slugging a rifle barrel

[weeple2000]

I managed to do this with a 45 acp, so I thought a rifle wouldn't be much different. I have some range lead about BHN 9-10 as per the pencil test. I cast some Lee C309-200-R bullets. I lubed one of them with gun oil. I used a 1/4" brass rod and tried to get the bullet through my barrel. I thought it would get easier if I could get the barrel fully into the rifling. I am not sure that I made it past the lands. I tried holding the rod with my hand and tapping it. I also tried hitting it with a hammer. I was pretty persistent trying to drive the bullet through without making much progress. Now I have decided to give up, and drive the bullet back out the lands. I don't feel like I am getting anywhere. Is there anything I can do to make this easier on myself? Will introducing some oil into the barrel help? Any other ideas?

I shouldn't have done this before hunting but it was an itch I felt I had to scratch.

[Gtek]

Yes, lubing the bore makes life much easier. Pushing oiled boolit through throat probably wipes all the lubrication off exterior, pure lead will also make your life easier. Another thing I have done is use a gas check, solder it with cup over rod end centered. Also after soldering with propane it has annealed cup for easier push and the smaller diameter rod will not try to expand tail increasing friction. You can also take an old case and push primer and drill 1/4" hole, five cent bore guide.

[weeple2000]

Any idea how I can get the bullet out of my bore? It is stuck.

[Hannibal]

Most likely what has happened at this point is the bullet has obturated due to your 1/4" rod penetrating the base of the bullet. It's going to be stuck in there pretty well most likely. Your best bet is to use a gas check as mentioned above and you'd be much better off with a rod closer to .300" in diameter. Get the check firmly seated against the bullet nose from the muzzle end and a sharp blow from a large hammer should dislodge it. *** Do NOT beat on it repeatedly ***. If it does not dislodge with one or two sharp blows, stop and get some gunsmith help.

* Be careful that you don't damage your bore at the muzzle or at the point where the bullet nose is. *

You may have to resort to drill rod with wraps of masking tape every 1" or so along the length as brass rod may deflect too much when you strike it with a hammer. Again, pay careful attention so that you don't damage your bore/ crown. Make sure tape is protecting the bore at the muzzle in particular.

Good luck, be careful.

ETA - in the future I'd use dead soft lead and a gas check from the git-go. 9-10 BHN is too difficult to get a well formed slug and much easier to get stuck in the bore, based upon personal experience.

[weeple2000]

So I should put the gas check down the front of the barrel, onto the nose of the bullet?

[Texas by God]

What kind of rifle? Gtek's advice is spot on. A close fitting solid rod and a hammer should do it.

[weeple2000]

should i solder the gas check to the rod? or fill the gas check with solder?

[weeple2000]

Rifle is a Ruger American 30-06.

[weeple2000]

I am not sure how much closer I can get to 308 besides 1/4".

[Hannibal]

Correct. Carefully start it down the bore from the muzzle end. Use a short drift punch or piece of metal rod close to bore size, but NOT over bore size or you'll make a mess of your bore. The check needs to go in perpendicular to the bore and square or instead of helping, it will cause more trouble by getting your rod off center and up tight against your bore. That will easily result in damage. The idea is to use the gas check to act like a 'cup' and keep your rod centered in the bore and more evenly distribute the striking force.

[Hannibal]

I am not sure how much closer I can get to 308 besides 1/4".

Yeah, you'd probably have to order drill rod. Might be better off involving a 'smith if it gets to that point unless you feel obligated to see this completely through yourself for whatever personal reasons.

[Hannibal]

should i solder the gas check to the rod? or fill the gas check with solder?

I never do. If you get it started square, the sides of the check will naturally act like a 'cup' to keep your rod centered.

[weeple2000]

Am I going to be able to either find a rod with a closer diameter locally or a short drift punch set? I am looking at menards, home depot, and harbor freight and coming up short.

[weeple2000]

9/32 would be closer to .308 than 1/4" but that is a very unusual size. Otherwise it would have to be 19/64.

[Hannibal]

Am I going to be able to either find a rod with a closer diameter locally or a short drift punch set? I am looking at menards, home depot, and harbor freight and coming up short.

If your decent with hand tools and your brass rod is long enough, you can cut 3" or so of it off and try to use that to get the check started. Just keep in mind keeping it parallel and square to the bore is important.

ETA - unless there is a really 'olde-skool' hardware store nearby, you'd probably have to order from someone like McMaster-Carr.

[weeple2000]

I am wondering if I would be better off taking it to a smith. I would like to get this figured out myself but I don't want to make things worse.

[Hannibal]

I am wondering if I would be better off taking it to a smith. I would like to get this figured out myself but I don't want to make things worse.

Yeah, obviously I don't know you or what kind of skills/background you have. I'd say that's a call only you can make.

[Hannibal]

Yeah, obviously I don't know you or what kind of skills/background you have. I'd say that's a call only you can make.

Driving objects down a barrel with a rod and hammer still makes me nervous, and I've done it quite a bit. Unexpected problems can and do crop up occasionally.

[weeple2000]

I have an angle grinder and a hack saw, I think I can use that to get my brass rod cut and pretty square.

[Oily]

When you get your rod assembled and ready to go you can invert a can of air like you use to blow dust off you computer and stick the nozzle into your chamber and freeze the boolit and then it will usually drive out easily. You must make sure you oil the receiver and chamber after using canned air as it can cause rust.