Gunsmithing Stuck brass.

[Corporal_Happiness]

Details:
6.5 Match Grade Barrel
Rem 700 Action
.264 projectile
.30 parent case brass
Hand-load style snapcap

Backstory:
A colleague of mine created a handful of "snap caps" or "dummy rounds" to use during during dry fire training. I had misplaced mine and didnt have the time to procure new factory snaps before a class.

He used the aforaforementioned materials to construct the dummy rounds.

Situation:
During use, near end of the day (having used them all day), I broke the extractor when pulling bolt to rear. The brass case was stuck in the breach barely 1/4" out into the chamber.

I've tried:
- Using hydraulic pressure from barrel grease and wooden dowl being tapped.
- Brute force with steel M16 cleaning rod and baby sledge.
- Drilled the faux rubber primer, tapped and inserted screw. Then tried pulling the round out by the screw head.

SNAFU

I feel there are tthree options.
1. Take it to a gunsmith.
2. Purchase the brass puller from Brownells at $125 plus $25 for case specific die.
3. Say AMF to the barrel and get another for not much more than the brass puller.

Suggestions?

 

[supercorndogs]

Is your muzzle threaded? You could make a muzzle cap with a grease zerk on it, and use a grease gun to force the case out.

 

[Bradu]

Since you have already drilled and tapped it by the sound of it, use a socket as a spacer and pull it like a stuck case in a die.

 

[ShtrRdy]

I would try the steel rod from the muzzle end again. Wrap the rod with duct tape to protect the bore. Then try to locate the top of the bullet with rod and really hit the rod with your hammer - hard.

 

[KZP]

There is a trick to help loosen rusty bolts. It may work in this scenario, but I've never tried it on a rifle.

Point the barrel downwards, heat up the brass with a blow torch for about 10-15 seconds, then touch the brass with candle wax so it melts down into the chamber around the case. Let it cool. Use your cleaning rod and smack the case out.

 

[Papamo]

I have used air duster/air in the can, type you use to dust computer keyboard. Hold it upside down so you get the liquid to spray out, it is cold and will shrink case a bit and then tap out as suggested above, worked for me with a case stuck in chamber and case head seperated..

 

[powdahound76]

Dont use a wood dowel from the muzzle.

Years back one of our member’s here got a dowel stuck and had a heck of a time getting it out. Involved a gunsmith I know.

 

[Corporal_Happiness]

Rgr that all, I just walked in from a long night at work but tomorrow will try several ideas listed.

For your enjoyment, here's some photos of the current situation.

 

[supercorndogs]

If you are feeling out of your depth, there is no shame in letting someone else handle it. Its more embarrassing to bring them something after you Cletus's it all up. Bradu probably gave you the easiest suggestion. Just look up removing a stuck case from a reloading die, and you should get the idea.

 

[Corporal_Happiness]

I feel completely confident in my weapons handling, maintenance and repair. This however is far beyond. I'm going to try one or two more things listed - if no resolve - I'm gonna send the barrel to Bergara and let them fix it.

 

[Corporal_Happiness]

That said. Thanks to all for the recommendations and guidance. I'll be sure to update this post once the repair is complete.

 

[GH41]

How was this snap cap made. From the pictures from a 6.5CM case. Hopefully the guy who made it didn't just put a bullet in an empty case. If there isn't a bullet in it the solution is easy. Get a piece of 1/4" brass rod... Squirt any generic penetrating oil down the muzzle... Insert the rod until it touches the bottom of the case.... Raise it up 12-18" and throw down the bore .. Think slide hammer. If he put a bullet in the case you are horse fucked and have to work from the back. Google dent puller.

 

[DAVETOOLEY]

If it doesn't come out with a gentle tap using a big hammer won't be good. You may have already damaged the barrel with the cleaning rod down the muzzle. The only good way to tackle this is to remove the barrel. Several screwdrivers under the rim usually works. I've had several extreme cases with loaded rounds where I had to take to cut the case head off with a jewelers saw and then deal with the case body.

 

[1500varmint]

How was this snap cap made. From the pictures from a 6.5CM case. Hopefully the guy who made it didn't just put a bullet in an empty case.

Isn't that how you make a snap cap? Go through the bullet creation process minus the powder and live primer?

