improvised broken shell casing extractor

[hso]

After trying pulling the brush backwards I took a chopstick and tapped it into my .223 until it was solidly lodged in the broken casing and then putting the cleaning rod in from the barrel tapped the stick and casing out.

While a broken shell extractor (already got it on order from Brownells) would have been my first choice at least I know that a softwood stick with a staight grain and a good taper will do the job if nothing else is available.

 

[LiquidTension]

Figures that some Tennessee hick wouldn't know how to properly use hashi

j/k Excellent improvisation! We should start calling you hsogyver

I do have a question though - did you have the hashi at the range or did you take the rifle home to fix it? If you had hashi at the range...uhhh, why?

 

[Brian Dale]

LT,

If you had hashi at the range...uhhh, why?

Don't you carry your hashi everywhere?
What if you need to eat something when you're away from home?

hso, this thread was listed just above a moved "hearing protection" thread, and as I first glanced at the titles on the page, I read, "Improvised hearing protection from broken shell casing <Waitaminnit!>"

I think that it's time for another of coffee.

Good work with the chopstick. I like to carry a couple of different sizes in tool boxes and range bags; I'll add some skinny ones to the range bag.

 

[foghornl]

Hey, whatever works. . .

 

[hso]

I use the ones from the restaraunts for all sorts of uses where I want to drive/push something without marring the surface. Better to break the stick than the more valuable part.

In this case I was particulary frustrated by having ordered Echo shell extractors from Brownells (gunsmith told me not to waist my time/money on less expensive ones) only to find that they won't be available until June!

I hate using the wrong tool, but have found that the "right tool" takes many forms. A quarter works better than a screw driver for turning the receiver screw on a FAL (the slot is concave instead of flat), a disposable hashi is at least as good as a brass or delrin punch for pushing pins on ARs since it can be trimmed to fit and they're free with takeout, a credit card is good for holding the receiver pin detent spring in place on a collapsable AR (but a disposable badge holder from a show is better being thinnner), etc. I keep a little kit with me most of the time in one of the 3" OD clear plastic small parts tubes from Home Depot that has a pair of small vise grips, hex/torx and slot/phillips mini drivers, small adjustible wrench, brass handled diamond hone, a couple sizes of brass and steel washers, and a couple of sizes of "chop sticks". You can do an amazing number of things with just the things in that little 6" long 3" diam. tube.

Not to create envy, but I've got a range behind the house, so the availability of tools was "enhanced".

 

[Nickotym]

A tool I find useful for many things, but not for gun repairs, is a broken sweeper stick. When the street sweeper goes by they often leave the metal sticks from the cleaning brush. Our street sweeper must be getting old in town here because we found about 30 one day while walking to work.

They work well for a screwdriver in a pinch if it doesn't matter if you slip and scratch the worksurface. Often times the end has been sharpened into a nice little knife point for opening letters or packages. We have used them to repair broken windowblind slats too. They are spring steel as well.

 

[Preacherman]

Nick, just remember that the Streetsweeper is banned for sale...

 

[Brian Dale]

Preacherman, I believe your term is:

Groooooaannn!

Seriously, though: nice catch.

 

[Malamute]

I've most often heard of a regular tap being used as a broken shell extractor. Just screw it into the shell piece a bit and knock it out with a rod.

Had a batch of commercial reloads that I shot in an AR years ago. In a couple of magazines worth of rounds, I got several shells that broke. They ejected a piece that looked like a 380 empty, leaving the front part in the chamber. The bolt cycled, trying to feed the next round in, jamming it into the broken shell. When I pulled the cocking handle back, it pulled the broken shell out with it.
I guess the moral of that story is, if in a bind, try an empty shell run into the chamber to get the broken shell out. (note that I am NOT recomending forcing a loaded shell into a blocked chamber, but I'd do it if it was a life threating situation after my experience with the AR)

 

[Jim K]

FWIW, a suitable tap works fine. Just make sure you don't cut through the brass and score the chamber.

Also remember that one broken shell extractor can work for many rifles. For example, a .30-'06 shell extractor will work for .308. .30-30, .30-40, 7.62x38, and usually for 8mm as well. It won't work the usual way, but can be engaged, then tapped out with a rod.

Jim