Gunsmithing Hopelessly stuck case, could really use some help

BCP

BCP

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    • Dec 4, 2008
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    AZ: Land of wind, dirt and angry old people
    #1
    My 308 AR has a live round stuck in the chamber (improperly resized I don't know) and I can't get it out. I has cycling it without the firing pin in to check feeding and it got stuck. I tried pogoing it and that didn't work, tried putting a cleaning rod down the barrel and tapping and the rod broke. I'm really stumped and I need help.
     
    #2
    Re: Hopelessly stuck case, could really use some help

    i know that pain well! i used a two things 1]crc freeze off spray down the barrel and around the base of the cartrage ... next do you have a gi style ar 10 clean rod but sleeve it with shrink wrap full length without a cleaning tip mate with bullet meplat /bullet tip and tap lightly [i mean it]with hammer .. broken cartridge remover is other but harder to do if samson ar 556 tool would be nice ...sorry to hear this but a cartridge gauge from i believe stony point makes them or others do ... i hope this helps
     
    #3
    Re: Hopelessly stuck case, could really use some help

    I was reloading Lake City brass and had this happen to me. The best way I came up with was the point the gun toward the floor and hook the charging handle on my work bench and hit downward on the butt end of the stock with my hand/elbow. This method worked several times for me. Then I ordered a case gauge from Midway. Good luck.

    This lil fella will save you alot of headache: Lyman case length gage
     
    #4
    Re: Hopelessly stuck case, could really use some help

    I had this happen with my Alexander Arms GDMR and the fix is this. Remove the scope if you have one on and slam the butt of the rifle on the ground. It was hard for me to do but it works and it works for all AR platform rifles. It may take several hard slams to get it but it will eject the round. PM sent.
     
    #5
    Re: Hopelessly stuck case, could really use some help

    Rifle still assembled, and extractor still captured on cartridge rim?

    Turn upside down. Clamp muzzle in vise if possible, butt supported on work bench. Use large straight blade screw driver with at least 10" shank. Blade of screwdriver is placed just ahead of the front of the bolt carrier, then use leading edge of magazine well as the fulcrum. One or two good pulls and it will likely break loose, but you'll feel that screwdriver shank flexing.

    You can pad the contact point between screwdriver shank and mag well, but it's usually not required. I have to do this several times per week, and have only found one or two I couldn't budge.

    Good luck! Jim
     
    #6
    Re: Hopelessly stuck case, could really use some help

    I've slammed the butt on the ground to dislodge several stuck rounds (long story). It sounds bad, but gets the job done with no permanent damage.
     
    #7
    Re: Hopelessly stuck case, could really use some help

    Stuck rounds suck. I assume the bolt/cartridge aren't fully in battery?

    If they are not, go to the hardware store and buy a length of 1/4" rod, aluminum or brass preferably, but steel is ok. Needs to be longer than your barrel. Start to drill a small hole....say 1/8" in one end of the rod. It only needs to be 1/4" deep. Cut the rod so that once you drop it down the barrel, only 2" sticks out the muzzle. The small hole you drilled is to "catch" onto the tip of the bullet, so that the bullet point wont try to guide the rod off center.

    Wearing eyes and ears and pointing the rifle in as safe a direction as you POSSIBLY can, beat the cartridge out using a mallet. If it makes you feel better, once you see the rod has beat the bullet into its case about 1/4" or so, you can fill you bore with oil, which will get into the now exposed powder and eliminate any chance of ignition. Continue to beat until its out. Once it starts to go, it'll pop right out.

    If your rod is steel, be very gentle inserting into the bore so you don't scratch your bore. Any rod you buy will be softer than your barrel, but still....

    I've done this 4 or 5 times now. I've only stuck one, but I keep my rod with me just in case. My stuck round was the end of my match day. I've gotten others back in business in no time.
     
    #8
    Re: Hopelessly stuck case, could really use some help

    <div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Just Jim</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Rifle still assembled, and extractor still captured on cartridge rim?

    Turn upside down. Clamp muzzle in vise if possible, butt supported on work bench. Use large straight blade screw driver with at least 10" shank. Blade of screwdriver is placed just ahead of the front of the bolt carrier, then use leading edge of magazine well as the fulcrum. One or two good pulls and it will likely break loose, but you'll feel that screwdriver shank flexing.

    You can pad the contact point between screwdriver shank and mag well, but it's usually not required. I have to do this several times per week, and have only found one or two I couldn't budge.

    Good luck! Jim </div></div>

    Mind me asking why you have to do this several time per week?
     
    #9
    Re: Hopelessly stuck case, could really use some help

    <div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: turbo54</div><div class="ubbcode-body">

    If they are not, go to the hardware store and buy a length of 1/4" rod, aluminum or brass preferably, but steel is ok. Needs to be longer than your barrel. Start to drill a small hole....say 1/8" in one end of the rod. It only needs to be 1/4" deep. </div></div>

    I'll probably make one of those in the near future, I don't want to have to do this all over again the next time this happens to me.

    edit; got it by prying with a screwdriver and tapping with a cleaning rod it was a neck sized round for my bolt gun
     
    #10
    Re: Hopelessly stuck case, could really use some help

    Stuck cases happen to everyone. Mine was caused by a bit of debris in the chamber.

    I could feel it wasn't right as I began to close my bolt so I stopped and tried to extract. Nogo. Knocked on the bolt with a rubber mallet and ripped the rim off the case. Was gonna go home but some old timers convinced me to FORCE it into battery then fire it. My savage has a LIGHT trigger, and I couldn't rap on the bolt hard enough to force the bolt down without tripping the sear (accutrigger WONT allow rifle to discharge in this case). I was gonna go home, but old timers convinced me to try to beat it out with a 3-piece cleaning rod....which got jammed in my bore. THEN I went home, clamped onto the cleaning rod with visegrips so I could hammer on them to beat the cleaning rod out of my bore. It sucked.
     
