View Full Version : Live round stuck in chamber!
Hello All,
I've searched, read and still would like your guidance (very nervous here :D)
I have a BCM 16" Mid length with DD lower and BCM BCG. Been shooting the last three weekends and have not cleaned the rifle in that time frame. I have put about 700 rounds of Tula .223 down range since last cleaning.
Last evenings range session started fine. Shot 30 rounds of Tula out of a PMAG no problem. Checked / changed target. Put in another mag of Tula. Released the BCG and a cartridge chambered. Pulled trigger and had a nice bang. Pulled trigger again and got nothing. Pulled back BCG to inspect weapon and it "looked like" no cartridge was chambered.
Pointed gun down range and charged the weapon....Malfunction. BCG did not cycle all the way forward. Pointed weapon down range and put on safety. Dropped mag and there was a cartridge "partially loaded" bullet toward chamber and primer toward back of mag well. I cleared the live cartridge out of magwell. I gingerly slid BCG back and noticed here was a cartridge stuck in the chamber! (valuable lesson learned here on how to inspect gun after misfire...very thoroughly)
The rim on the cartridge appears fine (not malformed). About an 1/8 of an inch of the cartridge above the rim is sticking out of the chamber. The primer is marked from the nose of the third bullet.
I removed the lower, bcg and charging handle. Have not messed with it since. I thinking my best bet is liquid wrench down the barrel and in the bore. Let the upper sit overnight. Attempt to "mortar" the weapon tomorrow night. Guidance is appreciated and a better explanation of how to get the round out (mortaring) without killing someone would be appreciated!
Thanks in advance and I'm sure you will help me out of this jam! ;)
One thing you can do is pour some oil down the barrel and using a dowel that just fits in the barrel and a mallet, drive the stuck case out hydraulically. Coat the dowel with oil or grease to help it seal in the barrel. Messy, sure but it should be safe
If you're worried about setting the round off by mortaring why don't you take the firing pin out and mortar now?
Gutshot John
08-01-10, 14:31
Like so?
http://i336.photobucket.com/albums/n355/STR8SHTER/VTAC%20Night%20Fighter/DSC_3101.jpg
Courtesy of Jfreuler from a Viking Tactics Nightfighter class.
I think they ended up pouring lube down the barrel and used a ramrod to create hydraulic pressure to force it out.
Thats exactly how it looks without rough edges around the base of the cartridge.
I would not use a dowel. .22 dia dowels are just too weak for the task. Depending on how "stuck" the case is hammering a wood dowel will cause it to expand at the two points of contact, one being inside the barrel, potentially exacerbating the current problem or trading one problem for another. Oil soaked wood also expands. An old cleaning rod is a better tool for this, if the job has to be done that way.
Does the bolt seat over the rim of the case? Has working the bolt forward till the extractor hooks the case lip, them pulling the charging handle to the rear had any effect? Last time I dealt with this a screw driver, prying on the exposed casing lip was sufficient to free the stuck case.
Failure2Stop
08-01-10, 14:40
If you're worried about setting the round off by mortaring why don't you take the firing pin out and mortar now?
Don't do this.
The firing pin is needed to properly index the cam pin, and without it you have a very good chance of locking the gun up.
Moving on-
Are you sure it's a live round?
More likely than not, to generate enough force on the case rim to tear it without moving the case it usually requires firing the rifle.
Anyway, I advise inspection of the stuck cartridge's primer to see how dented it is, and if it is flattened enough to indicate firing. In a suitable and safe area, try to fire it again. Wait 30 seconds if no bang and go to punch-rod.
Either hold the CH fully to the rear or break the gun down and remove the BCG.
Tap the stuck case out.
I will have to take BCG apart and remove firing pin prior to trying this. This will be the first dis-assembly of the BCG. I'm still new to the AR, and did not want to mess with this until I consulted the board.
To make sure I understand; you are sudgesting I put the AR back together, push the bolt forward onto the round, then pull back the charging handle to see if that will extract the round. I did not try that last night as I did not think it through....
We did look into the screwdriver, but I don't know I had the right size as I could not see a good way to get any leverage on the round.
Don't do this.
The firing pin is needed to properly index the cam pin, and without it you have a very good chance of locking the gun up.
Moving on-
Are you sure it's a live round?
More likely than not, to generate enough force on the case rim to tear it without moving the case it usually requires firing the rifle.
Anyway, I advise inspection of the stuck cartridge's primer to see how dented it is, and if it is flattened enough to indicate firing. In a suitable and safe area, try to fire it again. Wait 30 seconds if no bang and go to punch-rod.
Either hold the CH fully to the rear or break the gun down and remove the BCG.
Tap the stuck case out.
It is not fired; I know that for a fact as the failure occured after the first round fired on the second magazine (no bang number 2). I suppose I can measure with a cleaning rod to make sure...
Could you describe "punch rod"? I assume you are talking about a rod inserted in the muzzle used to punch the cartridge out of the chamber. Could I use the cleaning rod from my M-16 cleaning kit for that. I thought about this; but saw a bullet that was pushed into the case on another thread when investigating.
