m14 case head seperation - case inside chamber
- Thread starter tb-bo
- Start date
A broken case remover would be best, but try pushing a tight brush through from the muzzle.
Sometimes a broken case will come out if another round is fed up inside it. They stick together and are extracted together. Try it with a case, not a live round.
Once you get it out, you want to try to find out why. Might be a one time event. Worth checking headspace. Was it a handload?
Sometimes a broken case will come out if another round is fed up inside it. They stick together and are extracted together. Try it with a case, not a live round.
Once you get it out, you want to try to find out why. Might be a one time event. Worth checking headspace. Was it a handload?
Check your cases for signs of incipient separations. For a rifle like this, cases need to be sized for easy chambering, but excessive sizing can create an excess headspace condition, and can cause broken cases. Contact Tactical Teacher, and arrange to send him a few fired cases for measurement.
notsorichguy
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A 50 cal brass brush works 95% of the time. A broken case extractor is a pretty handy tool in the range bag. Wolverine supplies sells good quality American made ones for about the cost of a box of 223 ammo. ($12-$20 last I looked)
Most separated cases that I've seen have all been from brass that was reloaded once too often!
Chances are, once ya get the piece of brass out of the chamber, the rifle will be just fine. But, If it does turn out to be a pooched barrel, I have a half dozen Nork take-offs (some with zero round count) sitting in the parts bin. I also offer installation etc. See my profile page for website and contact info.
Most separated cases that I've seen have all been from brass that was reloaded once too often!
Chances are, once ya get the piece of brass out of the chamber, the rifle will be just fine. But, If it does turn out to be a pooched barrel, I have a half dozen Nork take-offs (some with zero round count) sitting in the parts bin. I also offer installation etc. See my profile page for website and contact info.
Travis Bickle
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Might have loaded her a little hot on that one Sir. Or the case was stretching thin from too many reloads.
Case separation is a sure sign of either of those in a semi auto.
Especially with the extremely aggressive/positive extraction of the M14 lol
If you are loading for your M14, don't screw your sizer die in according to the instructions (which are usually touching the shell holder, then aother eight, quarter etc turn)
Your rifle is headspaced for 762 NATO. A chamber can pass a 7.62 NATO Go gauge and fail a 308 check.
Take a fired case and gradually resize it by bumping it down a little at a time until it finally chambers in your rifle, then just a little bit more to have a margin of error.
You will see it is nowhere near as much as you are resizing brass normally.
Also, I don't go past 4 firings on brass from a 14. Means 3 loads tops. Sure you can and sure some do but I just don't.
Hope you can get that out of there safely.
Your rifle is headspaced for 762 NATO. A chamber can pass a 7.62 NATO Go gauge and fail a 308 check.
Take a fired case and gradually resize it by bumping it down a little at a time until it finally chambers in your rifle, then just a little bit more to have a margin of error.
You will see it is nowhere near as much as you are resizing brass normally.
Also, I don't go past 4 firings on brass from a 14. Means 3 loads tops. Sure you can and sure some do but I just don't.
Hope you can get that out of there safely.
1. Sometimes a new oversized caliber eg. .45 cleaning brush will work by forcing it into the brass. The bristles are angled rearward wedging into the case as you pull back.
2. Another way is to close the bolt and slowly ram damp paper towel down the barrel with a bore jag, open the bolt and slowly tap the cleaning rod and jag onto the packed paper towel with a small hammer from the muzzle end.
3. Pack the cartridge with damp paper towel through the receiver. Once filled you can melt solder and pour it into the cartridge. The paper towel will keep it from flowing into the chamber. Also be careful not the overfill into the receiver. Identical method to #2 is used to push it out of the chamber with a cleaning rod and jag from the muzzle end.
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burnt_servo
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is it possible to reduce the gas pressure that operates the action ?
it almost looks like too much pressure in the gas system , and too much pressure still in the chamber holding the case in place , and the weakest point is the section of brass not gripping the chamber wall getting ripped from the rest of the case ....
it almost looks like too much pressure in the gas system , and too much pressure still in the chamber holding the case in place , and the weakest point is the section of brass not gripping the chamber wall getting ripped from the rest of the case ....
Agreed. Of course with a semi, it will jam a live round into the rear of the half-case on its own.
Gotta be careful of muzzle direction (and your own face location!) when hammering on the charging handle when you know you have a live round partially chambered!
notsorichguy
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Yes it is possible. But with reduced pressure you get reduced reliability..... There are several methods to achieve this, but that's a whole other thread!
The problem with a stuck case or seperated case is not pressure.
In the event of a stuck case, usually it's an extractor issue..... Either a weak spring or worn extractor.... Or a rifle with insufficient dwell time (again a whole other thread)
The idea you propose is a "a thing". Another version of a stuck case. Usually the rim is ripped off the case if the brass hasn't shrunk back from the chamber walls. This is a pretty rare occurrence IMHO unless the rifle has been fooled with by a fella who knows enough to be dangerous....
With a seperated case, it's either excessive headspace, or brass that has been loaded too many times and the case has weakened. Usually the brass is worked (it gets larger in the chamber when fired, and then made smaller when re-sized) the brass flows, the only direction it really can. From the bottom to the top. Which is why brass is trimmed when reloading.
Picture if you will, a "largish" chamber. Still serviceable, but at or near 7.62 NATO max (1.645") and a reloader who sizes his brass to 308 Win SAMMI minimum (1.630") this means the brass flows to fill the chamber each time it is used, and is then re-sized smaller. That hypothetical piece of brass would likely need to be trimmed at each firing. Consequently, that trimmed off brass has to come from somewhere.... Eventually the weakest part of the case becomes too thin, and it separates into 2 pieces. In real life, the case I just described would likely separate on the 2nd firing......
This is what I believe happened in this particular instance.
Cheers!
Why use a live round? OP reloads, so he can make dummy rounds.