    #11
    Re: Hopelessly stuck case, could really use some help

    [/quote]Mind me asking why you have to do this several time per week?[/quote]

    Nope. I work at a range. ARs seem to be outnumbered only by Glocks, and there's some fellow with his rifle hopelessly FUBARed nearly every day. Sometimes, it's the same guy several times until he finally understands that the bargain ammo his buddy gave him is the cause of his problems.

    BCP- Glad to see you resolved your problem!
     
    #12
    Re: Hopelessly stuck case, could really use some help

    <div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: turbo54</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Stuck rounds suck. I assume the bolt/cartridge aren't fully in battery?

    If they are not, go to the hardware store and buy a length of 1/4" rod, aluminum or brass preferably, but steel is ok. Needs to be longer than your barrel. Start to drill a small hole....say 1/8" in one end of the rod. It only needs to be 1/4" deep. Cut the rod so that once you drop it down the barrel, only 2" sticks out the muzzle. The small hole you drilled is to "catch" onto the tip of the bullet, so that the bullet point wont try to guide the rod off center.

    Wearing eyes and ears and pointing the rifle in as safe a direction as you POSSIBLY can, beat the cartridge out using a mallet. If it makes you feel better, once you see the rod has beat the bullet into its case about 1/4" or so, you can fill you bore with oil, which will get into the now exposed powder and eliminate any chance of ignition. Continue to beat until its out. Once it starts to go, it'll pop right out.
    </div></div>

    This works.
    I used a sacrificial aluminum cleaning rod to center on the bullet, but didn't think about the oil trick.

    I had to do this due to my Daughter inadvertently mixing in a 5.45x39 round in a magazine of .223.

    These jam really, really well.
    whistle.gif
     
    #14
    Re: Hopelessly stuck case, could really use some help

    DO NOT TRY AND POUND IT OUT!!!!!! I have personally seen a xm193 round stuck in a chamber that has a bunch of wolf shout out of it go kaboom. Bullet was tapped back into case and oil poured down. Didnt kill all the powder. Nobody was hurt badly, but the guy did have some nice powder burns on his hands. The bullet wrapped around the cleaning rod and got stuck a ways down, case head came off and bolt, charging handle and case head shout out back. upper scarred from case head bouncing off cam notch, charging handle trashed as it went straight out the back. Since these are reloads what is powder and how much. You have have used alot of case capacity and bullet my compress powder before bullet clears neck if you try the pounding deal.



    Put hoppes 9 whereever it can get in the chamberand let it sit. The hoppes with eat the brass a bit and shrink it a bit. Then try the pry approach. Is bolt fully closed and lugs engaged? Full auto bolt? If so clamp on the bolt and with a brass punch hit the BGC rearward.
     
    #15
    Re: Hopelessly stuck case, could really use some help

    <div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: BCP</div><div class="ubbcode-body">My 308 AR has a live round stuck in the chamber (improperly resized I don't know) and I can't get it out. I has cycling it <span style="font-weight: bold">without the firing pin in</span> to check feeding and it got stuck. I tried pogoing it and that didn't work, tried putting a cleaning rod down the barrel and tapping and the rod broke. I'm really stumped and I need help. </div></div>

    First of all, I am not an "AR10" expert, but there is some similarity with an AR15/M16. This can happen when cycling an AR15/M16 without the firing pin with or without a round.

    BCP, You stated "no firing pin". This may not be a stuck case, but a rotated and jammed cam pin. The FP keeps the cam pin aligned.

    If this is the case, separate the upper and lower, then GENTLY insert the FP to align the cam pin. The safest way is to grind the tip off another FP to prevent primer contact.

    Good Luck.

    Kevin
     
    #16
    Re: Hopelessly stuck case, could really use some help

    SKOG, I wouldn't let Hoppes bore cleaner sit for any length of time. It can seriously damage your barrel. Its best to follow manufactures recomeneded soak time. Just trying to save your barrel.
     
    #17
    Re: Hopelessly stuck case, could really use some help

    Guys, This is my advice to myself: resist the temptation to bang around on a live round in a chamber of a firearm. I've done it too, in a match at the risk of breaking the extractor. We really need to take the gun to a GUNsmith.
     
    #19
    Re: Hopelessly stuck case, could really use some help

    You can try sticking it in your deep freezer, then tapping it out with a wooden dowel that is slightly longer than your barrel. I would advise against using a steel rod in your bore. If it will go into battery, shoot it. It could be a resizing problem or there could be crud in your chamber.
     
    #20
    Re: Hopelessly stuck case, could really use some help

    When you run into this problem, ALWAYS try to see if you can somehow close the bolt completely and shoot out the round first, before you ever try and do anything else.

    NEVER put a cleaning rod down the barrel and beat on it, IT IS A LIVE ROUND, that's an easy way to blow up a gun and loose a hand, eye or worse.

    If Just Jim's method or pogoing don't work, then Hydraulics is the only safe way to do it right. Nothing rigid or hard should touch the round.

    Takes a special tool ( a sealed ram that fits the bore, ie rod with o-rings), then fill the bore with water or light oil.

    When compressed, the fluid both squeezes the case down in size and pushes the round out at the same time.

    You can do this at home, but I'm not gonna explain the details, because if I have to explain, you don't need to be doing it.
     
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