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Thread: Live round stuck in chamber!

  1. #1
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    Live round stuck in chamber!

    Hello All,
    I've searched, read and still would like your guidance (very nervous here )

    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!

  2. #2
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    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

  3. #3
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    If you're worried about setting the round off by mortaring why don't you take the firing pin out and mortar now?
    "The peace we have within us is most often expressed in how we treat others"

  4. #4
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    Like so?



    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.
    It is bad policy to fear the resentment of an enemy. -Ethan Allen

  5. #5
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    Thats exactly how it looks without rough edges around the base of the cartridge.

  6. #6
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    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.

  7. #7
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    Quote Originally Posted by seb5 View Post
    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.
    Last edited by Failure2Stop; 08-01-10 at 15:40.
    Jack Leuba
    Director, Military and Government Sales
    Knight's Armament Company
    jleuba@knightarmco.com

  8. #8
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    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.

  9. #9
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    Quote Originally Posted by Failure2Stop View Post
    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.

  10. #10
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    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

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