I have a rifle that has a bolt stuck and need input on the best way to free it. I just hand loaded some rounds for my Kimber Hunter 7/08. I've never had any problems, at all, with this rifle. I loaded to magazine length like I always do. I was actually trying out a brand new, spare, magazine I just received. I loaded three of my recent handloads into the magazine. I fed the first round. It slid right out of the magazine and into the chamber and then just stopped. I can not "cam over" the bolt and I can't pull the bolt back out of the chamber. I'm not looking for causes as I just assume it is a sizing issue that I can remedy. I obviously want to do the least "harsh" method first to free the action. I've turned the rifle, barrel down and tried to pull the bolt back with no luck. I've placed the rifle, barrel up and wrapped the bolt with a leather pad and lightly tapped on that with a hammer. I don't really want to do any more than lightly tap on it as, let's be honest, it isn't made for that. I'm currently at a loss and don't want to go off half cocked and gorilla the thing only to cause more damage. Any advice or hints?

Max, If it is possible, I would use a small screw driver to pry the extractor outward from the case head enough to disengage it from the extractor groove where it will allow you to remove the bolt from the rifle. That would at least remove the firing pin away from the loaded round. After that, you may be able to make some kind of a tool to pry the round out from the chamber by the rim. Last resort to me would be by tapping the round out with a rod from the muzzle. I am certainly not recommending you do that. A gunsmith may have a special tool just for this situation. I am sure other members will have some better solutions. This is not a problem I would want to have. Good luck. RJ

Rubber mallet on bolt handle? Tap gently. Do at range and away from people.

rj308, thanks for the idea. The entire bolt face is as far forward to the point where one would "cam over" or down into the firing position. I can't access it. The bolt is all the way home or nearly all the way home.


I understand and agree with you. That might be the way to accomplish it but it might also get me into one of the Darwin Award threads.



Thanks Esox357. I was actually thinking the same thing. I think my first option is to pull on it as hard as I can. I would think that has to do the job. I just can't seem to pull hard enough. I might have to find someone stronger than me. I speculate the mallot idea is exactly what a gunsmith would do too. I just don't want to break the bolt and am going to use that as my last resort pending input from others as to a method. This cannot be the first time this has ever happened to someone.

O.K., just in case any of you have provided input are following this. I am at my remedy. I stood the rifle upright (barrel up) in my vice. I took my small hammer (plastic on one side, brass on the other) and a punch of large enough diameter and a small leather pad to protect the bolt base. I placed the pad at the point where the bolt handle meets the rest of the bolt group and tapped multiple times downward and it finally released. It actually pulled the case away from the bullet spewing powder everywhere and kicking the brass away as it should. The bullet is lodged into the barrel. I'm going to get a dowel, smaller in diameter than .284 and tap the bullet out. With the stuck bullet my first thought was "oversized?". I measured the others from the batch and they are correct size. Somehow, I loaded the bullet out too long. I actually think I know what I did. I last used ELD-X bullets and seated to mag length with this rifle. No problem. I did the same with Partitions, not taking into consideration ogive location being different (further forward with Partitions) and just loaded those to mag length. Rookie mistake and BAD IDEA. I guess even veterans even make rookie mistakes. This, in my opinion, is why I stuck the round. In my mind, this is confirmed by the bullet still being stuck in the barrel.

Glad you got it out

Do not use a wooden dowel since it may splinter around the bullet tip and cause even more issues. Get a 10 inch or brass rod slightly under bore diameter, hold it at the muzzle and let it drop the sharp shock will knock the bullet free. A sharp impact gives more of a "shock" to knock things loose rather than light taps.

drover

Thanks for that tip.

I have had same issue, and just dropped a cleaning rod down barrel and it knocked bullet out.

