Firearms FAQ: Hangfires

“I just finished my PAL course a couple of weeks ago and the instructor said that if your gun doesn’t fire, then the law requires you to wait 60 seconds before unloading but he didn’t explain why - please could you explain this?”
Rana from White Rock, BC

If your firearm doesn’t fire when you press the trigger, this is a malfunction typically known as a misfire or a failure to fire.

Just to clarify, if you press the trigger on a firearm that you know to be unloaded for a specific reason (e.g. dry practice, or as part of the disassembly process etc.) then a failure to fire isn’t really a “malfunction” per se, because you would not be expecting an unloaded firearm to fire - but the result is the same: a click instead of a bang.

If, however, you were expecting the firearm to fire, and you get a click instead, then this is definitely a misfire malfunction. Here are the three most common causes:

1- The firearm did not have a round chambered. This is likely to be either operator error, or an issue with the magazine.

2- The firing pin (or striker) did not strike the primer of the cartridge with enough force to initiate it; or it didn’t strike the primer at all.

3- The primer itself was defective. This is usually due to poor quality components or manufacturing; water/chemical damage; or, in some cases, old age.

The first two reasons, whilst irritating, do not generally pose a significant risk. The third reason, however, may pose a risk.

If a defective primer is struck, it typically doesn’t initiate at all. But in some cases it can initiate in a delayed fashion - this creates another malfunction called a hang fire.

(Side note: If you are using quality factory-made ammunition from a reputable manufacturer, and it hasn’t been exposed to any damage, then it will be very unlikely for you to experience a hang fire. But a slight possibility still remains, and it becomes more likely if you use cheap, poorly made, or hand-loaded ammunition.)

Initially, upon getting a click instead of a bang, it is impossible to tell whether it’s due to cause 1, 2, or 3, so it is safest to err on the side of caution and prepare for number 3 and expect a hang fire. Follow this process:

Firstly, keep the firearm pointed in a safe direction (e.g. aimed at a target in front of a berm). This means that if the firearm does hang fire, then the round will impact something safe.

Secondly, keep the firearm under control. If you place the firearm down onto a shooting bench - even if it’s pointing in a safe direction - and it goes bang, the recoil (particularly on large calibre firearms) will throw the firearm violently rearwards likely resulting in damage to the firearm itself and, potentially, injuries to people close by.

Thirdly, wait 60 seconds. This time period is to give the primer the chance to initiate the main propellant charge. Not to say that a cartridge can’t go bang in 61 seconds or beyond, but it is much less likely. In my experience, hang fires - if they occur at all - usually occur within one to four seconds after the click. Contrary to what your instructor seemed to tell you, this step is not a legal requirement; it is just good practice.

There are some situations where waiting 60 seconds is not practical. For example, bear defence. If you get a click instead of a bang when shooting at a charging grizzly bear, then waiting a full minute may result in a mauling, so in this case it might be worth taking the risk of immediately cycling the action and firing a fresh round!

The forth step is to PROVE the firearm safe. If you did not yet encounter a hang fire, then this process will eject the misfired round (assuming there was one in the chamber to begin with, i.e. not cause number 1).

Although unlikely, it is possible for the round to hang fire whilst opening the action. In this case, the energy of the cartridge discharging could send the bolt/slide/etc. rearwards violently, and energy will be directed upwards and sideways out of the ejection port towards the user. Either situation can cause serious injury, so when opening the action in this situation, do so as quickly as possible thus minimizing the time that the cartridge will be confined in an unlocked, partially open action.

The fifth and final step is to dispose of the “dud” cartridge safely. Unless you have the knowledge and experience to diagnose whether a cartridge might still go bang in this situation (and although it isn’t very likely, it isn’t impossible), you should assume the worst and expect that the round could still discharge unexpectedly.

If a cartridge goes bang when outside the confined space of the chamber of a gun barrel, it doesn’t propel the bullet (or slug etc.) with any significant force. Instead, the case/hull will burst like a powerful firecracker sending shards of hot, sharp material in all directions. As you might imagine, this could also cause serious injury, so you should treat a dud cartridge as dangerous.

Most shooting ranges will have a “dud can” - a steel container with a lid - designed for the safe disposal of duds. If you don’t have access to a dud can (e.g. out in the bush), it is possible to disassemble cartridges and render them safe. This is a skill that requires some more explaining, so I will address it in a future issue. In the meantime, if you do not know how to do this safely, then the best option is usually to bury the cartridge at least six inches deep away from trails etc. Technically this is littering, but considering that you may have an explosive device which could go bang at any moment, then you need to make the best of a bad situation and do the safest thing possible.

Eddie Banner is a regular columnist for Calibre. The owner and operator of INSTINCT, a personal safety, firearms, and first aid training company based out of Vancouver Island, British Columbia, Eddie has extensive training and experience with firearms through both professional and private channels, and is an avid outdoorsman. Any questions pertaining to firearms training or safety for Eddie can be directed to eddie@calibremag.ca.