Case stuck in chamber

[Pieter C. Voss]

Was practicing with CB loads in my SMLE MK I No.4--I planned to shoot it the next day in a 200yd HP match. At one point I had a round fail to fire--when I extracted the case the bullet (Lyman 314299) stuck in the rifling. No big deal--it came out easily when I dropped a short length of brass rod down the barrel from the muzzle. The primer looked to have a "light hit"--just slightly dented. After another 20-30 rounds I had another misfire--only this time I couldn't even lift the bolt handle. A couple guys offered to help and with them holding the rifle down I was able to turn the bolt by hitting the handle with a hammer--cushioned by a block of wood. But it seemed like I couldn't quite get it fully rotated to the unlocked limit and and I was afraid of doing some damage so I packed up and haven't tried any more vigorous methods to get it open. Note that with both of these misfires there was only a "click" and the first one did spill powder when I extracted the empty case. I am very careful when loading and check my loads by dropping a pencil into the charged cases to ensure they are properly charged. I was thinking that squirting some Kroil down the bore and letting it seep into the chamber might loosen the stuck case, or would the bullet be an effective plug if it is jammed into the rifling even just slightly? I can't figure how this case could be jammed if the round misfired. I had a double charge once in my '03 Springfield--bolt was fairly easily opened with the help of a short length of 2X4. Since then I've been very diligent about checking my charged cases.

[waksupi]

I'm not real familiar with that rifle, but it almost sounds like a broken firing pin.

[JIMinPHX]

I'm not really understanding how your gun is jammed up.

In cases involving a piece of cartridge brass that was stuck in a chamber after being fired, I've had some luck with soaking the receiver in dry ice for about half an hour & then knocking out the stuck case. Brass shrinks up about twice as much as steel with the same change in temperature.

I'm not sure if that is going to help you here or not.

[deltaenterprizes]

Be very careful with removing a live round form the chamber. It would have been better to have removed the bolt on the range and remove the loaded round later, but that is hindsight. You still need to remove the bolt and I would soak the receiver in a bucket of WD-40 or diesel for a few days to try to kill the powder and primer before attempting to remove the bolt.
Always be aware of where you are standing so if the round fires during bolt removal you or any other person is not of the path of a flying bolt or a bullet exiting the muzzle.
Did you check your cases to make sure they were sized properly before loading your ammo? I mixes some unsized brass and bad primers and had similar problems.

[John Taylor]

Had another gunsmith tell me a story like this. He had a stuck bullet near the chamber so he loaded a cartridge with black powder thinking it would shoot the bullet out. It went click and he could not open the bolt. He put the rifle in a rifle vice and using a soft hammer, beat the bolt open. As soon as the bolt unlocked it flew back and the case went flying across the room. Seems it held all that pressure with no leakage till the bolt was released.
Be very careful when opening the bolt.

[Molly]

Had another gunsmith tell me a story like this. He had a stuck bullet near the chamber so he loaded a cartridge with black powder thinking it would shoot the bullet out. It went click and he could not open the bolt. He put the rifle in a rifle vice and using a soft hammer, beat the bolt open. As soon as the bolt unlocked it flew back and the case went flying across the room. Seems it held all that pressure with no leakage till the bolt was released.
Be very careful when opening the bolt.

+1 on what John said. I've also had such experiences. My instances were all with what seemed like light loads, and jacketed bullets seem particularly prone to do it, due to their much higher resistance. You get a 'click' and nothng else until you force the bolt open. Then you get the "POW" as the bolt is thrown back with enough force to perhaps break a finger or two. Be bloody sure you aren't behind it whan that happens. So far, none of my bolts have exited the action, but they wouldn't do your face or eyes any favors if you happened to have the gun at your shoulder. And the bullet is generally remarkably difficult to remove. I've had to actually weld a bit to a rod and drilll one of them out.

[Larry Gibson]

Pieter C. Voss

What is the powder and charge?

Larry Gibson

[Pieter C. Voss]

The load was the Ed Harris-recommended 16g 2400 behind the 200g 314299 (sized 314). I haven't tried any vigorous methods here at home and will wait until I get back to the range to do so. I can't take a chance that the round might go off at home--I keep a very low profile as a gunowner and shooter in this very liberal community and want to keep it that way. A fellow shooter (and excellent gunsmith) friend thinks it must be some kind of debris--powder or possibly a spent primer that is jamming the bolt in the locking lugs.