Would have been nice if that second round had fired as I believe it would be easier / safer to tap out an empty case.
dwhitehorne
08-01-10, 14:55
I've had the extractor rip the rim off of steel and brass ammo. Especially if I mix the two in one shooting session. I just use a cleaning rod and drive it out. It doesn't take that much force. David
It won't hurt anything if the bullet is driven back into the case
I've had the extractor rip the rim off of steel and brass ammo. Especially if I mix the two in one shooting session. I just use a cleaning rod and drive it out. It doesn't take that much force. David
OK, cleaning rod it is. Any issue if I put liquid wrench down the muzzle and let it sit tonight before applying the rod? Can't hurt, or a waste of time?
Dousing it in kroil or something similar may wet the powder enough to keep something bad from happening, but it may not. If it penetrates around the case it could only help. Make sure to use a rod that has some sort of tip to it, or has something to close off the threaded hole in the end of the rod. If you keep the hole in the rod open it could split around the bullet encapsulating it and making the problem worse by getting the rod stuck also. And finally, I would sandbag the ejection port and, if disassembled, all openings of the receiver. Stand away from the muzzle just in case.
Littlelebowski
08-01-10, 16:42
I used to use Kroil as a penetrating oil until my gunsmith Rob Bonacci told me about oil of wintergreen. Best penetrating oil that I've ever seen.
I used to use Kroil as a penetrating oil until my gunsmith Rob Bonacci told me about oil of wintergreen. Best penetrating oil that I've ever seen.
Better than Kroil? Holy smokes...
Littlelebowski
08-01-10, 17:08
Better than Kroil? Holy smokes...
I didn't believe it until I tried it.
I didn't believe it until I tried it.
Really...this stuff....
Methyl salicylate (oil of wintergreen) is a natural product of many species of plants. Some of the plants which produce it are called wintergreens, hence the common name
My wife is really gonna think I'm nuts now! :eek:
Dousing it in kroil or something similar may wet the powder enough to keep something bad from happening, but it may not. If it penetrates around the case it could only help. Make sure to use a rod that has some sort of tip to it, or has something to close off the threaded hole in the end of the rod. If you keep the hole in the rod open it could split around the bullet encapsulating it and making the problem worse by getting the rod stuck also. And finally, I would sandbag the ejection port and, if disassembled, all openings of the receiver. Stand away from the muzzle just in case.
Thanks, that is some sound advice!
From your OP it is not clear if you ever really made any attempt to extract the round... How do you know it's "stuck"? Will the BCG close enough to snap the extractor over the rim allowing you to snap the BCG back/open with the charging handle? Have you tried this? If not, that’s where I would start.
Hello All,
I've searched, read and still would like your guidance (very nervous here :D)
I have a BCM 16" Mid length with DD lower and BCM BCG. Been shooting the last three weekends and have not cleaned the rifle in that time frame. I have put about 700 rounds of Tula .223 down range since last cleaning.
Last evenings range session started fine. Shot 30 rounds of Tula out of a PMAG no problem. Checked / changed target. Put in another mag of Tula. Released the BCG and a cartridge chambered. Pulled trigger and had a nice bang. Pulled trigger again and got nothing. Pulled back BCG to inspect weapon and it "looked like" no cartridge was chambered.
Pointed gun down range and charged the weapon....Malfunction. BCG did not cycle all the way forward. Pointed weapon down range and put on safety. Dropped mag and there was a cartridge "partially loaded" bullet toward chamber and primer toward back of mag well. I cleared the live cartridge out of magwell. I gingerly slid BCG back and noticed here was a cartridge stuck in the chamber! (valuable lesson learned here on how to inspect gun after misfire...very thoroughly)
The rim on the cartridge appears fine (not malformed). About an 1/8 of an inch of the cartridge above the rim is sticking out of the chamber. The primer is marked from the nose of the third bullet.
I removed the lower, bcg and charging handle. Have not messed with it since. I thinking my best bet is liquid wrench down the barrel and in the bore. Let the upper sit overnight. Attempt to "mortar" the weapon tomorrow night. Guidance is appreciated and a better explanation of how to get the round out (mortaring) without killing someone would be appreciated!
Thanks in advance and I'm sure you will help me out of this jam! ;)
From your OP it is not clear if you ever really made any attempt to extract the round... How do you know it's "stuck"? Will the BCG close enough to snap the extractor over the rim allowing you to snap the BCG back/open with the charging handle? Have you tried this? If not, that’s where I would start.
You are correct in the fact that I really made not attempt to extract the round. Because of this thread I know what to try next time.
I dropped a brazing rod down the muzzle last night. Three light taps and the round dropped out. Pretty happy at the result; and the lessons learned here.
Thanks for all the advise everyone! I learn a little more about this platform and how it works each trip to this site.
Glad you got it out and nothing went bang!!
NCH
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