Benjamin Need help with stuck slugs in Bulldog barrel

[HunterKillerBravo]

Hey y'all. Can anyone help with removing stuck slugs in my Benjamin Bulldog .357? My friend unknowingly pushed 3 -142g slugs and I can't not remove them for anything. I tried spraying Ballistol down the barrel and soaking over night, then used a push rod to try and remove the slugs back out of the breach. They didn't budge at all. Do I need to let the air out and remove the barrel? If so, are there any good vids on how to do so? Thanks for any advice in advance. I hope the barrel in not ruined, errrrr.

 

[bdzjlz]

You may need to get a small undersized but long aircraft bit, take the barrel off, and drill through the center of the slugs so they will break out with a push rod. I used this technique with a guy's Maurader who shoved six pellets back to back down the barrel.

 

[Oddhawk]

Wood dowel or aluminum rod and light to mid taps so as not to swell them up in the bore.

 

[Airgun-Revisions]

Remove the barrel. It’s the best way.

 

[elh0102]

Definitely remove the barrel. Then, a wood dowel and hammer. If results aren't forthcoming, get a bigger hammer. Repeat.

 

[AmosBurton]

If removing the barrel, wouldn't heat work the best? Lead melts at 650ºF, pretty easy to get that from a shop torch without heating the barrel too much.
I don't know, just asking.

 

[Ta-Ta Toothie]

Dowel and Kroil, Shooter's Choice Lead Remover 4 Oz - SHF-LRS04 maybe. Like others said, remove the barrel.

 

[Ta-Ta Toothie]

You may need to get a small undersized but long aircraft bit, take the barrel off, and drill through the center of the slugs so they will break out with a push rod. I used this technique with a guy's Maurader who shoved six pellets back to back down the barrel.

Way too risky.

 

[Firewalker]

You may need to get a small undersized but long aircraft bit, take the barrel off, and drill through the center of the slugs so they will break out with a push rod. I used this technique with a guy's Maurader who shoved six pellets back to back down the barrel.

No, please don't do that, even heating most barrels is less destructive than radial gouges!

 

[Ezana4CE]

Hey y'all. Can anyone help with removing stuck slugs in my Benjamin Bulldog .357? My friend unknowingly pushed 3 -142g slugs and I can't not remove them for anything. I tried spraying Ballistol down the barrel and soaking over night, then used a push rod to try and remove the slugs back out of the breach. They didn't budge at all. Do I need to let the air out and remove the barrel? If so, are there any good vids on how to do so? Thanks for any advice in advance. I hope the barrel in not ruined, errrrr.

@HunterKillerBravo
I second the wood dowel and rubber mallet/hammer suggestions. You want a stiff wooden dowel. I wish I could recall the size of the one I use for my Bulldog off the top of my head. Definitely remove the barrel first, as others suggested. It’s pretty simple to do. Remove the shroud, loosen the grub screw, and pull the barrel out of the breech block. I’d push them out from breech to muzzle. Once you get them toward the crown, maybe consider clamping the barrel in a padded vise to give the slugs their final few taps to dislodge them. Also consider cleaning the barrel when you’ve removed them. I’ve never had this issue, but it’s where’d I think I would start.

 

[Ta-Ta Toothie]

If rhe barrel is choked, he would be better off pushing it out the breech end. Why flight the extra resistance. Be careful of not damaging the crown.

 

[Ezana4CE]

If rhe barrel is choked, he would be better off pushing it out the breech end. Why flight the extra resistance. Be careful of not damaging the crown.

@Ta-Ta Toothie None of my .357 Benjamin Bulldog barrels appear to have chokes. I assume that none were made that way. There were only two manufacturers that I’m aware that made the barrels for the .357 Benjamin Bulldog. If I’m wrong someone correct me.

 

[Ta-Ta Toothie]

@Ta-Ta Toothie None of my .357 Benjamin Bulldog barrels appear to have chokes. I assume that none were made that way. There were only two manufacturers that I’m aware that made the barrels for the .357 Benjamin Bulldog. If I’m wrong someone correct me.

Ifs that's the case, push them out towards the closer end.

 

[HunterKillerBravo]

@HunterKillerBravo
I second the wood dowel and rubber mallet/hammer suggestions. You want a stiff wooden dowel. I wish I could recall the size of the one I use for my Bulldog off the top of my head. Definitely remove the barrel first, as others suggested. It’s pretty simple to do. Remove the shroud, loosen the grub screw, and pull the barrel out of the breech block. I’d push them out from breech to muzzle. Once you get them toward the crown, maybe consider clamping the barrel in a padded vise to give the slugs their final few taps to dislodge them. Also consider cleaning the barrel when you’ve removed them. I’ve never had this issue, but it’s where’d I think I would start.

Okay that's what I figured it's gonna take. O don't even know how she set 3 slugs in there in the first place. I appreciate the offer. Think I'll just figure out how to empty the tank amd remove the barrel and go from there. Ugh.

