# Stuck Case Removal



## Niner (Dec 15, 2010)

I recently bought a used bolt action rifle that a friend was selling for a friend of his....

Anyway, it looks to have spent quite a few years in someones closet.  It had a bit of dust on it and even down inside the barrel.  In fact I thought it might have been rusty until I ran a patch down it.

For some reason I decided to chamber a round in it before going all the way down to the range...and I'm glad I did.

When I went to close the bolt I felt it bind.  UU ohh I thought to myself....something ain't right.  When I pulled the cartridge out the bullet pulled off of the end of it and powder went everywhere.

After I got it cleaned up, I shined a flashlight into the breach....sure enough there was a surprise.  There is a headless cartridge case in there.

The question is...how to I go about getting the blasted thing out?!??!??


----------



## Cantmuck (Dec 15, 2010)

you should be able to take a tap just under the size of the o.d
of the case to wiggle it a little it should just fall out after you break it loose. This has happed to me several times, my causes
were reloading to many times and full length sizing. best of luck to ya. If you were near habersham I would give you a hand. Hope I understood you correctly and this helps


----------



## HOBO (Dec 15, 2010)

*NINER*

... Go ahead and shoot the live round so nothing but the empty case is left in the chamber....

Remove the bolt from the rifle....

Stop by a local welding supply shop and purchase a brass brazing rod as big as will easily slide inside the rifle bore....  These brass rods are 36" long and can be purchased in 1/8 (0.125"), 3/16 (0.1875") or 1/4 (0.250")....  Place the rifle on the butt of the stock and drop the brass rod into the bore....  Gently tap the end sticking out lightly with a hammer....  The damaged case will drop out after a few taps....

You will need to polish the chamber with 0000 steel wool on the end of a cleaning rod before trying another round....

Good luck!!!

-------------<" ){{{{{*><


----------



## CAL (Dec 15, 2010)

Go to Midway.com and click on Larry Potter.Scroll through till you find the program on "removing a stuck case".He has the best of all ways.Better if you listen to him rather me telling you!Good luck!


----------



## germag (Dec 15, 2010)

HOBO said:


> *NINER*
> 
> ... Go ahead and shoot the live round so nothing but the empty case is left in the chamber....




The OP said that he got the live round out.....however, that's about the worst (most dangerous) advice I've ever seen.


----------



## stevetarget (Dec 15, 2010)

I cant see how you were able to almost chamber a cartridge in a chamber that already had a piece of brass stuck in it.  You did not say what caliber rifle it was but if it is a belted magnum caliber you can see the ridge that is cut in the chamber for the belt and it can look like a brass casing is in the gun. 
Is that what your seeing?


----------



## Bernard goldsmith (Dec 15, 2010)

x-2 Germag!! I always like to hear what some experts information is. I've learned what not to do!!


----------



## Niner (Dec 15, 2010)

Hmmmm.....I'll take another look at it tonight.
It's a 338 Win Mag.
Maybe I can take a picture of it....
When I shined the flashlight into the chamber area it sure did LOOK brassy.

It looked like it might have been a case of where the head separated from the case...I'll do some more checking tonight.

Thanks for the replies fellers.


----------



## 7Mag Hunter (Dec 15, 2010)

If it is stuck hard enough for the case head to pull off,
you are likely going to need a case removal tool....
You might be able to soak it with WD or break free type
lube and tap it down from the front of the barrel, with a
range rod but there is possibility of damaging the crown...


----------



## LawnStalker (Dec 15, 2010)

Did the case of the cartridge you were chambering tear apart leaving the bullet and part of the case or did you attempt to load a second round in a chamber that may have already had a piece of case left in it?


----------



## HOBO (Dec 15, 2010)

*GERMAG*

My bad!!!!!

... You are 100% correct....

I misread the original post to believe that a live round was stuck in the chamber.....  How I missed "pulling the head out and powder going everywhere" I don't know.....

I have used my method several times where the extractor pulled the rim off of either a live round or a fired round resulting in a case stuck inside the chamber......  In this scenario the brass rods work great without damaging the crown, bore, or chamber....

Thanks for pointing out my mistake.....

There is no way that anyone could chamber a line round inside a headless case already stuck in a chamber anyway!!!  Regardless,,, I was wrong and yes,,,,, it would be VERY unsafe even if you could chamber the live round inside a stuck case....

--------<" ){{{{{*><


----------



## Richard P (Dec 15, 2010)

You might get a few drops of Hoppes solvent or similar into the chamber and let it migrate between the case and chamber itself. It's possible to use a tap to grasp the inside of the neck. The tap will cut into the brass----then with a rod----knock it out from the muzzle.   Patience is a virtue.


