Bore snake stuck in AR-15 barrel

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Hello!
A friend called me, asking my advice for a problem he's got with his AR-15. He used the loop at the end of his .22 diameter bore snake to try to pass a large patch in the barrel. It' stuck in the throat and chamber now. I don't know what happened in his mind then, but he told me he went crazy and cut the pulling end of the snake flush with the recessed crown, hoping to push it out with a rod from muzzle to chamber. Of course it didn't work.

I don't know what to do either, so I wondered what you guys would have to propose...

Thanks!
 
OUCH......... he's got to make sure that he doesn't bunch up the cord and jam the whole works in tighter. Only way I can think of is to brace the rifle muzzle end up and fill the bore with oil (motor oil will work - 30 weight or so). then find, or have machined, a brass rod (or rods - it might take more than one) that are slightly smaller than the bore........don't want THESE getting stuck in there either. With the oil about 1" from the muzzle insert the rod and give it a very sharp smack (wrap a towel around the muzzle - oil will want to squirt everywhere).......if needed, refill and give it another go.......or six......... hydraulic action should do the rest.

Wish him luck!

Cheers - Gus
 
rennugliat said:
OUCH......... he's got to make sure that he doesn't bunch up the cord and jam the whole works in tighter. Only way I can think of is to brace the rifle muzzle end up and fill the bore with oil (motor oil will work - 30 weight or so). then find, or have machined, a brass rod (or rods - it might take more than one) that are slightly smaller than the bore........don't want THESE getting stuck in there either. With the oil about 1" from the muzzle insert the rod and give it a very sharp smack (wrap a towel around the muzzle - oil will want to squirt everywhere).......if needed, refill and give it another go.......or six......... hydraulic action should do the rest.

Wish him luck!

Cheers - Gus
Click to expand...

Being a mechanic myself, may I suggest you use grease instead of oil. Just easier to use and less oil spray. A proper cleaning rod may work as well if it was strong enough.
 
i dont have a solution, but its kind of funny... I had this dum ass pull that same stunt at work with his C7, although it was MY bore snake that he had borrowed! then QM, did the same stupid thing and CUT OFF THE PULL END!
he never did pay me for wrecking my bore snake. And i never did hear if or how they ever gotit out.
 
I got one stuck myself - not with a patch, just by itself, the way it is supposed to be used. Here is how I got it out after thinkiing for a while.

Get a long drywall screw, they have very sharp tips. Put a 1/4" washer on it. CAREFULLY screw it into the end of the snake that is stuck in a big wad in the chamber end of the barrel. Screw it in just until it gets a good hold. then wrap a strong cord around the screwand washer. (You may want to put a rag around the screw head to protect the finish inside the upper.) Now pull the cord hard.

Now throw this snake away and any others you ever come across!

AA
 
May I suggest the following as having the least potential to do damage.

Assuming that the barrel has a flash hider. Remove it and get a buddy who has a lath or is a machinist to make you a cap with a grease fitting on it.Screw this cap onto the end of the barrel.

Remove the forends and remove the front site retention pins so that the front site can be turned a few degrees to block the gas port.

Put a grease gun on the end of the barrel and pump away. It will remove the obstruction and cause you no problems with the rifle. Biggist pain is cleaning the grease out of the barrel afterward.
 
If he can cut the end of the loop open, he might be able to pull the patch out.
 
10x said:
Try compressed air from the muzzle.
Be carefull of the action cycling though....
Click to expand...


this is what i use when people bring me muzzle loaders with bullets stuck in them
worked every time:)
unless air can get past :D
 
We damaged a barrel at work becuase someone tried to pass a 762 patch on a 556 barrel brush, it got stuck around the gas port, then the rod snapped.

He negleted to tell, till I found out, They used a wooden dowel to get it out.
 
Thanks a lot guys, I'll try the compressed air first. As the barrel doesn't have a flash hider, I won't be able to try the grease trick...
 
There is another thing to try, the snake is mainly nylon, or something like it, I don't have one just seen them in stores, acetone or a good enamel paint remover should melt the brush enough to reduce the size of the snake and patch enough to remove it. Maybe lots of boiling water over the sticking area at the same time or even by itself would soften things enough to cause it to reduce diameter enough to pull it out. bearhunter
 
bearhunter said:
There is another thing to try, the snake is mainly nylon, or something like it, I don't have one just seen them in stores, acetone or a good enamel paint remover should melt the brush enough to reduce the size of the snake and patch enough to remove it.
Click to expand...
The bore snake is designed to withstand cleaning solvents. Don't know if acetone or paint remover would melt the textile part of it and the brush bristles are brass so that's not going to go either.
 
Can you get wood doweling in .22" diameter?

Personally, if it was mine, I'd put it in a vise and use the wood if available or failing that, a solid brass rod
 
I've had this happen with my .270. I tied it to the leg of my work bench and slowly pulled and with a lot of force, the patch finally came through.
 
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