Squib Removal Question

[GuitarmanNick]

Okay, most reloaders will experience the dreaded "forgot the powder" once in their life resulting in a squib.

My question for the collective knowledge base here on removal is this:

Why not use a lightly charged case similar to a blank round to "push" the stuck projectile from the barrel? Use some cotton to keep powder in place, which should incinerate upon firing, and blast it out.

Logic seems to indicate that it should be completely safe and do no damage to the barrel.

Curious to know if anyone has tried this, if so was it successful, or if it may actually be dangerous.

 

[Kracken McGraw]

Sounds plenty dangerous to me.

 

[Rsadams]

Uhmmm no just knock it out with a rod , not normally an easy thing....

 

[Fuj]

Stuff a rag in the action, then spray a little penetrating oil down
the bore. Let it sit a bit for the oil to creep. Makes it easier to knock
a stuck bullet out.

 

[SeabeeKen]

Okay, most reloaders will experience the dreaded "forgot the powder" once in their life resulting in a squib.

My question for the collective knowledge base here on removal is this:

Why not use a lightly charged case similar to a blank round to "push" the stuck projectile from the barrel? Use some cotton to keep powder in place, which should incinerate upon firing, and blast it out.

Logic seems to indicate that it should be completely safe and do no damage to the barrel.

Curious to know if anyone has tried this, if so was it successful, or if it may actually be dangerous.

I'd say you would run the risk of detonation similar to using too little powder. Essentially you are creating a condition where the case capacity is the length from primer to bullet. I wouldnt try it.

 

[Ranger188]

Usually a bullet fired with just a primer, the tip will only be slightly into the lands
and a cleaning rod used from the muzzle end will push it out into the chamber.
No need to try to force it farther down the barrel with more powder.

 

[DaveTooley]

I did it at the last match. No powder. Just a slight nudge with the cleaning rod knocked it out. What I didn't plan for was the jag tip fitting perfectly into the meplat and when I removed the rod it deposited the bullet in the chamber again.

 

[DirtySteve]

I did it at the last match. No powder. Just a slight nudge with the cleaning rod knocked it out. What I didn't plan for was the jag tip fitting perfectly into the meplat and when I removed the rod it deposited the bullet in the chamber again.

That sounds like the luck I have…!

 

[markm87]

Good Lord. I lodged a .223 rem projo into a 10.5 AR barrel last year. It had a less than half charge of powder (that's another story). It was a 2 day process to get this damned thing out. (including totally dismantling the upper receiver to pull the barrel) I was lucky that the bullet was lodged fairly close to the chamber. It wasn't budging with any kind of tap out method.

I ended up dismantling the damned bullet, grabing chunks of it with long screws to extract parts of it, and finally drilled through it until the last piece of jacket could be driven out with this crusty steel rod.

I'll never shoot a questionable round again. Lesson learned late in my loading life.

 

[SSL]

I'm with the consensus on this...knock it out with a rod. I would fear creating a bulge in the barrel if I were to try to 'shoot' it out. Just remember to drive the stuck bullet back the direction it came from.

 

[Konocti's Wigwam]

As an RSO this is one of the biggest tests. First thing, remove mag if the firearm has a mag. An AR style is the worst here as you need to get the bolt out of the way so you can remove the upper receiver from the lower, and if the bolt is pulled back it will often prevent that.

All firearms present their own problems, but on an AR style semi-automatic I try to pull the bolt all the way back and lock it in place, then put the safety on immediately so that you can't fire. If the primer has already gone off, no worries, but if the primer is live there's a chance you can accidentally pull the trigger, so you need to be especially careful.

In NRA training they tell you that if you can't safely remove a squib, you're required to call a gunsmith to come out and disarm it. If for any reason you feel out of your comfort zone, that's a good alternative.

Always point the muzzle down range, but once I did point the muzzle to the ground and knocked the dowel down into the ground to unlodge it. Once the squib is clear you can disassemble the upper/lower.

Revolvers can present issues also, you need to figure out how the cylinder opens, and some require you half cock the hammer, be very careful if you have to do so.

Semi-auto handguns, I like to pull the slide back, and was taught to visually look through the chamber/barrel if you can see light AND stick my little finger into the chamber to make sure nothing is in there.

