I Got a Problem, need some expert help... or even some

[Griff]

inexpert help would be welcome if it works!

Anyone know how a Rube-Goldberg type can get a broken .45 Colt case outta a Uberti 1873 rifle? Round 6 on my sixth stage today (luckily the last one) wouldn't chamber... I thought it was a bad crimp, but... there's still something in there. The head musta separated.

[Old Savage]

Oh Griff, wish you the best but no help here.

[iceman]

I have removed broken cases in my 22 hornet by taking a cleaning rod with a brass brush a little larger than the case pushing into the chamber and then pulling it out quickly. the wire bristles grabbed the case when trying to reverse direction. With your rifle you may have to run the cleaning rod down from the muzzle screw on the brush in the breach area, pull back the rod and then push it out again with the b rass stuck on the brush. Good luck.

[Buffboy]

Find a tap(an easy out will work too) that fits in the case but not so large as the chamber as you don't want to damage the chamber. partially tap the section of case carefully with the tap, then use a cleaning rod to bump the case out of the chamber. The case will sometimes turn with the easy out or tap and you might have to have another person keep tension on it(more of a problem with the easy out) as you use the cleaning rod.

edit: if iceman's idea doesn't work. Try that first as there is less chance of damage to your chamber.

[Borregos]

Iceman has got it in one, I had a head separate in a Uberti 73 (357Mag) and that was exactly how I got it out

[Griff]

YEEHAW! Used a stainless steel brush, came out easily! Thanks for the help!

[iceman]

Glad to be of assistance. Experience is a wonderful teacher. Now more people will know how to do this if it ever happens to them.

[Sixgun]

Griff,
Well, you got it out so I guess you don't need my suggestion. In addition to what the other guys said about the brass brush and tap, there are two more ways. 1.) buy a broken shell extractor. (I know, no time to hunt one down--I'm with 'ya on that one.
#2) run a tight patch down the bore and stop at the case mouth. (You gotta be real careful on this next one ) Mix up some two part epoxy and fill the area where the broken case is. ---Wait a half day or so and knock her out with a cleaning rod.

I have had to do this several times with real stubborn cases where the brush and tap method did not work---just keep that epoxy off the chamber wall ----------Sixgun

[cowboykell]

Cerrosafe works better than epoxy.

[Griff]

Again, I appreciate all the suggestions. This happened on the 11th of 11 stages shot over 2 days at two different matches with no cleaning between. At first I thought it was just a instance of a case that had failed to crimp properly (Yea, Lefty, I know!!!! ). But, I'd wanted to shoot till the thing gummed up. And it did, right at the beginning of stage 10. A little spray cleaner and lube freed it right up and I was able to shoot that stage. Did the same before this stage and it was running fine for those 1st five shots.

So much for not being able to load BP in a .45 Colt rifle and have it gum up right away. And I was running these cases right at what I consider the minimum load, 160gr "Big Lube"™ boolits, SPG & Lyman Alox mixed lube and 25 grains (by wt.) of Goex Cartridge. Oh yea, accuracy... the 1st five shots of this run (in my continuing quest to place LAST), I shot slow, supported against a vertical iron bar and aimed at the head of each of the cowboy targets, (approx. 4"x4"), hitting each at the 15 yards I think the targets were set at. This was the last 5 of over 100 rounds of the above load w/o a single wipe down the barrel.

I remain convinced of the viabilitly of a .45 Colt levergun... even using less than ideal components and, certainly less than ideal cleaning.

Oh yea, someone over on the SASS Wire suggested that I might have a head space issue... nope, I show headspace running at .002", so it had to be a badly fatigued case.

[bogus bill]

Griff, if want to go real cheap you might want to try one of those tools that take out broken sprinkler heads or whatever on pv pipes.