Stuck-Bullet Removal’T imes Fo

Some days, it doesn’t pay to get out of bed. On one such day, I picked up a Smith & Wesson Model 15 .38 Special from a local gunshop I do gunsmithing for. Just like a chain-reaction collision on the freeway, this revolver had four’yes, four!"bullets backed up and firmly lodged against each other in the barrel. The last bullet was lodged between the cylinder and barrel. And, for good measure, there were two live rounds in the cylinder to boot.

I would have known how to handle a single bullet stuck in the barrel or one stuck between the cylinder and barrel (see "Removing Squib Loads," in the May 94 issue), but what about three bullets, plus the one between the cylinder and forcing cone? I figured I had a number of options. The one option I did not have was to remove the barrel from the frame, due to the fact that I couldn’t open or remove the cylinder.

Unlike a singleaction revolver, where the barrel can be removed with the cylinder in place, this was not possible on the S&W. On this double-action revolver, with the extractor rod engaged to a lug under the barrel, I was limited to working with it on the frame. One option I considered was to use a jeweler’s saw to saw through the bullet between the cylinder and barrel. Unfortunately, I couldn’t find one small enough to fit in the narrow space between the cylinder and barrel.

Another option was to try to pull each bullet like you would do with a muzzleloader. They wouldn’t budge, however, and the puller would simply strip out of the soft lead since the copper jackets were firmly engaged in the barrel’s rifling. Eventually I decided to disassemble the pistol as far as I could, after I determined that the case behind the hammer had indeed been fired. Next I drilled a small hole in the back of the case through the firing-pin hole.

The idea was to use a small piece of drill rod to try to knock the bullet forward enough that I could open the cylinder and thus remove the barrel. This failed also. Next, I placed a call to the Smith & Wesson service department. The factory technician I spoke with suggested I put the frame in a vise and knock the cylinder out, shearing the bullet and destroying the cylinder in the process. With this approach, there was also a danger of bending the frame Leather vise pads were used to protect the barrel. as well.

I told them "thanks" (but "no thanks"). I knew there had to beaway to get this done without destroying the cylinder or barrel in the process. After leaving the pistol laying around the shop (hoping, perhaps, that it would miraculously cure itself) I came upon the idea of drilling the bullets out’but not in the conventional way. I have a South Bend lathe and a Palmgren milling attachment (from Brownells).

I mounted the pistol in the milling attachment, lining it up with apiece of drill rod I had turned to the inside diameter of the bore. After it was set up and leveled, I used an "R" letter drill inserted into the collet chuck. I turned this by hand, removing it after several turns to clean away the lead chips. This, it seemed, was going to work. After I had turned the drill in as far as I could.

I moved the milling attachment on the carriage down the raceway, turned down the drill shank to fit into apiece of 5/16-inch drill rod, and soldered the shank to the rod. I then moved the attachment back into position and continued to turn the collet chuck by hand, and continued to remove the drill after several turns to clear out the lead chips. After working patiently, I eventually drilled through the last bullet. I

could then open the cylinder and check the inside of the barrel. There I found I had another problem. I had drilled out the lead cores of four jacketed bullets, but at least three of the copper jackets remained in the barrel. Next, I removed the barrel from the frame. It’s held in place with threads and a pin, making removal quite simple. But once again, I had to think over several options for removing those copper jackets. I knew whatever option I used, I had to avoid doing any damage to the inside of the barrel.

I had some 3/8-inch-diameter plastic rods, so I turned apiece down on the lathe to an approximate diameter of .355. I put this into the barrel throat, and drove it through the barrel with apiece of brass rod. The plastic was too soft and simply squeezed between the jackets and did not push them out. Whatever I used had to be hard enough to push the jackets out, but soft enough not to damage the bore. Next I tried some aluminum round stock left over from building custom cleaning rods.

Again, I turned a short piece down to .355 diameter, with a slight taper to .351. Using the brass rod, I drove the well oiled aluminum into the barrel, taper first. I could feel the jackets give as I drove the rod through. I taped a plastic bag over the muzzle to capture the jackets so I could show them to the customer. Another alternative might have been to use one of the several copper solvents available. Some are strong enough to etch the bore, so you must avoid using them for extended periods of time.

Another thing I could have tried would have been to plug the breech and fill the barrel with Kroil (available from Brownells). After letting it stand for a few days, a very tight-fitting patch might have Since the Rletter drill bit was not long enough, an extension was used to finish the drilling. been sufficient to push what was left of the copper jackets out of the barrel. This procedure would be highly recommended if you have any doubts about damaging the bore with copper solvent.

Conclusions After a thorough cleaning and reassembly, the pistol was test fired with factory ammuntion. It fired all six shots without a mishap. Remember the two unfired rounds that were still in the chamber? I pulled the bullets and weighed the powder. They were loaded with what appeared to be Red Dot powder, and had less than half of the recommended starting load. This is probably what saved the gun owner and why the barrel didn’t bulge.

I learned later that the gun owner had loaded up some "test" loads and stepped outside and fired them as fast as he could pull the trigger. Until, of course, the cylinder wouldn’t turn. As every gunsmith knows, it pays not to give up on the task at hand. It’s often possible’with a little patience and a lot of thought and determination’t o come up with an alternative to what would otherwise prove to bean expensive and extensive repair for the gun owner.

AGCC56U AGI 56-Tape Course, rev., DVD only (coming directly from Belvoir)

AGCC56U AGI 56-Tape Course, rev., DVD only (coming directly from Belvoir)