While deer hunting with a Remington 700 Mountain Rifle in .280, I had a cartridge case head separation. Obviously, this ended my hunting for the time. Back at camp, I tried removing the remains of the case with a cleaning rod and jag with tight patching, oversized cleaning brushes, etc. from front and back and anything else I could think of, all to no avail. It almost seemed as if the case was brazed in place. The gun is currently in a gun shop awaiting service. Is there any way I could have removed the case myself and continued the hunt? Hopefully, this is a once in a lifetime event. Of course, I'll be checking the die set-up, getting fresh brass, etc. But, I'd appreciate any tips or advice on removing stuck cases. I'm guessing it could be done with Cerro-Safe. But, I'm hoping there's something less drastic?

Brownells sells a broken shell extractor.

Thanks, I looked these up at Brownells and what I found are cartridge specific with a limited selection:

http://www.brownells.com/aspx/NS/Store/ProductDetail.aspx?p=23311
http://www.brownells.com/aspx/NS/st...;title=ECHO%20BROKEN%20SHELL%20EXTRACTOR
http://www.brownells.com/aspx/NS/st...26&title=BROKEN%20SHELL%20EXTRACTORS

Is there a tool that has more applications or any other techniques worth trying?

The 30-06 should work, because it is the parent cartridge of the 280.

Usually, a correctly sized bore brush on a cleaning rod pushed in from the muzzle will remove the case remains.

I tried a .28 brush in the .280 and it didn't work. So, I tried larger brushes also without luck. I also put larger brushes in from the back end hoping to gain a hold inside the case or on the case mouth.

At least this .30-06 extractor says "Fits ONLY the specified caliber." Perhaps because it has to be the right size to engage the case mouth?:

http://www.brownells.com/aspx/NS/st...26&title=BROKEN%20SHELL%20EXTRACTORS

A thread tap on an extension will work.

You gotta be careful.

Al

Thanks for the suggestion. I wondered about something like a tap of some kind. I find myself wishing for a tool that probably doesn't exist. I'm envisioning something shaped like a cylinder hone with three arms that would be small enough to fit into the remains of the cartridge. It would have a camming action so that when you pulled out on it, it would expand to fit any size cartridge and get enough of a bite to pull the case out.

Push a small patch from the rear to a spot just ahead of the neck and pour in a little cerrosafe. Let it cool and tap the case out. Everytime!

That makes sense. Thanks! I was guessing that something like Cerrosafe was the best way to remove a stubborn separated case in the shop. I just didn't know if there were any other tricks to try before resorting to that, things that could be tried at hunting camp in hopes of getting a rifle back into the hunt.

I read somewhere, a long time ago, that you could tightly pack wet toilet paper in the case and ahead of the neck much like the cerrosafe and that you could then push the case out. I don't know. I would just as soon use my time kicking back around the fire.

Dont worry you need threaded rod app 24 inch long and 1/8 inch thick , long enough to go from the rifles chamber past the butt so you can turn it with a spanner , three bits of rubber cylinder 1 inch long app for 222 ,06 and belted mag case sizes . On the rod have a nylock nut at the butt end and the spanner to fit .This nut MUST be fixed so it cant move . On the chamber end have a small nut with nylock or nut locktited in place about 1.25 to 1.5 inches from the end It must fit in the case body in the chamber!!this nut has a cylinder the right size[222/270/ 375 h/h/ ] of rubber about 1 inch long between it and another nut on the end of the rod this nut is a normal nut and if any thing must screw freely on the rod Now adjust it with your fingers so the rubber just fits in the case and the end nut is against the rubber Push it in tight, as its in the case you cant hurt the chamber, tighten with your spanner , rubber expands and grips the case from the inside out It normally takes very little effort to remove the case and it is all contained within the case body so there is no damage at all.PS you will need three or more different sizes of rubber cylinders but a 1/8 rod will fit all. It takes a bit of playing around to get the rubber the right size but when its ok It only needs to be done once It will work try it !!!!

