Barrel obstruction

[snoopy]

If this is the wrong forum feel free to move. I had my first squib yesterday at the range, bullet lodged in the barrel of my 1911. Thank goodness it wouldn't let the next one go into battery. My question is this, what is the best way to get it out? Disassemble, out the barrel or through the breach? Thanks

[fivegunner]

Hi, take a 3/8 or so round rod of brass and knock the bullet back out the breach. support the barrel on a piece of wood . :-)

[Patrick56]

I would tap it carefully out the barrel using a brass rod. Take care not to damage the muzzle, use wood with a hole drilled for the bullet to exit. Do not clamp the barrel in a wise.

[Petrol & Powder]

Brass rod, from the muzzle. Tap it out towards the breach.
I always carry a squib rod in my range bag. I rarely need it but other people do :o.
A squib rod should fit the bore closely and I would caution about using wood. Although not as critical when dealing with handguns which have shorter barrels and blunter bullet noses, a wooden dowel can make a very effective bullet wedge if the bullet nose splits the end of the rod. If that happens you have bigger problems.

[Silver Jack Hammer]

If it's a cast boolit just tap it out with a wood dowel. If it's a j-word and won't tap out, don't force it, just take a hand drill and put a 1/4" hole in the middle of the boolit, it'll tap out then.

[Moonie]

If you do use wood and have issues there is a sticky on what to do to remove the stuck wooden dowel... Please don't use wood... It is much easier to use the correct tool than to have to get the stuck wooden dowel out, ask those that have done it, thankfully I learned from them and have never tried with wood.

[Silver Jack Hammer]

I have a brass rod and a wooden dowel in my gun cart for cowboy matches. We generally see a couple of stuck mouse fart boolits at every 2 day match. The wood works great and we use them with lead boolits all the time with no problems.

[tazman]

+1 on the brass rod. I have used it with both revolvers and autos.
For the auto, I remove the barrel and place it chamber down on a board and tap the offending slug out through the breech.

[country gent]

A brass rod works fine Steel can be used but wrap with tape every couple inches so it cant contact the barrel. Good square surfaces help or better is a cup type point on one end to compress bullet instead of expanding it. On a 3/8 rod a 5/16 ball end mill ran in part way will make a good pocket to center and push with. I have seen shooters at local club that are plauged with squibs. I have a squib rod made up that uses a slide hammer on the back end. Saves holding gun rod and hammer at the same time.

[MtGun44]

Wood can break and jam, although mostly in rifles.
Brass.

[Bullwolf]

I use a brass rod for this kind of thing, and to slug a barrel with. It won't break like a wooden dowel can, or jam/wedge up under the obstruction thereby making things worse.
http://castboolits.gunloads.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=137192&d=1363057112
You may get along just fine with a wooden dowel... Up until the first time you don't.
We have a sticky about this very subject in the "Gunsmithing Tips & Tricks" section of the forum for a good reason. It's worth reading.

Removing Stuck Wooden Dowel and Soft Lead Sinker from a barrel. (http://castboolits.gunloads.com/showthread.php?102629-Removing-Stuck-Wooden-Dowel-and-Soft-Lead-Sinker-from-a-barrel)

I keep a brass "squib rod" in my range bag, and have helped others remove a barrel obstruction with it before at the range. You can use a steel rod too, but be sure to wrap it with tape (like in the picture) so it doesn't contact the barrel. I prefer a brass rod over a steel one, as you are less likely to mess up the inside of a barrel using a softer metal.


- Bullwolf

[Silver Jack Hammer]

I carry two rods in my gun cart, both 3/8". One wood and one brass, plus a plastic head mallet. So if the stuck boolit is a .38 these rods will not work. We only use lead boolits so I can only facilitate tapping out a .44/.45 lead boolit.

A guy gave me a bunch of j-words years ago and I shot them up in a Colt .357 7 1/2" bbl. One of them got stuck real good, I mean how stuck can you get. A gunsmith had to drill a hole in the center of the j-word boolit to tap it out. Those j-word boolits were worth every penny I paid for them.

[snoopy]

Thanks guys, I got it out. Didnt have a brass rod but had a section of old aluminum cleaning rod, 380 case on the end.

[garym1a2]

I just use a wooden dowl, only had to use it one day on my old 1911 when 5 rounds did not get powder. Just use very light taps and the wood does not splinter, don't beat it till it breaks. If I stuck one in a rifle I would use a steel rod.