# Stuck Bullet



## hammerem (Sep 6, 2011)

Anyone know of a gunsmith that could drill out a stuck bullet in a .50 cal muzzleloader? Wanted to try the Thor (Barnes) bullet last week. Solid copper bullet so it complicates things a bit. Put 110 gr. of 777 in and dropped the bullet down on the powder. Primed it and pulled the trigger.....nothing. Pulled the breech plug and put two 777 pellets in to try to push it out. It went up about 4 more inches. Didn't want to risk trying more powder so I tried to push it out by tapping on the ramrod,wouldn't move and brass end of ramrod stuck in back side of bullet, won't come out. . Tried a puller from the muzzle and broke it off at the screw.....now it's stuck in the bullet. Tried to tap it either way with a 3/8" steel rod and it won't move. It's bad. any help would be appreciated as the season is approaching rapidly. Thanks. -)O(-


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## DallanC (Jan 13, 2009)

I'd try one of those CO2 dischargers first. Set some penetrating oil down the barrel before hand to hopefully loosen things up. Here is an example of one:

http://www.eders.com/products/rmc-the-b ... oader.html

If that wont work, buy a dowel just small enough to fit your bore, and beat it out _(O)_

-DallanC


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## DallanC (Jan 13, 2009)

Oh and DO NOT FIRE IT with the bullet not firmly seated on on the powder or you will bulge / rupture your barrel!


-DallanC


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## hammerem (Sep 6, 2011)

Good idea, thanks. I thought about that or a compressor adapter of some sort but to pop it pretty good with a 3/8" steel rod and a ball peen hammer and not get any movement made me wonder whether there would be enough pressure? I did use penetrating oil from both ends. Ugh!


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## DallanC (Jan 13, 2009)

Sounds really stuck 

If there wasnt a broken off screw in it, I would suggest drilling out the center to reduce pressure along the walls. If you can drill it, you can then insert a long threaded rod through it, put a nut behind it, then another nut at the bore / breech on top of a bunch of washers and then turn the outer nut to pull the bullet out.


-DallanC


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## hammerem (Sep 6, 2011)

I think I'll try to find an "expert" tomorrow. Maybe they can press it out? I'll post the solution when I get one.

Thanks


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## Huntoholic (Sep 17, 2008)

You have a real problem.

Unfortunately I think you have aggravated the problem because of the pieces that are wedged into the bullet. If you are hitting the broke off pieces, you are just wedging the broke off piece into the bullet and putting more pressure on the side walls between the bullet/barrel. Kind of like using a splitting wedge on a piece of wood. 

Really does sound better to get it to a gunsmith.


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## hammerem (Sep 6, 2011)

I think you're exactly right. Any suggestions on a gunsmith? Most of the old guys I've used in the past have either moved away or died off.


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## Huntoholic (Sep 17, 2008)

Sorry no.

The last guy I took a gun to had it for a month and a half, then said he could not find the parts. I ended up fixing it myself.

There was a thread a little while ago that had some gunsmith's that sounded like they do a good job. I was just planning to try one of them the next go around.


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## Bhilly81 (Oct 18, 2009)

where do you live? i can suggest one in ogden as well as one in payson i have not had any problems with either one so far but the one in payson may be a bit longer time frame though


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## mikevanwilder (Nov 11, 2008)

I would try what dallan said those CO2 bullet removers work amazingly. Either way good luck.


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## hammerem (Sep 6, 2011)

Talked w/ a couple of gunsmiths today. Sounds like its a lost cause. Talked with the T/C folks and asked if I could just buy a barrel. They said they could install one for me but wouldn't sell one without the install. They said it would be considerably less than the cost of a new muzzleloader. I'll probably go that route. Thanks for all of the ideas.


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## Fishrmn (Sep 14, 2007)

Have you put it in a freezer for a few hours? Before I threw in the towel, I'd try that. The metal will contract. Both the barrel and the bullet. It might loosen things up, or it might not. But it would be worth a shot at leaving in a freezer over night. The more you try to move the slug, the more friction and therefore more heat. The more heat, the more expansion. The more expansion, the tighter the tolerances. If it doesn't help, what have you lost?


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## DallanC (Jan 13, 2009)

If you are concidering rebarreling, I'd seriously try a 1/2" dowel in a hydrolic press, you dont have much to loose at this point. Call around to a couple local mechanics to see if anyone has a press.

A final step might be to call Barnes and let them know how super disappointed you are in their bullet and you are going to be posting the issue on every website you can find  They might just be willing to help out.


-DallanC


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## Gee LeDouche (Sep 21, 2007)

I'd be on to the phone to Barnes faster than a rabbit! I'd send it to them and make it thier problem...


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## Bears Butt (Sep 12, 2007)

I have never heard of a stuck bullet that could not be hammered out. Before I went off and bought a new barrel I'd try drilling a hole through it and then hammering it out.


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## Critter (Mar 20, 2010)

Since it is stuck and you think that you need a new barrel I wouldn't tap a rod in from the muzzle end but I would hammer a rod in from the muzzle end. Since copper is softer than steel I doubt that you will do any damage to the barrel. So get out that BIG hammer and go after it.


