Really stuck case

[kirbymcrae]

So...we have a big (I think) dilemma.

I have an older Ruger M77 in .243 and it has a case lodged in the chamber. I got a bunch of cases that are a lil bit too big, and tried to chamber one (stupid idea) that I had accidentally primed, but not loaded yet. It went in, but it wont come out now; the bolt will open and close all of the way, but the extractor wont grab on to the case. So we tried to pound it out with a 3/16 wooden dowel (an even worse idea), because the dowel broke off just inside the barrel with no conceivable way to get it out. Now we have a stuck case and a plugged barrel, not good.

So, question time.
1. Why is my extractor not having a death grip and just pulling it out?
2. How do I get the stuck case out?
3. How do I get the stuck dowel out?
4. How can I make the rest of the cases that are too big fit? They fit in the M70 but not in the M77.
5. Could I have (Before I fired the primer off) essentially breech loaded a fire forming load?

Thanks,
Kirby

 

[kcebcj]

First I need to apologize. I read your post and couldn't help but laugh. I think the stuck case thingy has happened to everyone who fools with reloading and rifles but breaking the dowel off did it for me. If you can get the dowel out removing the case is simple. I have used a bronze welding rod you know the one used for brazing. They are 36 inches long come in different diameters and won't damage the rifling. Make sure the primer is spent and tap the case out.

How tight is the dowel and how long is the broken off piece. If you run a screw into the end that will only tighten it but as a last resort would try. You could drill a pilot hole in the dowel carefully if your used to using tools then run a screw in and try pulling it out. If the dowel is "tight" that won't work

You may have to take it to a smith and have him remove the case from the receiver side using his expertise then drive the dowel out. One of the rifle mechanics will chime in I'm sure and give you some solid advise.

 

[Varmint Hunter]

In 30 years of reloading I have only had a case stuck once but it was stuck pretty tight. Rather than risk damaging a custom barrel in a novice attemp to get the case out, I brought the rifle to my gunsmith. He removed the barrel from the action and then removed the case from the barrel.

Better to be safe than sorry if the case is not easily extracted.

 

[Bullet bumper]

This is how I would get it out. First remove the extractor if you can. Put the bolt in and lock it up fire off the primer.
Get a steel rod that is a neat fit in the bore and turn one end down to fit inside the case neck down to the base of the case with some length clearance for the case mouth so all the rod pressure goes down into the solid web of the case and not on the case mouth . Then measure and cut the rod so it sticks out the muzzle a bit more than the length of the case.
Then get a low base empty shotgun shell that fits over the end of the barrel and drill out the primer hole to allow the rod to pass through.
This acts as a protective cover for the crown when striking the rod with a mallet.
If the barrel is too large in diameter a steel washer will do the job.
A smooth steel rod will not damage the rifling it is only sitting there and only moves a short distance when struck at very low impact because it fits neatly . It must fit reasonably neatly to keep it as strong as possible so it does not bend under pressure .
Generally what the bolt can push in a steel rod can push out with a few light whacks.
In an emergency one time I even cut a length of galvanised rod out of a farm gate to fix the farmers gun and it worked fine .
If a barrel can stand thousands of rounds at 55000 psi and thousands of blasts of super heated gas then it can stand a smooth steel rod for a few seconds . You got caught with a wooden dowel because you believed a metal rod might damage the barrel.
Don't use a cleaning rod for a tight stuck case they are not strong enough or a neat enough fit and you may damage it .

 

[kirbymcrae]

Well my dad went to town on the wood and got it out, but it appears the crown got marred a little. How big of deal is this? And thanks for the shotgun shell tip it should work great.

 

[Hired Gun]

If you live near North Bend OR I would remove both for free. Go ahead and fire the primer. Keep it in a safe direction. The barrel needs removed. The case pulled first and then drive out the dowel with a tight fitting brass rod. If the dowel wasn't in play I would have used a brass rod.

 

[Bullet bumper]

Well my dad went to town on the wood and got it out, but it appears the crown got marred a little. How big of deal is this? And thanks for the shotgun shell tip it should work great.

