Mortar Method Questions

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Revolutionnow33

Revolutionnow33

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During our last trip to the range my girlfriend was shooting her 5.56 (brass case, plastic tip hallow points) and managed to get what I believe to be an empty case stuck. (Not sure if it's live). Bolt is almost forward completely and is not visible. She believes the round was weak and didn't kick the bolt back enough to eject the case. Is this possible? Also I am curious what the likelihood is of a live round firing off during the Mortar method for removal?
 
That was my concern! I have seen a few people use the Mortar method but only with empties. Also, the videos which I have found tend to not mention the possibilities of a live round firing only the precautions to take... Maybe I will do a quick video while performing the Mortar Method and include the very important info that you have given me. Thank you
 
What about the ejection issue? If I fire the last round in the mag and the case does not eject and the bolt is stuck forward almost completely is it likely that the bolt didn't kick back enough because of a low powered (defective) round?
 
#4
Today, 05:44 PM

Comrad
Member


Collapse your stock before you start banging or you can end up with a broken stock.
Yeah, I've seen someone lose grip on the charging handle and catch their fingers in the stock.. Painful
 
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Revolutionnow33 said:
She believes the round was weak and didn't kick the bolt back enough to eject the case. Is this possible?
Click to expand...

So you have a spent case stuck in the chamber? If I were you...

1. Separate the upper from the lower.
2. If you are not 100% sure that a live round is chambered, remove the BCG.
3. Visually check for the stuck brass case.
4. Insert a wood dowel of appropriate diameter and length down the muzzle.
5. Gently tap the stuck case out.

This accomplishes three things. First, you're not on a two-way range. Mortaring a rifle is not the only option available to you. If the BCG isn't far enough forward to hinge open the rifle, nudge the bolt forward with the forward assist. Second by pushing a dowel down the barrel, you're also checking for bore obstructions. You said your GF felt a weak round. The chances of a squib are high. Lastly, you'll have it all apart. You can visually check the chamber for any excessive fouling, burrs, or any other possible damage.

But hey... what do I know... mortar away.
 
OK, you got me. What is the "Mortar" method? Is this really what I think it is? Banging the stock on the ground in an attempt to remove a stuck casing/cartridge?
 
Rastoff said:
OK, you got me. What is the "Mortar" method? Is this really what I think it is? Banging the stock on the ground in an attempt to remove a stuck casing/cartridge?
Click to expand...

Yep.... strike the butt of the stock against the ground while pulling on the charging handle to free a bolt that is stuck and will not come out of the forward position.
 
Thank you all for your info. As I was preparing to use the Mortar Method I decided to try one more thing. The rifle was hot when it jammed up so I had a thought. I sat outside with the rifle (30 degrees out) and waited for it to cool. It was already at room temp and the charging handle wouldn't pull back still. After it reached a pretty low temp I gave it one more yank and low and behold a live round ejected. The shoulder of the case kind of mushroomed and lodged itself. I think the cold allowed the round to contract just enough to dislodge it...
 
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Mortar Method- attempt manual clearing by pulling charging handle has failed. 1-Drop the magazine. 2-Collapse the stock completely. 3-remove vertical grip if you have one. 4-While ejection port is safely directed away from you and bystanders, place the butt of the rifle on the ground with the barrel facing a safe direction, hold the forward grip with one hand and the charging handle with the other as if you were going to pull it. 5-Raise the rifle about a foot off the ground and slam the butt down as you pull back on the charging handle. Inertia should give you enough leverage to eject the round.
***This works with live rounds as well as empties.
If the bolt is not locked completely forward the firing pin cannot hit the primer.
It is imperative that you follow all safety guidelines set forth by your state.
Use this method at your own risk!
 
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JaPes said:
So you have a spent case stuck in the chamber? If I were you...

4. Insert a wood dowel of appropriate diameter and length down the muzzle................ Second by pushing a dowel down the barrel, you're also checking for bore obstructions. .
Click to expand...

Omitted was to mark the end of the dowel, remove it from the bore and compare it to the length of the barrel. That will give you some clue about if there's a live round in the chamber or a bullet stuck in the bore. I'd be really cautious about using a typical wooden dowel to try to drive a live round out. It's possible to mushroom the usually soft dowel around the bullet nose and get things REALLY stuck.

I once had a gent show up with an AR with the bolt jammed. The magazine body was still in the well, the follower, baseplate and spring were missing. The round had fired before the bolt locked completely and ruptured the case, the BCG was firmly stuck.

I ended up pulling the stock and receiver extension and using a mallet to drive the BCG far enough forward to be able to split the rifle and remove things.

Good thinking OP!
 
Rastoff said:
OK, you got me. What is the "Mortar" method? Is this really what I think it is? Banging the stock on the ground in an attempt to remove a stuck casing/cartridge?
Click to expand...

Got me to, Rastoff. I would never think of using this method and wouldn't want to.
 
Care needs to be use when removing a stuck loaded round. There have been instances when people have had them ignite when trying to pound them out from the front. I believe with an AR, it is safest to try mortaring.

If you can separate the upper, it is usually possible to drive the BCG out. If not, pay a gunsmith. It's money well spent.
 
The safety recommendations for Mortaring should prevent injury in 99.9 percent of cases. The likelihood of a round discharging while mortaring is very low. If the round was to fire while mortaring the bullet will exit the barrel. The force will be distributed between bullet and case and the case can fragment and cause injury if you do not follow the safety guidelines.
***Typical cause of injury while Mortaring- not collapsing the stock completely before execution. Can break fingers in the telescope if you lose grip of the charging handle and do not collapse the stock.
***Typical cause of damage- Stock is not collapsed completely!
Hope that some of this was helpful.
 
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This method is taught by Marines, if anyone has any detailed info from the Corps please share! Ty
 
I live in a state where the stock is pinned fully extended. What do you recommend in this situation? Should mortaring be tried?
 
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I'm glad you got the round out. Mortaring would be a last resort method and I would really hate to resort to it unless I absolutely had not other options available.
 
Thanks for explaining the mortar method. I do see why this would be trained to Marines to be used in the field. However, outside of a real operation where you need to get the gun working immediately, I'm not convinced of the value.

Revolutionnow33 said:
The likelihood of a round discharging while mortaring is very low. If the round was to fire while mortaring the bullet will exit the barrel.
Click to expand...
I agree that this method poses little danger to the user. However, should the round fire, where does the bullet go?

In combat you don't care where the round goes. For the rest of us it is a serious concern.
 
WR Moore said:
Omitted was to mark the end of the dowel, remove it from the bore and compare it to the length of the barrel. That will give you some clue about if there's a live round in the chamber or a bullet stuck in the bore. I'd be really cautious about using a typical wooden dowel to try to drive a live round out. It's possible to mushroom the usually soft dowel around the bullet nose and get things REALLY stuck.
Click to expand...

Thank you sir! I just learned something new and now have to buy a brass rod of appropriate length.
 
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