Yep, this has happened to me today. Calibre is .22/250 and the round is a reload from a batch which has been chambering and shooting beautifully. I'm just going through the rest of my loaded rounds measuring case diameter at the shoulder and above the rim to test for compliance with spec.

The case had been neck sized, reloaded not more than twice. So far, we're barrel off, action off, primer removed, case base drilled out. We'd tried to push it out with a cleaning rod from the muzzle and have succeded in pushing the bullet into the case with a spear-tipped jag (which has stayed with it). Next step will be the stuck case remover and utnil we've got the evidence in the hand, it begs the question - why?

Symptoms had been stiffness when chambering the round (resulting in an immediate decision not to try to shoot it) and extreme difficulty locking the bolt and withdrawing it.

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tikka 3 barrels

For whatever reason, the case is just too big for the chamber. This could be from any number of causes: case shoulder bulged when crimping, brass too long, previously fired with high pressure load which bulged head area, brass accidentally fired in another gun, etc, etc.

As you have found, a modern bolt action has a great deal more ability to "swage" an oversized round into the chamber than to pull one back out.

Hate to say it, but probably if you HAD fired the round, the empty case would have extracted fairly easily. HOWEVER, I wouldn't have fired it either and don't blame you for your decision not to.

Hope everything goes back together okay.

[This message has been edited by Stonecreek (edited 01-31-2002).]

Put your gun in a freezer for awhile...or if your temps are the same as mine (20 below) leave it outside for awhile.

The case will contract faster than the metal...and you should be able to get it out very easily...

I think riciardelli is on to something... might try pouring a little liquid nitrogen into the cartridge case... should have a few seconds after it hits, where the brass shrinks enough to pop out.

Did you trim the necks? If the case OAL is too long it could get stuck.

Pete

This happend to me too. The cause was feeding fired neck sized reloads into a ecentric chamber. IE bad workmanship (thank you Medwell & Perrett).

I got it out by squirting a load of WD40 down the barrel then tapping out with a cleaning rod and a four pound hammer.

Good luck and let us know the outcome. Assuming you live!

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Regards

Richard

I'm curious. How did you remove the primer?

Thanks for the replies so far, in answer to which:

1 It isn't so cold here in East Anglia that a spell outdoors would cause differential contraction between chamber and case. Only the ingress of rainwater!

2 The case had been reloaded previously, neck sized and trimmed to oal.

3 The primer came out using needle nosed pliers. I didn't see the workmanship leading up to it but this was with the action off, a spear-tipped jag stuck in the case mouth, or wedged twixt bullet and case wall, the bullet having already been tapped into the case. We'd drilled a pilot hole in the side of the case just above the rim and I suspect a sharp, pointy thing was used as a lever against the side of the primer to ease it backwards.

4 The Remains of the case are stuck where they are for a fortnight now whilst the riflesmith is away on business - drat for me!

5 The only chance I had to decide to pull the trigger was before I started to push the cleaning rod in from the muzzle.

6 I've now measured all my loaded and recently shot .22/250 cases and none are out of spec for diameter at the shoulder or above the rim. Some are right on the spec, but none are out of it.

Does this suggest that all cases should be full length sized occasionally?

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tikka 3 barrels

Pete,

Get your sick puppy to the Vet (gunsmith). The more you hammer on things down the bore the more likely you are to dammage chamber, throte, or barrel rifeling.

Been there, done that.. got a 243 case mixed in with 22-250. Now I remove my firing pin to check cases so I can really feel how tight they are chambering. OR, I use a L.E. Wilson case gauge on loaded rounds. Cheap $10 for the hassel your going through.

Shoot safe,
Mike

Pete, in a .22-250, it probably is best to full-length resize after firing each full load. It also is critical to check the length of each case to catch the stretching (lengthening) with is the first warning that the brass is about ready to retire.

Unless you have a spare eyeball, this is the cheapest way of staying safe and, protecting your rifle....
Paladin

Just a thought, it might have picked up some debris on the case before chambering. I was with a friend who had a 6mm, he chambered a round that had grit on it from hitting the ground, we like to never have got it out.

Good luck and good shooting

PETE,
I'm curious as to the make and type of die you are using. If you are attempting to neck size with a full length sizeing die, this could be the cause of your problem. Unless a full length sizeing is screwed up high enough so that the die doesnot touch the case body at all, what your actually doing is called partial resizeing. If the die touches the case body it will reduce case size at that point only. Below that point, the case will actually enlarge. This enlargement will cause the problem you're having. DO NOT pore anything down your barrel that you donot use to prevent rusting. A wood dowel that just enters your bore, and is long enough to reach the case and still stick out the muzzle can be tapped lightly until the case is dislodged. DONOT use a metal rod other than a brass rod. As you tap the rod is will move against the rifleings and peen them. anything harder than brass will affect the lands. If the head of the case is gone but the case body is still lodged in place, take it to a good gunsmith. Perhaps a stuck case remover will do the job. If not it may be necessary to pull the barrel and usa chambering reamer to cut it out. I hope that this is of some help. GOOD LUCK.

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BigBob

H.. I wonder and worry in case Bigbob has it here:

"If you are attempting to neck size with a full length sizeing die, this could be the cause of your problem. Unless a full length sizeing is screwed up high enough so that the die does not touch the case body at all, what your actually doing is called partial resizeing. If the die touches the case body it will reduce case size at that point only. Below that point, the case will actually enlarge."

