How to remove a stuck bullet in a barrel?

[KubotaM4900]

Ok made a real dumb move. I let my dies move apparently and I loaded a round in the chamber didnt fire it then was going take it out...well part of it. It was too long and the bullet stuck in the barrel only the brass came out. I have tried to knock it out from both directions no luck. Any ideas would be helpful. Looking at it now I def had the wrong approach could have been simple in the beginning but now its really stuck. Oyea .300 win mag.

 

[rdl65]

Try sticking a wooden dowel or a coated cleaning rod down the barrel. Give it a sharp blow with a rubber hammer. Be careful to not damage the crown.

 

[Plateau Hunter]

Like rdl said-wooden dowel just under bore size unless it is a .22 or smaller then you would have to use a cleaning rod. Spray some kroil or liquid wrench down the bore, tap out from muzzle end. It would be really tough to push a jacketed bullet all the way through the bore from the breech end. PH

 

[DaveB]

Kubota, there are quite a few tricks to unsticking a round. I strongly recommend you take a look at the best web site I have ever seen regarding the topic of handloading, HandloadersBench.com.

There are a number of threads with tricks that work. Use the search tool or just join and ask.

 

[Rubberduck270]

Wooden dowel.

 

[KPH]

Depending where the bullet is in the barrel it may be better to drive it out from the breach that is the way it is disigned to go.

 

[Hillbilly Hunter]

I have done this trying to seat bullets as close to the lands as possible. It wasnt a big deal, slide a wooden dowel from the muzzle and let it fall the last foot and the bullet has always popped right out. You didn't really try to knock it out the muzzle end did you?

 

[KubotaM4900]

I have actually done both. I done some searching and found more recommended knocking it out the muzzle end...I didnt think it was the best. I also have done it seating close to the land but this time the dies must have gotten bumped. I went with the dowel method first usually works this time gave it some whacks and my luck it broke in there and cant get it out now also. This sound really dumb but I guess anything can happen an it will. I am really surprised at how tight it is in there.

 

[J&J Firearms]

I would have suggested putting some penetrating oil down the barrel before trying to knock it loose, but that might cause the dowel to swell up depending on how close it is to the diameter of the bore. A solid brass rod may be your next move

 

[Hillbilly Hunter]

brass rod would be a great idea!

 

[KPH]

Let us know how this turns out and what works.

 

[Plateau Hunter]

Where are you in the process? How far up the bore is the bullet? I guess my next step would be to take the barrelled action out of the stock and strongly pad/support the action area. Get or make a strong rod or dowel out of nylon or brass that just barely fits into the bore, fill the bore to near the muzzle with a thick oil or even water, insert rod and whack with a hammer. The oil won't compress and will act as a solid and push out about anything I would think. Of course you will get some blow by so wrap a rag around the rod at the muzzle. PH

 

[JA1234]

just curious???? outcome

 

[KubotaM4900]

Ok finally the bullet and dowel is out of the barrel. My first approach at this before I ever posted this was to drop a wooden dowel down the barrel thinking it wouldnt take much to knock it out. I was wrong so I give it a tap with my rubber mallet. This is the point where my trouble grew expotentially. The dowel was stuck wouldnt pull out and discovered it had broke in the middle. So next the grand idea was to knock it out the muzzle end since the dowel is blocking the other. I pecked on this forever no luck might have moved .250 inch the whole time. I stopped here an thought about this for a few days. I knew my options was limited wasnt about to take it to a shop an look like a real doof (rather do it here). So finally my last choice was since this is a .30 cal a .250" drill bit 12" shank would probably work. I bought a Irwin bit (these are true .25"). I put it in and twisted it by hand. Yes this took quite a while but finally the bullet was out. Next the biggest problem was about to occur. The dowel had swelled or something, leaving it stuck harder than the bullet originally. So again the 12" bit was used. I went from both ends, this time slowly turning it with the drill, so I could feel if it were to hit the side of the bore(no it didnt touch the bore period. With only .05" clearance it didnt touch and cut the dowel out leaving only a small amount on the sides of the bore. I took a cleaning rod and finally all of it came out. Now its going back together with a lesson learned for sure. There is my advice if anyone does search this topic (like I did) looking for some options:
1) Never ever use a wooden dowel, use only a steel rod something that will not break half way down the bore.
2) The bullet needs to come out the way in went in, almost impossible to knock it out the muzzle end.
3) This is a very simple fix really if a steel rod was used.
4) Use a rod almost the same size as the bore with only a little clearance.
5) Each time you tap it with the mallet dont think it will work better if you hit it harder each time, only makes more trouble for you ahead.
6) Drill bits work great but in a drill they will destroy everything, turning by hand is like watching the grass grow.
7) You must post on here so everyone can laugh at you like I did but you might wanna do it before you attempt this, if so I would have reconsidered the wooden dowel problem.

Please leave any thoughts you may have, this is why I posted the outcome.

 

[KPH]

I am not laughing because I can see this happening to me. I reload and sometimes do what you did to see about my over all leangth. I can see using a rod almost the same bore size eventhoe it makes me shutter using a steel rod in the barrel. I have never had to drive one out like you did but and read onece to drive it out from the breach end, I don't know. Iam glade you got it out and think you for the knowledge.

 

[BigD_625]

My dad had a Ruger that didn't have enough space for the reloads we were getting from a friend. We used a rod from a rifle cleaning kit, and it worked with little effort. We pushed it out the breech end.

 

[KubotaM4900]

Big, thinking about it I did try the cleaning rod first, even before the grand wooden dowel idea. It failed miserably so I forgot about it. It bent and didnt even budge the bullet.