps a sticky is in order? A wood dowel, with spent cases installed,will cut down on splitting. The dowel can be sanded, so cases will slide on. I insert the dowel in the barrel,hold the gun and tap the dowel on the concrete floor. The bullet will push back into the case allowing the cylinder to open. Bullets further into the barrel require PATIENCE. Remove the grips. Prop the gun barrel up. For jacketed bullets, fill the barrel with a copper cleaning bore cleaner. It will creep between the bullet and barrel, dissolving the jacket, allowing the bullet to be tapped out. You usually have to fill the barrel 2 o r 3 times. It takes hours to creep thru .
You do not dissolve the entire bullet just the outer jacket between the bore and bullet. It can get a little messy and smelly best done away from Mamas kitchen. Place rags under the gun to catch the mess. For lead bullets. use a lead remover and proceed the same . Bore cleaners can destroy grips.
I carry a hardwood dowel in my range bag along with a small hammer. It rarely happens but the last time (in many years) it came in handy. You still have to be careful but it works and you're back to shooting in no time.
Back when I was working on guns A fellow brought me a 788 Rem 30-30 with a stuck bullet..and a cleaning rod..and a wood dowell Got the wooden dowell out with a lead ball screw on a rod. Drove the bullet a ways down the bore to get the broken rod loose..then finally drove the bullet out with a brass rod. He gouged the heck out of the bore with the broken cleaning rod. Shot it a bit after a bit of polish and it still shot pretty good. He sold me the gun for 30 bucks. Still have it. Shoots 130 gr spritzers really well. Under an inch even with the polished gouged bore. Guess what I am trying to say is make sure you have the right tools for the job. Always make sure the tool you use has a flat face so it doesn't stick tween the bullet and bore. The rod that fellow drove down that bore was aluminum..did a pretty good job on that barrel. Handguns are so much easier than rifles
gwpercle
Member
Did the exact same thing. 38 special . Pushed bullet back into case with a aluminmun rod a bit smaller than bore. It was a cast SWC and didn't resist. It was stuck between forcing cone and chamber. If the stuck bullet doesn't want to move back into the case STOP. Time to let a pro handle it. We ruined a 22 rifle trying to get a stuck cleaning patch out of the barrel. Barrel obstructions are a bit trickier to get unstuck.
So if it doesn't want to move resist the bigger hammer thought!
Gary
So if it doesn't want to move resist the bigger hammer thought!
Gary
klausinak
US Veteran
Don't use wood! You'll get away with it for awhile, but it will come back to bite you eventually. Brass rod & penetrating oil; I've never tried the copper/lead solvent, hopefully I won't have to. If you need to you can build up some bushings on your brass rod w/electrical tape.
-Klaus
-Klaus
BlueOvalBandit
Member
Delrin rods are always bore safe and wont splinter like wood sometimes can.
NJM15
Member
I had the same problem with my mr15 sport .223 also a reload round
The bullet was driven out from the muzzle after letting it sit overnight with a good shot of wd40 to loosen it , it came right out with a brass rod and a little tap. The first problem I ever had was with I hate to say it a Hi point 40 carbine in that case a loaded round didn't fully seat in the chamber and became lodged,, the Smith didn't want to touch it, I drove it out after soaking it ,luckily I still have all my bodily functions left
The bullet was driven out from the muzzle after letting it sit overnight with a good shot of wd40 to loosen it , it came right out with a brass rod and a little tap. The first problem I ever had was with I hate to say it a Hi point 40 carbine in that case a loaded round didn't fully seat in the chamber and became lodged,, the Smith didn't want to touch it, I drove it out after soaking it ,luckily I still have all my bodily functions left
italiansport
Member
I recommended wood since most of us are not gunsmiths because if it doesn't work you'll not damage the bore. If it don't work I'd recommend you take it to a gunsmith.
Quote
"I hate to say it a Hi point 40 carbine in that case a loaded round didn't fully seat in the chamber and became lodged,, "
I had one of these in 9mm fire out of battery when a case apparently didn't fully seat in the chamber. I'm a lefty and all I got were some hot gasses to the face so I got off lucky. I'd recommend you be VERY careful with these carbines.
Jim
Quote
"I hate to say it a Hi point 40 carbine in that case a loaded round didn't fully seat in the chamber and became lodged,, "
I had one of these in 9mm fire out of battery when a case apparently didn't fully seat in the chamber. I'm a lefty and all I got were some hot gasses to the face so I got off lucky. I'd recommend you be VERY careful with these carbines.
Jim
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NJM15
Member
I'm careful the first one a 40 literally blew up some how a shell didn't eject and the next one was chambered behind it fired and drove the empty shell half way out of the muzzle bulged the barrel, froze the slide sent it to Hipoint they repaired it actually works good now. problem #2 the 9mm version I was cleaning it there were no none problems the last use at the range but I found a bulge in the barrel near the forward hand grip , no obstructions in the barrel, back to HP repaired ok now , it makes me a little gun shy (pun intended) but cant sell them so I will use them with great concern cost me about 50.00 shipping for both
Wood may not scrape or scour your bore but it can and will stick causing it to be pullet out or driven out with steel. I use a cold rolled steel rod to slug every barrel I own with lead sinkers for the bbl diameter. I tape every few inches and use a small cartridge cast that fits over the end of the rod. Do not use a light hammer, use a heavy 2-4 lb hammer and light blows. This will transfer the energy to movement rather than compaction.
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