AK74 Tantal - Fail to extract...

[fishguy1313]

So, here I loaded up all my mags with surplus ammo and fired the first shot. The round went out the barrel and the gun tried to load another round. The breech was open and the round to be loaded was hung up. I removed the mag and took out the round to be loaded. The casing is absolutely stuck in the chamber. I pulled the action back and let it go a few times to try and extract it. It wouldn't come out. I tried with a screwdriver to pry it out. It is stuck pretty good. I marred the end of the casing up pretty good trying to remove it. Should I just take a cleaning rod and push it out the other end from the muzzle?  Why did this happen? It was surplus ammo from a spam can. Thanks in advance.

[Mancat]

Could be: case out of spec, burr or nick in the chamber, fouled chamber, etc. Give the chamber a good cleaning/inspection.

Cleaning rod will probably work, but I recommend that if you're shooting 7.62x39 to keep a broken shell extractor with you. As you know x39 is not all of the highest quality and a case failure at the rim is always a possibility. I've never had it happen myself.

http://www.amazon.com/SKS-AK-Broken-Shell-Extractor/dp/B000B9RJK4

edit: Sorry I just noticed that you are shooting a Tantal. You will need one for 5.45x39.
http://desertfoxoutfitters.com/commerce/product_info.php?products_id=579
http://www.k-var.com/shop/home.php?cat=280

[fishguy1313]

Upon the recent purchase of this gun, I did a good inspection. The chamber/barrel/extractor/firing pin are all in great shape. It would appear to have been hardly used. I will look again when I get time. I will consider getting one of those tools. Thanks for the post. I had a few buddies with me when this happened. It was pretty disappointing. After this happened, we all took turns shooting my buddies .38special at 85 yds. at a large target. We were able to hit it a few times believe it or not.

[fishguy1313]

Anyone else have an opinion on this???  Or do we all concur???

[Mancat]

Also you may know that some of these Tantals made it out into the racks with barrels chambered in .223/5.56. I don't know if the case chamber dimensions were out of spec for 5.45x39, since I never heard of that being an issue of itself. Frankly if they were being sold with .223 barrels AND chambers I would think that would have created an accidental hot buy, but as it were I believe only the bore was out of spec on some of these early "oops" guns from Century.

If this has a Polish chrome-lined barrel then disregard my comment here, but it may be worth slugging/miking or doing a bullet test with a 5.45 and 5.56 round. Remember that the 5.45 round should not be able to be inserted all the way up to the case neck - please someone correct me if I'm wrong, I don't own any 5.45 rifles.

[AKBLUE]

Inspect the chamber to once again see there are no obstructions or dings or old case parts. 
Hand insert a cartridge as far as it will go and note how much is protruding from the chamber face and if it goes in and comes out without sticking or resistance.
Now insert the cartridge rim into the bolt face and insert the bolt by hand into the chamber and try to rotate the bolt clockwise into lock up.  You should be able to insert., rotate clockwise a 1/4 inch until the bolt lug almost touches the right side of the receiver/trunnion area..., and then reverse counter-clockwise and extract the cartridge.  This should go smoothly.
If the above results in "normal" operation..., try another cycling., firing session is my best advice.  It may have been an out of spec cartridge and a one time occurance.  Not enough repitition to determine what the core problem is IMHO.  Two bullets cycled is not a pattern.

[fishguy1313]

Got the brass out. Cleaned the barrel. No burrs or anything different. Took it out and shot 100 rounds flawlessly.... Don't have a caliper to check the brass right now.