Well, My buddy called me this morning and told me the ruger target rifle if borrowed him in .17 HMR was having a problems. He said he aimed at the squirrel, pulled the triger, heard the bang, and the squirrel didn't drop. He looked down the barrel and there the bullet was. He ejected the shell and emptied what seemed to be good powder out into his hand. How do we get the bullet out ? I have a carbon rod with a ball bearing on the end at home for cleaning can I just push it out or is this a job for a smith ? Please help me !
Help! 17 hmr bullet stuck in barrel!
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R.W.Dale
Member
give it some healthy lubrication and let it soak in around the bullet before you start hammering
Ok. First attempt failed. He got a wooden dowel and pushed from muzzle to breach after oiling. The pointed bullet cracked the dowel and rendered it useless. He is going to try from the other end now and if that doesn't work I will try my grafite cleaning rod tonight.
sbarkowski
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What kind of ammo? Was the barrel checked BEFORE the first shot was fired? Perhaps something was already lodged in the barrel. That would make extraction a little more difficult.
Vern Humphrey
Member
A smooth steel rod dropped, not hammered down the barrel, should work. If the first attempt doesn't work, raise and drop the rod again. Repeat until the obstruction is clear.
keyboard commando
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Squib Load
Contact the ammo company. Save the empty case,unburned powder,remaining ammo,and box. They should make it right with you.
Contact the ammo company. Save the empty case,unburned powder,remaining ammo,and box. They should make it right with you.
NCsmitty
Member
I believe that I would work from the rear of the bullet. Those soft, frangible bullets will just expand from the front and make the job more difficult.
Vern Humphrey is right, don't beat on the bullet.
NCsmitty
Vern Humphrey is right, don't beat on the bullet.
NCsmitty
R.W.Dale
Member
Problem is where do you get a section of steel cleaning rod that'll fit down a 17 cal bbl? IIRC I don't believe a GI one will fit
I wonder if one or two of those remington power driver loads sold at a hardware store would push the bullet on out? They're essentially an extra powerful blank
NCsmitty
Member
I hear ya krochus, my 17 cal rod is aluminum. I doubt that his graphite rod has the backbone to do the job.
NCsmitty
NCsmitty
Vern Humphrey
Member
Well, I sort of expect you can find a .17 cleaning rod -- but if you can't, there was an election not long ago. Many political yard signs are shaped like a bag, and slip down a U-shaped wire frame that is stuck in the ground.
Since laws in most places require the parties to pick up their signs after the election, they will normally be glad to have someone do it for them. So savvy shooters pick up a lot of these U-wires and use them for target holders.
Clip off one leg, and you have the ideal rod to knock your .17 bullet out.
R.W.Dale
Member
oddly enough I keep an old stainless steel car radio antennae handy just for such odd jobs, but I doubt even with the end ball cut off one of those would fit
the more I think about it pushing the bullet out by firing a few blanks may be the most gentle way of removing the bullet
jpwilly
Member
NUTS!
Squirrels 1
Humans 0
Squirrels 1
Humans 0
After talking with my friend again, he didn't hear bang more of a click.... so I think it was just the primer that went off, giving it just enough to force it into the barrel. The ammo was renington brand, with the polymer tip 17 gr. I usually shoot the winchesters but I had these left over from summer. My dad is welder so maybe he has some cold rolled steel that is the right dia. ? I will continue to work on it and report all to any updates. Thank you for all the info! As far as the case and bullet (once we get it out) I told him to kill the squirrel and mount it with the case and bullet next to it. We will see...
Master Blaster
Member
shoot a little kroil or break free or other light oil down the barrel. Use your rod to gently tap tap tap tap tap, dont try to wack it out with hammer blows. May take many taps but it will come out.
rcmodel
Member in memoriam
DO NOT attempt to use a wood dowel rod.
The end will just splinter and may wedge the bullet in tighter.
DO NOT attempt to shoot it out with a Remington nail driver blank.
At best, it won't work.
At worst, it will ring the barrel right where the bore obstruction is.
DO use plenty of penetrating oil & let it soak a day.
DO use a brass or steel rod.
A bronze or steel gas welding rod can be found that is close to the proper diameter.
DO drive it back out the way it went in if it is still fairly close to the chamber.
Tap it out, don't hammer on it.
rcmodel
The end will just splinter and may wedge the bullet in tighter.
DO NOT attempt to shoot it out with a Remington nail driver blank.
At best, it won't work.
At worst, it will ring the barrel right where the bore obstruction is.
DO use plenty of penetrating oil & let it soak a day.
DO use a brass or steel rod.
A bronze or steel gas welding rod can be found that is close to the proper diameter.
DO drive it back out the way it went in if it is still fairly close to the chamber.
Tap it out, don't hammer on it.
rcmodel
HoosierQ
Member
I would listen to RCModel on this one y'all! He's never steared anybody wrong.
rcmodel
Member in memoriam
NO, NO, NO!!!!
Again, you have a bore obstruction, no matter where the bullet is stuck in the barrel.
Pulling a bullet and trying to shoot it out will surely leave a ring in the barrel right where the stuck bullet is located.
A bullet leaving a chamber normally has a short section of tapered smooth rifling called the leade, in order to get a running start before it hits the full rifling.
A stuck bullet, is well ....... Stuck!
You must treat it as a Bore Obstruction!
rcmodel
Again, you have a bore obstruction, no matter where the bullet is stuck in the barrel.
Pulling a bullet and trying to shoot it out will surely leave a ring in the barrel right where the stuck bullet is located.
A bullet leaving a chamber normally has a short section of tapered smooth rifling called the leade, in order to get a running start before it hits the full rifling.
A stuck bullet, is well ....... Stuck!
You must treat it as a Bore Obstruction!
rcmodel
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