handload in 30-06 handi stuck

[longhorn717]

Hi all, I just did my first reloads and messed up. Not sure if I had a dirty chamber, a bullet seated too shallow, or possibly my case was too long. This is in my H&R Handi rifle. Having a hard time getting the round out of the chamber. It almost chambers but won't extract either. I tried tapping it with a cleaning rod but it didn't budge and didn't want to whack on it too hard with a live round. Any ideas on what caused it to do this(I've never had this problem with this rifle even with other handloads) and how to get the round out? Also not sure if this makes a difference but this is new to me lake city match brass that I FL resized. Never used this type of brass in my handi not sure if there's much of a difference or not.

Thanks for any and all help. really would like to get back out to the range. Unfortunately this happened on the first round I chambered so didn't get to do any shooting. 

[srussell]

your not pushing on the primer . if you cant get something behind it to pry it out. then tap it out from the muzzle

[Bigeasy]

I would try a little penetrating oil down the barrel, and at the base of the cartridge first, then use a wood dowel to try tapping it out.  If that fails, maybe you can get two flat edge screw drivers into the case extraction grove, prying from opposite sides.  A pair of vise grips applied to the case rim, with a twisting motion?  Key point - watch out you don't strike that primer.
 
Sounds like a too long cartridge with the bullet stuck in the rifling, or improperly sized brass.  It's Possible when sizing, if you did not lube the inside of the case neck, a tight expander ball could have caused the case to stretch.
 
If you are uncomfortable with the above, bring it to a gun smith.
 
larry

[longhorn717]

Bigeasy I think the too long case or bullet stuck in rifling might be spot on. as for removing it I forgot to mention in my original post but I when tapping with the cleaning rod I did manage to knock the bullet loose and into the case, because I tipped the muzzle over and some powder fell out. Friend of mine mentioned awhile back that gun oil will make the powder and primer inert and that way you can beat on it a little harder. Not sure how true this is. Anyone know?

Problem is the chamber won't close by just like a 1/32" or even 1/64" so I can't get to the extraction groove trust me I wish I could. I think I'll find a wooden dowel and see if I can't beat it out a little better now that it's here in my workshop.

Guess this is my first big lesson in reloading.

[Larry L]

Next lesson- NEVER, EVER TRY TO BEAT A ROUND OUT OF THE CHAMBER. You were extremely lucky. I have friend that was working at a gunshop that would beat stuck rounds out with a wood dowel. He's missing 3 fingers now. Would you beat on the primer? That what's happening when beating from the bullet end. The impact is transferred from the bullet to the powder which goes straight to the flash hole and pushes the primer just like you whacked from behind. If the barrel will hold oil, fill it to within a couple of inches from the top end and use a tight fitting wooden dowel. Beating on the dowel will cause the oil, which is also a lube, to hydraulically push the brass out mostly at the shoulder, not the primer.

[longhorn717]

I didn't try to beat anything. I may be new to this but I wasn't born yesterday. I tapped the round at the range and got the bullet unseated but quickly realized what you pointed out. That if I kept tapping it I could very well push the bullet down and hit the primer making it go bang. So I stopped and brought it back to the shop. I did not ever hit it from the back don't know where you got that. I did part of what you suggested. I put penetrating oil down the bore and let it sit for a few hours and came back with a steel cleaning rod and with a few light taps the case with bullet inside came out. Still need to investigate what cased it as to not repeat the mistake.

The bullet was already unseated so no chance of the oil pushing at the shoulder and I don't have a .30 caliber wooden dowel laying around. I did however have a steel cleaning rod from my Mosin Nagant. Which also happened to have a stuck case awhile back but that was from a error on my part. cut and crowned the barrel and cleaned the barrel but not the chamber and had just a couple pieces of metal filings in there and when I fired it the brass locked in the chamber and the bolt wouldn't open. Procedure for that is to drop a cleaning rod from a few inches above the bottom while applying steady pressure to the bolt. worked like a charm and I'll never have that issue again.

[geezerbiker]

Take the forearm off, then remove the barrel.  Then getting to the case head with a couple small screwdrivers like mentioned before shouldn't be a problem.  This is easy on a Handi rifle...

Tony

[longhorn717]

Wasn't possible with my situation geezerbiker.

[Savage]

If it were mine, and I could open the breach, I'd run a cleaning rod down the bore and knock the sucker out. Can't imagine how the primer cup could be crushed on the anvil to detonate the primer. That's likely how a gunsmith will remove it.
Savage

[Cemo]

Tip, I don't have a handi rifle but do shoot TC Contender and Encores. When I reload my first case, I always ensure that it slides into the chamber and slides out just as easy. Then I continue with the reloading and check the fit again every 50 rounds or so.

[longhorn717]

savage I agree and that's how I did it. Cemo that's good practice. I used a cartridge that fit to set up my dies and thought that was good enough. I probably could've avoided this by checking fit with a sized and trimmed case before loading. I think part of the issue is this is once fired match brass that hadn't been fired in my rifle before.  I did full length size them.