Round Stuck In Chamber

[Ryegye]

I went to Syracuse this weekend to visit a friend of mine. While we were there we took our AR's to the range. My friend gave a few hand loads that were given to him to try out. One of them is now stuck in my chamber. The primer is struck but the round did not go off. After letting it cook off we tried to tap the round out with brass cleaning rods which only accomplished bending my friends cleaning rods. I am going to attempt the same with steel cleaning rods. Does anyone have any suggestions on getting this round out? If necessary does anyone know of any good gunsmiths in the Pittsburgh area? Any help would be greatly appreciated.

[Lycanthrope]

Typically, you take the T handle in your hand.............and slam the buttstock into the ground.

Or.....put the edge of the T-handle against a wooden edge and then hit the buttstock hard to push the rifle forward.

[Ryegye]

I did that a few times when it first occurred. I am able to get the bolt back with a good bit of force but the round is not extracting. I should have known better than to shoot reloads from someone I do not know. The brass cleaning rods barely budged it. If I do use steel cleaning rods do I run the risk of doing damage to the chamber? Thanks for any help

[Kaos]

Probably not the chamber...the bore if anything.

Id give it a shot, wood dowel rod maybe too. If all else fails try a broken shell extractor.

If you feel safety is a concern you may want to call a smith in the PGH area...John might be able to help you out, his username here is

John@JCDLESales

If he can't help you, he might be able to point you to someone that can.

[BearTitan]

Ryan, take it to a smith. Bouldin's in Irwin is pretty good and close to your house. I am no AR expert, but I do know that steel rod + rifle barrel = ruined rifle barrel. I would spend the $20 to save from ruining a barrel.

Good luck.

[knight0334]

For those really really really stuck cartridges:

If you intend on taking it apart - you can use the hydraulic method, but you'd have to plug up the gas port on that semi(not necessary, just helps).

You run risk of pushing bullet into the case, and popping the primer out the of its seat too. which if it was a "live" cartridge, it'd make it alot safer to pull from the rear if the hydraulic method doesn't work.


Note: do not do this where you value your flooring. do it outside, on your driveway, in your garage, etc..

1. remove bolt/carrier assembly from upper and/or remove barrel(recommended) because uppers are fragile.

2. disassemble and plug gas port if you can without damaging tube or threads or whatever.

3. find a block of wood(pine preferably because its soft)with a hole that will allow a cartridge to come out if you removed the barrel for this project(preferred), hole in wood isn't needed if you left the barrel in the upper.

4. stand barrel/upper upwards on block of wood and fill 3/4+ full with tranny fluid, hydraulic fluid or clean oil(veggie oil works too).

5. make a piston with cleaning wads. They must fit into the bore, must be tight but not too tight that you cant drive them down with a solid aluminum, brass, or bronze rod.

6. use a solid rod of metal softer than the barrel material and mallet, drive the piston down the barrel. Gas ports will generally ooze fluid, but once you get past the port it will be complete compression on the cartridge. Keep tapping at it until you fell it give. ...the give will either be the cartridge coming out or the bullet forcing back into the casing. If its the bullet forcing back - let it sit for a few minutes for the powder to foul up with the oil(and hopefully the primer too) then start tapping again. The next give you will feel will either be cartridge coming out of primer popping out.

7. if its the primer - use a rear screw in tool to extract.

8. once you get it out, clean the crap out of it. pay special attention to the gas port and tube.

[Ryegye]

Thanks for the info guys. I'll probably take it to a gunsmith so i don't do any damge. I am really kicking myself over this.

[Kaos]

Just part of why I won't shoot reloads until im making them myself and can make sure they're sized etc properly.

[mrnyman]

If youown a AR it makes sense tobuy a shell extractor,about $ 8 at Tapco,AR 's are v ery sensitive to soft cases.bet it were a soft case that over expanded.

Nyman.

[BearTitan]

Ryan, did you get it fixed yet? The suspense is killing me.


May be you should sell it.......