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Hot Topic (More than 10 Replies) Separated Case Neck Stuck in Chamber (Read 655 times)
Joe Do...
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Separated Case Neck Stuck in Chamber
Oct 6th, 2025 at 7:24pm
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I am sure this has been covered somewhere, and more likely that some of you have dealt with an issue like this.

I have a Winchester Low Wall barrel, chambered in .25-20 SS. I couldn't fit an empty case in the chamber; approximately .30" stuck out. I scrubbed the area with a bronze brush and can see a rough edged brass piece shining up against the rifling.

What is the correct way to remove this without harming the chamber? Would mercury dissolve the brass?

My gunsmithing skills are limited to screwdrivers and brass taps. All less toxic and less poisonous recommendations appreciated.

Thanks in advance,
Joe D
« Last Edit: Oct 6th, 2025 at 7:57pm by Joe Do... »  
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bpjack
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Re: Partial Broken Case stuck in Chamber
Reply #1 - Oct 6th, 2025 at 7:48pm
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If you have cerrosafe, do a chamber cast and it should push the piece out with the cast.  I have used a wooden dowel slightly hammered it the chamber and pushed out with a cleaning rod at the range several times with my 25-20 Win.

I carry this tool that Jerry Hartwig showed me how to make that removes a stuck case next easily,
  

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Joe Do...
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Re: Partial Broken Case stuck in Chamber
Reply #2 - Oct 6th, 2025 at 7:57pm
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That's a very good idea. Thanks Jack.
  
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AJ
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Re: Separated Case Neck Stuck in Chamber
Reply #3 - Oct 6th, 2025 at 9:20pm
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Before going through too much trouble, shove a bronze brush into the case from the chamber end, the try to pull the stuck brass out.  If it doesn’t work, just push the brush all the way out the muzzle and go to plan B.
  
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JerryH
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Re: Separated Case Neck Stuck in Chamber
Reply #4 - Oct 7th, 2025 at 12:09am
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It's probably just me, but none of my single shot rifle barrels (especially vintage ones) will ever have a brush of any type run through them.

That's my $.04 (inflation added) worth of wisdom. Probably not worth that much.
  

I'm not a complete idiot, some of my parts are missing.
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AJ
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Re: Separated Case Neck Stuck in Chamber
Reply #5 - Oct 7th, 2025 at 12:55am
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JerryH, the brush trick usually works with bottleneck cases that have separated near the base, but I really am not sure how well it might work on a relatively straight case like a 25-20SS.  If it doesn’t work, I certainly don’t think one single brush stroke through the barrel will do any harm.  

I have separated case removers similar to the one pictured in an earlier post, and they always work well, but not everyone has them or the capability of making them.

I offer the idea as a tool in the tool bag to try if Joe cares to.

A .223 case extractor may also work on the SS case.  They are available from Brownell’s, and probably other vendors.  Here is a link: (You need to Login or Register to view media files and links)
« Last Edit: Oct 7th, 2025 at 1:02am by AJ »  
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JerryH
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Re: Separated Case Neck Stuck in Chamber
Reply #6 - Oct 7th, 2025 at 1:15am
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AJ,

I certainly did not mean to step on your toes as far as a brush through the bore.

That's just one of my "do not go there" things. I'm kind of funny that way. Cool
  

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JKR
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Re: Separated Case Neck Stuck in Chamber
Reply #7 - Oct 7th, 2025 at 6:15am
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I’ve pulled broken 40-82 cases with a tight wool chamber mop. I pushed it in and then pushed a tightly patched rod in from the muzzle to push it out. 
Cerrosafe as suggested earlier will work every time.
  
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Re: Separated Case Neck Stuck in Chamber
Reply #8 - Oct 7th, 2025 at 8:17am
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Sometimes a lead ball pushed through the barrel from the muzzle (like one does when one "slugs" the barrel) will pick up the case mouth and push it out.

