Stuck bullet in Super Redhawk

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toothache#1

Bearcat
Joined
Mar 12, 2018
Messages
7
Well, I have really done it this time. By being careless, I managed to load some 44 mag rounds but neglected to put powder in the cartridge. Of course, I managed to get a bullet stuck between barrel and cylinder so it will not open. My gunsmith thinks I might actually have 2 bullets in the barrel. He contacted Ruger and after soaking it in WD 40 for 3 weeks it was sent to Ruger. I assume the soaking was to render the live rounds inert. I was hoping Ruger would take the barrel off, get the bullets out, then all would be well. Ruger has deemed the gun not repairable and actually offered me a replacement gun for a nice price, which was nice of them since this is all on me and had nothing to do with the gun. Since Iam stubborn as well as careless, I am hoping to find someone who might help me with my problem. Previously I had Mag Na Port port it and do trigger work and if possible I would like to keep and continue using this gun. I will see if Mag Na Port will help but wanted to contact forum members to see if you all had suggestions to a smith who might help . me.As Ron White points out, "You can't fix stupid!". Thanks.
 

jgt

Buckeye
Joined
Jul 30, 2008
Messages
1,000
Location
coleman texas
If it was mine, I would take a fine tooth hacksaw blade and with a lot of patience and care cut the bullet in half at the barrel/cylinder gap using the blade only. Open the cylinder and remove the cartridges and cases left in the cylinder. Next I would try to tap the bullet/bullets back down the barrel using a hardwood dowel. If the dowel would not do the job, I would get some brass round stock and cut it long enough to use for the same job. Use a dead blow hammer or mallet rather than a steel hammer. Be patient and use plenty of penetrating oil when trying to remove the bullets. Your wood or brass dowel should fit the barrel size as much as possible. Caution, make sure the thickness of the hacksaw blade is not thicker than the barrel/cylinder gap. If that is the case, the blade will have to be thinned with a file or sandpaper until you can cut the bullet without damage to the barrel stub. Or you will have to find another type blade that will fit and still cut the bullet. If you have a jewelers supply shop where you live they may have blades or cutting tools in the size you need. I would check with them as a source at least. You have not said whether the bullet is jacketed or cast. If cast, it might be somewhat easier. There are a lot of ways to skin a cat so I am sure others have ways I have not covered. This is not the first time such a thing has happened. Good luck.
 
Joined
Dec 11, 2002
Messages
8,966
Location
Ohio , U.S.A.
I agree with the above, time and patience, but do'able', easy enough to find out just how many bullets may be in the there ( measure and do the math) other wise hard to say what to do or how to do it without actually "seeing" the gun, so as to "see" if there is bulging, damage to the barrel etc., then why waste your time....that is a common occurance with squib loads, and just enough in or out to block things up....surprised the "gunsmith" could not take care of it.....hhhmm
wish I had a nickle for every one we had come in the shop over the years :shock:

only one we could not do was a Dan wesson 8 inch barrel that came in back in the mid 70s that 7 lead bullets ,all in the barrel,,,yep , the guy even reloaded 8) :roll:
 

DHD

Single-Sixer
Joined
Sep 12, 2016
Messages
128
Location
Low Country South Carolina
Maybe i misunderstood your post, but is the revolver in Ruger's hands or still in yours? If you still have it, read on...

I'm not trying to disagree with anyone that's posted already, but lets take this from the beginning. No powder and at least one bullet is stuck from the ignition of the primer (I'll assume it's a jacketed bullet). It's a piece of cake to check if another bullet is in there by measuring (would you have pulled the trigger twice?). Use a decent lubricant (sizing lube seems like a good choice) down the barrel and all over the bullet you can see and don't be shy about it. Clamp that revolver in a vice protecting the finish as best you can (i use oak blocks in my vice for this reason) and using a "range rod" that fits the bore, drive the bullet back into the cylinder.

If there are two bullets, drive the one bridging the cylinder and barrel back into the cylinder, open the cylinder and then drive the second one out.

The range rod i have is stainless and I'll bush it in a couple places so it never touches the barrel. I've had to do this many moons ago and haven't made the mistake again!

I just don't understand how that tank of a revolver can be non repairable or the barrel being bulged when no powder was involved. Now if you stuck a bullet and sent a live round behind it, then yeah, maybe bulged.

This isn't a good situation, but hardly the end of a nice revolver that you've spent money customizing. Can you bugger the finish if you don't clamp it correctly? Yep, you can. Will the bullet (s) come out, yep, it will. You aren't gonna give it a choice! A heavier hammer will be better than a light one in driving the bullet out. You're not driving a 16dp nail, but you aren't tap tapping a pin either.

Maybe i just don't really understand the situation. No sarcasm is intended here.
 
Joined
Dec 1, 2007
Messages
2,703
Location
Texas
If you have thr gun, insert a rod down the barrel until it contacts a bullet, then mark the rod at the muzzle. Remove the rod and lay it alongside the barrel with the mark even with the muzzle. Look at where the other end of the rod is and measure the distance from the end of it to where the front end of an empty case in the cylinder would be. How many of the bullets you loaded in your handloads would fit in that space? You have that many (or fewer) bullets stuck in your gun. Based on this info we can better advise you as to how to proceed.
 

Hondo44

Hawkeye
Joined
Apr 3, 2009
Messages
8,041
Location
People's Republik of California
I suspect you have two bullets in the barrel. The 2nd bullet did the damage if the case was loaded with powder. No doubt the barrel was slightly bulged but possibly only in the forcing cone; the barrel is strongest where it threads into the frame (if you didn't see a barrel bulge on the outside of the barrel it can't be much if any!) and that's why Ruger won't fix it. Ruger never "fixes" anything, they only replace parts or the entire gun.

If only one bullet stuck, no damage to the barrel, or if the 2nd bullet was also a squib (but that's highly unlikely).

First you have to get the gun back from Ruger. They'll be reluctant to do that but they can't legally keep it. Just insist. If you accept a new gun, they'll only send it to your FFL dealer and you'll have to pay registration fees again.

Driving the bullet back out of the bullet is no different than slugging a barrel, a very common way to measure its bore and groove diameters; use a brass rod down the barrel, grasp the barrel in your left hand (you don't need a vise) and smack the rod with a mallet (as DHD said above until you can open the cyl). If you go too far, drive both bullets back into the case and then open the cyl. They go back in the case very easily! Use a hammer if you wish, but if you miss the rod, it can be hard on the front sight! A big mallet is best in that regard.

Even if the barrel is bulged, once you get the bullets out, it won't make any difference when you shoot it. Bulges never do and you won't even notice any difference in accuracy.

I too am also surprised at your gunsmith, they're usually experts at clearing bullets stuck in barrels.
 

woodsy

Blackhawk
Joined
Jan 5, 2012
Messages
958
Location
Seymour, CT
Seems like a lot of good advice here so far. What is the progress? Does Ruger have the Redhawk or not? Has the OP determined whether there is one or two bullets in the barrel? If just one bullet, then the cure is simple. (Not too happy about the thin saw solution; never found a saw blade of any kind which is just .006" thick).
 

jgt

Buckeye
Joined
Jul 30, 2008
Messages
1,000
Location
coleman texas
Yeah, well so far it is all speculation since we don't know how many bullets are in the barrel or if they are cast or jacketed. The best solution is if the bullet can be driven back into the cylinder. The cylinder still has the case inside. If the bullet goes into the case he is home free. If the bullet hangs up on the case mouth and starts to bulge instead, then the bullet will have to be cut. You can't remove the barrel without cutting the ejector rod which is much harder. That is why the gunsmith would not touch it.
 

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