AR frozen in battery

[mikek2111987]

I have a big bore AR upper with a fired round stuck in the chamber, and the bolt locked on it. I tried the mortar method, won't budge. Gave a decent pull on the charging handle with no luck either. I've never tried it, but I'm thinking about pulling the barrel, hoping I'll have enough clearance to rotate it and clear the bolt.

Help?

[DrScaryGuy]

if the case is swollen enough to keep you from rotating the bolt back now, what makes you think you'll be able to pull the barrel off? The bolt is in its forward position locked into the lugs, right? so how are you going to pull the carrier out through the front end of the receiver? I think the gas key would prevent that.

get creative. maybe you pull it apart from the butt end if everything is jammed solid I've had to do that once or twice before. Or, if the bolt and carrier are forward, you could still pull the upper off, then try to leverage the carrier backwards. maybe put something in the pocket where the hammer sits and gently tap it backwards. that could maybe loosen things up?

[I1I1I11II]

Mortar like you mean it. Not working?


Wood dowel rod a good length and a rubber hammer.

What's the make, model, and ammunition?

[10x25mm]

Assume that you have removed the upper from the rifle.

Is the bolt carrier seized in the full forward position? Won't retract at all?

[oldmann1967]

Dowel and hammer for sure.

[DrScaryGuy]

Dowel and hammer for sure.

would work IF the bolt has already rotated into the unlocked position. sounded like maybe his problem was getting it that far.

[Ol` Joe]

Dowel and hammer for sure.

Don’t forget to run some good penetrating oil down the bore and let it set for a while before starting to pound and, be sure that the cartridge is fired and not live. Try a few sharp raps on the charging handle with a piece of wood too. You can usually smack them pretty hard and get away with it

[Moleman-]

You should be able to mortar it hard enough for the extractor to break off either the piece of rim that's keeping the bolt from being able to move backwards or the thin hook of the big bore extractor. After that a cleaning rod will easily knock the case out. Plenty of good suggestions otherwise. Never had to do anything other than mortar like you're ticked off at it to clear a stuck case. The worst one did rip out a section of case rim, bent the extractor and the extractor retaining pin. That was from switching from a 22lr insert to 5.56 without cleaning the chamber. Locked it up tight.

I wouldn't try removing the barrel nut before levering or pounding directly on the carrier and would likely try pulling the carrier back with a nut and bolt like you'd do with a stuck case in a die. But really the mortaring should work. Tried to find a good video on mortaring, but the 3-4 I watched weren't really stuck hard as they came out with half hearted tap of a mortar.

[DrScaryGuy]

That was from switching from a 22lr insert to 5.56 without cleaning the chamber. Locked it up tight.

interesting. I'll keep that in mind for the rare occasion that I break out my cmmg.

Tried to find a good video on mortaring, but the 3-4 I watched weren't really stuck hard as they came out with half hearted tap of a mortar.

Same. Trek's malfunction drills with brass over bolt taught me how to deal with one. It is not as gentle of a process as the videos make it seem.

[Coctailer]

Top rope body slam mortar