PPS Take this with your cleaning gear and its in camp for everyone, always with you as its only 24 inches long and weighs nearly nothing.And I forgot to mention small washers the same size as the nuts help compress the rubber without tearing it.

I've also heard of using newspaper. Maybe, but, you'd think it would push back out if the case is that tight. Would be worth a try though...

What an ingenious idea! I had to read through this a couple of times to fully comprehend the principle. But, that sounds like a great thing to add to the shooting box. Any suggestions on a suitable material or item from which to make the rubber cylinders?

Well, almost every time..

I had one that would not budge even with that.. Did it twice - no go.. First time that's happened in 11 years..

Had to get creative.. But I stongly advise AGAINST anything like a tap be used.. One slight mistake and you'll be investing in a new chamber..

When a cleaning brush pushed into the case from the breach and then tapped out through the muzzle does NOT work, I resort to 5 minute epoxy.

I mix up some epoxy and put it in a syringe. I push a tight patch into the neck from the muzzle and then inject epoxy into the case from the breach end with a piece of tubing on the end of the syringe or with just the syringe if a large enough case. I let it set up and tap it out from the muzzle. Has worked every time so far. Not saying that one of those echo case removers won't work, but most folks don't have them handy. I think on a remote hunt where you don't have a back up gun, you should at least have one of those in camp so you could get your gun back in order. They are $13 and the size of ONE round. Good insurance I would think!

The epoxy sounds like a good solution. I'd be scared of it getting in the wrong place though!

Do you have any experience with the Echo? Brownells doesn't offer much info. about what they fit.:
http://www.brownells.com/aspx/NS/st...;title=ECHO%20BROKEN%20SHELL%20EXTRACTOR

MSQUARED and others Being a golf pro, when the old leather grips were used the end of the shaft was filled with a rubber cylinder through it was a screw of 1/8 threaded rod in diameter with a nut on the end.A cap was placed on the end of the club and the screw inserted through this cap then the screw was tightened and the expanded rubber held the cap in place See the local golf pro he might have some, or a hardware store It is a simple tool that when you tighten the nut at the end, the rubber expands and grips from the inside of the case leaving no marks in or on the rifle. Most case bodies are only stuck because we cant get a grip on them and have no camming power to pull them out .

I'm going to remember to epoxy deal. One of our guys had a case head separation at elk camp one year. I whittled a a piece of wood that would just fit into the case and then screwed a large wood screw into the back of it to expand the wood and grip the case and then popped it out with a cleaning rod. Kind of a home made shell extractor.
Doc

I have never had a case head seperation (knock on wood)
but if it happens once, what are the chances of it happening
again with the safe rifle? Hope this isnt a stupid question.

Case head separation isn't always the fault of the gun. Reloads, where the shoulders are bumped back too far, causing the brass to stretch dangerously thin on repeated firings, or, an occasional out of spec factory round fired in a gun with a little too much gap between the bolt head and the breech are the usual offenders.

If the rifle's headspace is within spec, and the gap between the bolt head and the breech isn't excessive, or, there isn't a huge, bevel at the mouth of the chamber, then you shouldn't have to worry much about it, provided the brass fits the chamber and the loads are within the correct operating pressures of the particular round. If you are concerned, let a reputable gunsmith check it out for you.

Go to a hardware store and buy some of the expander plugs that is used in holes drilled in concrete to put lag bolts in, they have all differant sizes, as well as ones used to hang pictures on walls, put them in from the rear and tighten but don't over tighten, then tap it out with a rod from the muzzle.you can even fit them by cutting them down on a lathe for differant size cartridges, a custom set.

If anyone is having trouble following this idea, Look at how a drain plug for a boat works. miles

Thanks for the suggestions. I definitely plan to make up a kit for my shooting box and be prepared for the next time. As I mentioned in the first post, after the separation occurred, I left the gun at a gun shop to be fixed. But, I was wondering what else I could have done myself in order to get the gun back into the woods. Thanks to all for some great ideas!