[Molly]

...A fellow shooter (and excellent gunsmith) friend thinks it must be some kind of debris--powder or possibly a spent primer that is jamming the bolt in the locking lugs.

I can't envision a sequence of events that would enable you to close the bolt so easily, but put up such resistance to opening it again - except for the event that the case entered easily because it was not pressurized, but subsequent pressurization by attempting to fire it could force the walls of the case against the chamber with a great deal of force - which would make it highly resistant to movement.

Recall some of the early work with machine guns and autoloading rifles. It was by no means unknown for them to eject only the head of a case, because the unlocking and extraction began too soon, while the forward walls of the case were still pressed tightly against the chamber because the pressure had not had time to drop enough for the case to contract slightly and become free from the walls. Some current designs still suffer from the problem, and actually have fluted chambers so that the presure of the round can get between the case and the chamber to help free them.

As further evidence, I might point out the once-great popularity of 'stuck case removers', which are so seldom seen today.

[Artful]

Pieter did you remove the lube from the case after you reloaded the case?

[MtGun44]

Recock the striker before you lift the bolt.

Bill

[Pieter C. Voss]

Bill--you called it. I went back to the range yesterday and did just that. The bolt opened quite normally but a guy watching me just he saw something fall out of the action. I picked up a small fragment of metal (looks to be steel) about the size of a grain of rice. For the life of me I can't figure where it came from--the gun seems fine in every way. I shot it again today and again had a misfire--one lightly indented primer in 50 rounds. One possibility is old caked grease inside the bolt--that was the problem I had with a misfiring 1917 Enfield. The SMLE requires a special tool for bolt disassembly-I'll have to get one. Probably Numrich will have it. Thanks, Pete

[303Guy]

That 'grain of rice' came from the bolt. It's the half-cock bolt locking 'lug' that holds the bolt locked when in the half-cock position. It can be broken off when it gets engaged without one realizing it. Somehow your rifle must have gotten into the half-cock and that was the 'jammed case' you experienced.

http://i388.photobucket.com/albums/oo327/303Guy/MVC-321F_edited-1.jpg

Mine above would likely have been something like that.

[Pieter C. Voss]

Yes--the area at the rear of my bolt looks just about like the picture you sent, 303. Is it necessary to buy a new bolt? The gun functions fine the way it is. Is there an issue with safety? Also, is the bolt takedown tool a common item? I really ought to have one. Thanks, Pete

[303Guy]

I use mine just as it is. It's useful if one wants to carry a round in the chamber with the the rifle in a 'safe' mode. One of my rifles will fire from the half-cock but usually they won't. (Safeties get bumped into the fire position). It locks the bolt closed and supposedly the trigger as well. I think it was deemed a dangerous practice to carry a rifle with round chambered and on half-cock. I use the bolt handle up for safety and then only to make the gun safe is the shot is not taken or approaching expected game. (Not safe with cocking-on-opening designs - the bolt handle can get bumped down into the closed position. Not so with the Lee Enfield).

I made a bolt take-down tool. Well, firingpin tool, anyway. I have no idea of their availability.

[WILCO]

That 'grain of rice' came from the bolt. It's the half-cock bolt locking 'lug' that holds the bolt locked when in the half-cock position.



I just learned something new. Thanks. [smilie=s:

[Pieter C. Voss]

Thanks, 303--I also made a bolt takedown/firing pin tool using a 1/8 X 3" brass pipe nipple. It's a piece of brass tubing about 3/8" in diameter and with a hacksaw and file I shaped one end to fit the recesses in the firing pin "collar" (my term). It's a smaller version of a similar tool used for forend disassembly on a Remington 870 shotgun. Was about to order a stripped bolt from Numrich for $23 but now I won't bother. Pete

[MtGun44]

Knew what it was right off, had a similar thing happen to me years ago.

Tool is easy to make from a piece of 3/8" diam tube and a file to make two
ears that will fit in the slot on the firing pin spring collar. May need a new
firing pin spring, too.

Bill