Well, I bent or broke something. Now, I have my ammo to proper length and it feeds perfectly. However, even though the round extracts from the chamber perfectly, it does not kick out. It just remains held firm to the bolt. I've got to figure out if I have bent the extractor or broken something. Good grief. These things always seem to snowball. If one of you reading this thread has time, could you please post a picture or two of the bolt face and extractor of a properly functioning Kimber 84 and the ejector? I would appreciate it. Yes, I will try a google search also. I'm thinking slamming the bolt back into the ejector might have done something. When I flick the ejector with my finger it seems to have decent tension and spring back; but, a picture of a properly functioning one might be helpful.

I think i remember, recently, some idiots were saying you could just load to mag length and be perfectly fine.. hmmm... yeah, thats it.. and now you guys might think twice.

If you still need help call me and leave a message if I screen you. Might be able to help.

Shooter71, I appreciate the offer. I talked to Kimber yesterday and they were willing to pay freight both ways and fix it for me. What they heck. I can't beat a deal like that. I do appreciate your generosity.

These newer, longer, tipped bullets have thrown us all kind of a curveball. I think a lot of people need to realize that with some of these rifles that have a shorter mag box, you may not be able to load certain bullets to the lands; but, a non-tipped bullet may get you there. I know, I know, it doesn't help with what is necessarily one's preferred long range, high bc bullet. However, if you are chasing accuracy and think a bullet closer to the lands will get you better accuracy, maybe a more traditional, non-tipped bullet will get you there.

Remember the Kimber has a fixed ejector so until you stroke the bolt all the way back it will be held to the bolt face.....

What Daveh said.

And don’t be afraid to pull back hard. You ain’t gonna break it.

Daveh and David W, thanks for the input. I was and am aware of that. Trust me, no matter how hard I have yanked the bolt to the rear, the round stays affixed to the bolt face.

Post pictures of the bolt and ejector.

I figured but.....
Replacing that fixed ejector isn’t hard but did you look to see if it’s broken off.....??

I actually planned to do that but I forgot before I sent it off to Kimber

I thought about replacing the ejector myself, as I've done so before. It definitely wasn't broken off and, from fingering it, appeared to be working fine. As stated above, since Kimber was willing to fix it under warranty and to pay for the ride both ways, I figured, "why not?". I've got plenty of others to play with in the meantime.

I keep a brass rod in the truck that I take to the range...for situations like getting a stuck bullet out...
they cost about $2.00 at the hard ware store..

I figured that out AFTER messing up the end of a $30 clean rod...

per usual.. sizing issue at the load bench...

I load to mag length... but when I do, I first make a dummy round for such little hassles to avoid...
then I just ram it home in the action..that will adjust it to the chamber into the lands..

then the old dummy round is set back into the press and then I adjust the die down until it touches the bullet
take the dummy round out and turn the seater down a quarter turn.....

I personally think I know more about reloading than anyone else on the planet..

That is because I think I have exhausted every way known to man on how to screw up at the reload bench... multiple times
so by default, I've managed to learn a thing a two...

doesn't make me the best reloader.. just the most knowledgeable on screw ups... self taught will do that for ya...

The Hornady oal tool is handy to set bullet seating depths.

I make a cut in the neck of the brass back to the beginning of the neck and then size it. Seat a bullet and chamber it with the bullet seated long. It automatically pushes the bullet back to where its just touching the lands. Then adjust the seating die. All set.

Black Sharpie method for me. Seat long, look for land marks on the bullet. When the mark in the ink is square, that’s kiss length.




P

Awful lot of stuck bolts on here lately.

I've used all of the techniques described in this thread for seating depth. I now normally use the Hornady set-up and really like it. In this case, apparently, I was using the but for technique. "But for" my head being up my butt, I would have done as I usually do and not had the stuck bolt problem. It seems I've become quite good at Seafire's technique above.

I've been using the Stoney Point OAL gauge with modified cases for years to measure case head to bullet ogive with the bullet just touching the lands, but recently started using the method shown below. It's very easy with Kimbers since the spring loaded ejector (not really fixed) isn't in the bolt face so nothing to remove. Simply put the safety in the middle position, unscrew the firing pin assembly from the bolt body and follow the instructions below.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TWmIwPwLyyg