In such cases it is possible that a bullet is lodged part way down the barrel. Firing a subsequent bullet into the obstructed barrel can wreck the firearm and cause serious injury to the shooter or to bystanders.
5.Bullets can become lodged in the barrel.
•If the cartridge has been improperly loaded without propellant powder, or if the powder fails to ignite (Ignition of the cartridge primer alone will push the bullet out the cartridge case, but usually does not generate sufficient energy to expel the bullet completely from the barrel).
•If the bullet is not properly seated tightly in the cartridge case. When such a cartridge is extracted from the chamber without being fired, the bullet may be left behind in the bore at the point where the rifling begins. Subsequent chambering of another cartridge may push the first bullet further into the bore.
6.If there is any reason to suspect that a bullet is obstructing the barrel, immediately unload the firearm and look through the bore. It is not sufficient to merely look in the chamber. A bullet may be lodged some distance down the barrel where it can not easily be seen.
IF A BULLET IS IN THE BORE, DO NOT ATTEMPT TO SHOOT IT OUT BY USING ANOTHER CARTRIDGE, OR BY BLOWING IT OUT WITH A BLANK OR ONE FROM WHICH THE BULLET HAS BEEN REMOVED. SUCH TECHNIQUES CAN GENERATE EXCESSIVE PRESSURE, WRECK THE FIREARM AND CAUSE SERIOUS PERSONAL INJURY.
If the bullet can be removed with a cleaning rod, clean any unburned powder grains from the bore, chamber, and mechanism before resuming shooting. If the bullet cannot be dislodged by tapping it with a cleaning rod, take the firearm to a gunsmith.
7.Dirt, corrosion, or other foreign matter on a cartridge can impede complete chambering and may cause the cartridge case to burst upon firing. The same is true of cartridges which are damaged or deformed.
8.Do not oil cartridges, and be sure to wipe the chamber clean of any oil or preservative before commencing to shoot. Oil interferes with the friction between cartridge case and chamber wall that is necessary for safe func- tioning, and subjects the firearm to stress similar to that imposed by excessive pressure.
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