skiutah02
Silver $$ Contributor
With curtailing of the shooting season for those of us up north, comes the dreams of a new barrel with the latest and greatest bullet that will make all of our dreams (and cleans) come true (or is it just me?).
Prior to screwing on a newly chambered barrel, I started my reloading routine as I always do with a bullet measurement to the lands using the Hornady OAL tool.
I have come to like the repeatability of having the bullet fully engage the lands and remain in the barrel when I pull the modified case out of the chamber. I then knock the bullet out using a one or more caliber-size-down bullet sent down through the muzzle. On my second measurement my 90/223 bullet failed to knock out the 308 200.20x bullet that was in the lands. Usually I send the projectile back and forth in the barrel by inverting the barrel with my finger over the crown if the first collision fails to free the bullet. This time the 90 seemed stuck and was not freely mobile. I figured I needed some more mass so I I then doubled down by sending in a 140 hybrid down the tube. I sent that one back and forth to no avail.
After a few minutes, it occurred to me that perhaps the tip of the metplat of the 90 went into the hollow point of the 200.20x. Guess I should have used the boat tail ends.... I then tried to lightly tap out all three using a cleaning Rod. Did budge. I tried more force. And more..
Before I lost my cool, I took a pause. Maybe I could wiggle the 200 free from the Chamber end. Tried alot of nonmetallic things so as not to gouge the chamber to pry the 200H free. After 30 min I lost my cool and really started rapping (ok, pounding) with the cleaning rod.
When my fraternal triplets started birthing, I realized what happened......
And yes, they were still stuck when i snapped the picture, but when I lightly tapped the tip if the 140 in, they all freed up. Hope this brightens your day...
Drew
Prior to screwing on a newly chambered barrel, I started my reloading routine as I always do with a bullet measurement to the lands using the Hornady OAL tool.
I have come to like the repeatability of having the bullet fully engage the lands and remain in the barrel when I pull the modified case out of the chamber. I then knock the bullet out using a one or more caliber-size-down bullet sent down through the muzzle. On my second measurement my 90/223 bullet failed to knock out the 308 200.20x bullet that was in the lands. Usually I send the projectile back and forth in the barrel by inverting the barrel with my finger over the crown if the first collision fails to free the bullet. This time the 90 seemed stuck and was not freely mobile. I figured I needed some more mass so I I then doubled down by sending in a 140 hybrid down the tube. I sent that one back and forth to no avail.
After a few minutes, it occurred to me that perhaps the tip of the metplat of the 90 went into the hollow point of the 200.20x. Guess I should have used the boat tail ends.... I then tried to lightly tap out all three using a cleaning Rod. Did budge. I tried more force. And more..
Before I lost my cool, I took a pause. Maybe I could wiggle the 200 free from the Chamber end. Tried alot of nonmetallic things so as not to gouge the chamber to pry the 200H free. After 30 min I lost my cool and really started rapping (ok, pounding) with the cleaning rod.
When my fraternal triplets started birthing, I realized what happened......
And yes, they were still stuck when i snapped the picture, but when I lightly tapped the tip if the 140 in, they all freed up. Hope this brightens your day...
Drew
Glad you got it out with no damage.
with a .308 bullet in the bore?
Thanks for posting. That takes humility.