Good old Dad always come through.
The crown is important to accuarcy but you don't know how it may have affected accuarcy untill you shoot it .
If it starts shooting worse than before you may need it recrowned by a gunsmith. However you can try a few things yourself first . Find a chrome plated ball bearing big enough to not fit in the bore . Grind a flat on it and drill a hole in it so you can epoxy something into it to hold onto . then get some valve lapping paste and use the ball bearing to lapp the crown back to a neat chamfer across the ends of the lands.
Also you can purchase piloted crown cutting tools and lapps from Brownell's and others.
Brownells Search : Search Results for "Crowning tool" - World's Largest Supplier of Firearm Accessories, Gun Parts and Gunsmithing Tools - BROWNELLS

If that don't fix it then it's time to recrown it in a lathe with a single point tool .

 

[Bullet bumper]

If you live near North Bend OR I would remove both for free. Go ahead and fire the primer. Keep it in a safe direction. The barrel needs removed. The case pulled first and then drive out the dowel with a tight fitting brass rod. If the dowel wasn't in play I would have used a brass rod.

Where is North Bend in Oregon ? I thought North Bend was in Washington .

 

[Hired Gun]

Look for Coos Bay. They are side by side.

 

[Bullet bumper]

Look for Coos Bay. They are side by side.

Ok got it . Well you learn something new every day .
I like to keep up with anything Oregon as my Mother was born in Hood River and my Grandfather is buried in Idlewild cemetary Hood River .

 

[barnesuser28]

just outa curiosity what causes a case to get stuck in the chamber?

 

[Hired Gun]

Unfired stuck cases are caused by dirt or fouling in the chamber, improperly sized cases, Trying to use a case that was fired in another rifle. A sizing die is not capable of sizing all the way to the shell holder and if the case was fired in another gun with a loose chamber it may have a slight buldge or anyways end up larger than the gun you are trying to put it in and since the sizer can't get quite down far enough you may feel some resistance as the bolt closes and with the so slight taper it wedges into the gun under the pressure of the ramp on the lugs and they are way stronger than the extraction cam can pull, or the rim the extractor has to pull on.

 

[Bullet bumper]

Unfired stuck cases are caused by dirt or fouling in the chamber, improperly sized cases, Trying to use a case that was fired in another rifle. A sizing die is not capable of sizing all the way to the shell holder and if the case was fired in another gun with a loose chamber it may have a slight buldge or anyways end up larger than the gun you are trying to put it in and since the sizer can't get quite down far enough you may feel some resistance as the bolt closes and with the so slight taper it wedges into the gun under the pressure of the ramp on the lugs and they are way stronger than the extraction cam can pull, or the rim the extractor has to pull on.

What he said + if a case is jamed in and not fired then it tends to stay there with max grip. If it can be fired it tends to hammer any garbage down , then back up onto the bolt face and has a better chance to extract than the unfired case but not always . Some gun designs have better extraction powers than others. Many shooters clean their bores well but neglect the chamber . Dirty brass going in time after time will eventually crud up the chamber .

 

[WildRose]

So...we have a big (I think) dilemma.

I have an older Ruger M77 in .243 and it has a case lodged in the chamber. I got a bunch of cases that are a lil bit too big, and tried to chamber one (stupid idea) that I had accidentally primed, but not loaded yet. It went in, but it wont come out now; the bolt will open and close all of the way, but the extractor wont grab on to the case. So we tried to pound it out with a 3/16 wooden dowel (an even worse idea), because the dowel broke off just inside the barrel with no conceivable way to get it out. Now we have a stuck case and a plugged barrel, not good.

So, question time.
1. Why is my extractor not having a death grip and just pulling it out?
2. How do I get the stuck case out?
3. How do I get the stuck dowel out?
4. How can I make the rest of the cases that are too big fit? They fit in the M70 but not in the M77.
5. Could I have (Before I fired the primer off) essentially breech loaded a fire forming load?

Thanks,
Kirby

I've had some really stuck cases in the past. I think anyone who's done much reloading has run into it at some point.

I've never had one I couldn't get out by doing the following:

Fire it if there's a live primer in it.

Leave bolt open, do not bang or hammer on it to get the case to release.

spray a little lube down the muzzle and let it sit for a bit.

Take a cleaning rod and slide it down till it bottoms out in the case.

Repeatedly just tap/bounce the cleaning rod against the case and sooner or later it will break free.

Do this with the rifle butt on the ground barrel straight up. Gravity and the weight of the bolt will work with you to help dislodge it.

If I ever ran into one I couldn't get out with this method I'd take it straight to a gunsmith and let them do what they get paid for.

No sense risking doing any damage to the rig just out of frustration.