• Watch Out for Scammers!

    We've now added a color code for all accounts. Orange accounts are new members, Blue are full members, and Green are Supporters. If you get a message about a sale from an orange account, make sure you pay attention before sending any money!

Gunsmithing Copper jacket barrel obstruction

DoragonArashi

Private
Minuteman
Oct 13, 2021
8
0
Washington
Hello, first time posting here. I began reloading a year or 2 ago and awhile back I did a reload that wasn’t hot enough and it the rounds got caught in the barrel. Thankfully no one was hurt. I’ve got an uberti cattleman 2 .45lc that I’ve got copper jacket stuck in. I was told by a gunsmith that just got out of schooling that I could use ammonia and hot water and some elbow grease to get it out. There is quite a bit of copper jacket in it. I’ll attach some picture for people to see. Hopefully someone can guide me in the right direction.

The second picture is approximately where the copper jacket ends. (Yeah there is more than one round in there...)
 

Attachments

  • image.jpg
    image.jpg
    272.7 KB · Views: 194
  • image.jpg
    image.jpg
    309.5 KB · Views: 162
So did a subsequent round somehow punch through the bases? Not grasping how you would JUST have jackets stuck.

Also from the blobby, uneven lead buildup on the forcing cone you have an alignment/timing issue or something else going on as well.
 
I'm failing to see a copper jacket obstruction in your barrel? All I see, like mentioned already, is a lot of lead buildup around the forcing cone of your barrel.
 
Have you tried driving it back out with a wooden dowel and a hammer. Looks like you need to clean that thing more often but I'm a clean freak.
 
So did a subsequent round somehow punch through the bases? Not grasping how you would JUST have jackets stuck.

Also from the blobby, uneven lead buildup on the forcing cone you have an alignment/timing issue or something else going on as well.
so the full story is;
I took it out to shoot with the newly loaded rounds. Shot the first one and it was okay. Felt the recoil but then the recoil got less and less. It took me a minutes to realize it. I tried drilling out the rounds (second mistake). I thought I could get them out. I was kinda panicking at that point. The gun hasn’t been working for quite awhile and those were taken after I tried the ammonia trick that I was told about. I should probably just take it to a gun smith but I wanted to see if I could try to get it out myself. The gun is pretty much brand new. Less than 100 rounds I think.
 
The first picture kind of shows it. If you can look inside the barrel it shows a build up. I think that is what you are thinking. That is actually the copper jacket of the .45 round. It is pretty much welded onto the barrel
I'm failing to see a copper jacket obstruction in your barrel? All I see, like mentioned already, is a lot of lead buildup around the forcing cone of your barrel.
 
Have you tried driving it back out with a wooden dowel and a hammer. Looks like you need to clean that thing more often but I'm a clean freak.
I have tried ramming a rod down the barrel with a hammer to no avail. It has been sitting awhile and not been cleaned since the last shooting which is when this took place. Lots of back blast so maybe that is where that carbon build up some are seeing came from. It is all kind of coming back to me as I type these reply’s.
 
A really closely fit brass squib rod might allow you to drive them out.

Can't tell from the pics, but if you've ringed or bulged the barrel you may as well go ahead and have it replaced.

ETA:
A little over $100
 
While ammonia will indeed dissolve copper, you also do not want to leave it in the barrel past 15 minutes max as it tends to do a number on the barrel steel also. E.g. Sweets

personally, I would put some Kroil in there. That’s a most amazing penetrating oil. Some combo of letting it sit and hitting it w an heat gun/hair dryer and see if you can get the oil driven in under the copper.

Alternatively, I would plug one end w a foam ear plug or similar and fill the barrel w Bore Tech C2 Copper Remover. This stuff wil not hurt the barrel steel and can be left in there for days.

just some thoughts off the top of my head. Good luck
 
I think i would put a new barrel on it man, it's going to be very hard to get out since it's all deformed against the insides of the barrel from the second or 3rd? bullet hitting the first. Maybe try a copper remover for a 24 hour soak then use a tight fitting brass rod to beat it out but it's going to be really hard to do and if a barrel isn't too much, I'd just get a new barrel and chalk it up to a lesson learned.

