Brass Rod

[Rustyinfla]

     I was at the range yesterday shooting my Ruger #1 and two fellows came to the line wit a couple of Handi's. One was a .223, the other was a .25-06. The one with the .25-06 was having some extraction problems. It got me to thinking, I've had a sticky case or two with my .30-30 as well. I hate the idea of putting a steel cleaning rod down the bore to dislodge a case so I was thinking that if I had about a 8" long piece of 1/4" brass rod I could drop that down the muzzle to knock the case left. I was wondering if anyone has ever tried this and where is a good place to get the rod?

          thanks,
             Rusty <><

[quickdtoo]

Here's a better idea, the pic pretty much speaks for itself, Fred's idea for a little notch cut into the edge of the chamber just big enough for the tip of your pocket knife is all that's needed to remove sticky brass. I use a dremel burr to do mine, I've never had to use it, but it's there in case I do!

Tim

[MSP Ret]

I have always liked Fred's idea of a little notch top pry out stuck cases, even better than carrying a small piece of brass rod or brazing rod around with you.

Do my tired old eyes decieve me Quick or are you teasing us, especially me, with that picture?
Is that your famous .35 Remington Handi???!!!....<><....

[quickdtoo]

Yes it is, MSP! I was gonna mention it, but I didn't want to tease ya, so I didn't!!

Tim

[Rustyinfla]

  I do believe you're right. That would be the better way to go. I guess I'd better break out the Swiss Mill.


                  Rusty <><

   

[Cknerr]

ML people use a brass guide and a stainless steel rod. The cone shape of the brass guide does work for keeping the rod from rubbing the muzzle. The brass is softer then the steel barrel, so it wears, not the barrel. The rod can be anything you want that will slide through the guide. , the brass guide fits everything from a 22 up to a 60 caliber. They are available at any on line gun supply place that carries black powder accessories, and can be bought by itself. Here's a picture:




Take care,
Chris

[quickdtoo]

Ummm... please read Rusty's post again, Chris.

Since Chris changed the subject,  bore guide info including a brass bore guide source can be found in the FAQ.

Tim

[Cknerr]

uh oh, sorry 

Thought he was talking about dropping a rod down from the muzzle to knock a case out of the bore. I would want to use a longer rod then 8".... a real rod that I could push with and the brass guide to not rub the crown. Guess I need to talk a little more?

(oh Lordy, don't get him wound up again... he'll never shut up!)

Bore guides are handi. Now what do you use for blown necks that are left behind?

[MSP Ret]

Don't be sorry Cknerr, the first post WAS about carrying around an 8" piece of 1/4" brass rod to drop down the muzzle to knock out a case stuck in the chamber. Members here have spoken of that same soloution before and some carried a much shorter piece, 4" or so and small enough in diameter to fall through the bore, there is usually not much energy needed to release a case stuck in the chamber, and if you are lucky enough to have an ejector barrel the case is under spring load by the ejector trying to expel the fired case, it usually pops right out with one drop of the brass rod. Of course you could polish the chamber and keep it clean and do away with most problems from the beginning, that and Fred M's emergency notch and your problems are solved.....<><....

[quickdtoo]

As MSP said, stuck brass usually isn't stuck very bad, a lot of fellas have used a smaller diameter bullet or a drill bit to carry with them while hunting just for the occasional stuck case. I've had a case or two fly out on their own at the range while I was getting a rod from behind the shooting line!!

I've never had a case separation to worry about, other than Dave Allen's .25-06 problem, the only ones reports here that I can recollect were from shooting Black Hills reman brass in .223 Handis.

Aside from case separation issues, stuck brass is a moot point on older ejector barrels with the manual knife tip extractor conversion aka cutting the notch, and new barrels have extractors.

Tim

[cheatermk3]

A bronze bore brush worked great for me the 3 or 4 times I've needed to pull the rest of a case out--mostly separated 218 Bee cases stuck in my #1 from brass that had failed prematurely due to hot loads in a handi--but that's another thread.


Using a bore brush that will be a tight fit in the biggest part of the case left in the chamber, push the brush into (but not all the way through) the case from the breech end,  and then pull back sharply.  The brush still being in the case will grab the inside of the case enough to pull it out of the chamber.  Mine were separated right at the web, so I used a 30-cal. (IIRC) brush--if all you have left in the chamber is the neck and maybe a bit of the shoulder, a 22 cal. brush will most likely work just fine.

I used a pistol-length rod and a new brush.

If you're getting separations you need to find out why and stop whatever is causing it.

[MSP Ret]

Thanks cheaterMk3, that good information. Also no one had any blown or separated necks, that was just a passing comment by Cknerr wondering what you do IF you got one....<><....

[Cknerr]

I use the pistol rod and bore brush to get a blown neck out, as described above. Have set it down and forgotten to put it back in the box...so some one else has them now. Other then being stop being so absent minded, I guess it is still the best solution.

I get blown necks from wildcat cartridges that are necked way down. Enough that I have to cut into the shoulder a little to eliminate a doughnut on the inside when necking down. Sometime I over do it and then...I get a cute looking very short brass bottle. It also happens on occassions when I reload a case too many times. It has happened with the 222 (nothing special - normal chamber).

