I feel like an idiot, have a question

[Domino]

I ended up with a squib this morning which was pretty much right in the middle of the barrel of my .45 Long Colt. I got the bullet out using a wood dowel rod but now the rod is stuck. Any suggestions of getting the dowel out? I feel like an idiot looking at my revolver with a big stick poking out.

[Perajio]

Clamp the gun in a small vice, use a vise grip to hold onto the wooden dowel and tap the vise grips with a hammer to drive the dowel out of the barrel......
Don't worry about feeling like an idiot, just live and learn from mistakes made.

[BigJakeJ1s]

Whatever you do, do not introduce moisture. It will swell the wood and tighten the fit. Depending on how cool you can get your oven (< 200F) you might even heat it in the oven for several hours to dry and shrink the wood (and expand the barrel, but not significantly).

Andy

[Unclenick]

Chances are the tip of the dowel was upset by beating on the bullet. Open or, better yet, remove the cylinder, then wrap a few turns of tape around the top strap to protect it. Tap the dowel in even further so the fat part sticks out inside the frame, then use a coping saw to trim the dowel. The tape is to protect the finish on the inside of the top strap from the saw teeth when it cuts through.

You could cut the whole dowel out an inch at a time this way, using a smaller one to continue driving it forward, but once the end is clear, it should be possible to withdraw it as easily as it went in. If that was tight, the Vice Grip suggestion is good.

I prefer to keep lengths of bushing bronze stock for driving slugs in barrels, with brass rod being second best. But if you must use wood, dry it in your oven at 250 degrees for an hour, then soak it in motor oil for a day before you begin. That will make it easier to remove. It also moisture proofs it for the short term, and what little swelling the oil causes will at least happen ahead of time, so you'll discover whether or not it is going to fit before driving it in?

[amamnn]

Don't feel bad, almost everyone has had a squib at one time, or even more.

[Crosshair]

Next time, use a looser fitting dowel.

[Big Caliber]

oops

[wyobohunter]

I haven't had a squib, ...yet. Is it prettty obvious when it happens? The only thing I load below start loads is my wifes 9mm. It stops cycling at a certain point but hasn't stuck a bullet.

[Creature]

Use a thinner dowel to remove the stuck dowel.

[brickeyee]

Next time, use a looser fitting dowel.

Use a brass rod.

[jamaica]

You may pull the dowell as mentioned with pliers and a hammer.
The inertia of a hammer can move an amazing load. Worth a try.

+1 on the brass rod. I keep one in the cleaning kit I take to the range. I haven't needed it since having it, but had a problem one day and a feller just happened to have a brass rod. Saved the day.

I went to a machine shop and got the rod. It is 5/16" diameter. It will fit in a 38 barrel.

[Casimer]

I feel like an idiot looking at my revolver with a big stick poking out.

an idiot would try to shoot it out

+1 on the brass rod - I keep one in my range bag.

[44Magnum]

I haven't had a squib, ...yet. Is it prettty obvious when it happens? The only thing I load below start loads is my wifes 9mm. It stops cycling at a certain point but hasn't stuck a bullet.

I've never personally had one, but have seen it happen in person. The squib sounds and feels much different than the others. It almost sounds like a thump instead of a bang.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sA1ik4cFoL8 - The squib (and his ugly flinch ) is at 5:50

If you suspect this, remove the magazine and rack the slide (lock it open) to clear the weapon. Shine a light down the barrel to see if you can see it shining into the chamber area.

In a revolver, empty the weapon and swing out (or removing, in the case of a SA) the cylinder and shine a light down the barrel.

[dssajj]

Don't feel bad. It happens to the best of us. I managed to get two bullets stuck in it two diffrent 357 mags in side of five minutes. Yea I know silly me but, I did not have enought crimp on the rounds. Not squibs but same effect. I tightened the crimps and the rest shot ok.

[publius]

I had one once, I removed the cylinder, clamped the revolver in a leather padded vise then I sprayed some kroil in the barrel then I took a long bolt and wrapped it w/electrical tape and tapped it out. Simple,and worked w/no damage, but I would have used a brass rod or wooden dowel if one was handy. If using lead bullets, I would have put it in the vise barrel pointed up and put some mercury in the barrel overnight. Should be very easy to tap out the next day.

[Leadbelcher]

Hi
Yeah, I have had bullets in the barrel, the last one sent me to a smith. My question is, how to tap out a bullet at the range without springing the frams? Hold the revolver between your knees?
thanks
LB

[wyobohunter]

Couldn't a squib be easily avoided with extremely careful reloading? I weigh each and every powder charge and I do not seat any bullets until I have visually inspected every charged case (comparing levels). I just watched that video and it sounded like all he had was a primer. I am not criticizing, just because it hasn't happened to me doesn't meen it never will.

[publius]

Wybohunter, bad primer, powder, moisture in the case before throwing the powder charge; who knows, I'm pretty careful and it happened to me once.

[Dave R]

I was fat & happy because I never had a squib.

Until I had one.

Its a good reminder to be careful.

[jamaica]

Reminds me............................

At the local range there is a barrel on display that has 5 bullets lodged in it.
Yes, the barrel was bulged . Someone had cut the barrel lengthwise so you can see there is actually 5 bullets lodged in there.

Don't do this! If the shot doesn't sound right, Stop and find out why.

Have a great day.

[jamaica]

Yeah, I have had bullets in the barrel, the last one sent me to a smith. My question is, how to tap out a bullet at the range without springing the frams? Hold the revolver between your knees?
thanks

I just held the revolver by the barrel and inserted the brass rod, holding it with thumb and index finger, then lightly tapped the rod with the hammer. The bullet moved out quite easily. It didn't take any big hits, just a gentle tap moved the bullet.

[kraigwy]

I feel like an idiot looking at my revolver with a big stick poking out

The only people who has never screwed up are those who haven't ever tried to do anything.


Its like those idiot NO FEAR t-shirts, I laugh when I see them. Never sensing fear means you never did anything. Same with screw ups.

Trust me, you're gonna have to live a long time to be able to make the screw ups I've made.

I dont recommend this, but it worked. I have an old 6.5 X 55 Mauser that I want to rebuild and make a F-class gun or something along those lines. In cleaning up the shop I found it and a few old hunting reloads for it. Problem is there was a mud dirt dobbers nest in the barrel. Don't know if you ever run across those but you don't hammer them out with a wooded rod. So I get some empty cases, start out with about a 20 % load, top it off with a bit of wax instead of a bullet to hold the powder, tie the sucker to my Lead Slead, and step back with a string. I had to work my way up to about a 60% charge but it worked. Granted not too good on barrels but I'm gonna scrap it anyway. It worked, and after words it still shot about 3 in groups at 100 yards which is about what it shot before.

Goes to show, even if you know better, you still screw up. Sometimes (as in the case above) you get the bear, sometimes the bear gets you.

DON'T TRY THIS AT HOME.

The proper way is take it to a gun smith, let him get it out. Problem here is there isnt any. People bring there stuff to me. (Little do they know).

[Domino]

Thanks for all the posts, the dowel rod is out. My wife wanted me to hang a sign saying BANG off of the dowel rod before taking it out, I skipped that one though.

[orionengnr]

Oh, but you should have followed her advice, then taken a picture of it.

And then posted it on the thread where a certain "thinker" was considering using blanks for HD

[SKULLANDCROSSBONES65]

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