If you're working on a bolt action, which could be the case here, remove the bolt from the rear of the action first.

Whether the round is live or not will determine some steps. Live meaning it has a live primer in it.

 

[M-61]

Okay, most reloaders will experience the dreaded "forgot the powder" once in their life resulting in a squib.

My question for the collective knowledge base here on removal is this:

Why not use a lightly charged case similar to a blank round to "push" the stuck projectile from the barrel? Use some cotton to keep powder in place, which should incinerate upon firing, and blast it out.

Logic seems to indicate that it should be completely safe and do no damage to the barrel.

Curious to know if anyone has tried this, if so was it successful, or if it may actually be dangerous.

Ok. I have read some things on this site, more on others, that are outright dangerous.
People do it successfully. I’m happy for them.
That said the following is MY opinion.
NEVER shoot with ANY obstruction in the barrel.

 

[jelenko]

Related question.

In the past 16 years I've had 10-20 223 rounds with no powder. The primer goes off but the bullet has always remained in the case. But why? Not complaining, just wondering why.

Neck tension runs ~ 3/thousands; bullets are all 69 - 77 grains.

 

[fkimble@charter.net]

Frank, the empty case basically reduces the pressure to a point where it is not enough to move the bullet. And the funny thing is it does not seem to make any noise. In 223, first reaction is a bad primer. Upon pulling the bullet, you find a fired primer but no powder!. Handgun ammo is usually lodge the bullet in the throat or even farther down the barrel.

Frank

 

[DShortt]

Then there's the live round stuck in the chamber because sizing wasn't sufficient. I'd rather deal with a squib than that.

 

[M-61]

Then there's the live round stuck in the chamber because sizing wasn't sufficient. I'd rather deal with a squib than that.

So on trying to extract, the cartridge rim was pulled off by the bolt? Or it is seized before the bolt was closed and nothing moves?

 

[ebb]

A friend had an accident in the conservation are that is close to my home with a black powder shotgun. It was riding muzzle down in a gun rack and when a deer was sighted he picked it up and fired. The gun is ripped to shreds he lost the vison one eye and they tried to fix three fingers on one hand but at least one is beyond fixing. The gun experts looked at the gun and said that the shot had moved down the barrel and created a gap between the powder and the shoot which allowed way to much pressure to build before the shot began to move. I am sure that this is not as bad with smoke less powder as it is with black Powder so maybe you will only loose one finger and just some of your vision.

 

[JDinFbg]

Not a good idea to try to fire a stuck bullet out with a blank case powder charge. The only sensible option is to force the bullet back out the way it came in. Do not use a cleaning rod as they don't fit the bore well enough and do not have the mechanical strength. Best option is to use a high-pressure grease method (there are several options for that), but a tool steel drill rod that very closely fits the bore will work in many cases. As one poster suggested, pour some Kroil down the barrel and let it soak around the bullet for a day or more before trying to remove. A friend of mine stuck a bullet about an inch and a half up the barrel of his 257 Roberts. He tried driving it out with a wooden cleaning rod with a steel tip. The rod broke and left a section of the wood and the steel tip stuck to the tip of the barrel. I eventually got the shattered piece of wood out, then poured Kroil down the barrel and applied 135psi shop air pressure continuously from the barrel end for several days to help get the Kroil leached down around the bullet. I was eventually able to drive the bullet out with a rod closely fit to the bore. The steel tip from the cleaning rod my friend used left a 'scar' on the inside of the barrel, but the rifle shot OK after that.

 

[DShortt]

So on trying to extract, the cartridge rim was pulled off by the bolt? Or it is seized before the bolt was closed and nothing moves?

Siezed before the bolt closed, extractor pulls the rim off and now there's a live round wedged tight in the chamber. Depending on how hard the shooter tried to close the bolt determines how tight it's wedged in there.

 

[M-61]

Siezed before the bolt closed, extractor pulls the rim off and now there's a live round wedged tight in the chamber. Depending on how hard the shooter tried to close the bolt determines how tight it's wedged in there.

Thanks. I misunderstood and thought this happened (happening) to you currently.