 

[Bradu]

Where are you located, maybe a forum member could help out. It would be ideal to pull the barrel and have better access to it.

 

[Corporal_Happiness]

How was this snap cap made. From the pictures from a 6.5CM case. Hopefully the guy who made it didn't just put a bullet in an empty case. If there isn't a bullet in it the solution is easy. Get a piece of 1/4" brass rod... Squirt any generic penetrating oil down the muzzle... Insert the rod until it touches the bottom of the case.... Raise it up 12-18" and throw down the bore .. Think slide hammer. If he put a bullet in the case you are horse fucked and have to work from the back. Google dent puller.

I'm horse fucked. Big ole black stallion horse style.

 

[jbell]

Dont use a wood dowel from the muzzle.

Years back one of our member’s here got a dowel stuck and had a heck of a time getting it out. Involved a gunsmith I know.

I remember that one, it was really stuck and they tried a lot of tricks to get them out!

OP: I have had a few case head separations in the years past (I have been know to run some hot loads and push the useable life of brass, completely my fault and I own it all). But none the less I have always had good luck first removing the barrel to do anything. If the head is still intact (with the rim damaged so the extractor will not grab it) drill the head of the brass off and tap the case then use a puller or a slide hammer. Before you start anything be honest with yourself and your skills and then make a good assessment of what tools you have available, also determine the appropriate size tap for your caliber (I think I used a 1/4" NPT tap on a 260 one time), but my point is just use your head FIRST.

I have done this a few times and if you have a clue you can do it without putting a scratch in the bore or chamber. But I also have a LOT of practice drilling out / repairing broken bolts as a diesel mechanic. So YMMV, good luck...

 

[Corporal_Happiness]

Success. Ended up tapping the primer seat. Using a threaded rod about 1/2 into casing. Neoprene washers against the rear of action with flat washers and a nut.

Minute or so of wrenching down, the case came out like tits on prom night. Quick and easy and ready to get my hands on em.

 

[supercorndogs]

Where is the bullet?

 

[XLR308]

Success. Ended up tapping the primer seat. Using a threaded rod about 1/2 into casing. Neoprene washers against the rear of action with flat washers and a nut.

Minute or so of wrenching down, the case came out like tits on prom night. Quick and easy and ready to get my hands on em.

Damn man by the looks of that piece of brass I would say you are way overdue for a chamber scrubbing.

 

[jbell]

Agreed

 

[Corporal_Happiness]

Damn man by the looks of that piece of brass I would say you are way overdue for a chamber scrubbing.

The dummy rounds were black, originally. The projectile was pressed down into the casing. The dummy brass was filled with some sort of epoxy. I assume when I drilled out the primer, made a grease fitting for the threaded barrel and attempted hydraulic pressure meathod - it pushed the round into powder cavity and the epoxy out through the primer hole.

Nonetheless, it's out and once I get my bolt back from the having work done, I'll be back out on the firing line.

 

[XLR308]

The dummy rounds were black, originally. The projectile was pressed down into the casing. The dummy brass was filled with some sort of epoxy. I assume when I drilled out the primer, made a grease fitting for the threaded barrel and attempted hydraulic pressure meathod - it pushed the round into powder cavity and the epoxy out through the primer hole.

Nonetheless, it's out and once I get my bolt back from the having work done, I'll be back out on the firing line.

That makes sense then and helps explain the other issue from your pick were the shoulder looks blown out and radiused. The hydraulic pressure from the muzzle pushing against the bullet I guess displaced the epoxy filler in the case.
Glad you got it sorted, just for future reference I have allways just used a bullet and casing with a heavy crimp from a Lee factory crimp die for dummy rounds. With the crimp from the Lee die you can handle and chamber rounds as rough as you want and the bullet doesn't move, it's difficult enough to remove them with a kinetic puller when crimped heavy.

 

[Cayjotiethumper]

Success. Ended up tapping the primer seat. Using a threaded rod about 1/2 into casing. Neoprene washers against the rear of action with flat washers and a nut.

Minute or so of wrenching down, the case came out like tits on prom night. Quick and easy and ready to get my hands on em.

Glad you got it out. Had a similar instance, I used a mosin nagant cleaning rod to smack it out lol. Probably wasn't my brightest idea but it worked.