I need HELP with a stuck slug

[fiatmom]

I was slugging a barrel to measure the groove diameter using a soft lead bullet. The slug made it in about 9 inches before it got stuck. The rod started to squeeze into the bullet, now it is stuck and even hammering the rod it will not move. I really don't want to use a drill but I may have to.

[JSnover]

You can try soaking the bore in Kroil. Or heating it, or both.
Drilling it out is safe if you wrap the drill to keep it off the lands. With large calibers it might be possible to use a piece of tubing to protect the barrel while you drill.

[Davy Sprocket]

Don't feel too bad I did that with cerrosafe. Found out that it was a real PITA and costly for my gunsmith to drill it out.

[imashooter2]

What caliber bore and what diameter rod?

A rod of near bore size shouldn't dig into the boolit. Get a brass rod as close to bore diameter as possible, use short blows with a heavy hammer and drive the slug out. If possible, start from the opposite end that you stuck it from and back it out.

Some good rod available here:
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00CNLVRM4/ref=biss_dp_sa1

[pworley1]

I have used a piece of straight wall brass that is small enough to fit in the bore and a dowel small enough to fit in the brass with this problem with larger calibers.

[frkelly74]

Are you near cocoa Florida?

[erdyalx]

Put the firearm in the freezer overnight. This will make it much easier to remove.

[Springfield]

Do not use oil/Kroil and THEN try and heat it up, at least not with a propane torch. The oil might ignite and shoot the rod out of the barrel and stick in the ceiling. Don't ask how I know! Been 40 years since then and I still remember it well.

[bangerjim]

Brass rod slightly under barrel bore size. GOOD penetrating oil. ATF & Acetone for a home brew mix works most times. You do NOT want to use a rod too small or your will just flair the lead out even more and stick it REEEEEEL good!

Drilling is for a gun shop. If you use a standard drill in just a handheld power drill, you better plan on ordering a new barrel! Flutes will eat into your rifling. Only way to prevent that is brass tubing slipped over the drill, leaving just the end exposed to dig into the lead. And do it in a lathe or a GOOD drill press.

[Ballistics in Scotland]

In that case you ought to use brass tubing. It should be fine if the slug is near enough one end to find a long enough drill. If the resulting lead tube doesn't come out by striking with a brass rod, file the end to a point where its edge currently is, and it will collapse the lead tube from one side.

Actually there are few barrels that will be damaged by enough heat to melt or at least soften lead. It can certainly be done with cerrosafe.

[fiatmom]

Thank you for your help. I tried a rod that just fit the bore on the 6.5. It would not move the slug, it became embedded into the bore, I ended up drilling it out with a electrical taped long drill bit. The lead mostly came out but is still stuck to the walls of the bore. I am now scrubbing with a brass brush. Boy will it be clean. Next time I will use a smaller piece and perhaps harder lead.

[imashooter2]

Slug bores with the softest lead you can find.

[big bore 99]

Could have maybe used a diameter close to bore size with shorter pieces of rod, tap 1 in after the other. Won't flex too much.

[shoot-n-lead]

Just stop at Lowe's and get a steel rod the right size...wrap it very good with duct tape...slide it down to the bullet and knock it out. I have a rod like this that I made years ago, have used it successfully for myself...clears a stuck bullet in no time, without damage to anything. It costs $3 and works every time.

You can probably put the gun in a vise and use Vise-Grips to the rod out of the bullet.

This is actually my slugging rod...no stuck bullets.

Sorry pic, but you get the idea...

Attachment 139705

[fouronesix]

Have mercy, this problem comes up often!

Clean the bore before slugging. Lubricate bore. Use soft lead. Use a one piece steel rod stiff enough (large enough diameter) to minimize flexing. You can cap the end of the rod with something like a brass cap or pistol case. Wrap the rod with tape every so often. It's easier and handier to start the slug with a brass punch. Use a fairly heavy hammer or mallet.

[Pinsnscrews]

I bought a roll of the Harbor Freight Heat Shrink wrap and wrapped my slugging rods with it. Makes a nice tight fit to the rod that is rather tough to nick.