Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Ask The Gunwriters Case head separated, case still in chamber. Suggestions?

You didn't mess up. Not yet anyway. Get the broken shell extractor. The proper tool for the proper job.

Using anything not designed to remove broken brass is false economy. The damage you might do outweighs saving a few dollars.

Maybe they don't make brass brushes like they use too. I've got a 300 mag broken shell with the brush still in it around here some where. I couldn't get it out of the case when I pulled it from the chamber.

As mentioned earlier, Cerrosafe. After trying the oversized brass brush technique and failing, I filled the headless case to beyond the case mouth with Cerrosafe. Dropping a solid brass rod (from the hardware store) from the muzzle end popped the stuck case out after two drops.

Doesn't cerrosafe contract a bit when it cools down? I seem to remember that. Would pop away from the brass case if that was the case...

try getting it (brass) really cold like blast with freon in chamber than try tight brush

Did not seem to do so when I used it but then I did not wait that long after the Cerrosafe had solidify. Casting the Cerrosafe beyond the case mouth makes a mechanical step that prevents the Cerrosafe plug from pulling free of the brass.

I have been using Cerrosafe to remove broken shell casing for 30 plus years and have never had a failure to remove the case. The heat from the Cerrosafe is the key.

Use an old bronze bristle brush on a coated cleaning rod, put a cleaning patch over the front end and insert from the muzzle. Stop just in front broken case and pour the melted Cerrosafe in the chamber and make sure the complete case is filled completely. Once solidified tap the cleaning rod and the case full of Cerrosafe will back out of the chamber.

Broken shell extractors are iffy at best and can scratch your chamber.

Great advice, this,....I'll toss in that a reversed patch on a ring jag should push a wad of stout grease ahead of it, to a pre-determined depth,...the cerro to be poured against the grease, and the PATCH easily withdrawn.
Patches wadded up in front of Cerrosafe CAN create hassles, in the absence of a polished, damn close to bore sized, stick of drill rod.
Sticking bent stainless rods into the throat might not be condusive to long term accuracy, a stunt virtually BEGGING to chew up a critical area of the chamber.
I LOATHE the easy out idea,.... it's something from outer space.

GTC

I have used a rat tail file on my bolt action rifles, always worked for me, but do what your comfortable with.

Been loading since 1975, my first magnum was a 300 WM in 1978 (?)

Never owned a collet neck sizer.

I too had incipient head separation from F L sizing till I learned how to stop sizing AT the shoulder. Only lost a few cases before I learned.


Jerry

I used a tap on a 264 case once , dont remember what size it took , and probably lucky that I didnt scratch the chamber

Id likely just go ahead and get the proper tool from Brownells

I've definitely learned a few things about belted brass!

I can't add to this report except to get the brass really cold and it may help just enough.

You don't need a neck sizer to avoid these issues but they guarantee that you do... plus they vastly improve case life and concentricity.

Collet or bushing neck sizers yes. Conventional neck sizers often aren't so good.

Yes thanks that is critical; expander buttons suck.

Another reason I prefer 404 Jeffrey based cases for a 30 cal magnum.

If I ever go back to loading for my late father's 300 Win mag I'm not going to shoot new brass as-is. It'll be expanded a bit and then sized to a false shoulder for zero "shoulder headspace" from the get go.

Not to argue ! You may very well be right with more recently produced sizing dies.

A sincere question. Since '78/'79 I only have the SAME RCBS f l 300 WM dies >> WAS the Q C and production better then, than more recently produced dies/equipment ??

I have had no problems with good accurate handloads and very reasonable case life.


Jerry

This probably won't stop the stretching IME. The problem is sloppy chambers and short cases. Brass has to flow from somewhere to fill the chamber and the area in front of the belt is where it comes from.

I gotcha man I am with you.

Note the way I phrased that statement; when I said you don't need a neck sizer I meant you can adjust FLS die appropriately to avoid the issue, but that a non-expander button neck sizer guarantees you that and more.

I HATE full length sizers because early on I didn't know how to use em (I do now) and stick cases like mad so I leaned on collet neck sizers. Seeing the bonus effects of those over the FLS I never went back even after I learned proper use of the FLS.

You obviously learned how to use your FLS dies properly before I did so you haven't seen the need for them in the way I did. That's cool man don't fix what ain't broke but if ya wants try something new...