Stuck case after case head separation

[ben b.]

I had a case head separation yetserday at a 3g match in my Colt AR. I had a "click", racked out (assumed bad primer), chambered the next round, and the next shot went KABOOM. Blew up my Magpul mag, fuq'd the extractor. I had a brownells case removal tool, which doesn't pull the case out. i tried wedging a bronze .45 brush in the case from the breech side, ruins the brush but doesn't extract the case. I did not retrieve/check the rd i racked out. I don't know what happened.

I need this case out. What to do next?

[dmc_md]

Why doesn't the brownell's case extractor work? Is it because of your messed up bolt?

Darren

[ben b.]

Why doesn't the brownell's case extractor work? Is it because of your messed up bolt?

Darren

I replaced the extractor at the match. I dunno why the tool doesn't work. From reading on the intrawebs, sometimes they don't work.

My theory is that there is not enough case mouth sticking out away from the chamber walls for the barbs to grab, and so they just slip out. That may imply that the chamber pressure was so high that the brass was "pasted" to the chamber. That is all conjecture on my part. I had a "click", then I racked, then fired and KABOOM. It may be that I had a squib with a stuck bullet, followed by chambering a hot round that got pushed in the case, resulting in overpressure = KABOOM. It did not sound like a squib to me, it sounded like a click not a "schwoomp" as in a pistol, but i have never heard a rifle squib round. The barrel does not appear ringed or bulged from visually inspecting the bore, at this time.

[dmc_md]

It sounds like a classic squib round, but I would expect more damage if that were the case. Doesn't matter either way.

Can you see through the barrel such that you know there's nothing still stuck in it? Just curious.

I am unaware of any method to remove a case head separation other than a case removal tool. I would keep working with that as best you can. If you can't get it out, you'll be meeting your local gunsmith.

I'm glad you're ok. I'm shedding a slight tear for your gun, though.

Darren

[Chills1994]

I wonder if you could cut the head off an empty .223 case, then see which size tap fits in it. I wonder if you could thread a tap into it, then yank it out. Ideally, you would remove the barrel from the upper, making it easier to access the chamber area.

Of course, if the tap cuts through the brass and into the chamber, then you just wrecked a barrel. I would soak it in Kroil for a day or two first. If that doesn't work, then try sticking the whole barrel/upper in a freezer for a few hours. See if the brass contracts different than the steel.

Then try taking a tap to it.

Maybe knocking it out from the muzzle end???

[Chills1994]

I bet somebody on AR15.com has had this exact same problem. Try a search there.

[vernbo]

Cerrosafe Chamber Casting Alloy 1/2 lb

Cerrosafe is the best known material from which to make a casting of the chamber and throat of a firearm - to determine caliber or check the dimensions. It melts at a temperature just above M&M's, so all you need is a propane torch and a bullet casting ladle. It can also be used to make a cast of a dovetail slot or any other hard to measure area. Also, it is great for removing the front half of a case from the chamber, in the event of case head separation

http://www.midwayusa.com/product/462291/cerrosafe-chamber-casting-alloy-1-2-lb

[ben b.]

It seems to me that a fella would use a .223 chamber reamer in the chamber to cut out the brass before using a tap in the chamber.

The bore is clear and appears symmetric in visual appearance.

[Chills1994]

some people are just handy enough to have a set of taps and dies from say Lowe's or Home Depot, around but not quite so gunsmithy as to have yet bought a .223 chamber reamer, which wouldn't be available from your local hardware store.

I have heard of the freezer trick working for cases stuck in full length resizing dies, so maybe that will work.

First, do NO harm.

[rishii]

ben

try running a 22 bore brush from the muzzle end, I've had that work before

I also had a case head separation in a mini 14, where the next round in the mag was chambered forcibly and wedged into the what was left of the case in the chamber, and when I extracted it, they both came out. you might try that with a empty re-sized case.

[Tom D.]

Instead of relying on the extractor to remove the case and extractor tool, lock the bolt back and use the inertia of a cleaning rod to remove the tool and case. About 8-10" of drop worked for me.

[want2race]

Definitely try that first. Tap the front of the case extractor from the muzzle end.

I've had to clear M2 (.50bmg) barrels where the ruptured case was so smooth it was hard to tell if it was even a case. The operator had tried to chamber enough rounds INTO the ruptured case (front half) that it formed a perfect shoulder and looked like the chamber itself. Only the color and reduced diameter gave it away. Needless to say the front half of the case was very reluctant to come out. Case extractor would just pull right off. I pulled the base of the case extractor towards the side of the chamber, this put the tips at the front firmly into the lip of the neck, then hammered on a cleaning rod from the muzzle. Without applying the side load force on the tool, the tips would just compress and slip right off the neck.

On my 5.56 rifle, I used a knurled .30 caliber patch jag and hammered it into the ruptured case in my 5.56 rifle. The knurling took a bite into the brass and I was able to slide hammer it out using the handle of the cleaning rod. Second option was a large diameter machine screw.

[ben b.]

Well, it is out. I yielded to the inevitable and got out the armorer's wrench, stripped all the stuff off and pulled the barrel. I hate working on guns, but really can't stand one in the safe that doesn't function.

With barrel out, I decided to try the Brownell's tool again, no workee. I picked up a broken screw remover and compared to the chamber, looked OK, so I started to try that. My insides convulsed in fear at the thought of fuq'ing up the chamber, and I put it back down.

I dug thru my spare screw tin & found a machine screw a bit wider than the inside of a .223 case, turned in about 2 revolutions, and used a screwdriver to pop it out.

With the case out, the Brownell's tool was a little short to engage the exterior of the case mouth. I had tried unscrewing the tool for more reach in the course of my adventure, but that didn't work with the case in the chamber. It did with the case out, however.

Now to screw the damn thing back together and re-sight irons & scope. Sigh....

END OF STORY

[outerlimits]

Take barrel off, put in freezer overnite. It'll fall out the next day. BTDT

[dmc_md]

I'm glad you were able to adapt and overcome. I enjoy working on guns, even frustrating things like this. Happy shooting!

[ben b.]

I'm glad you were able to adapt and overcome. I enjoy working on guns, even frustrating things like this. Happy shooting!

Thank you. I was able to get out early yesterday & do a quick test fire, and it functioned just fine. Was hitting the sticks & such I aimed for at the 50 yds mark, couldn't tell where I was hitting at 100. Will need to sight in properly before the next match, but interesting that hits were pretty close to on at 50 after pulling scope, pulling barrel & resetting both.

[ben b.]

Follow-up.

I sighted in. It was at POA=POI out to 100 yds. Have since fired ~100 trouble free rounds. I ordered a headspace gauge to check out possible headspace problems; should have it in a day or 2. If the headspacing is OK, I'm going to quit worrying, and just check my brass more carefully. I dunno what else to do about this.

Edited February 28, 2012 by ben b.