Help! live round stuck

FMHANS · August 3, 2008, 09:33 PM

I was at the range yesterday, and ended up with a live round stuck in my AR chamber (case would not easily extract, ended up pulling part of the rim off). What is the accepted procedure for removing it?

Thanks for your help.

Fritz Hansen

guntotin_fool · August 3, 2008, 10:37 PM

strip the weapon, after a day the risk of a hang fire is pretty much zilch. get a aluminum or brass rod small enough to fit in the barrel, but thick enough not to slip on either side of the point of the bullet. Most hard ware stores have something like this in the hobby section.

Get some good penetrating oil and squirt some down the bore, leave the bore tilted up so the oil reaches the chamber and soaks it in.

Take the brass rod and >>>THIS IS IMPORTANT<<< while keeping the barrel aimed in a safe direction, preferably outside, lift and drop the brass rod a few times onto the stuck case. Keep your hands in such a manner that IF the round went off, your hands are out of the way. Prop the barrel so that as you are tapping the round it has room to loosen up and fall out. or at least move.

I have had good luck doing it this way, the weight of the rod is usually enough to drive it out. It may take a few dozen taps but it should move it. IF it does not, add some more oil, wait a day and try it again then. Rushing is not in your best interest at this time. If you feel the weight of the rod is not enough use a block of wood to tap on the rod.

Once you get the round out, look at it, try to figure out why it froze in the barrel, usually its because the chamber is corroded or an out of spec round.

ronl · August 3, 2008, 10:42 PM

Is the round still live or did you rip enough of the rim off to dislodge the primer and evacuate powder from casing? You can try pulling the rest of the rim off and using a broken shell extractor if the shell is inert. Soaking th chamber with PB Blaster may help. If it's still live, seek professional help. Older steel cased Russian ammo?

FMHANS · August 4, 2008, 05:56 AM

The round is still live, it was not a reload (Winchester).

James K · August 4, 2008, 02:31 PM

After you get the round out, try to find out why the round stuck in the first place, and make sure it doesn't happen again.

Jim

Scorch · August 4, 2008, 03:14 PM

Before trying to dislodge the case as described above, disassemble the upper from the lower and remove the bolt. You can also try to tap out the round with a cleaning rod with a jag tip installed on it. And like Jim said, try to figure out why it got jammed before trying to fire it again, or you may wind up with the same problem again.

FMHANS · August 7, 2008, 06:42 PM

I finally got up the nerve to nudge the round today. came out no problem with a brass rod. Thanks for your advice. the chamber looks good, but was a bit dirty (I had shot about 75 rounds) and the shell was mis-formed.
It may have been a feeding problem.

Thanks for your help.

Fritz

James K · August 8, 2008, 09:05 AM

I don't know if you did or not, but if there is any kind of feeding problem, it is best not to use the forward assist, aka the "jam maker." There may be times when unfriendly folks are around when you will have to take a chance and try forcing the bolt closed, but there is really no need to do so on a civilian rifle range.

If the bolt doesn't fully close, immediately retract the bolt. If the bolt doesn't move, or if it retracts leaving the loaded round in the chamber, keep the rifle pointed down range and call for assistance as necessary.

Jim

SRG · August 12, 2008, 04:09 PM

Also, you did not state how many rounds that have been down the barrel and what kind and caliber ammo you were using. Is this gun new to you? What I'm getting at is you can have problems shooting 5.56 ammo in a .223 chamber.

Loader9 · August 13, 2008, 01:39 PM

What ever you do, DON'T PUT A ROD DOWN THE BARREL!!!!!!!. I have a great friend that is a gunsmith by trade and he is missing three fingers doing just that. Inside the round you'll find it's loaded with ball powder. Tap on it enough to drive the bullet back and you are also driving powder thru the flashole. One tap too many and it will go off. Learn from his mistake. Take it to a gunsmith and let him pull the case out correctly.

O6nop · August 18, 2008, 12:47 AM

I've had this happen to me before, I've tried two different methods. I don't know for sure if either one is appropriate so I'm willing to take my lumps if anyone feels it is a bad method.

1) Sitting at a bench with the muzzle pointing down range, I take the butt of the stock and place it against my chest. I grab both sides of the charging handle and pull hard . It seems I can get the bullet to eject that way.

-or-

2) Pull the back pin to disconnect that part of the upper from the lower and pivot it forward as if ready to clean it. Manually cock the hammer back and attach the upper to the lower again so it is ready to fire. Aim down range and fire, sometimes, at least in my experience, the round has moved into place and the firing pin can do it's thing.

