.22 hornet case stuck in chamber

**summersux** · March 19th, 2009, 10:57 AM

I had a reloaded case (2 time case was fired) split in half in my .22 hornet. I ejected the rim of the case an about 1/4" of the case its self but the rest is still inside the barrel. How do I get this out? I used federal brass and the load wasn't hot at all. This is the first time I had an issue like this but not the first I heard about it. is the .22 hornet prone to this problem? Is it caused by the case stretching without a real shoulder to stop against? I guess I will only use the cases once now before I scrap them. Thank you!

**dud** · March 19th, 2009, 11:11 AM

take a cleaning rod with brush larger than the case insert in case threw breech end of gun usually pulls it right out.never happened to me with a hornet but several times with belted magnums.usually they seperate at belt after 5 or six loadings.

**knight0334** · March 19th, 2009, 11:14 AM

Hornet brass is thin to begin with regardless of make. All brass stretches from firing, shoulders are a trivial matter of it.

Have you tried using a aluminum or brass (cleaning)rod to drive it out yet? (NEVERMIND, I MISUNDERSTOOD YOUR SITUATION. ...GET A BROKEN CASE EXTRACTOR)

If you start having brass stick regularly, you need to check your loads/brass, clean your chambers, and possibly polish your chambers.

**summersux** · March 19th, 2009, 11:19 AM

Ok, thank you for the replies! I had trouble with the gun from new not extracting the case but savage fixed it. It was fine for about 200 rounds after that but now this problem. I will have to look into this case extractor. Thank you!

**lilb93** · March 19th, 2009, 01:00 PM

any gun shop should or outdoor retailer should have one and they're cheap and easy to use

**ErSwnn** · March 19th, 2009, 11:03 PM

Hey...heat it up witha torch and melt it out! Damn...it's scary being this smart.

**mauser** · March 20th, 2009, 01:40 AM

I had that problem with a Thompson Contender .22 Hornet. That one was real simple because of the break action, I just put a 1/4-20 tap into the stuck part of the cartridge, gave it about 1/4 turn and pulled it right out, very little effort.
I don't see that solution working with a bolt action gun though.
The remedy suggested by dud should work, try a .28 or .30 caliber brush from the bolt end of the gun.
The case isn't really "stuck", or if it is, it's not stuck too tight, it's just there and in a position that you can't get a hold on it to pull it out. The head didn't separate from the case because the case stuck in the chamber, the case stayed in the chamber because the head separated. It shouldn't take much at all to get it to come out.

And yes, Hornet brass is very thin. I've had a few head separations on the first or second reload and had other brass that was reloaded several times without a problem. Take a real close look at your cases before you reload them, if you see any sign of a crack or ring around the case where the separation is happening at the head it's time to retire that piece of brass.

Forgive me for going off topic but I can't help myself.
Have you ever tried Hodgdon Lil'Gun powder for your Hornet loads?
Great accuracy, high velocity and low pressure with no chance of overloading it.
13 grains with any bullet weight from 35 grain to 55 grain. It's a compressed load, fill 'er up and have at it. (Some cases won't even hold 13 grains).
According to the Hodgdon load data web site, with a 35 grain bullet the CUP is 24,000 using Lil'Gun and 42,500 with H4227 with only about 50 fps difference in muzzle velocity.
http://data.hodgdon.com/cartridge_load.asp