Squib. Aluminum rod or gunsmith?

I've never had a squib, but while messing around with reloading I've slugged a few bores, and use a wooden dowel to push the lead ball through.

Put some oil down the bore. Let it work in some. Then pound it out. I broke wood dowels already. I use an old arrow shaft for rifles. For hand guns. I have a solid brass rod. I been meaning to get a longer brass rod for rifles.

Use a brass rod. Never use wood, it will splinter and make it worst. Most cleaning rods may not be strong enough without getting damaged.

Blue68f100 said:

Use a brass rod. Never use wood, it will splinter and make it worst. Most cleaning rods may not be strong enough without getting damaged.

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This, repeated over and over again. Hollow aluminum cleaning rods are just gonna bend and deform, and wood is right out; solid brass is best.

DO NOT USE WOOD.

I went to Home Depot or Lowes (can't recall which) and bought a bunch of different diameter solid brass rods in their 'rods and angles and straps' display, and then sawed a bunch of pistol and rifle rods from 'em.

DO NOT USE WOOD.

Well, I have used wood. I had a squib and needed to clear it. I cut a small limb, trimmed it to fit and used a rock to bang the slug out. This with with cast 45 acp. Maybe it wouldn't have worked with jacketed.

Anyways, we had a squib with an ak once and used a cleaning rod. I don't recall what material it was.

If I had an old aluminum rod section I didn't need, I'd have no reservations about trying it. I have no doubt it'd work.

Any hardware store should have a suitable brass rod. Used that a few times for slugging. 1/4 rod should be right for 9mm.

How far down the barrel is it? If it was a primer only squib you can often dislodge it with a good cleaning rod and a couple firm blows. If it more that a bullet diameter or more down the barrel you're likely going to need something stiffer. Use as large a diameter brass or aluminum rod (a piece of 7075 -T6 aluminum would be ideal) as will fit in the barrel. 5/16" is probably the best available for 9mm though 11/32" is a better fit but not a commonly size stocked most places. Put the barrel is a soft jawed vice or wrapped in a good piece of leather and then into the vice and drive it toward whichever end the bullet is closest too.

rbernie said:

DO NOT USE WOOD. . .



DO NOT USE WOOD.

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This ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ this ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^

I once had a problem with some cases
sticking in the chamber and ended up
( after other bs attempts) getting a
cold rolled steel rod and wrapping it
with tape. It didn't take much to get
it out
When you're doing something like that,
the key word is finesse and not force

The gun cleaning brass extension rods with a rubber mallet and block of wood work great.

Thewelshm

Captain Quack said:

Got the wood. Got the dead fall hammer. What I can't find locally is a brass rod. About 8 mm right?

Captain Quack.

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If you can't find brass use aluminum, easy to get from the local Home-Depot/Lowes. Cut it down to only a couple inches longer than your barrel. There is no way a brass or aluminum rod can damage your crown. Remember you're driving brass and copper jacketed bullet down that barrel at hundreds of feet per second pushed buy propellant gases that are at tens of thousand psi and well over twelve-hundred degrees Fahrenheit. A brass/aluminum rod ain't going to hurt it as long as you don't hit the barrel with the hammer.

Captain Quack said:

Got the wood. Got the dead fall hammer. What I can't find locally is a brass rod. About 8 mm right?

Captain Quack.

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I just ordered a 3/8" aluminum rod from Amazon. It was about the same cost as a 36" long 3/8" rod from Home Depot. I needed to clear a .45acp squib.

Here ya go.
https://www.amazon.com/Swpeet-Assor...ywords=5/16"+brass+rod&qid=1622079913&sr=8-14

Just tap it back out the way it came in with wooden dowel or soft aluminum rod.

Once again - NO WOOD and NO HOLLOW CLEANING RODS! You might get lucky and you might not. I do not depend on luck. You shouldn't either.

Solid brass, aluminum or even steel is far better. With the steel just chamfer the front edge to remove the sharp corner.

I had 500 light 38 special rounds that averaged a squib about ever 40 rounds. I invested in a brass rod, and I shot the last few hundred in my least favorite revolver. No permanent harm, but I didn’t do any rapid fire practice either. That brass rod was a real lifesaver.

Don’t use wood. Seriously.

In a pinch, I have used an aluminium gutter spike. I cut the point off with a hacksaw. The spike has a head on it for getting a good whack with a hammer.

Captain Quack said:

Will 100 mm/4 inch be long enough?

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I'm pretty sure 4" will never be long enough . . .
Not familiar with your gun, but I would recommend a few extra inches so the hammer is coming no where near the barrel. I guess you could use a rubber mallet, instead, though. My squib only required 3 light taps, but it was just past the chamber. Primer with no powder will do that, apparently.

I carry a wooden dowel in my kit and sad to say have used it a few times to dislodge bullets. On more than one occasion to push the bullet back into the case to unlock the revolver cylinder. A wooden dowel that fits the bore works just fine.