It hasn't happened in a long time because I've improved my reloading technique. So I may have left out a step

August 3, 2008, 09:33 PM	#1
FMHANS Junior Member Join Date: August 3, 2008 Posts: 4	Help! live round stuck I was at the range yesterday, and ended up with a live round stuck in my AR chamber (case would not easily extract, ended up pulling part of the rim off). What is the accepted procedure for removing it? Thanks for your help. Fritz Hansen

August 4, 2008, 03:14 PM	#6
Scorch Senior Member Join Date: February 13, 2006 Location: Washington state Posts: 15,248	Before trying to dislodge the case as described above, disassemble the upper from the lower and remove the bolt. You can also try to tap out the round with a cleaning rod with a jag tip installed on it. And like Jim said, try to figure out why it got jammed before trying to fire it again, or you may wind up with the same problem again. __________________ Never try to educate someone who resists knowledge at all costs. But what do I know? Summit Arms Services

August 12, 2008, 04:09 PM	#9
SRG Member Join Date: October 12, 2005 Location: Prescott, AZ. Posts: 73	Also, you did not state how many rounds that have been down the barrel and what kind and caliber ammo you were using. Is this gun new to you? What I'm getting at is you can have problems shooting 5.56 ammo in a .223 chamber. __________________ Gunsmith/Machinist

August 18, 2008, 12:47 AM	#11
O6nop Senior Member Join Date: October 16, 2005 Location: Austin,TX Posts: 291	I've had this happen to me before, I've tried two different methods. I don't know for sure if either one is appropriate so I'm willing to take my lumps if anyone feels it is a bad method. 1) Sitting at a bench with the muzzle pointing down range, I take the butt of the stock and place it against my chest. I grab both sides of the charging handle and pull hard . It seems I can get the bullet to eject that way. -or- 2) Pull the back pin to disconnect that part of the upper from the lower and pivot it forward as if ready to clean it. Manually cock the hammer back and attach the upper to the lower again so it is ready to fire. Aim down range and fire, sometimes, at least in my experience, the round has moved into place and the firing pin can do it's thing. It hasn't happened in a long time because I've improved my reloading technique. So I may have left out a step __________________ I believe there is safety in numbers.. such as 9x19, .22, .38, .45, .223, 7.62, 6.5x55, .303, .30-06

August 3, 2008, 10:37 PM	#2
guntotin_fool Senior Member Join Date: November 18, 2004 Posts: 1,446	strip the weapon, after a day the risk of a hang fire is pretty much zilch. get a aluminum or brass rod small enough to fit in the barrel, but thick enough not to slip on either side of the point of the bullet. Most hard ware stores have something like this in the hobby section. Get some good penetrating oil and squirt some down the bore, leave the bore tilted up so the oil reaches the chamber and soaks it in. Take the brass rod and >>>THIS IS IMPORTANT<<< while keeping the barrel aimed in a safe direction, preferably outside, lift and drop the brass rod a few times onto the stuck case. Keep your hands in such a manner that IF the round went off, your hands are out of the way. Prop the barrel so that as you are tapping the round it has room to loosen up and fall out. or at least move. I have had good luck doing it this way, the weight of the rod is usually enough to drive it out. It may take a few dozen taps but it should move it. IF it does not, add some more oil, wait a day and try it again then. Rushing is not in your best interest at this time. If you feel the weight of the rod is not enough use a block of wood to tap on the rod. Once you get the round out, look at it, try to figure out why it froze in the barrel, usually its because the chamber is corroded or an out of spec round.

August 3, 2008, 10:42 PM	#3
ronl Senior Member Join Date: December 2, 2007 Posts: 1,100	Is the round still live or did you rip enough of the rim off to dislodge the primer and evacuate powder from casing? You can try pulling the rest of the rim off and using a broken shell extractor if the shell is inert. Soaking th chamber with PB Blaster may help. If it's still live, seek professional help. Older steel cased Russian ammo?

August 4, 2008, 05:56 AM	#4
FMHANS Junior Member Join Date: August 3, 2008 Posts: 4	The round is still live, it was not a reload (Winchester).

August 4, 2008, 02:31 PM	#5
James K Member In Memoriam Join Date: March 17, 1999 Posts: 24,383	After you get the round out, try to find out why the round stuck in the first place, and make sure it doesn't happen again. Jim

August 7, 2008, 06:42 PM	#7
FMHANS Junior Member Join Date: August 3, 2008 Posts: 4	I finally got up the nerve to nudge the round today. came out no problem with a brass rod. Thanks for your advice. the chamber looks good, but was a bit dirty (I had shot about 75 rounds) and the shell was mis-formed. It may have been a feeding problem. Thanks for your help. Fritz

August 8, 2008, 09:05 AM	#8
James K Member In Memoriam Join Date: March 17, 1999 Posts: 24,383	I don't know if you did or not, but if there is any kind of feeding problem, it is best not to use the forward assist, aka the "jam maker." There may be times when unfriendly folks are around when you will have to take a chance and try forcing the bolt closed, but there is really no need to do so on a civilian rifle range. If the bolt doesn't fully close, immediately retract the bolt. If the bolt doesn't move, or if it retracts leaving the loaded round in the chamber, keep the rifle pointed down range and call for assistance as necessary. Jim

August 13, 2008, 01:39 PM	#10
Loader9 Senior Member Join Date: July 29, 2008 Posts: 949	What ever you do, DON'T PUT A ROD DOWN THE BARREL!!!!!!!. I have a great friend that is a gunsmith by trade and he is missing three fingers doing just that. Inside the round you'll find it's loaded with ball powder. Tap on it enough to drive the bullet back and you are also driving powder thru the flashole. One tap too many and it will go off. Learn from his mistake. Take it to a gunsmith and let him pull the case out correctly.