Stuck Live Round

[bajabill]

I escaped a sticky issue with my new 243 barrel.  I had a moment of low brain wave activity and put a round in the chamber from my old barrel (loaded with neck sized brass).  It was tight going in and I closed the action on it.  But then, you know where this is going, it would not eject.  It was really stuck, I removed the barrel and tried pushing a rod thru and light taps did nothing.  I could have left well enough along at that point, but I panicked and tried to force the round out with the rod and nothing happened.  So, I thought I should take some quick measurements before attempting to fire the round and sure enough, the bullet was pushed back into the case considerably.  I took the ejector apart to try and get at the ejection flange of the brass and while working on this, some powder came out the end of the barrel - to my relief.  I was able to dump a lot of powder out, and could hear the bullet moving freely in the case.  I felt a little safer now.  I decided to be more forceful with a rod and was able to push the brass and bullet out the back.  Now, the half a box of ammo left over from my old gun will be disassembled and disposed.

[quickdtoo]

Glad ya got it taken care of without too much fuss, thanks for sharing.

Tim

[trotterlg]

If you had it chambered and closed why in the world didn't you just shoot it?  Once I chamber a round that's what I usually do with it.  Larry

[quickdtoo]

I thought that would be the answer too, but maybe he was home, I couldn't shoot one here, I'd go to jail!! And I definitely wouldn't want to show up at the range with a barrel already loaded!!

Tim

[knight0334]

For future event like that, you can use the hydraulic method.  Its one of the safer ways to push out a really stuck live round.

1. Remove barrel from receiver
2. Stand upright with muzzle up and the breech resting on a block of wood with a hole larger than the diameter of the casing.
3. Fill the barrel approximately 1/2 to 2/3 full of vegetable oil, new motor oil, or tranny fluid.
4. Create a wad/piston out of cleaning patches.  It'll need to be a tight fitting wad that you may have to thread into the muzzle. 
5. Use a solid brass, bronze or aluminum rod 6-12" long to push the wad down the bore with a mallet.

A few taps is generally all it takes to remove a stuck casing, live or spend.   If its live, it may push the bullet into the casing, however the oils/fluids should make the cartridge inert after they soak the powder and primer.  leaving a little less to worry about..

Cons:
1. Bad side, clean up can be a real turd
2. Occasionally the pressure will pop out the primer and you have to resort to other methods.  I've never had it happen to me, but it happened to a fellow here.

[bajabill]

Yes, I was home.  And that is where/when I stated "I should have left well enough alone"

I read about the hydraulic method before, maybe you posted knight0334.  I was planing how I was going to shoot this thing, resting on sandbags on the other side of a large tree maybe since i was afraid the bullet was pushed into the powder a little.  When I measured it, I realized it was more than a little into the powder and immediately ruled out firing.