I fired a win 223 55 gr round through my Ruger America bolt action (223) and the bolt would not open . I finally forced it open with some soft tapping in the bolt w a rubber hammer. But now it seems as though the shell is still in the gun . I tried using my gun cleaning rod to no avail. Any suggestions on how to free it up?
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Help Ruger amer 223 barrel plugged
- Thread starter Hot Shot
- Start date
Spray some penetrating oil down the barrel and let it sit over night, then drive the case out with a metal rod.
After soaking all night your cleaning rod will likely push it out if you don't have brass, since very few would have a brass rod small enough for a 22 cal
After soaking all night your cleaning rod will likely push it out if you don't have brass, since very few would have a brass rod small enough for a 22 cal
That was answered in the first two words of the OPDid it fire or not?
"That was answered in the first two words of the OP"
Well, EXCUSE ME!!
Those words do not indicate whether the bullet exited the barrel. In addition, I wanted to qualify my suggestion of case removal by asking for verification that there wasn't a loaded round in the chamber.
Removing the case by "pushing" may not work. Standing the rifle on it's butt and forcefully propelling the cleaning rod downward is more likely to "pop" the case loose than simply pushing and less likely to bend the rod.
Well, EXCUSE ME!!
Those words do not indicate whether the bullet exited the barrel. In addition, I wanted to qualify my suggestion of case removal by asking for verification that there wasn't a loaded round in the chamber.
Removing the case by "pushing" may not work. Standing the rifle on it's butt and forcefully propelling the cleaning rod downward is more likely to "pop" the case loose than simply pushing and less likely to bend the rod.
FrankenMauser
New member
Wooden dowel.
NO!
Wood easily splits or shatters, and then the broken ends act against each other as wedges. So, besides the stuck bullet and/or case, now you have a dowel stuck in the bore.
To make matters worse, this is .22 caliber. That means the most commonly available wooden dowel size that will fit is 3/16" (0.187").
A 3/16" dowel will crap all over your world, if you try to force an obstruction or a stuck case out.
The larger the dowel size that you can use, the lower the odds of breakage. However, .22 caliber is pretty much all the way at the other end of the spectrum. It's about as small as you can go, before the "dowel" is a toothpick. DO NOT use a wooden dowel to push an obstruction or stuck case out of a .22 caliber barrel.
Most people have steel cleaning rods. They work, but are not recommended.
Brass rod (360 or harder) works well, but most people don't have them just 'lying around'.
Nylon may work, as long as it is clean* and you're using the rod's weight more than forcing it. Most people don't have nylon rods handy.
I, personally, use O-1 steel drill rod. Sized properly, or purchased undersized and given a wrap of electrical tape to prevent contact with the barrel, it won't damage the crown or lands.
Depending upon where you buy it, lengths are available from 3" to 96", in number, letter, metric, and decimal (non-standard) sizes. You can get pretty much any diameter, within +/-0.003", in 3-foot and/or 4-foot lengths for less than a cheap, ill-fitting, steel cleaning rod.
If you do buy a piece of drill rod, file any burrs off of the ends before use. And if you EVER tap one end with a hammer, mark it so that that end never goes into a barrel again. (I put a big wrap of electrical tape around it, and mark that end with red paint.)
I do a lot of "experimenting" with hand loads, and non-standard loads, so I keep at least one piece of drill rod (at least 30" long) for every bore size that I own, except .475 caliber. To me, they're worth their weight in gold. Often, the weight of the rod is enough to break a bullet free and push it out of the bore - especially if I oil the barrel first.
(.22 cal [3 sizes], .24 cal [2 sizes], .27 cal, .30 cal [2 sizes], .32 cal [2 sizes, plus the .30 cal], .35 cal, .44 cal [2 sizes], and .45 cal -- I just haven't gotten around to ordering the rod for the .475.)
If you don't want to buy a piece of quality rod (brass rod, drill rod, whatever) for this one fix, then just let a gunsmith take care of it.
DO NOT try to push barrel obstructions out with wooden dowels.
Many people do it, and many people recommend it. But, eventually, you WILL have a dowel shatter and get stuck in the bore.
Something to think about: When was the last time that you had a gunsmith recommend using a wooden dowel?
I used to use dowels. ...There's a very good reason that I went to O-1 drill rod. It involved a stuck lead slug, a dowel (cut into 6" sections), and the month that it took me to pick the wood splinters out. ...And then I still had a stuck lead slug to get out.
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FrankenMauser's NO! isn't big enough. No wood. No how. No way. "Will crap all over your world" is being polite too. A 3/16" dowel(that isn't a dowel anyway) will break just thinking about it.
Use mild steel or brass and a plastic mallet. Rubber is probably too soft. Even steel or brass 3/16" diameter in not terribly strong, so don't bash it. Tap.
Use mild steel or brass and a plastic mallet. Rubber is probably too soft. Even steel or brass 3/16" diameter in not terribly strong, so don't bash it. Tap.
FrankenMauser
New member
I shudder thinking about it.Franken-I have never forgotten the picture you posted showing what you had to do to get a wooden dowel removed...
A picture is worth a thousand words and that one has probably kept me out of trouble a couple of times.
Thanks again for posting your advice.
I'd post the photo in this thread, but I don't think it's necessary. ...And it always starts debates that get the thread locked.
I do admit, though.... It was probably a better option to melt the lead out of that bore and then have the front sight re-silver-soldered, than to do what I did.
Thanks to all, especially Snyper, the penetrating oil worked with the help of a brass cleaning rod with a couple of taps with a small hammer.
But now my Ruger won't eject spent casings I am using the cleaning rod with each shot. The shells are coming out easily but only with the help of the cleaning rod.
Can I fix it or do I need a gunsmith? The gun is only a little over one year old
But now my Ruger won't eject spent casings I am using the cleaning rod with each shot. The shells are coming out easily but only with the help of the cleaning rod.
Can I fix it or do I need a gunsmith? The gun is only a little over one year old
Check the extractor, and maybe polish the chamber with a tight patch and some Flitz metal polish
Also clean the bolt well to make sure some dirt or debris isn't preventing the extractor from moving freely
If the extractor is broken, contact Ruger and it's 99.9% certain they will repair it at no cost to you, and all you'd have to do is send them the bolt
Also clean the bolt well to make sure some dirt or debris isn't preventing the extractor from moving freely
If the extractor is broken, contact Ruger and it's 99.9% certain they will repair it at no cost to you, and all you'd have to do is send them the bolt