Don't feel too bad, I have some lessons that cost me a ton more to learn, as I suspect many others have too. It happens....
 
  • Like
Reactions: Baron23
You may need a gunsmith, clearing the barrel will not tell you if the gun is safe to shoot. You fired with a barrel obstruction, it looks like the obstruction is where the barrel is held in the frame. If the frame is bent or cracked, if the forcing cone is damaged, if the timing is off, you do not want to shoot it.
 
While ammonia will indeed dissolve copper, you also do not want to leave it in the barrel past 15 minutes max as it tends to do a number on the barrel steel also. E.g. Sweets

personally, I would put some Kroil in there. That’s a most amazing penetrating oil. Some combo of letting it sit and hitting it w an heat gun/hair dryer and see if you can get the oil driven in under the copper.

Alternatively, I would plug one end w a foam ear plug or similar and fill the barrel w Bore Tech C2 Copper Remover. This stuff wil not hurt the barrel steel and can be left in there for days.

just some thoughts off the top of my head. Good luck
I will definitely be looking into the options you have said. Thanks for that. I do appreciate it
 
You may need a gunsmith, clearing the barrel will not tell you if the gun is safe to shoot. You fired with a barrel obstruction, it looks like the obstruction is where the barrel is held in the frame. If the frame is bent or cracked, if the forcing cone is damaged, if the timing is off, you do not want to shoot it.
Okay that is a good point. Personally I don’t see anything wrong with it. No cracks or bulges but I am not a trained professional. They may see something I don’t. That is a really good point. Thanks for that tip
 
I think i would put a new barrel on it man, it's going to be very hard to get out since it's all deformed against the insides of the barrel from the second or 3rd? bullet hitting the first. Maybe try a copper remover for a 24 hour soak then use a tight fitting brass rod to beat it out but it's going to be really hard to do and if a barrel isn't too much, I'd just get a new barrel and chalk it up to a lesson learned.

Don't feel too bad, I have some lessons that cost me a ton more to learn, as I suspect many others have too. It happens....
Yeah it is true. I have definitely learned so I don’t feel too bad about it. Just sucks it was my first hand gun I got that I messed up but I think putting a new barrel on it might be the best option. I’ll see if I can find a gunsmith around that can get the job done.
 
A really closely fit brass squib rod might allow you to drive them out.

Can't tell from the pics, but if you've ringed or bulged the barrel you may as well go ahead and have it replaced.

ETA:
A little over $100
Here is a better picture with the copper reflecting off the light I’ve got but from the consensus I have gotten a new barrel and a gunsmith is the way to go. A lesson well learned
 

Attachments

  • 0AC03EF6-5CA4-4152-8E47-1E4F0CD72515.jpeg
    0AC03EF6-5CA4-4152-8E47-1E4F0CD72515.jpeg
    301.2 KB · Views: 66
Sadly unless lucky on readily available brass stock material and machining services, a properly sized pre-made squib rod is going to cost 1/2 what a new barrel does.

Hit practiscore.com and look for SASS/Cowboy Action shooting events and clubs in your area and inquire with them for local gunsmiths that specialize in single action colts and clones. Turning barrels to regulate sights is a very common and inexpensive job for someone that knows what they are doing. Replacing a barrel isn't that much more effort for someone that has the right tools and knowledge. The key takeaway is get someone who has done this before, it will be less expensive and done right.
 
You can also call the manufacturer, tell them what happened and see about getting it sent in to get checked out.

Many companies have great customer service and may be kind with the costs to you.

I checked the website and this will not be waranty work, but they do a full gun evaluation for $95.
 
Last edited:
I've used Gary Reeder for a number of jobs.
He probably has a takeoff barrel around and can square you away.
Give him a call.