That is how I've been reloading this calibre which is why I wonder if he's right.

I worry because it seems to be a widely-used method, often recommended here.

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tikka 3 barrels

Pete,

Still can't quite picture how you managed to get the primer out...I guess it was while the barrel was off??

Is the base of the cartridge still complete?
Is the powder still in the case?

Ok, this is what I would be tempted to do...
Firstly I'm assuming you have a powder filled unprimed case stuck in the chamber.. I would inject some water into the case so prevent any acciendents. I would then drill the primer pocket at a low speed with a hand drill again playing some water on the case...
Once the hole was complete I would try to thread the case to accept some sort of "pull hammer" or any other similar means you can devise....If the case head is off, or even via the drilled out primer hole, I would be tempted to introduce a brass rod from that end and try knocking the bullet back into the bore a little way...This may give some room for the case to "relax" as you try to pull it out...Qualified gunsmith reading this are probably rolling there eyes at these suggestions and at the end of the day, it is probably best for you to take it to such a smith....but that is how I would try to sort things....I have a seperated case extractor for a .308...I very much doubt this would get enough bite to extract a case stuck like yours....

Off topic, but just to bring this to anyone's attention: a number of people have lost body parts and worse from trying to tap loaded rounds out of a chamber. I suppose the risk is low, but why take any? FWIW, Dutch.

Pete,
I had this happen with my 9.3x64 when I was trying to make brass from .458 cases. The bolt was difficult to close(and yes, I had turned off the belts). I fired the round without incident and upon opening the bolt, part of the rim was stripped off. I used a shotgun cleaning rod to safely remove the stuck case. Cobalt

I'll repeate the unanswered question - HOW DID YOU GET THE PRIMER OUT OF A LOADED CARTRIDGE THAT WAS STUCK IN THE BARREL ????

Okay, answers to questions:

"Still can't quite picture how you managed to get the primer out...I guess it was while the barrel was off??"

Yes, action off and barrel in a proper barrel clamp. Drilled small hole in the side of the case in the indented bit just above the rim. Water squirted into case. Small pointy thing pushed through the hole and gentle pressure applied to the front edge of the primer easing it just far enough backwards and out to enable pliers to be applied to the primer body.

"Is the base of the cartridge still complete?
Is the powder still in the case?"

The rim is intact. The primer pocket first and then the remaining base was drilled out. The powder is now out. There may be a little bit still in.

"Ok, this is what I would be tempted to do..."

The highly qualified gunsmith who's helping me is trying to get the case out intact, partly I guess out of professional pride, partly out of a desire to have enough of it intact so as to see what caused the problem in the first place, and partly to keep himself from applying "blacksmith" engineering" techniques - at least while I'm in the shop! I'd be trying to wreck the case in situ, causing it to collapse in on itself and then drag it out with the mole grips!

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tikka 3 barrels

Well, the case is out!

Verdict seems to be a combination of neck sizing with f/l dies and an amount of dirt between the case and the chamber wall. There were no signs of case failure, just lots of friction.

Now with a newly polished chamber, I think I may just pull all of my "neck sized" rounds and reload into f/l sized brass.

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tikka 3 barrels

Pete,

How did you get the case out in the end?

Pete

Oh and I should have said...

a big thanks to Riflecraft of England for getting me out of this hole!

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tikka 3 barrels

How did they get it out? By tapping a thread into the base of the case and screwing in a length of threaded bolt, simply to give more leverage.

Here's a thing. The case is completely uneven in thickness around the circumference just above the base.

I've just cycled all my loaded varmint rounds and selected 15 ex 50 to pull and resize on the basis of bolt pressure. I know these to be one batch and I'm fairly satisfied that my neck sizing technique was to blame so either I get a Lee collet die for the future or a Redding body bump die to knock all my shoulders back, or I persist with the Lee f/l die, using it at full length, or I try the recently acquired RCBS competition die.

Now to check my target rounds....

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tikka 3 barrels

Pete,

Sure glad you managed to get it out...what sort of action was it? I'm just wondering if the extra extraction force of a Mauser style action would have solved this???

As to the N/S ~V~ FL/S, I think for a hunting bullet I would stick with FL sized cases for the extra reliability. I have noticed that somepeople (myself included) who necksize only sometimes have problems chambring a round...I changed to FL/S after such a failure to chamre cost me a shooting test on my NSCC a few years back.

Pete

I neck size my .22-250's but after about 10 firings, I find the bolt gets more difficult to close. Then, it's time for a FL sizing before going back to neck sizing.

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Andr�

It's a Tikka M55 action.

I've just run 50 varmint rounds and 50 target rounds through and have pulled 15 of the V-Max and 5 of the target rounds. None of these will have ben through more than 4 times and all are either my own ex-factory rounds or bought-in once fired and f/l sized by me. I'm confident that the problem lies with the partial resizing.

As soon as the weather holds I can re-zero the rifle and get back onto the foxes with it

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tikka 3 barrels

For what it's worth, there is also a spray available that freezes things. My wife brought some home to remove gum from material, and when I saw it, hmmmm, the light (admittedly rather dim)went on. That also would allow you to shrink the case just enough to get it out. - Dan