----------



## germag (Dec 15, 2010)

If there really is a headless case stuck in there, there is a tool for removing it. Home remedies can end up causing damage to the bore, chamber, or both. Take it to a smith.


----------



## stevetarget (Dec 15, 2010)

i am betting its just the normal chamber cut for the belt. If the round pulled apart then the chamber is likely very dirty and is now too small or you were shooting reloads that were neck sized with a loose bullet fit.  Let us know.


----------



## miles58 (Dec 15, 2010)

This is not quite making sense.  I am wondering if this isn't maybe a case of the wrong cartridge being chambered and you getting very lucky you didn't touch it off.

I doubt a headless case is stuck in the chamber.  I can't see you being able to chamber a round in that condition.  

I could see a 338 going into a 300 chamber far enough to stick the bullet in the rifling and then come out with the bullet left stuck in the rifling.

Take the gun as it is to a smith and tell him what I am saying in this post and then pay attention to what he tells you.

Dave


----------



## Niner (Dec 15, 2010)

OK, here’s some more intel….

I looked at it again tonight, and I think y’all are correct and that what I was thinking was a stuck case is the step for the belt of the cartridge.  Never having messed with a belted mag rifle, I didn’t know…One reason this forum is so good.

To be clear, what happened was I have some factory loads and some from a custom loading company.  What happened when I tired to load one of the custom rounds was that the bolt went in, and as I started to cam it downward it “binded” (if that’s a word).  As SOOON as I met that resistance I stopped and tried to extract it, but it was too late.  The bullet stayed in the barrel and the perfect case and powder came out.

I tried one of the factory loads was able to get the bolt to close, but I don’t like the “feel” of it.  The factory round extracted without issue.

I took the now-empty case, and tried it in the chamber and it cycles like a champ.
I am wondering if it might be an OAL issue or something like that.

Seeing as this rifle was made in 1964, a lot of water has passed under the bridge since she was built.  I think I’m going to take the safe route and take it to a ‘smith for a checkup.

No sense messing with something with too many “unknowns”.  I am sure the checkup will cost less than a stay in the hospital.

I am also going to try contacting the ammo company and see if they can give me any insight into what might be going on with their ammo.


----------



## Niner (Dec 15, 2010)

Oh, I also measured  the bullets with my calipers.  They are .338 on the nose.

The  barrel is factory stamped 338 Win Magnum.


----------



## Richard P (Dec 15, 2010)

Doesnt it sound like a situation of bullet of different ogive or seated too long ?  Since you now have a new empty case and a pulled bullet-----you could drop the bullet into the chamber and use the bolt to seat the bullet into the empty casing.  If you can remove the still live primer it would help by avoiding a possible firing of it. The empty is now a ''dummy round'' with that particular bullet at its max seated length.


----------



## CAL (Dec 15, 2010)

Niner said:


> OK, here’s some more intel….
> 
> I looked at it again tonight, and I think y’all are correct and that what I was thinking was a stuck case is the step for the belt of the cartridge.  Never having messed with a belted mag rifle, I didn’t know…One reason this forum is so good.
> 
> ...



Did you get the stuck bullet out of the barrel? Sounds like the custom reloads are not sized correctly for your gun or the brass is too long.


----------



## stevetarget (Dec 15, 2010)

Glad that was the problem and not a stuck case.
go ahead and clean the chamber and the bolt. make sure there is not any brass sticking to the relief cut for the belt. (the step as you called it) clean the throat of the barrel also. Any dirt, brass or rust will cause the problem you are seeing. You don't need to pay a smith to clean the gun. Make sure the bolt face is clean and that the ejector is not sticking.
 if all that fails then you should get the headspace checked.


----------



## germag (Dec 15, 2010)

stevetarget said:


> Glad that was the problem and not a stuck case.
> go ahead and clean the chamber and the bolt. make sure there is not any brass sticking to the relief cut for the belt. (the step as you called it) clean the throat of the barrel also. Any dirt, brass or rust will cause the problem you are seeing. You don't need to pay a smith to clean the gun. Make sure the bolt face is clean and that the ejector is not sticking.
> if all that fails then you should get the headspace checked.



Yep, if there's not a partial case stuck in there, the first thing I'd do is a VERY thorough cleaning. After you get it scrubbed out good and clean and all carbon and copper deposits are cleaned out......do it again.


----------



## miles58 (Dec 15, 2010)

You have OAL (over all length) issues.  Bullets do not stick in the barrel without them.  DO not use the ammo that sticks bullets in the barrel.

Were it my gun I would brush the bejeepers out of the chamber just on general principles, find out from a a 338 WM loader what a safe OAL is and then measure the loads you have.

