1/2 case stuck in chamber

[Catch]

I have a repo 1866 brass frame Winchester in 44 WCF. Shooting it this afternoon and all of a sudden the next round would not chamber. The previous fired case had separated about 1/2 in from the rear leaving the foward half in the chamber. I tried pushing it out from the front with a tight patch, but to no avail. Help! Any ideas or suggestions on how to get it out would be appreciated. For once I stopped messing with it until a get a reasonable way to remove it without damaging the chamber. I suppose a broken shell extractor might do it if they make one for a 44-40. Thanks in advance for your help cause I need it in case the indians attack. I have had this rifle for 20 + years and never had this happen before. The load was moderate with 9 grains of Unique and a 200 grain cast slug. Thanks again:veryconfu

[ilcop22]

Boom:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bDYx5-1AZdk

Edit: Rotometals has a great price on chamber casting alloy (cerrosafe): http://www.rotometals.com/product-p/chamber_casting_alloy_1_pound.htm

[Artful]

Brass brush method has never failed me - just shove your 44 brush up until about half the brush is beyond where the neck is and pull backwards.

[brstevns]

I have pushed out brass by going up one size on the brass brush and pushing it out from the muzzle using a cleaning rod. Try a 45 cal brush on your cleaning rod and see, I bet it will work for you. Brush catches on the case neck and is pushed on out.

[waksupi]

This method was showed me many years ago by Tony Lageose, when I had a separation in one for my first Sharps.
Close the action. Begin putting small pieces of paper towel down the muzzle. Tamp each piece solidly together at the breech face, and keep adding. THIS MUST BE PACKED TIGHT! Continue until the paper extends at least a couple inches in front of the chamber. Open the action, and give your rod a good smack at the muzzle end.

[Longwood]

The proper sized tap or broken bolt extractor with a "T" handle brazed or welded on will work.
Underline the word Proper.

[Wayne Smith]

I had the same problem with my Uberti 73 in 44-40. I got a short plug bolt that fits on an allen wrench (11/16? - I'm at work and don't have it at hand). I got one that just fit the neck. I filed a couple of grooves in the threads, turned it in tight, tapped on a cleaning rod and the whole thing came out. I did put Kroil in it several days earlier and tried using a brush. Didn't work, but the Kroil did have some days to work.

Larry's idea with the cerrosafe is easy in a bolt or a single shot, somewhat more challenging in the closer confines of a lever action.

[AkMike]

Fill the chamber with Cerrosafe just like doing a chamber casting. Then just tap it out without any damage.

[Catch]

Thanks for the ideas..... I finally had an idea of my own. I took a fired case, sized it, crimped it with a slight roll crimp and fit in into the chamber into the broken piece. After I saw it would go inside, I cleaned the surfaces with thinner and dried them. Put some J&B weld on a Q tip and carefully smeared it on the inside of the broken piece. Pushed the sized case into it and let it sit over night. You need to make sure you don't get any on the chamber! Put a cleaning rod down the barrel and gave it a light tap, and both pieces came right out............ No chamber damage whatever. The beauty is it will work with most all calibers excepting the straight walled cases and they will possibly work if you can size them down enough to fit inside the stuck piece. Thanks for the help and ideas, and I hope this will help somebody else...............Catch

[MBTcustom]

Cleaver! Good solution.

[Artful]

:happy dance: - nice one

[dragonrider]

Yes what Tim said, I will add..............very clever.

[Longwood]

Good fix.
One thing I have noticed about JB Weld is it will not stay where you put it.
Be extra, extra careful with it.
I sure hope you did not get any in your chamber.
About any sort of grease or oil will act as a release agent (keep it from sticking).

[Catch]

Thanks again guys. It really feels good to have had an idea that will help others when you all have been so helpful to me in the past....................Catch

[waksupi]

A good one to put in the bag of tricks!

[.22-10-45]

Hello, everyone..good info! Last year, I was shooting an original Ballard .25-25 Stevens with black powder. I was experimenting with reduced loads & used Cream Of Wheat for filler...BIG mistake..that stuff stretched some cases 1/16"! 1 case did break off in chamber. (cases were RCM brass..turned from solid rod..tool marks in neck probably caught cow)..Talk about sweating bullets..here I was with a valuable black powder fouled gun, with a stuck case..and it was Sunday & no one to help! Cleaned up bore & when I got home, lightly oiled it. I tapped soft lead .25 bullet thru muzzle nose first & carefully tapped down bore..just like slugging a bore...case came out with bullet stuck in neck. Simple!