# Hang Fires?



## Orion6 (Jul 29, 2006)

Bob Wright said:


> I eased my trigger finger off the trigger and waited one minute, then brought the gun back down to "ready" position at about forty-five degrees. Just as I got the pistol in the forty-five degree position, the gun fired...
> Bob Wright


This hang fire thread was inspired by Bob's quote above, so I hope he has a chance to respond before he temporarily loses his internet access!

Two things...

First off, one whole minute is a lot longer than I've been taught to hold steady after a hang fire. I usually wait for a slow count of 20 before lowering the gun and extracting the offending cartridge. But Bob's experience seems to indicate that a longer wait is required. What rules do you guys follow?

Second off, how does this apply to rapid fire with a DA revolver? If you've already pulled the trigger after the hang fire then what should you do for the best (i.e. safest)? Are there any rules that would apply if this was ever to happen in an IPSC-style competition? Would you get a re-shoot for stopping and being safe rather than just pressing on and dumping the fizzling round along the way? :smt073

Bill


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## Baldy (Jun 21, 2006)

I was taught to count to 20 keeping the gun pointed down feild, and then sit it down and run like hell. I am sorry my meds are kicking in,I must get off here.


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## Bob Wright (May 10, 2006)

What I experienced probably wasn't truly a hangfire. That is, the hammer did not fall because of a mechanical malfunction. 

But, from my idea of a hang-fire, that occurs after the primer has been struck and fired and there is a delay in the powder fireing. I have heard of this happening but never actually seen it. In one case that I heard of happened in an auto loader, and the pistol was cleared and the round exploded after ejection. No harm done except stinging bare arms of a bystander with case fragments. In rapid firing of a revolver, a hangfire would result in near disaster to the gun.

I have seen several guns blow up, both pistols and revolvers. The pistol usually blows in such a way that the shooter tries to continue firing. In the revolver, a considerable sized chunk of steel was blow from the cylinder which caught the shooter's attention.

But, to answer your original question, I've been taught the one minute rule. In my case, a short one minute.

Bob Wright


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## Richard (May 8, 2006)

I have never had a hang fire with a revolver but I sure have with semiautomatic pistols. Maybe I have just been lucky. Regards, Richard


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