During last week's range trip to get my butt kicked shooting cast boolits, I brought along the Marlin 25-20 to fire off some of the loads I have containing Speer 75 grain flatnoses. This has been a good bullet in this rifle, and my cast boolit work with this critter has centered around meeting or exceeding its accuracy shown with the Speers.
During the firing string, I heard a funny report and didn't see a berm impact. Hold everything. I lowered the lever and pulled the bolt, and sure enough--there's an obstructed bore. I set the rifle aside for later attention at home. Upon closer exam, the bullet was found to be about 3" forward of the boltface, classic position for a cartridge fired minus powder.
I've stuck a couple cast boolits in bores in the past, one each in a revolver and a rifle. No big thing--a close-fitting rod or wooden dowel drives them out without too much effort. NOT SO with this j-word critter--it refused to budge when pounded upon by the drive rod and a 15 oz hammer. Drive rod was a length of 7/32" music wire with a wrap of shipping tape.
Discussion was had with Buckshot, and he suggested penetrating oil like Break-Free CLP onto the bullet base, soaked for a time with muzzle down. Two hours later--no joy. Same story after an overnight soak. I ran this scenario past some guys on the chat room here, and got a few more ideas.
WHAT WORKED--Break-Free CLP on both ends of the bullet, heated the barrel area with a blow-dryer, and 2.5# cross-pin hammer. About 10 moderate whacks got the thing moving, and it came out pretty readily after that. I believe the heat exposure caused the penetrating oil to permeate the barrel wall/bullet jacket lodge area more readily, and the heavier driving element likely helped.
OPINIONS/CONCLUSIONS--This ammo was loaded on my Ponsness-Warren semi-progressive machine, and I have no doubt that the problem was no powder--caused either by failure to pour same on my part or bridged powder in the measure. The latter cause seems unlikely--the powder was IMR-4198, which runs very well through my RCBS Duo-Measure. So--operator headspace is the culprit. The time saved by use of the "faster" semi-progressive machine got used trying to dislodge this bullet, in other words. THANKFULLY, I was paying attention while firing, and didn't send another one down the barrel to meet the lodged bullet. At miminum, that would have "goose-egged" the barrel, and potentially cause injury.
Loading blocks exist for a very good reason.
To conclude, considering the force required to dislodge this stuck bullet, the power of a small rifle primer is pretty surprising. So too is the power produced by even a weak little caliber like the 25-20. A pretty good wake-up call for yours truly, and a reminder of the forces we are harnessing as we assemble and fire our loads.