# Delayed action firing?



## teslaman (Feb 13, 2014)

As a new gun owner, I have been watching many Youtube videos on how to clear a semiautomatic handgun malfunction. One video talks about a type one malfunction where you pull the trigger, hear a snap, but the gun does not fire. The author of this video says you must hold the gun on target for at least thirty seconds because the the round may still fire with a delayed action. Is this possible? A delay in the firing? This does not make sense to me. Can someone explain?

Thanks Much


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## Glock Doctor (Mar 14, 2011)

It's very possible; and, when I was trained to shoot (more than 50 years ago) we were always told to wait for THREE FULL MINUTES with the muzzle constantly pointing at the target. If this happens with a semiautomatic pistol you should, also, immediately drop the magazine. 

Why does it happen? Delayed primer ignition - That's why! If the primer is dented and fails to ignite, the extremely volatile primer compound will be left under greatly increased mechanical compression. (Which is simply another form of pressure; and in a volatile chemical compound pressure = heat!) This added pressure can also act as an - albeit delayed - ignition source in exactly the same way that an immediate hard mechanical impact can. 

So, ....... even though it sounds like a long time - and, sometimes, feels like it too - FOLLOW THE AUTHOR'S RECOMMENDATION. You don't want an exploding cartridge going off when it's out of the firing chamber. He told you 30 seconds; I'd tell you, at least, a full minute.


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## rex (Jan 27, 2012)

Yes,it does happen. Another cause I haven't seen in a long time is a very light powder charge and the powder sits across the bottom of the case. It will go off usually but there can be a slight delay between click and boom.


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## SteamboatWillie (Jan 24, 2013)

Hangfires are indeed possible. During range visits it's wise to observe the practice of waiting before clearing the round. In defensive training or a real self protection situation... Not so much; malfunction drills are done immediately.


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## paratrooper (Feb 1, 2012)

Of all the time spent and rounds shot at a range, or any place actually, I've yet to experience a hang-fire. 

I can understand the need to take the proper precautions and wait a certain amount of time. My concern is doing just that at a range and remembering that in a real-life situation where you are actually pointing a gun at another, to disregard what you have practiced for in the past. 

I hope that I have worded all this in such a way that I somehow made a point. What I am saying, is that I trained for real-world exposure. Even on a range, and if experiencing a hang-fire, I'm going to take immediate action and clear that round from my firearm. There will be no waiting period involved. 

This may or may not be appropriate for all, but I just wanted to bring it up so that all will have something to think about.


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## TAPnRACK (Jan 30, 2013)

I have to agree with ya on all points Paratrooper. Clearing that malfunction would be paramount... and i'd probably instinctively it without even thinking about it (out of habit).


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## DJ Niner (Oct 3, 2006)

I also agree, but one thing to keep in mind: a missing or contaminated powder charge will never fire with full force, but the primer alone may push the bullet into the barrel, where it will lodge. If it moves far enough forward to get fully out of the chamber, a tap/rack/fire drill will chamber a new round and fire it into the now-plugged barrel.

I have experienced this with both an autoloader and a revolver (and seen a few more with M16 rifles), and with full ear protection in place on a noisy range, you will not hear the faint "pop" of the primer in the otherwise-sealed chamber area. The revolver may give you a puff of smoke out of the barrel/cylinder gap (that's how I caught mine), but on a smoky indoor range or a windy outdoor range, you may not see that, either.

I fully understand the advantages of "realistic training", but if it involves blowing-up your pistol, your high level of training can't really make up for that.

I encourage everyone that experiences a failure-to-fire to stop shooting immediately, keep it pointing safely downrange for at least 30 seconds, then unload (drop the round, DON'T catch it in your hand), and check the barrel for obstructions. True ammo-related misfires are rare, but you ought to keep the worst-case scenario in mind if you like all your digits in their current location and condition. Any folks nearby will also appreciate it.


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## SteamboatWillie (Jan 24, 2013)

Just to be clear, when I teach new shooters I review the three types of failures; misfire, hangfire and a squib. Some shooters who are simply interested in shooting for marksmanship don't really need to know immediate action drills such as TRB or TRA. Many people never intend to carry a sidearm or even use their pistol for home protection. As an example, I've taught younger people to shoot and they just need to learn safety and the fundamentals of marksmanship.

On the other hand, I've never been to a defensive shooting class where you were taught to stop and wait to see if the "click" was a misfire or hangfire. And of course the "pfffft" or "pop" of a squib is always a good indicator to stop.

Simply two different applications for the same tool.


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## SouthernBoy (Jun 27, 2007)

DJ Niner said:


> I also agree, but one thing to keep in mind: a missing or contaminated powder charge will never fire with full force, but the primer alone may push the bullet into the barrel, where it will lodge. If it moves far enough forward to get fully out of the chamber, a tap/rack/fire drill will chamber a new round and fire it into the now-plugged barrel.
> 
> I have experienced this with both an autoloader and a revolver (and seen a few more with M16 rifles), and with full ear protection in place on a noisy range, you will not hear the faint "pop" of the primer in the otherwise-sealed chamber area. The revolver may give you a puff of smoke out of the barrel/cylinder gap (that's how I caught mine), but on a smoky indoor range or a windy outdoor range, you may not see that, either.
> 
> ...


Yes sir.

Squib loads are rare but they do happen. You can tell if only the primer fires by the low sound and the lack of recoil. The thing is, when this happens there is a very real danger of someone ignoring it either because they are engulfed in what they're doing or they are firing the gun quickly. I have loaded thousands of rounds of ammunition and handgun primers spew a hot fiery shower of flame about 18" or more. There probably is enough power there to cause a bullet to lodge into the rifling of a semi-auto.

However, paratrooper makes some good remarks about training and how you should react to something like this... the fact that you'll tend to do as you train. So it's a dilemma of a sort in that on the one hand, while at a range you need to keep that muzzle pointed down range for about a half a minute (this is the rule at the two ranges where I shoot). On the other hand, you need to keep in mind that when out and about if this ever happens, you need to do something else very quickly (your BUG if you carry one??).

One of the best reasons not to go cheap on defensive ammo.


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## teslaman (Feb 13, 2014)

Thank you, gentlemen for all the good information! I know I will be safer on the range now.


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