Shooting the weekend before last I had a case separate at the neck. Some of that piece of case is in the very end of the chamber and maybe, just a little in the lead.

I have tried and failed to remove it.

Any ideas or help would be appreciated.

I'm wondering if a .32 caliber cleaning jag might just slide down the bore but then fetch up and remove the piece of case.

Thanks,

Mark

Mark - I suggest you drive a lead slug or Buckshot down the bore from the muzzle (Like you are slugging the bore). Some times that will catch enough case mouth to allow separated case section to 'knock loose'.

Also, you could remove the bolt and use a pick or the turned end of a scribe to catch the neck and pull it out.

Have you tried using a new 30 cal brush, push past case mouth and then pull back out.  This sometimes works.  Think I have seen the broken shell extractors for the Krag for sale somewhere, perhaps someone here knows where, or may have one you could borrow.

This requires great care, but, you can take an appropriately sized thread-tap, manipulate it with your finger-tips & needle-nosed pliers, so it gets a bite into the brass, then knock it out with a cleaning rod.

I did this a couple of times with a .303 SMLE that had complete head separations with reloads.

(To protect the exposed part of the chamber, you could wrap some of the tap with masking tape).

I have never seen a case separate at the shoulder. It would be interesting to see pictures of that when it is removed.

I thought about Butlers R suggestion of using a tap. A 5/16 tap would be too small probably, an 8mm tap would be slightly larger. It might work. Trying to start the tap without scarring the chamber is scary especially with out a guide. I have access to a lot of machine tools here. If I was to try this, I would shorten the cartridge that this broke off from and drill a concentric hole (in a lathe) through the primer end just big enough to clear the tap body. This would get the tap started straight. To turn the tap, I would mill a 6mm slot in the end of a 5/8 bar, since getting a tap wrench that long and skinny would be difficult.
To drive stuff out of the chamber I prefer dropping a piece of 1/4 bar stock from the muzzle end. Sometimes it takes several drops but it seem to me less likely to scratch the bore.
I may be more of a chicken than Butlers R,  if I did not have the tools to do as described I would take it to a gunsmith that has a lathe and mill.

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If you have a GI 30/06 broken case extractor, it should do the job unless the fragment is stuck tightly. Otherwise, take the advice you've gotten elsewhere and pour a Cerrosafe chamber cast to haul out whatever's in there without the risk of chamber damage inherent in any approach with sharp-edged hardened tools.

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Example of stubborn separated case pulled with chamber cast. (Ignore the other stuff, not relevant to this topic.)

To me, the most interesting aspects of Mark Daiute's case neck separation is: 1. Why did it happen? & 2. Where in the case neck/shoulder area, did it happen?

It will be interesting to hear how things turn out. It would also be interesting to see photos of the case and neck section (and chamber cast, if he goes that route).

I am not trying to encourage 'Bubba' behavior in suggesting a Tap as an improvised 'stuck-case remover'. Years ago it worked for me in carefully removing .303 British and .310 Cadet cases that had head separations. At the time, I had little recourse to other solutions.

Attached, is a photo showing how a 5/16" Tap can get a 'bite' in an expanded .30 cal. case neck. A .308 case can be crimped on the shank to serve as a 'drive-shaft'. A sheet metal screw in the flash hole would facilitate turning the Tap a minor amount with a screwdriver or nut driver.

As Parashooter and FredC state, this is a risky route to go.

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good morning all.

I did not try the tap method described above, I did try brushes, tight brushes and so forth.

I ended up pouring Cerro Safe into the chamber. My mistake was going off hunting with my brother and letting the Cerro Safe cure in the chamber. Bad mistake. Should have pushed it out after 30 minutes not 3 hours.

When I returned I tried tapping the chamber cast out and of course it would not budge.

I ended up melting the Cerro Safe out of the chamber in stages and finally hammered out the bronze brush with a patch that was acting as my plug.

I'll not hide anything from you all, I'll lay my indiscretions bare. I beat pretty hard on my cleaning rod, I knew I should wait and get a brass or steel rod but I was not going to let this rest till the obstruction was out of the chamber. I was not patient and the hardware store was closed. I still have my Dewey cleaning rod but that nice handle that swiveled is no more.

I discovered the offending case neck on the floor and the rifle is now up and running again.

A lot of lessons learned here and thanks for all the help.

From here on out a brass or steel rod will be residing next to my reloading bench.

Mark

Mark: Glad your Krag is up and running. It is curious that the case neck separated in front of the shoulder. That was a tough one!

mY THANKS to all for hanging in there with me on this one and thanks for all the great ideas.

Be well, shoot straight and above all, Love a Krag today.

Mark_Daiute wrote on Nov 15^th, 2015 at 2:50pm:

Be well, shoot straight and above all, Love a Krag today.

Amen to that Mark!