Interesting occurrence during load work-up this weekend...

[rwh]

Sounds like you didn't have any powder in the case. The primer has enough energy to expand the case to fill the chamber but not enough that the case bounces back so you can extract it. Until you are sure that the round isn't live you should limit your attempts to pulling (really hard) on the charging handle to get the case out. If you could be sure that the round isn't live you could try pushing the case out with a cleaning rod inserted into the muzzle. Don't go anywhere near the muzzle if there is any chance you have a live round in the chamber. You may find a bullet stuck in the barrel after you get the case out.

[TomSawyerNW]

Thanks, rwh. I wondered about there not being enough powder. In one of my previous shootings with this ammo, one of the bullets fired off but with not near the 'bang' as with others....very whimpy sounding...maybe a consequence of low powder. I was checking through some Youtube vids on 'stuck bolts', etc. Your idea was spot-on with a couple similar others. One person was showing how to smack the butt of the rifle down on the ground (as old army trick, he said), which caused the bolt to slide out. More work was needed to remove the bullet, bolt, etc., in a couple others. It scares me a little to think the round is still live.

Anyways, I didnt want to high-jack this thread. This happened yesterday evenin. Appreciate your help greatly.

[LR1955]

TS:

The cause was most likely the handloader failed to bump the shoulder enough. Or he seated the bullet just a bit too long. So the bolt didn't completely lock into battery. When this happens, you will pay hell trying to unlock it.

I have done two things to unlock a bolt stuck due to brass that wasn't sized enough. Both I consider to be dangerous with one being less dangerous than the other.

I have used a rubber mallet on the charging handle. I mean I have had to pound it a bunch of times but it eventually opened.

Next, I have used a cleaning rod and mallet which is super dangerous because it normally pounds the bullet back into the cartridge and all of that goes down on the bolt face. That is super dangerous and I wouldn't recommend it unless you have tried everything possible first.

Note that if you use the rubber mallet with the upper in the lower, you stand a chance of unlocking it then it releases and may slam fire. That would really suck too but suck less than having a cleaning rod shred your upper body.

Either way is dangerous. The mallet is less dangerous.

Next time have your buddy bump the brass more and make sure his overall length is set for that specific chamber.

LR55

[JASmith]

You must have misread. I clearly say 95 vmax. Yeah, that's it. You misread.

My eyes are frequently so blurry that they miss the fat finger!

[TomSawyerNW]

Thanks, LR. I think I'll try the rubber mallet, and if that doesn't work, take it to a gunsmith. It's a live round in the chamber, so I'll need to take all the necessary cautions. These reloads were showing GREAT groupings, but it sounds like they'll be more trouble than worth.

[JASmith]

I had a similar stuck case problem not long ago. The cause was indeed the shoulder not being bumped for enough back. The shoulder diameter can increase a bit too, so the bumping not only moves the shoulder back a bit but also brings the diameter down closer to spec.

I had to resort to rapping the butt on a wooden surface while putting a fair bit of force on the charging handle. I did not like banging the rifle around like that, but there were online suggestions to use that approach. Some them were even credible sources!

The rifle works fine now with properly sized cases.

[204 AR]

Another method that works well to open the stuck bolt is to take a wide bladed screwdriver, wrap tape around the blade so it doesn't mar. Put it between the front of the carrier and the opening in the ejection port. Gently pry the carrier back. Works every time as long as your extractor holds. Much gentler than mortaring, and way safer than cleaning rod down the barrel.

[LR1955]

Another method that works well to open the stuck bolt is to take a wide bladed screwdriver, wrap tape around the blade so it doesn't mar. Put it between the front of the carrier and the opening in the ejection port. Gently pry the carrier back. Works every time as long as your extractor holds. Much gentler than mortaring, and way safer than cleaning rod down the barrel.

204:

Forgot about that technique. Works better than anything else if you can get the screwdriver in there. I have used it many times.

I wasn't going to mention the cleaning rod thing at all but it is a technique. Not one I recommend unless you really need to do it.

LR55

[TomSawyerNW]

Thanks everyone. I ended up putting the upper and lower back together, and smacking the butt of the A2 stock down onto the garage floor. 2-3 times, and the live round popped out. Never had this occur before i got the reloads. I tried about 50 of them in a different rifle with no problems at all, so it seems to be a problem with the one, which, of course, is my favorite.

Thanks all for the very useful advice. That's one one of the reasons I like coming here.

[pdq5oh]

Ran the numbers at my elevation and got 39.87 with Strelok. A tad off. What elevation are you shooting?

I'm between 800-1000 ft. My charts use 800 ft. What's your elevation?