 

[Ezana4CE]

I’m not sure about the thinking behind some of the responses in this post, but as a non-expert I’d like to expound upon my thought process. Perhaps I should’ve asked @HunterKillerBravo about more details like types of slugs jammed in there. Are they solid slugs or hollow tip slugs? A combination of different slugs of the same weight? Did your friend attempt to shoot the gun with all three slugs loaded into breech? Or did (s)he load one try to shoot and thought it shot, then loaded another? I also hope that they are true .357 slugs and not .358s. We know that some manufacturers’ ammo vary in diameter.
I answered assuming that they are hollow point slugs because that’s most of what I see sold as airgun ammo in .357. I also assumed that the gun was not shot because he said that his friend “pushed” the slugs into the gun. He didn’t mention him/her trying to shoot the rifle.

If they are in fact hollow points, I assume that using a dowel situated on the face of a hollow point slug and tapping or whacking away at it would first begin to deform and expand the point into the grooves. I’m thinking that this may also happen to the two slugs behind the first one especially if they are truly jammed and do not move easily. The first slug will likely be the most badly deformed. Because of this I would think it may make removal like this more difficult depending upon how tight they are in there. So my thinking is that tapping the base of the slug may not cause as much expansion. If it’s so tight that the two rear slugs expand to the point that they are difficult to move with this method then one can always try tapping the other direction. I wouldn’t recommend a metal rod because I wouldn’t want to risk marring the transfer port with the metal rod. I’m not even sure if it would make a difference. I just wouldn’t do it. If this doesn’t make sense or if I’m over thinking things that’s fine. I can take correction. I’d just like to see the OP get the best advice to remedy his issue.

 

[Ezana4CE]

Okay that's what I figured it's gonna take. O don't even know how she set 3 slugs in there in the first place. I appreciate the offer. Think I'll just figure out how to empty the tank amd remove the barrel and go from there. Ugh.

@HunterKillerBravo emptying the reservoir is a very good and safe idea. There is a small grub screw on the underside of the Bulldog stock. If I remember correctly it’s close to the fill port beneath that wonky fill port cover. Slowly crack that grub screw to begin bleeding the reservoir . I can’t recall the Allen wrench size offhand, but it may be 3/16. Once it’s sops hissing or the sound is faint crack it a little more. Watch your gauge as it empties. Don’t turn it out too much. Don’t even make half turns. Once it seems empty open the grub screw a little more. Once it’s empty tighten the screw back down. Remember en it’s time to refill the reservoir after putting the gun back together you must cock the cocking lever, then fill the gun or all of the air will escape through the barrel. Below is an old thread where I was fumbling around trying to learn my first .357 Bulldog. In it are photos of areas of the parts diagram. I believe that the grub screw to degas the reservoir is part #7 (in the pic of the first diagram) just behind the fill port.

Benjamin - Newb Attempts Minor Modifications and Fixes to Benjamin Bulldog .357

I’ve identified the source of the leak. The fill nipple (the lower piece with the hex shaped fitting) feels pretty snug, but I can still see threads in the gap where the bubbles are coming from. I don’t want to put too much torque on it. I’m wondering if placing an o-ring between the fill nipple...

www.airgunnation.com

 

[GeneT]

What tools do you have to work with? How far into the barrel are the slugs?

I'd certainly try tapping with a *hardwood* dowel first, but three slugs sounds ambitious.

You *can* safely drill out the center of the slugs if you are able to put together a drill extension and bush it with delrin or some other safe material - something like that would probably require a lathe to get right - I probably wouldn't attempt an improvised solution. I suppose it's worth noting that you're making space for the slug to 'relax', so you wouldn't be trying to drill very close to bore diameter. You obviously want to ensure that neither the drill nor the metal part of the extension ever so much as brush the bore. I've removed stuck bullets from two powder burner barrels this way.

If one end of the barrel is threaded*, high pressure oil or grease can be used to push the slugs out. Works best if there's reasonable volume between the threaded portion and the stuck slugs. Again, a lathe is probably required for the adapter and then a gear pump or 'syringe' with threaded shaft to push grease at high pressure. This idea came from Rod Henrickson, a professional gunsmith who has done it many times.

(if you search around his videos he has many more of him using the same tool - the aforementioned 'syringe' - his invention afaik.

* in this case a threaded end makes for attachment without the compression setup shown in the video.

I'd stay away from heat - you might end just end up 'tinning' the barrel with a thin coat of lead, pretty much altering the dimensions permanently.

GsT

 

[HunterKillerBravo]

Thanks for all the advice y'all. I actually managed to successfully remove all 3 slugs without damage to the barrel. It was actually very simple. Took about 30 minutes. I'm glad I opened her up, because there were some loose bolts and gives me the chance to polish it up. Once again, I always appreciate the help from our community forum! You guys are awesome! Should I replace the breach o-ring? I did have to push back out that way.

 

[GeneT]

Thanks for all the advice y'all. I actually managed to successfully remove all 3 slugs without damage to the barrel. It was actually very simple. Took about 30 minutes. I'm glad I opened her up, because there were some loose bolts and gives me the chance to polish it up. Once again, I always appreciate the help from our community forum! You guys are awesome! Should I replace the breach o-ring? I did have to push back out that way.

Happy day! So what did you do to get them out?

GsT

 

[Ta-Ta Toothie]

Thanks for all the advice y'all. I actually managed to successfully remove all 3 slugs without damage to the barrel. It was actually very simple. Took about 30 minutes. I'm glad I opened her up, because there were some loose bolts and gives me the chance to polish it up. Once again, I always appreciate the help from our community forum! You guys are awesome! Should I replace the breach o-ring? I did have to push back out that way.

I would.