Also, were it my gun, I would pull the gun out of the stock and flush the trigger out with copious amounts of WD-40 and then blow it out thoroughly with an air nozzle.  After that I would Eezox the whole gun an put a drop of Eezox into the trigger and then put the gun back in the stock.  Dumping powder like you did normally causes some to go into the trigger where it does no good at all and can be very dangerous.

Eezox is as good a rust preventer as you can get and it is an excellent lubricant.

Dave


----------



## weagle (Dec 15, 2010)

miles58 said:


> flush the trigger out with copious amounts of WD-40 and then blow it out thoroughly with an air nozzle.
> Dave



WD-40 is the gunsmiths (and locksmiths) best friend.  I've seen more triggers messed up by the varnish that WD-40 leaves behind than any other single problem.  It might be possible to blow all the WD-40 residue away with air, but I'd recommend using mineral spirits or gun blaster to clean up a trigger and then a light spry of rem oil, break free or other gun oil and then give it the air nozzle treatment.

I don't let WD-40 in the same room with my guns 

As far as the chamber issue.  It does sound like it was an ammo problem.  Bullet seated out too far and jamming into the rifling.  

Just my 2 Cents

Weagle


----------



## stevetarget (Dec 16, 2010)

Rem oil for guns.
WD 40 for cars and trucks...maybe


----------



## miles58 (Dec 16, 2010)

weagle said:


> WD-40 is the gunsmiths (and locksmiths) best friend.  I've seen more triggers messed up by the varnish that WD-40 leaves behind than any other single problem.  It might be possible to blow all the WD-40 residue away with air, but I'd recommend using mineral spirits or gun blaster to clean up a trigger and then a light spry of rem oil, break free or other gun oil and then give it the air nozzle treatment.
> 
> I don't let WD-40 in the same room with my guns
> 
> ...



Geeze!  I have WD-40 everywhere!  I agree it's not much of a lube, and not much of a rust preventive.  But... you can't beat it for flushing out the garbage that gets in guns.  It comes in a nice spray can, It has a nice pokey skinny nozzle so you can get it anywhere you need to clean out, it's dirt cheap, it dissolves oil gunk and powder residue mix, wipe down a wet gun with it and the gun dries clean and fast.

I keep a small one in my shell box(s), one in my range box, one on the work bench in the garage at the range, one in my workshop at home, one in the garage and there's usually one in the car.

I would hate to have to carry off all the WD-40 I've run through guns over the years.  If there was anything to it turning to varnish my pump shotguns alone would have quit working and gone t**s up a few decades back.  After a week of duck hunting with mud from decoy anchors, fluff from cattails, getting dropped in the mud etc I pop the trigger groups out and flush them nice and clean with WD-40, flush the action and blow it all out and with a drop of lube go out and do it again.

Dave


----------



## ScottD (Dec 16, 2010)

Sounds like bullets just seated a little long.  I have done the powder dump trick many times - usually in the middle of a match.  Of course, my comp gun has bullets seated hard into the lands.

Just check (measure) the COL and verify.  If it measures out ok - then you will have to measure the chamber to see if its just short throated.  IMHO its better to be short in the throat than too long.

Try this:  USE AN EMPTY CASE! - make a dummy round and seat the bullet to the same COL as the other loaded rounds.  Polish the bullet with some steel wool.  Chamber the dummy round.  If you are hitting the lands you will easily be able to see the marks left on the bullet (a 5-groove barrel will leave 5 marks around the circumference of the bullet).  the marks will be near the neck of the case and appear as individual square scratch marks.  In all likelihood this is your problem.  If you reload your own, you just set them back a little farther - if they are store bought - you return them.  I wouldn't recommend shooting them.

Triggers should be cleaned with lighter fluid - not an oil product as they stay too wet and collect crap.  Also - if your rifle is glass bedded - do not get wd-40 or kroil or any other solvent on the bedding - it will soak into the epoxy and turn gummy and eventually fail.


----------



## jglenn (Dec 16, 2010)

wd40 is great for getting sticker residue off or tar on a car ....

that's about it for me

Scott D is right about the bullets being seated a bit long for THIS rifle.


----------



## Niner (Dec 16, 2010)

Richard et al, .......BINGO.
I did some more fiddling tonight and that is persakly the problem.  The ones that are sticking are a different design and weight than the ones that don't.

I did the dummy-round thing.  Should have thought about that....duhhh.  I did that with my '06 when I started reloading.  I also pulled the fireing pin out of the bolt...that's one of the tests I do when I want feel what's going on with no resistance from the rest of the works.

The lighter bullets will need to be seated deeper than they currently are.  I'll need to pull all of them, since I have no idea what extruded powder is in them....and concoct my own brew with a known powder....prolly IMR4064 since I have a lot of that on hand.

Next step....order some dies for the beast, and disassemble a bunch of cartridges.


----------

