Hello, my friend and welcome back! In today’s Guest Post, we have a great little article for you by Jay Chambers and I think you will find it interesting especially if you are just starting out with guns of any type. Now grab a cup of coffee my friend and have a seat while we visit.
Guns are amazing, yet dangerous items to maneuver, so we thought about talking about one of the risks involved with them. There are many things you should consider before joining the gun shooting world and this includes maintaining a proper position, holding the gun properly, and more.
But what about a stuck bullet? Did it ever occur to you that this problem may arise at some point? Well, take a seat, because we’re going to discuss this.
When you become a shooter, there are two possibilities: you either become a shooter who will have stuck bullets or a shooter who won’t. Even so, removing a stuck bullet from the tube is not that hard, as long as you know how to do it.
If you want to get into some classic American shooting but you’re afraid of the risks, here’s why it’s important to check for bullets in the tube, and how to solve the issue.
What Causes a Bullet to Get Stuck?
A bullet can get stuck for multiple reasons, but generally, bullets get stuck due to defective ammo. As such, if you purchase ammo that’s not in the best condition, you are at risk of getting the bullet stuck.
Usually, the problem arises when there isn’t enough power to push the bullet all the way out the bore. As a consequence, it gets stuck inside the tube, thus preventing you from hitting the target and posing a danger from that point on if not dealt with accordingly.
A stuck bullet is not a tragedy, especially if you have experience with guns and know what to do to get rid of the problem. However, the biggest issues arise when one uses the wrong techniques in order to remove the stubborn bullet.
Why Is It Important to Check if the Bullet Is in the Tube?
So, what should you do in the event that a bullet gets stuck?
If you fire the gun, but you see no bullet coming out of the tube, then it’s time to check whether it got stuck or not. There have been cases in the past when this has been a big issue. Whereas the bullet in itself isn’t a big risk, it’s important to check so you don’t end up shooting more bullets that will gather behind the blocked one.
Basically, when a bullet is shot, there’s a lot of pressure released to make it go at the speed it does, thus giving it the power to pierce through certain things. When the bullet is stuck in such a small distance between the chamber and the way out, the pressure accumulates.
As such, if you don’t check the tube as soon as you encounter the problem and keep shooting, there’s the risk of the firearm going boom. In other words, not only that the gun won’t be useful anymore, but you could get severely injured as a consequence.
How to Drive the Bullet Out of the Gun?
- Unload the Weapon
As a safety measure, it’s indicated to unload the weapon and ensure that there are no live rounds in the magazine or chamber. After all, you don’t want to shoot the gun by mistake while you’re trying to remove the stuck bullet. It would be dangerous not only for you but for those around you as well.
- If Possible, Remove the Tube
If you can do it, you should consider removing the barrel from the firearm. In case you own a rifle, you can do so by removing the bolt, thus allowing straight-through access from the receiver to the muzzle. In case you own a revolver, though, what you have to do is swing open the cylinder.
If you remove it, the process will be much easier than if you don’t do it.
- Use Solvent
Another thing to take into consideration is pouring some solvent into the barrel from either end. You should allow it some minutes to soak any potential residual unburnt powder. This increases safety and makes sure you can work to remove the bullet without any risks.
- Locate the Bullet
The next thing you need to do is, of course, determining where the bullet got stuck. This is relevant to the methods you use to remove it. You can do so by running a carbon fiber down the tube from the muzzle until you notice where the bullet is located. Afterward, the rod has to be removed and laid along the barrel. The next step would be marking the outside of the barrel at the end of the rod, which indicates the muzzle, front, or obstruction. This is quite an easy method to determine the place of the obstruction, as well as its length.
- Insert the Dowel into the Barrel
Use the dowel by inserting it from the breech end and tap its back with a mallet. You should keep tapping it until the stuck bullet falls out the front of the barrel. If the bullet is stuck much closer to the breech, insert the dowel from the muzzle end and tap toward the breech. You should do the same as well if you own a revolver that doesn’t allow access from the breech.
- Use Some Flashlight
Once you’re done, consider using some flashlight to shine a light at one end of the barrel and look down the opposite end. You need to check if there are any obstructions, any damages or wood splinters. Before you re-assembly the firearm, clean and oil the barrel.
Bottom Line
You shouldn’t take a gun as a child’s toy. It’s an item that you need to be very careful with, which means that if a bullet gets stuck, you shouldn’t keep shooting. If you do so, you’re at risk of having the firearm explode and cause injury.
Author Bio:
Jay Chambers is a pro free speech business owner based in Austin, Texas. Having lived through several natural disasters and more than a few man-made ones (hello 2008), he believes that resilience and self-sufficiency are essential in this increasingly unpredictable world. That’s why he started a business! Jay writes over at Minute Man Review.
That’s it for today my friend, and hopefully, you enjoyed reading this post and it will come in handy! Until next time my friend, stay safe, stay strong, and stay prepared. God Bless America!
-Sarge-