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## hammerem (Sep 6, 2011)

Slammed it hard w/ my biggest ball peen and a 3/8" steel rod. Won't budge. I'll try the freezer and give it one more try. I don't really fault Barnes. I either didn't get it seated all the way or last time I cleaned I left some residue in the breech area, causing incomplete combustion? T/C folks were very helpful also. I really think I have it wedged in pretty tight w/ the puller screw and disk embedded from the top and the brass piece wedged in the cup in the bottom. If i tried to drill it out, I'd need to weld a bit to a piece of drill rod? It's up there a ways and a normal bit wouldn't reach for sure. I'll freeze it and use my 4 pounder with the steel rod on it.


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## Huntoholic (Sep 17, 2008)

hammerem said:


> Slammed it hard w/ my biggest ball peen and a 3/8" steel rod. Won't budge. I'll try the freezer and give it one more try. I don't really fault Barnes. I either didn't get it seated all the way or last time I cleaned I left some residue in the breech area, causing incomplete combustion? T/C folks were very helpful also. I really think I have it wedged in pretty tight w/ the puller screw and disk embedded from the top and the brass piece wedged in the cup in the bottom. If i tried to drill it out, I'd need to weld a bit to a piece of drill rod? It's up there a ways and a normal bit wouldn't reach for sure. I'll freeze it and use my 4 pounder with the steel rod on it.


www.grainger.com has drill bits that are 6" to 12" long. If this works, don't forget to use a sleeve to protect the rifling and threads.


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## Bo0YaA (Sep 29, 2008)

Man that seriously sucks!! but I can tell ya this, come hell or high water I would get that sob out some how even if it meant ruining the barrel. I mean ya got to replace it anyways it sounds like so use a 10lb sledge and get-er-done lol


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## Gee LeDouche (Sep 21, 2007)

Want me to come over and pound on it? I'm pretty confident I can get it out.  lol


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## Bears Butt (Sep 12, 2007)

20 pound sledge!


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## Critter (Mar 20, 2010)

I don't know if this is the way that you have been doing it but, place the breach end of the barrel on a piece of wood that is sitting on some concrete. Then use the BIG hammer.


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## hammerem (Sep 6, 2011)

OK Critter. Did that and I got it out. Put Kroil (penetrating oil) down both ends, put it in the freezer for a few hours and it worked! Put it on a 6" x 6" on the concrete floor in the shop and proceeded to wail on it with the big boy hammer. Felt it move a bit and there she went. Now the hard part. Really hard for me anyway as I really pride myself in being very precise and finicky with my firearms. I pushed out not only the Thor bullet but another Powerbelt. Evidently I put it away last winter with a live load in it. When I loaded the Thor bullet last Friday, I put a powder load and the bullet on top of another load. I feel like an idiot but I'm fessing up with the hope that this might prevent it from happening to someone else. The lesson for me .... You can never be too careful or check things too much. Thanks for all of the suggestions. It really helped. Bore looks good, no obvious damage. Just feel like an idiot.


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## mikevanwilder (Nov 11, 2008)

Just a tip I learned. Always fire a cap before loading for the first time of the season. I will admit that that almost happened to me, forgettting a bullet was already loaded. I put my usual cap on and pointed it down range and the **** thing fired a round, scared the crap outta me. 
Glad you got it figured out without injury and now its a lesson learned. 
Good luck on you up coming hunt!


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## Huge29 (Sep 17, 2007)

Good advice Mike! I was taught to do that just to make sure it is all dry in there too.
Very fortunate that this story didn't end up with a very bad ending!


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## Bo0YaA (Sep 29, 2008)

Wow I cant believe it didn't blow up in your face!! you should count your blessings. Glad you got it out and I hope its useable but better yet I'm glad you aren't another hunting accident statistic.


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## Fishrmn (Sep 14, 2007)

Glad we are reading about it here, and not in the newspapers. Sounds like the Powerbelt did a good job of sealing the bore and preventing the second charge from igniting. Let us know if it still shoots as well as it did before. Hopefully the bore didn't suffer any damage, and the breech usually doesn't affect the accuracy as much as the muzzle anyway.


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## Huntoholic (Sep 17, 2008)

Good to see you got it out.

One thing I was taught many moons ago, was to mark my rod so that I would know when a round was not seated or if there was two.


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## Critter (Mar 20, 2010)

Glad that you got it taken care of.


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## .45 (Sep 21, 2007)

WOW!! :shock: 

I learned a thing or two.....good advice guys!


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## crimson obsession (Sep 7, 2008)

*Re: Re: Stuck Bullet*



Huntoholic said:


> One thing I was taught many moons ago, was to mark my rod so that I would know when a round was not seated or if there was two.


I thought this was pretty standard practise. When self loading fire arms the smallest mistake can make you lose your face real quick. ALWAYS dry fire your gun down range, especially if your gun has been in storage for the year. Even if I am 100 percent sure the gun is unloaded I still send a cap down the barrel. Point your muzzle next to some grass or leaves and when you pull the trigger the percussion out of the barrel will move the grass telling you there is a clear barrel. Quick lesson to be learned here, could have been a lot worse.


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