Broken/stuck 22 short case

[JBowen]

Maybe somebody has experienced this and has a easy solution.
I bought a Model 1873 22 short (made in 1889) a few years ago. The person that sold it to me said it would shoot but not extract the hulls.
I glanced at it and could see the extractor was gone and figured I could get it going pretty easy. Well, wishful thinking on my part!!
I got it out of the back of the safe recently and ordered a new extractor from Winchester Bob. I got the part in a couple of weeks and installed
it fairly easy, put a few rounds in the tube and tried to cycle one through it, but the first one went in about halfway and stopped. I could not
see anything by looking through the barrel, but I could feel something with a cleaning rod and am thinking it is a broken hull.
The endoscope I ordered is too big to go in the barrel but with the carrier down, I can put it up to the chamber end and it looks like a
broken hull.
Do any of you have a good trick you would share on getting it out? I have screw extractors for broken bolts, but that may be too aggressive.

Thanks,
JBowen

[765x53]

This would be the surest way. https://www.brownells.com/gunsmith-tool ... 23311.aspx

Here is another one. https://www.sarcoinc.com/accessories-to ... extractor/

[GunnyMack]

Try a NEW bore brush. Push it through from the breech end then pull backwards. Before trying this, do your best to get some penetrating oil around the case body, let it soak awhile (I suspect a rough chamber from corrosion due to brass / steel being in close contact for many years.) If that doest work and you have a big freezer put the gun in the freezer overnight and try the brush again.
If you have Cerrosafe ( Brownells- used for chamber casting) then plug the bore like you were doing a chamber cast - which you are going to do, and then a rod from the muzzle should allow removel.
All else fails, a chamber reamer with an extension and cut the case out.

[JBowen]

Thanks for the replies, guys. Those are good ideas. I will start with the penetrating oil and brush first, since I have those on hand, and if that don't work,
I will order one of those .223 shell extractors. I think it would fit in there with the bolt, carrier and everything removed, and if it would latch on to the shell
I could push it out with a cleaning rod from the muzzle end.

Thanks again,

JBowen

[GunnyMack]

Let us know how it works.

[Nath]

I would shape the end of a rod of steel with slight bend to the tip to pick up the case and chisel or lift it from its front edge.

[hpbear101]

I recently had a 45-70 case break off in the chamber of my 1886. I soaked it with Kroil then tried a new brush and a tight patch neither worked. I didn't have any cerosafe so I pushed/pounded a lead roundball through as if slugging the bore and it took it right out.

Tom

[JBowen]

A couple more good ideas, Nath and Tom. Lots of wisdom on this forum.
Thanks,
JBowen

[ole pizen slinger]

Pull a 22 bullet from a case and push it down the bore from the muzzle. It should pick up the end of the brass case and push it right out.
OPS

[Nath]

Pull a 22 bullet from a case and push it down the bore from the muzzle. It should pick up the end of the brass case and push it right out.
OPS

Will not the bullet be under case size that way?

[44shooter]

Pull a 22 bullet from a case and push it down the bore from the muzzle. It should pick up the end of the brass case and push it right out.
OPS

Will not the bullet be under case size that way?

22 s,l,lr bullets are same as od of the case. It should catch it. I would probably put a patch on a brush first. Maybe an over caliber brush like a 24, 25, 6.5

[Nath]

Pull a 22 bullet from a case and push it down the bore from the muzzle. It should pick up the end of the brass case and push it right out.
OPS

Will not the bullet be under case size that way?

22 s,l,lr bullets are same as od of the case. It should catch it. I would probably put a patch on a brush first. Maybe an over caliber brush like a 24, 25, 6.5

Not after a ride down the barrel!

Knowing how easy it is to pull a 22 bullet from a case I would be very surprised if a bore sized bullet could pry a stuck case of many years!

[44shooter]

Then try with a #4 buckshot? Honestly, if solvents and oils won’t let a brush or patch pick it up I don’t know if a soft lead slug will.

[JBowen]

Well, I just came in out of the shop working on this project to give Ya'll the good news. I tried all of the suggestions given on here except the 22 bullet
that was suggested today. None worked. Yesterday I had the idea they I would find me a pin punch or something similar sized .224 and I would try to curl
that thin case up from the breech side. I could not come up with anything, so I decided to make something, and I found a long machine screw that was
about .240, maybe a size #10. I don't have a lathe, so I ground off the head of the screw and chucked it up in a drill and while it was turning, I laid a file
flat on the threads and turned it down to about .224. I then took it and tapped it into the broken shell, and it was pretty tight. I then took a steel rod
and tapped on it from the muzzle end and out it popped!! I was doing the happy dance.

Thanks to all you Levergunners for the help and suggestions. I will give the internals a good cleaning and lube job and put it back together in a few days.
The magazine tube hanger dovetail is all buggered up and that is my next project. I may be able to peen it with a center punch and dress it down like I have done on sights before.

Thanks again,
JBowen

[44shooter]

Glad you worked it out

[Nath]

Well do you

[GunnyMack]

Great solution. Now the question is WHY/ HOW did said case part company...? I can't see it was an over pressure since the case capacity is so small... headslace excessive? Maybe a NO-GO & FIELD gauge is in order. If itis in spec for headspace and was my rifle I think I would polish the chamber. 400 grit emery on a polishing rod or a fired case soldier to a long peice of brass rod and fine lapping compound just to remove any roughness in the chamber.
Glad you got it out!

[Tycer]

Excellent news.

[JBowen]

Great solution. Now the question is WHY/ HOW did said case part company...? I can't see it was an over pressure since the case capacity is so small... headslace excessive? Maybe a NO-GO & FIELD gauge is in order. If itis in spec for headspace and was my rifle I think I would polish the chamber. 400 grit emery on a polishing rod or a fired case soldier to a long peice of brass rod and fine lapping compound just to remove any roughness in the chamber.
Glad you got it out!

Gunny, you raise a very good question. When I get back on this project, I will inspect it a lot closer. Thanks for the suggestions.

JBowen

[piller]

I am guessing that the chamber will have some pitting. Very very gentle lapping should help.

[coyote nose]

When you get to fixing the loose tube remember the magazine tube "dovetail" on Winchester barrels is a rotary dovetail, not a linear dovetail like the front sight, rear sight, and forend tenon have! Many is the Winchester I had to fix because the owner tried pounding the rotary dovetail straight out the side. I am not familiar with the 22 version of the 1873 but am assuming it too has a rotary dovetail like its big brothers.

[JBowen]

When you get to fixing the loose tube remember the magazine tube "dovetail" on Winchester barrels is a rotary dovetail, not a linear dovetail like the front sight, rear sight, and forend tenon have! Many is the Winchester I had to fix because the owner tried pounding the rotary dovetail straight out the side. I am not familiar with the 22 version of the 1873 but am assuming it too has a rotary dovetail like its big brothers.

Coyote Nose, I would guess that is the case here. Right now, it will just fall out and the dovetail is all mangled.
Thanks for the "Heads Up".

Also, I still need to order a few screws for the fore end cap and a pin for the tube hanger. This rifle is in poor condition, but my goal is to get functioning and shooting again. It is only 133 years old!

JBowen

[GunnyMack]

Certainly JB! Glad to help out. One thing that is always on my mind is why did X happen. In this situation X is a stuck/ separated case. Why did the case do that... dirty, pitted chamber? If its pitted DONT do a chamber cast, ( though why would a guy cast the chamber of a .22? ) as it'll stick into the pits. Like Coyote Nose said, lap it gently.
Keep us posted on it.