WHen the weather is somewhat cooperative, I shoot - a lot.

Take care,
Chris

[Mac11700]

I'm going to take a slight issue(rant) here if ya'll don't mind...Other than a weak spring that NEF started putting in for fear of a lawsuit for someone getting blinded by a ejected case...Or a blown/ruptured/split cartridge....There shouldn't be a stuck case issue...Yes...I know all about them...BUT...If one has followed all the good advise posted here prior to this thread and up in the FAQ'S...and if the cases are still getting stuck...(no overloaded cases...dirty oily chambers faulty reloading practices )...then the rifle should be sent back to NEF and have the problem fixed correctly...I'm sorry...there is no way in blue blazes I would ever purposely cut a notch in my barrel...Any warranty NEF would have offered for correcting a problem barrel...just went down the tubes...I fully understand why Fred M would have to do it in Canada with their stupid gun laws and not being able to get the factory involved in correcting their problem...but I cannot understand why anyone would do it here in the states??? If you have issues with the ejection of your cases...Call the fine folks in the Customer Service dept. and get it repaired correctly...I know one will occasionally get a stuck case...working up loads...shooting reloaded cases too many times...but..not in the field...hunting loads should be reloaded to keep this from happening...new or 1x fired cases...no overloads...ect...ect...If I was afraid to go hunting with my Handi's...for fear of a stuck case...I wouldn't own them...simple as that...I have to have utter confidence in my rifle & ammo to preform each and every time with out fail whenever I pull the trigger on a animal...
...If un-modified and they don't work properly...they go back and get fixed or replaced...I have nothing but praise for the good folks at NEF...they stand behind their rifles completely...

Sorry...for the rant...
Mac

[quickdtoo]

No problem with the rant, both of the barrels that I cut notches in were rechambered, so that makes warranty claims a moot point!   Mac, cept for your .25-06 barrel, your barrels aren't eligible for warranty work either cuz they're both rechambered too!!

Tim

[Cknerr]

does polishing the chamber void the warranty? I noticed some roughness left behind by the reamer. Might have been a little worn in spots or the chips it produced where not cleared properly.

I know how to do it, just do not know if I should. BTW, will they ever allow anyone to set up a shop to work on Handi's to do warranty work? Don't look at me - I do not want to! Just curious....and a little off topic.

Rants are okay
Chris

[Mac11700]

No problem with the rant, both of the barrels that I cut notches in were rechambered, so that makes warranty claims a moot point!   Mac, cept for your .25-06 barrel, your barrels aren't eligible for warranty work either cuz they're both rechambered too!!

Tim

Tim...it doesn't matter if I have 1 or 1000 at this point in time...now does it... ...My 338-06 barrel will eject every time...with the hottest loads I care to push thru it...I have yet to have one that failed to eject that wasn't my fault...and that was at the bench with reloads and untested  in my chamber factory ammo...When I go into the field hunting...I have removed all oil from the chamber and bore...I have stored my rifle muzzle down to ensure no oil gets into the chamber or on the latch...I used either new factory ammo that I've tested and checked in my chamber..or with hand loads with new or 1x fired brass with proven loads from the same lots of components...My 270 is a extractor...of which I've already tested...and which I have absolutely no doubt of it's extracting abilities each and every time I pull the trigger......The point of my rant... is a simple one...If you have to cut a notch in the chamber to get it to eject or extract..something is wrong...These rifles should eject or extract the shell every time with out resorting to that...Since you and I aren't the only people reading this...I felt it was prudent to say something here... for those thinking this would be a good solution on a new barrel or one still warranted by NEF...without not knowing the full ramifications 

While on this subject...I will say this...I don't care if I spend 5x the amount on any custom barrel be it in a Handi..or anything else.....I won't bugger up the chamber of a barrel for any " peace of mind/just in-case" of a failure to extract/eject...If you get Stuck brass...you either did something wrong...or there is something wrong with the barrel that needs to be corrected...If I can't correct it...or..if the company can't or won't correct it...I won't keep it...I don't play the "what if's " games with my rifles...like I said...Either I have full confidence in them...or I don't keep them...Others may see it differently I am fully aware of that...or in Fred M's situation up there in Canada...but..that's exactly how I am and feel it should be...and most likely is what the company will tell anyone calling to ask about the issue...How much would it cost to repair it...even if it was out of warranty??? If it just needs to be repaired due to a faulty spring or minor part...probably not much over the cost of the shipping....If it's out of warranty and the barrel needs to be replaced due to a manufactures defect of some sort...then it will be up to the company to determine what the charge (if any) would be.......... But......cut a notch in the chamber...and I can say with out a doubt what that cost would be....

Mac

[quickdtoo]

My biggest concern was chamber contamination by water from hunting in bad weather, snow or mainly rain since if a person doesn't hunt in the rain, you don't hunt much here. There have been a few posts about FTEs due to wet chambers in rifles that had never stuck in the past.

If anyone is concerned about the implication of the notch as far as safetly is concerned, I wouldn't be concerned in the least, take a look at the huge cutout where the ejector is, the notch is miniscule in comparison, but should be done carefully and be only enough to insert the tip of a pocket knife.

Tim