Spray or otherwise introduce some lube with a lot of "creep," like Kroil, into the chamber and let it set for a while before trying.

I've had broken shells that almost fall out of the chamber themselves and others that hold in there like grim death.  I glom onto all the Marble's and Echo broken shell extractors I find at gun shows in the calibers I have, but had to make one for .25 caliber.  A piece of quarter-inch rod, split at the end with a hacksaw and a groove filed almost at the end, should pop over the case mouth and push out with a cleaning rod if the lead ball trick doesn't work.

It's possible to use a tap of the right size to thread into the inside of the case, and knock the assembly out with a cleaning rod, but it's easy to damage a chamber with one too.  Don't ask me how I know this.
  
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Re: Separated Case Neck Stuck in Chamber
Reply #9 - Oct 7th, 2025 at 10:09am
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Take an 1/8” dia. Brass rod , grind 1 side so it tappers to nothing.
Push in chamber till it touches case and lightly tap with small hammer.  when it starts going under the case go a little further
And it will bulge the case moth , remove some pressure and should come right out with cleaning rod from muzzle. Did it many times
With a sharps 40-90 straight and it worked great all the time.
Very thin case mouths.
  
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Re: Separated Case Neck Stuck in Chamber
Reply #10 - Oct 7th, 2025 at 11:05am
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I use the brass brush trick first and if unsuccessful I use cerrosafe and it works like a charm.  Tom
  
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Re: Separated Case Neck Stuck in Chamber
Reply #11 - Oct 7th, 2025 at 11:26am
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Joe,
For clarity on the cerrosafe process, I use a brass rod, - in your case it'll have to be around a 3/16" diameter one - a brazing rod from a welding supply shop is a good source.  I cut a cotton patch that when it's wrapped over the end of the rod fits the bore snug.  I then push this rod in from the muzzle end to within about a 1/4" of the case.  I leave this in place, even a wrap or two of black tap to hold it in place.  I heat my cerrosafe, make a paper funnel that just fits inside the chamber, a 1/4" to 3/8" past the rim.  Tape works to hold this in place also.  Pour your cerrosafe in the chamber and let it set up and cool down to room temp.  A couple of taps on the brass rod sticking out of the muzzle has always worked for me.  For a picky client, I wrapped the brass rod every six inches or so with a few wraps of black tape so the brass never contacts the bore.  For my rifles it doesn't matter.  I'm not that particular.
Hope this helps.
Greg
  

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Joe Do...
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Re: Separated Case Neck Stuck in Chamber
Reply #12 - Oct 8th, 2025 at 7:24pm
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Update:

(1) I had already tried JKR's suggestion of sending several snug patches from the muzzle to the breech, but that didn't work.
(2) I tried AJ's brush suggestion, but that didn't work
(3)I liked Bent-ramrod's suggestion and a fried suggested the same, but I went with the next suggestion ...
(4) I tried Cerrosafe once but it didn't work. I don't think I left enough space between the brass rod and the edge of the separated case. So I did it again, and it looks like I barely caught the edge of it but it was enough. I had no idea the brass crept that far up the rifling. ... thanks to bpjack and GT

Thanks to everyone for your help!
Joe D
  
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Re: Separated Case Neck Stuck in Chamber
Reply #13 - Oct 8th, 2025 at 8:36pm
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Good job Joe.  It was really in there.  I will have to try Greg’s paper funnel idea.  I usually make a mess. 
The first time I heard of using this technique was in the middle of a 2 hour relay at Tommy Mason’s range in Nine Mile Falls when Bruce Kirby pulled out a stick case piece from a competitor’s rifle so they could finish the match. 
« Last Edit: Oct 8th, 2025 at 8:41pm by bpjack »  

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Re: Separated Case Neck Stuck in Chamber
Reply #14 - Oct 8th, 2025 at 8:58pm
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Correct size pin gauge works great. Drop it down the muzzle and tap it through with a ram rod…👍



Tom Klinger
  
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