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.22 bullet stuck in barrel

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8.3K views 33 replies 25 participants last post by  hairy  
H
#1 ·
Farmer customer just gave me an old .22 rifle. Mossberg military training bolt action. Apparently the bore was rough and he tried to fire it and the bullet is stuck about 12" from the muzzle. He "thinks" there actually might be two bullets. Outside of some surface rust it looks mechanically very nice.
How would you get the bullets out?
 
C
#3 ·
Use a quality penetrating oil...not WD40. I use PB Blaster. Remove it from the stock. Soak until you think the barrel is ready, then add some more and soak for another day. You may want to try brushing and cleaning the barrel ahead of the bullet(s). Soak it good and use a wooden dowel rod that will not get stuck and a wooden hammer. Go thru the breach and tap the rod. Do not hit so hard that you flare the bullet any. Oh yes...before you start hitting the bullet say a little prayer.

Getting ready to hit the road to Sparta....shells are loaded, trailer tires are new, bearings are greased, steaks in the fridge, guns safely tucked in the back seat, gas card ready....see you there.
CA
 
B
#5 ·
If the foce of firing will not get the bullet out the barrel, my first and best advice is to run far away. If unable to execute this maneuver, tap the bullet the other way. Push the bullet back from where it came. Do not try and make it go where it no longer fits.
 
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#6 ·
I would first try to drive it out the muzzle end by soaking with cutting oil and using a metal cleaning rod inserted into the chamber end and tap with a hammer. Use a little block of wood to protect the cleaning rod threads.

If this doesn't work I would find a .22 cleaning rod with a solid head brass jag. Carefully file the end of the brass jag into a flat, sharp, spear point. Then use this to gradually carve out the lead by turning the cleaning rod handle. You could even use a hand drill for quicker results. The brass will cut the soft lead but not hurt the barrel.

Phil
 
C
#7 ·
I got a bullet out of an old H&R .22 pistol by dribbling Shooter's Choice Lead Remover in to the barrel. I'm not making a joke here, guys. It took about a week of soaking but I could eventually tap the bullet out with a length of 3/16" brass rod.

Andy
 
W
#9 ·
I would use the recommended chemicals to lubricate the bore. Then remove the barrel from the stock and put it in a freezer for an hour or two along with a 3/16" brass rod. With both the barrel and the rod cold, you should be able to push or tap the bullet out. TomS (welderman)
 
6
#10 ·
It is not wise to use a stainless steel or aluminum cleaning rod in a .22 (or other caliber) rifle barrel for cleaning or any other purpose as you may damage the rifling or barrel crown. I use a nylon coated cleaning rod or a bore snake like tool I got from Outers many years ago.

Soaking the barrel with Kroil (the oil that creeps) from both ends and then tapping the bullet or bullets out from the muzzle with a wood dowel would be my first effort. If this does not work, I would try a brass rod (if I could find one).

You may want to consider a gunsmith if you value the rifle. A good smith will have the proper tools and knowledge.
 
#11 ·
The barrel could not be so "rough" as to stick the bullet. It would have to be corroded beyond salvage. This is unlikely if the gun is overall pretty nice except for some surface rust. It was probably a suib load and a second round was fired. How do you suppose he "might" have got two bullets stuck?

In any case, tapping the bullet out should work, just go the shortest route, the barrel is not tapered. If it won't tap out, take a smaller metal rod and heat the end with a propane torch to white hot and insert from the muzzel and repeat until the bullet is melted out. Repeat as necessary.
 
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#12 ·
Another method that might work.

Leave it in the freezer over night, then take it out and pour boiling hot water down the barrel (don't hold the barrel with your hands.)

Probably still have to use some force to get it out, but this might loosen it up a bit.
 
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#19 ·
"stuck" about 12" from the muzzle sounds like a squib load. Unusual in a rimfire, but not impossible.

I would check to be sure there are not 2 bullets or other obstruction via the both way measuring described. Then soak in Kroil a couple days, and pound that sucker out with a piece of 3/16 drill rod.

HM
 
P
#20 ·
I don't know if I would use a touch of any kind, but I would try a heat gun used to strip paint off wood. They get very hot and have two different heat settings on them. I do not think that the hot air from one would hurt your blueing on the barrel at all(the high setting gets real hot).Turns paint to a soft material easy to scrap off. When soft try tapping out one or both pieces of lead. You could try the oil if you have some laying around as well.Please let us know how you make out. Break-em all. Jeff
 
H
#21 ·
Well I got the bullets out. 4 of them. First I tried to gently tap them out, didn't budge at all. Pounded harder and harder until I had my cleaning rod stuck. Hooked a vice-grip on the rod and pounded that out. Then I did what 333t phil said. Took my hollow cleaning rod, scored the end with my dremel and a cutoff wheel, chucked it in a drill, and drilled into the bullets. After drilling a bit, I'd pull it out, clean the lead out of the end, go back and do it again. Took a while but finally got thru them all. I thought maybe the bore would be rough, but after running some solvent and patches thru, the bore looked great. If this didn't work I was going to get my torch and heat the barrel and melt them. Thanks for all the ideas guys.

The gun is a Mossberg 46B... bolt action tube fed. It looks like maybe it's a military training gun.
 
W
#23 ·
A few years ago at a Wisconsin gun show a dealer was selling his Mossberg 22 military trainer collection. He had better than 12 variations. Most priced between $275.00- $450.00. I have in my 22 smooth bore collection four variations of the Mossberg Targo series all with barrel mounted traps. Mossberg made a lot of neat 22 items years ago.
 
#25 ·
Sure would like to hear the story on how someone got 4 .22 caliber bullets stuck in the barrel.

I've shot a lot of .22 rifles in my lifetime, and never once got a bullet stuck in the barrel.

Yep, that would be a pretty interesting story.

Anyone have any stories or theories as to how this may have happened?

Hauxfan!
 
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