Unblocking a barrel

sean69

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ok - so this is embarassing, I needed to slug a rifle barrel carbine [22" .44] I use a soft fishing sinker and 4-6" hard [hickory] wood dowels to do this... got the slug about 60% through with no difficulty, no forcing...

Then I thought I hit a 'tight spot' in the barrel - nope, one of the dowels must have split so now trying to tap it out from either end just makes the problem worse..

anyone have any ideas on how to clear the barrel?

-thanks
-sean
 
A flat ended steel rod as short as possible to do he job, wrapped with a little tape to protect the rifling and a 2 pound hammer. If that doesn't work heat the barrel until the lead melts and the wood burns.

Or leave it with a gunsmith.

With all the past stories of barrel obstructions made worse by using wood dowels I am surprised you used wood, let alone pieces of wood...
 
you know anyone with a lathe? take a brass rod that will loosely fit in bore, have them drill the end with a drill 1/16 smaller about a inch or more into brass, cut off the drill tip and press in rod, as the drill was cut the work end center punch the brass outside into flutes of drill to hold it in place or just Loctite in place with about 1/2 inch of drill sticking past end.

now by hand turn the brass as it goes down bore to remove the lead, once lead is free the wood will come out easily
 
hmmm.... I have a lathe and steel rod, maybe I can rig something up. was thinking brass or copper bushings to keep the rifling safe - was hoping for an easier [less time consuming] method.

got the slug out easy enough - used a ball puller for that.

dang.
 
would not recommend steel, use brass or aluminum

I was just thinking turn the end of a steel rod to a slightly smaller diameter, grind a shallow spade bit type of arrangement [like a breech face scraper] wrap the rest of the rod in duck tape [or make a couple of copper bushings - or both] and basically grind the wood away by hand.

some idiot on another forum was suggesting "shoot it out with a blank" ***SHUDDER***
 
Heat it up until the wood scorches and it will push right out. There is no point in trying to utilize a machining operation when it isn't necessary and could cause damage.
 
would not recommend steel, use brass or aluminum

A bronze filler rod for Brazing, hammer the end flat and file to make a spade type drill bit (look it up online to see the way to file the tip. Wrap a bit of masking or black tape around the length to keep from potentially damaging the bore of the rifle, and you can drill the blockage out.

If you drill through the blockage without knocking it all loose, use a cleaning rod or other close fitting rod, to push out the remains.

Leave the torch alone for this one.

Don't use sticks to push stuff through the bore, next time. You probably worked that out on yer own, though. :) Stuff happens.


Cheers
Trev
 
Hydraulic pressure. Water. Oil. Or pneumatic presssure with air. Enough pressure and things move.

Had the same problem with a barrel earlier this month and when someone mentioned that I face palmed. Should have remembered.
 
I wonder if oil or water could be used, in the same way some guys (apparently) remove berdan primers? Fill the bore with oil, a snug fitting dowel or rod, and kapunk with a hammer?

very interesting - water ahead of the blockage ~ another lead slug will seal it.

[I've done this myself with berdan primers]
 
For those who think a steel rod should not be used... in over 45 years of fixing customers barrel obstructions I have used brass rods and steel rods... steel is better if it is close to bore diameter with a flat end or even slightly concave and wrapped with tape... it is stiffer and tends not to deform... and with the wrapping does not harm the bore at all.

An aluminum rod would not be a choice at all for me...
 
For those who think a steel rod should not be used... in over 45 years of fixing customers barrel obstructions I have used brass rods and steel rods... steel is better if it is close to bore diameter with a flat end or even slightly concave and wrapped with tape... it is stiffer and tends not to deform... and with the wrapping does not harm the bore at all.

An aluminum rod would not be a choice at all for me...

45 years fellows listen up

You are getting some very good and free info in this post stop the guessing and just go with the voice of experience.

R
 
Hydraulic pressure. Water. Oil. Or pneumatic presssure with air. Enough pressure and things move.

Had the same problem with a barrel earlier this month and when someone mentioned that I face palmed. Should have remembered.


A 150 psi pressure only yields 5.7 lbs on a bore of .220 a 1000 psi only yields 38 lbs it will need more than that.

http://www.pneumaticsonline.ca/calc2.asp

R
 
Some folks just don't like the KISS method. Simple wrapped steel rod vs messy liquid under pressure.
For those who think a steel rod should not be used... in over 45 years of fixing customers barrel obstructions I have used brass rods and steel rods... steel is better if it is close to bore diameter with a flat end or even slightly concave and wrapped with tape... it is stiffer and tends not to deform... and with the wrapping does not harm the bore at all.

An aluminum rod would not be a choice at all for me...
 
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