How to free stuck round?

[firstshot425]

I tried to load a handloaded 7mm-08 round into my new build. I already knew the OGIV of the loaded round, had measured the OGIV of the same bullet in the new rifle and I knew the bullet seated in the loaded round would not reach the lands and possibly get stuck there

What I didn't think about though was that the round I was attempting to chamber was a 308 case that had been necked down to 7mm-08 and the chamber in the new rifle is a Match 7mm-08 chamber. I had pushed the bolt all the way forward and then as I started to push it down to close it, I realized it felt way too hard to close. So I stopped right there. I did not close the bolt all the way down. Any way, the cartridge is now stuck and the bolt will not budge. I was able to lift the bolt back up but you can't pull it back at all.

Any suggestions for fixing this delima?

Thanks
firstshot

 

[CatShooter]

I tried to load a handloaded 7mm-08 round into my new build. I already knew the OGIV of the loaded round, had measured the OGIV of the same bullet in the new rifle and I knew the bullet would not reach the lands. I just wanted to see how it would feed through the new rifle.

What I didn't think about though was that the round I was attempting to chamber was a 308 case that had been necked down to 7mm-08 and the chamber in the new rifle is a Match 7mm-08 chamber. I had pushed the bolt all the way forward and then as I started to push it down to close it, I realized it felt way too hard to close. So I stopped right there. I did not close the bolt all the way down. Any way, the cartridge is now stuck and the bolt will not budge. I was able to lift the bolt back up but you can't pull it back at all.

Any suggestions for fixing this delima?

Thanks
firstshot

IF the bolt handle is all the way up, then the pin is blocked.

Use a cleaning rod and a light hammer and tap it out from the muzzle.

There is a lesson in there somewhere about forcing things and guns

 

[firstshot425]

CatShooter

I know nothing about gunsmithing. What "Pin" is blocked?

If I partially pushed the bolt down, would the locking lugs still be partially engaged?

Wouldn't tapping it with a hammer/cleaning rod just push the bullet down into the powder?

 

[firstshot425]

I got it out!!!!!

I tapped the bolt handle with a light rubber mallet and it came right out!

Only issue now is that it was a 7mm-08 case and NOT a 308 necked down to 7mm-08. So, now I've got to figure out why it got stuck.

 

[Buzz]

Cat was referring to the firing pin being blocked.

When I first read this I assumed it was the bullet jammed into the lands that was causing your issue. If that's all that's stuck then I'm surprised you can't pull the bolt back and leave the bullet in the lands. Did you turn the neck after you necked it down? I'd measure the neck diameter of a loaded round and compare it to your chamber drawings. If it's just a bullet in the lands then a couple taps with a cleaning rod should do the trick. If it's the actual case you might have a bit of a chore ahead of you.

 

[TimP]

You don't want to damage your barrel. So go to the lumber yard and pick up a wooden dowel rod. If one isn't long enough get two in as close to your bore diameter as possible and gently tap it out.

 

[bheadboy]

firstshots 425

some may not have read your post of having solved the problem.

I have had the same situation on an occasion, and you did just as I did, took a leather mallet and tapped the bold handle, out came the case.

take a fresh case, unfired, full length size and see if it will chamber without loading, if not, then your chamber is very tight.

Bob

 

[firstshot425]

Savage 6.5

It for sure was NOT the bullet stuck in the lands as I knew the bullet wouldn't reach the lands before I attempted to chamber it.

Whats puzzeling now is that it was NOT a necked down 308 case either. It was full resized 7mm-08 brass. The neck diameter of the loaded cartridge is .305
I'm checking with my gunsmith as to the match chamber neck diameter.

 

[idahoorion]

First shot,

you'll likely need to start with new brass on your build. it is likely a min spec chamber and if you use brass from other guns....this will/could happen again. Sometimes you can take once fired brass and run it thru a small base die and get it to work. but cycle each case to know before you load it. Don't ask how I know all this.

a new barrel deserves new brass anyway.

good shootin
Idahoorion

 

[firstshot425]

bob / idahoorion

I don't have a fresh "unfired" case. I've got brand new Norma brass orderd and it is supposed to be in sometime this week. I think it's good advise to hold off until I've got the new brass to work with.


Thanks
Doug

 

[Webster]

You can buy 3' wooden dowels at Home Depot and Lowes. I always take one to the range. If I push a patch into the chamber about a inch and pull it back then push forward the patch gets wadded up an gets stuck in the bore. Buy a couple rods they break easy. Look for a straight grain.

 

[Eddie Harren]

Anyone, who uses a wooden dowel in a barrel, deserves the probable results. Broken dowel usually stuck in the bore.

 

[dkhunt14]

You mean all these years I have been doing it wrong in my Muzzleloader? Matt

 

[bigedp51]

Lets get real, a steel rod inside the barrel can cause damage, an aluminium rod is softer than steel but can bend and a ram rod is made from wood and normally has a brass tip. Common sense and mechanical aptitude goes a long way.

How many Primitive Pete's in our forum?

I have it on good authority that CatShooter uses cat o'nine tails reinforced with carbon fiber.

And Clark Gable shot Ricardo Montalban with his ramrod in the movie "Across the Wide Missouri" so just keep your powder dry.

 

[Eddie Harren]

dkhunt14, after breaking 2 of my own and having numerous customers bring muzzle loader barrels to my shop with broken wooden rods stuck in them, I replaced mine and advise the customers to use fiberglass rods in their barrels. You, in my opinion, have been lucky.

 

[dkhunt14]

You can sharpen a dull knife on a fiberglass rod. Imagine what it does to a muzzle and barrel. I need to tamp my load and then when cleaning all that in and out. I prefer to keep them out of my match barrels. You don't load and clean that muzzleloader from the rear. Matt

 

[bigedp51]

I use wooden dowel rods to slug the bores on my milsurp barrels and never had a problem. If that much force is needed then go to the hardware store and buy the correct size brass rod. Even if getting a straight piece of brass rod is hard to find you can still use a shorter piece and mortar it down the barrel.

A case won't get stuck if you don't force it and the main objective is to do no harm to the rifle. And if you're a ham fisted hammer and chisel mechanic then take it to a "real" gunsmith.

 

[Minesweeper3433]

NEVER, I SAY NEVER try to dislodge a loaded round by pushing it out with a cleaning rod or any other rod of any kind. People have died doing this. Pushes the bullet back in the case compressing the powder and BOOM. Randy

I really am curious as to how powder goes boom when compressed.

 

[bigedp51]

I mixed raw linseed oil and Remington 7 1/2 primers with the cattle feed and it went boom. :

 

[Webster]

Centerfire rifles: Wooden dowels never get stuck in the bore. They are too small in diameter. The dowels get broken from bending them when when handling away from the rifle. If you put a loaded round in the chamber and extract the case with the bullet stuck in the bore you have removed the case and powder. If you are checking COAL there's no powder in the case and the case gets extracted. The only example I can think of where you would push a loaded round out of the chamber is if the extractor couldn't grab the case rim. Again you can not ignite smokeless powder by hitting it with a hammer. Like someone else stated millions of balls have been rammed down a black powder muzzle loader and there doesn't seem to be any record of a rifle being discharged. I use a 3/16' rod for 6mm. 1/4" for 308. Sorry about posting this common sense stuff. It bugs me when people make unfounded comments like pushing a bullet into a case will compress the powder and set it off. They don't know what they are taking about.