How to free stuck round?

[firstshot425]

I tried to load a handloaded 7mm-08 round into my new build. I already knew the OGIV of the loaded round, had measured the OGIV of the same bullet in the new rifle and I knew the bullet seated in the loaded round would not reach the lands and possibly get stuck there. I just wanted to see how it would feed through the new rifle.

What I didn't think about though was that the round I was attempting to chamber was a 308 case that had been necked down to 7mm-08 and the chamber in the new rifle is a Match 7mm-08 chamber. I had pushed the bolt all the way forward and then as I started to push it down to close it, I realized it felt way too hard to close. So I stopped right there. I did not close the bolt all the way down. Any way, the cartridge is now stuck and the bolt will not budge. I was able to lift the bolt back up but you can't pull it back at all.

Any suggestions for fixing this delima?

Thanks
firstshot

 

[jwrowland77]

I've seen a rubber mallet and a towel used before at a match where someone had not done a new workup of Varget that had a different lot number and it made her bolt stick bigger than Dallas. Luckily it didn't rip the head of the case off.

 

[HisStigness]

Well obviously you don't want to yank on the bolt and risk pulling the rim off the case. Couldn't you just stick a wooden dowel down the barrel to help it out a little bit?

 

[W.E.G.]

Pour some penetrating lubricant down the bore.

Allow lube to penetrate.

Hold rifle vertical.

Bump butt on firm surface while simultaneously applying firm pressure on bolt handle.

 

[JRH6856]

This just happened to me yesterday with a .244 Remington. I just tapped the bolt handle with a plastic mallet until it came free.

 

[plmitch]

Rubber mallet to the bolt should do it.

 

[firstshot425]

Thanks everyone!!!!!

I tapped the bolt handle with a light rubber mallet and it came right out!

Only issue now is that it was a 7mm-08 case and NOT a 308 necked down to 7mm-08. So, I've got to figure out why it got stuck.

 

[rcmodel]

Color the whole thing with a black magic-marker and do it again.
(You got it out once, you can get it out again!)

Where the marker ink rubs off is your problem.

Your problem is going to be a thick case neck on the necked-down .308 case though.
You will need to neck turn or neck ream them to get no more then .315" neck diameter with a seated bullet in the case.

Maybe even less if you have a really tight match chamber.

Couldn't you just stick a wooden dowel down the barrel to help it out a little bit?

NO!
Very bad advice. A wood dowel will very likely split on the bullet point and wedge tighter then a gnats butt in the bore. Then you have The Mother Of All Barrel Obstructions to deal with!

Get a bore fitting brass or steel rod (Not Wood!) if you EVER have to drive a pointy bullet or stuck round out.

rc

 

[Reloadron]

Thanks everyone!!!!!

I tapped the bolt handle with a light rubber mallet and it came right out!

Only issue now is that it was a 7mm-08 case and NOT a 308 necked down to 7mm-08. So, I've got to figure out why it got stuck.

While it was in fact a 7mm-08 case and not a 308 case my guess is that since you have a match chamber cut that it has a tight neck or a very tight headspace dimension. What RC suggested remains true. Use a magic marker or some dykem layout fluid and try again. My money is on the neck or tight headspace as the bolt went all the way forward and then closed hard. Anyway, I would do exactly as RC outlines and see what you get.

Ron

 

[rcmodel]

What I thought he said in the first post was:

What I didn't think about though was that the round I was attempting to chamber was a 308 case that had been necked down to 7mm-08

rc

 

[JRH6856]

^^^He did. But when he got it out it was a 7mm-08 case, not a .308

 

[firstshot425]

Ok....

1:
The gunsmith had given me a case that had been fired in the new chamber. The neck diameter on that case measures .307 and the case easily chambers.
The neck diameter on the round that got stuck is .305
So, this should not have caused it to get stuck.

2:
I used a Stoney Point OAL guage to measure distance to the lands in the new chamber for 140g Sierrs SPT. The OGIV measured 2.465

The OGIV of the round that got stuck measured 2.292. So, this should not have caused the round to stick either.

Any ideas? Shoulder set back?

 

[JRH6856]

How about the diameter of the rest of the case? It might be getting stuck at the base.

Best way to tell is still as rc suggested: Color the entire case with magic marker and rechamber and extract. Where the marker rubs off is the tight spot(s). Measure that.

 

[firstshot425]

I think I've found the culpret. The round I attempted to load has a small dimple in the shoulder. Is it possible that this cause the shoulder to be out of round enough to make it stick?

 

[rcmodel]

Yes, it's possible.

But do as I suggested 6 posts ago and color the round with a marker and chamber it again and see for sure for yourself!!!!!!!

Rc

 

[firstshot425]

Will do

 

[345 DeSoto]

I would lay money that the base of the case is the problem...

 

[firstshot425]

Rcmodel

There are several 1/2" long scratches in several places more or less all the way around about 3.4" up from the base.

 

[GW Staar]

The case isn't that long. decimal point?

 

[JRH6856]

I'm guessing typo: 3.4 is one key from 3/4

 

[GW Staar]

You're probably right....in that case the OP may need small base sizer or he didn't get the case in the die in deep enough. Being it's a match chamber, maybe both.

 

[JRH6856]

If it is a match chamber, he may need to take a chamber cast and have a custom sizing die made, but a small base die may be enough.

 

[W.E.G.]

Are you crimping the case mouth?

If you are, stop doing it.

 

[firstshot425]

Sorry about that... it's a fatfinger.... s/b 3/4"

I'm using a Redding full length sizing die.

I'm taking the rifle back to the gunsmith this Friday and I'm sure he will help figure out what's going on.

Thanks to all of you for your help!!!

Doug

 

[WestKentucky]

Is it a freshly cut chamber? If so it may need polishing. If it's a broken in chamber then it may have a flaw that is showing it's ugly little face. Most likely the issue is with ammo. It sounds like something is not the proper size, as in if the bullet is a thousandth too big and is expanding the neck a teeny bit, or possibly a tight neck. To figure this out, by all means make a dummy round with no primer or powder and get it colored up with something like a sharpie or roll it on a stamp pad. Chamber it, find your problem area and put your micrometer to use. That will tell you where the issue is both location relevant to chamber as well as chamber vs ammo.