Squib clearing

[t-squared]

A post in another thread got me thinking I should be ready, tools wise, and able to clear a squib if it rears it's ugly head.

1. Is a length of wooden dowel and a small hammer adequate? I've got room in the range bag to keep them there....

2. What direction that you want to drive the bullet out? Wheel guns are obvious but what about semi autos?

 

[DanVoils]

Barrels tend to be smaller away from the breech. The few I've had to clear I always went away from the muzzle. I used a piece of delrin and a hammer. They weren't in very far so they weren't super hard to get out. Still made my butt pucker a bit.

 

[FishnHunt]

The one squib I've had, I had to put the barrel in a vise to clear it. That might be a bit much to carry around though.

 

[Leadeye]

Wood dowel and a hammer, you're good to go.

 

[VERT]

Brass squib rod.

 

[Sirshredalot]

Small block chevy pushrod covered in electrical tap, ...insert the pushrod into the muzzle and use the barrel as a slide hammer against the bench to push the bullet out of the breech.. ..make sure the bench is wood or hammer against somthing softer than the barrel so you don't ding the crown when the bullet gives way.

God bless
- Shred

 

[bgcatty]

Small block chevy pushrod covered in electrical tap, ...insert the pushrod into the muzzle and use the barrel as a slide hammer against the bench to push the bullet out of the breech.. ..make sure the bench is wood or hammer against somthing softer than the barrel so you don't ding the crown when the bullet gives way.

God bless
- Shred

. The pushrod with tape is a great idea! I'll second that idea.

 

[jjtroy912]

I heard, I think on the gun dudes podcast, that you always want to keep pushing it forward towards the muzzle. The reason was something along the lines of the jacket is being sheared / deformed towards the back of the projectile. If you push back towards breech you're fighting any metal that has deformed possibly bunching it up and getting it stuck worse. I hope this makes some sense, it did to me when I heard it. I generally like to run everything (brushes etc) towards the muzzle, it just seems right.

 

[Slawburger]

Brass rod slightly smaller diameter than the barrel. Put a little chamfer on the end of the rod just to remove the sharp edge.

 

[t-squared]

Thanks for the info guys. Never had to clear one, but you know how Murphy is......

 

[BehindBlueI's]

Thanks for the info guys. Never had to clear one, but you know how Murphy is......

Yes. Yes, I do.

 

[t-squared]

 

[bulletsmith]

Brass rod slightly smaller diameter than the barrel. Put a little chamfer on the end of the rod just to remove the sharp edge.

This is my choice as well.

 

[MohawkSlim]

Just shoot again!

 

[451_Detonics]

brass rod for me as well, never have had to clear one on a semi auto, always a revolver so always cleared from the muzzle end.

 

[bulletsmith]

Just shoot again!

Purple inferred.

 

[MohawkSlim]

Purple inferred.

Which purple is the "official purple?" (I have a bit of red/green CB issues so use numbers, please!)

 

[bulletsmith]

Which purple is the "official purple?" (I have a bit of red/green CB issues so use numbers, please!)

Lol, I will have to defer to those in charge. 128,0,128 should work though.

 

[1775usmarine]

Several of my 45 acp reloads were squibs and a brass rod and hammer cleared most. There was one time Ballstater used his Glock slide and my M16 cleaning rod to unlodge one at Winamac. I pin pointed the problem to leaving the powder in the measure over the winter and moisture causing the bullseye to clump giving inconsistent measures.

 

[oldpink]

I heard, I think on the gun dudes podcast, that you always want to keep pushing it forward towards the muzzle. The reason was something along the lines of the jacket is being sheared / deformed towards the back of the projectile. If you push back towards breech you're fighting any metal that has deformed possibly bunching it up and getting it stuck worse. I hope this makes some sense, it did to me when I heard it. I generally like to run everything (brushes etc) towards the muzzle, it just seems right.

Unless the bullet that's lodged in the barrel is a soft lead slug, I'm pretty sure that would be far tougher than just pushing it back toward the chamber, unless (of course) the bullet is more than halfway down the barrel.
You should know that jacketed bullets especially are extremely tough to force down the length of a barrel.