Stuck bullet hack

[Rotnguns]

I learned a great hack yesterday at a silhouette competition, when a competitor had a squib load resulting in a bullet stuck in his rifle barrel. A fellow with a set of thin wooden dowels cut to various lengths simply put dowels down the muzzle of the barrel until one stuck out the muzzle by about four inches. He then pushed the protruding dowel against a post without much force, and out came the bullet. Told me it worked fine for pistols also.

 

[robtattoo]

I learned a great hack yesterday at a silhouette competition, when a competitor had a squib load resulting in a bullet stuck in his rifle barrel. A fellow with a set of thin wooden dowels cut to various lengths simply put dowels down the muzzle of the barrel until one stuck out the muzzle by about four inches. He then pushed the protruding dowel against a post without much force, and out came the bullet. Told me it worked fine for pistols also.

It's not really a hack, is it.

It's more or less just how you do it.

 

[Rotnguns]

It's not really a hack, is it.

It's more or less just how you do it.

I've always seen cleaning rods used. The dowel technique could be common knowledge, but to my naive self, quite a revelation.

 

[Slickhill]

Always a great idea to put a healthy squirt of some kind of thin oil down the barrel before pushing a stuck bullet out. Cast or jacketed either one, a little shot of PB or Kroil makes a huge difference in force needed to push it back down the barrel.

Because when it’s really stuck and the dowel splits after riding and forming around the nose of the bullet and the splinters are wedged between the bullet and the barrel it just became a much tougher job.

The very best solution I ever found was brass rods of various diameter that we kept in the shop for making tools and fixtures out of. Find the one that fit the bore closest and saw it off a couple inches proud of the muzzle when sitting on the obstruction. Shoot a little oil down the bore and let it soak while you drink a cup of coffee. Slide the rod down the bore and give it a bop with a plastic mallet.

 

[thinhorn_AK]

I’ve only had one bullet stuck in a barrel, that’s exactly how I got it out. It took me about 30 seconds to come up with the idea and a quick trip to the hardware store to get the dowel.

It works, not really a hack though.

 

[Steve300xcw]

I learned a great hack yesterday at a silhouette competition, when a competitor had a squib load resulting in a bullet stuck in his rifle barrel. A fellow with a set of thin wooden dowels cut to various lengths simply put dowels down the muzzle of the barrel until one stuck out the muzzle by about four inches. He then pushed the protruding dowel against a post without much force, and out came the bullet. Told me it worked fine for pistols also.

I have heard that some guns are even loaded by pushing a bullet down the barrel with a long rod like that....

 

[Rotnguns]

I have heard that some guns are even loaded by pushing a bullet down the barrel with a long rod like that....

I've got one such gun! I don't remember the bullet coming out of the other end, though...

 

[Steve300xcw]

Same difference....think they figured this hack out in the late 1700's IIRC.....

 

[Rotnguns]

Same difference....think they figured this hack out in the late 1700's IIRC.....

Story of my life - 300 years too late I'm not exactly the coldest beer in the fridge, here....

 

[SWOHTR]

I always carry a blank on my pocket for this purpose. It’s even loaded at “+P” because I figure it’ll need the extra pressure to get the stuck bullet out.

 

[Huntndog]

I wonder if that would work for kidney stones?

 

[huntsman22]

The blank, or the wooden dowell?......

 

[Huntndog]

Not sure. Someone should try both and get back to us.

 

[Oldffemt]

Either way, ouch!