Broke my Cardinal Rule...HELP!

[The Preacher]

Well, I screwed up. My neighbor, an elderly gentleman, gave me 5 boxes of 38 Specials that years ago his buddy had loaded up. Target loads with a 158 gr. LSW. My rule is to never shoot someone elses reloads. Well I took them out to the range with my nightstand revolver, a S&W 3" 65 figuring I'd get some good cheap practice. Bottom line is the first two rounds went bang! the third went phsssst! Primer went off but not the powder and you guessed it, I now have a lead bullet stuck in the muzzle about an inch below the crown. Could kick myself for having pulled the trigger on them So...a new one on me after almost 40 years of handloading...

How do I get the bullet out of the barrel folks?? Any help would be greatly appreciated.


The Preacher

 

[Snake45]

Make sure the gun is unloaded, open the cylinder, clamp the gun in a vice or find some way to hold it solid, and bang the stuck bullet out with a hardwood dowel and a hammer (BFH). Doesn't sound like any major or permanent damage has been done.

 

[Flash]

That happened to me once and I just fired another primed case, WITHOUT POWDER and the bullet came out. When it happens at the range and you still want to shoot, you have to be creative. I'm not advocating this but it worked for me.

 

[Jimbo357mag]

Make sure the gun is unloaded, open the cylinder, clamp the gun in a vice or find some way to hold it solid, and bang the stuck bullet out with a hardwood dowel and a hammer (BFH). Doesn't sound like any major or permanent damage has been done.

I have done exactly that. Hold the gun in one hand, drop a wood dowel down the barrel and take a few whacks at it with a hammer. Easy!!!

...JImbo

 

[flatgate]

Yup, been there, done that. My Dad's buddy gave me some .38 reloads to shoot in my Brand New SRM!

I heard a pop and immediately unloaded and removed the cylinder. RATS!

Fortunately a guy at the range had a small calibre muzzle loader and loaned me his ram rod.

I pulled the bullets on the remaining .38's and reloaded the brass myself.

flatgate

 

[The Preacher]

Thanks folks. I'll break out the wooden dowel. A bit red in the face here.

The Preacher (who should'a known better)

 

[The Preacher]

Got it out. Thanks folks.


The Preacher

 

[Snake45]

It can happen to anybody, and it can happen with factory ammo, too.

 

[GP100man]

I took a small steel push rod from an engine & wrapped it with electrical tape (3/4 layers) as to not break like a wood 1 , like i did 1 time before !!!

I was gonna say "I have`nt needed it since" but I don`t want to Jinx myself & don`t read this part!!!Knock on wood!!

 

[Jimbo357mag]

I took a small steel push rod from an engine & wrapped it with electrical tape (3/4 layers) as to not break like a wood 1 , like i did 1 time before !!!

I was gonna say "I have`nt needed it since" but I don`t want to Jinx myself & don`t read this part!!!Knock on wood!!

Maybe you could go into business selling slightly bent push-rods. Chevy or Ford?? :roll:

...Jimbo

 

[Sonnytoo]

That happened to me once and I just fired another primed case, WITHOUT POWDER and the bullet came out. When it happens at the range and you still want to shoot, you have to be creative. I'm not advocating this but it worked for me.

My first guess, with my luck, is that the bullet would have been driven about one inch further up the barrel. Glad it worked for you, but I won't try it.
Go to Lowe's; buy a solid aluminum rod. Hacksaw it off to about 8 inches or so and carry it in your shooting bag. I have a 3/8" rod that I carry. That and a rock will work. For your .38, you might use 1/4 inch.
Sonnytoo

 

[Sonnytoo]

That happened to me once and I just fired another primed case, WITHOUT POWDER and the bullet came out. When it happens at the range and you still want to shoot, you have to be creative. I'm not advocating this but it worked for me.

My first guess, with my luck, is that the bullet would have been driven about one inch further up the barrel. Glad it worked for you, but I won't try it.
Go to Lowe's; buy a solid aluminum rod. Hacksaw it off to about 8 inches or so and carry it in your shooting bag. I have a 3/8" rod that I carry. That and a rock will work. For your .38, you might use 1/4 inch.
And yes, a hardwood dowel also works; I tried it. But not as easily or quickly as the aluminum. And aluminum won't hurt your barrel.
Sonnytoo

 

[Kanook]

A Ford Bronco II radio antenna, duct tape, piece of 2x4, and a tire iron. We wanted to shoot bad that day.

 

[The Preacher]

You be the man Kanook!!!


The Preacher

 

[Bear Paw Jack]

Depends on how far it's in the barrel. If it's just barelly in there the vice and (I use a) brass rod and small hammer will tamp it out easily. I had to do this just a few weeks ago. If it's in there quite a ways take it to a gun smith. They will drill a hold in the center so as it is tapped out it won't broaden and expand on itself. It should fall into itself. Gun smith I walked to a couple of times said it's easy to create a bulge in the barrel if you try to drive them too hard without drilling the hole. I never had one stuck that bad but figured he's been doing this a long time and knows what he's talking about.

 

[Pinecone]

I would "guesstimate" that gunsmith tried to drive out a bullet with a "steel" rod at one time! If done right, with a brass or wooden drift, there is no way you will "bulge" a barrel. I havn't seen it in 43 + years of gunsmithing. Simply flood the barrel with kerosene or WD-40 and tap out that "soft" lead bullet. That bullet will "give" before the barrel does. Drilling the bullet, it is very easy for the "novice" to have the drill slip off that slick bullet and "score" the barrel real good!............................Dick :wink: