I picked up a 1884 SRC trapdoor recently. Checking out the chamber, it seems to have a case stuck about 1/2 in. I can scratch it with a metal pick. Any tricks to get it out or is it gunsmith time?
I picked up a 1884 SRC trapdoor recently. Checking out the chamber, it seems to have a case stuck about 1/2 in. I can scratch it with a metal pick. Any tricks to get it out or is it gunsmith time?
i have a tool for doing that some times you can do a lead chamber cast and nock it out if is is a stuck case
I bought a barrel/receiver off EBay that the chamber was gouged up from someone trying to remove a stuck case.
They got it out, but a shell would no longer enter the chamber.
I got it smoothed out and tried to fill the gouges with solder but had limited success.
It seems to work fine but I haven't used anything more robust than 10 grains of Unique under a 405 gn Lee cast boolit so far.
Ejects cases with that loading fine.
Be really careful with your pick the metal is soft and will gouge easily.
I had one like that. I slid a snug fitting tap in very carefully and turned it grabbing the brass case and pulling it out.
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A spring hook tool (google), inserted into the chamber from the rear, should be able to catch on the forward end of the case to withdraw it.
https://shop.advanceautoparts.com/p/...E&gclsrc=aw.ds
Also available at most local auto parts stores.
.
Now I lay me down to sleep
A gun beside me is what I keep
If I awake, and you're inside
The coroner's van is your next ride
I have a couple broken shell - bore scrapers that are original govt issue, but have never used. It seems they were very reasonably priced, but I can't recall now where I got them. I'm not exactly sure how to properly use them, but if you google it you will find some kind of instructions.
Another method would be to pour Cerro Safe chamber casting alloy just ahead of the cartridge, and tap it out. It is wonderful stuff, melt it in a soup can, set in a pan of boiling water.
Just looked, S&S Firearms, Glendale, NY. They have two different versions, the 1873 and 1884 headless shell extractors, $15 each.
I have had the best luck removing broken cases with the Cerosafe.
But if I ever had a certain caliber that broke cases often then I bought a broken case extractor for that caliber.
Like .303 British that I bought.
But the Cerosafe is universal for all calibers if you ever have another case break.
Plus having the Cerosafe , you can do a chamber casting after the broken case is removed to see if there are any chamber issues causing the case to fail.
Lots of good advice here, just be careful of sharp tools.
I had one in an original 1886 45-70 recently, I just tapped a round ball through like I was "slugging the bore" worked like a champ.
Use cerrosafe.
Larry Gibson
“Deficient observation is merely a form of ignorance and responsible for the many morbid notions and foolish ideas prevailing.”
― Nikola Tesla
"Do not follow where the path might lead, go instead where there is no path and leave a trail" Ralph Waldo Emerson
Sometimes a cleaning brush will help. If you can go in from the breech, and then pull back out (A flexible chamber rod makes this possible). The downside is that 45-70 brushes and flexible rod are gonna be hard to find. And Brownells also has Cerrosafe; so.....
Thanks Gents for all of the ideas. I have Cerrosafe so I'll give that a go first. After looking at the spring hook tool, gotta have one of them.
I've had to remove broken cases during shoots. Pack the chamber full of small pieces of paper towel, TIGHT! Continue until the paper is packed a few inches up the bore. Open the chamber, give the ramrod a good sharp whack, and it should come out.
The solid soft lead bullet is undoubtably the best and most satisfactory expanding bullet that has ever been designed. It invariably mushrooms perfectly, and never breaks up. With the metal base that is essential for velocities of 2000 f.s. and upwards to protect the naked base, these metal-based soft lead bullets are splendid.
John Taylor - "African Rifles and Cartridges"
Forget everything you know about loading jacketed bullets. This is a whole new ball game!
I know stupid question. When I make a casting of the chamber I lube it not to stick. Do I start out with a clean chamber for removal?
I use a clean chamber.
Not sterilized.
But wipe off the oil that is in the chamber and bore.
Now if I ever do a chamber casting with Epoxy.
I clean the barrel and put in some kind of release agent like Johnson Paste Wax.
You can also make Bore castings using Epoxy and release agents if you don't want to order Cerosafe if you are only doing one barrel.
There are pictures of some barrel castings that are posted in the thread "Bubbaed Barrel Repair" in the muzzleloading section.
Those castings were also used as Lapping tools with polishing compound to shine up the barrel.
Those epoxy castings match the barrels rifling and twist perfectly for the barrel the casting was done in.
Last edited by LAGS; 12-19-2022 at 06:58 PM.
Gewehr Guy has the answer. There is a tool for that and more guns have been destroyed by using the wrong tool for the job.
No hooking, picking, chiseling, never ends well! Have a really nice Inland Carbine someone appears to have thought a screwdriver was a good idea, chamber sleeve in its future. Soak good with Kroil for a couple days when you figure out where to come up with a 1/4"-3/8" steel rod long enough to come in from muzzle and then some. Thread end to fit your new 45-70 bronze brush, pace rod down bore to chamber and screw brush on. Pull up bore till flush with bottom of "sleeve" and whack end of rod.
I had luck once with shrinking the brass with an upside down airduster can to freeze it, and a very tight brush.
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