Most trigger pulls produce a familiar report. But the risks of misfire, hang fire and squib round malfunctions remain. Here’s how to handle them safely.

About Misfires

A misfire is one of the most common types of malfunctions involving the cartridge. Whether you are hunting or at the range, you take aim and squeeze the trigger, expecting the familiar report of a shot. Yet while the firing pin strikes the cartridge primer, the gunpowder fails to ignite and no bullet is discharged.

There are quite a few factors that can lead to you having a misfire, such as:

  • Defective primers
  • Deteriorated primers
  • Improperly seated primers
  • Primer or gunpowder contamination (with oil or water)
  • Overall ammunition quality issues

It’s always unnerving when a firearm does something you are not expecting, such as hearing a click when you expect to hear a bang. This difference between what you think is going to happen and what does happen in a misfire can make the situation more dangerous. To start, there’s always the possibility that your misfire is actually a hang fire event.

About Hang Fires

A hang fire is another type of cartridge malfunction. It involves an unexpected time delay between when you pull the trigger and when the gun fires. Some hang fires discharge only slightly after the pull of the trigger, others can have a discharge delayed by a number of seconds. Hang fires carry a risk of injury to yourself or others or damage to property due to their unpredictability. Hang fires can have a number of causes, including:

  • Degraded primers
  • Gunpowder contamination (with oil or water)
  • Faulty ammunition issues

The big difference between a misfire and a hang fire is that, in a hang fire, the ignition process has started and the gun will fire at some point. However, it can be impossible to know whether you are dealing with a misfire or hang fire in the first few seconds. Sufficient time may needed to confirm which one you are dealing with, so following the proper safety protocol is a must.

Safety Protocol to Handle Misfires and Hang Fires

Handling misfires and hang fires safely is key to prevent injuries and property damage. If you pull the trigger and think you may have a misfire or hang fire:

1. Keep the Firearm Pointed in a Safe Direction

Treat the firearm as though it could still discharge a delayed hang fire round. Keep it pointed in a safe direction, either downrange or toward a safe backstop, and ensure the muzzle is not pointed toward any persons or property. If a hang fire does result, the firearm will discharge in a safe direction.

2. Do Not Open the Firearm

Resist the urge to immediately open the action or inspect the firearm. One of the greatest risks of a hang fire is that the round could discharge while you are in close proximity to the firearm’s open breach, causing serious injury. There is also some risk that the act of opening the action itself could provoke a hang fire cartridge to discharge.

3. Wait Patiently

Firearm experts recommend a waiting period of at least 30 to 60 seconds for modern cartridges before proceeding. For muzzleloaders, a two-minute wait is recommended. These waiting times are sufficient to allow any hang fire to complete its ignition. If no ignition occurs, it is safe to assume the round is a misfire or dud.

4. Carefully Eject the Round

If the firearm has not discharged after the waiting period, it is safe to assume you are dealing with a misfire or dud and eject the round. Continue to exercise control over the firearm, pointing it in a safe direction, and carefully open the action to remove the cartridge. If a hang fire did result during your wait, the firearm should have cycled normally and the shell casing should be cleared in the usual way.

5. Inspect the Firearm

Before continuing with your hunt or range day, take time to inspect your firearm. Ensure that nothing is damaged and that the barrel is clear. Any obstructions should be properly cleared, as there is a risk of serious injury to you or damage to the gun if you attempt to fire a live round when there is an obstruction. If a hang fire occurred, also take a moment to inspect the ammunition to see if the cause can be determined.

6. Dispose of the Round Properly

Ammunition that misfired or hang fired shouldn’t be reused, reloaded or disassembled and should be disposed of properly. Your range or firearm dealer should be able to provide you with guidelines for properly disposing of the round.

7. Check Your Other Ammunition

Misfires and hang fires don’t happen too often, but when they do, it’s possible there could be a wider problem with that particular batch or box of ammunition. Check your other ammunition, looking for signs something may be off. If you suspect a quality issue with the box, it’s best not to use the rest of it. Instead, contact the manufacturer or retailer about the issue.

About Squib Rounds

Another risky type of firearm cartridge malfunction you may encounter, especially if you reload your own ammunition, is the squib round, also called a squib load or just a squib. A squib round occurs when a bullet lacks enough force behind it to push it through and out of the barrel. Often, the squib round gets stuck somewhere along the length of the barrel, leading to an obstruction. This is possible because the primer alone often has enough force to push the bullet into the barrel, but not through it.

Squib rounds can occur for a number of reasons, such as:

  • Improper ignition of the primer
  • Lack of sufficient propellant (gunpowder)
  • Rounds with no gunpowder at all
  • Improperly seated projectiles
  • Fouling in the barrel

Like hang fires, squib rounds are extremely dangerous if not recognized and handled properly. The risk lies in the fact that it is often possible to chamber and fire another live round after the squib round. However, because the barrel is fully obstructed by the squib round, the second bullet has nowhere to go. It’s a situation that can lead to catastrophic damage to the firearm and a risk of serious injury to the firearm operator or any bystanders.

Safety Protocol to Handle Squib Rounds

Learning about squib rounds and what you should do if one occurs can help prevent injury and property damage. Here’s what to do:

1. Recognize the Signs

There are several tell-tale signs of a squib round. Firstly, it sounds and feels different than a regular shot. The sound is distinct, more like a pop than a misfire’s click, and much quieter than a typical discharge. The recoil is also usually felt less than normal, and some shots have no recoil at all. You may also notice an unusual smell and a small amount of smoke. It’s similar to what a cap gun might produce and is the result of the primer being struck.

2. Cease Fire and Investigate

Like a hang fire, a squib round is a particularly dangerous malfunction that requires special attention. If something doesn’t sound or feel right, stop shooting immediately and investigate the situation. As always, maintain control of the firearm, pointing it in a safe direction. Then, open the action, remove any ammunition and visually inspect the barrel for any obstructions. You can use a bore light or cleaning rod to help.

3. Clear the Barrel

If a squib round is confirmed and the bullet is lodged somewhere in the barrel, you will need to remove it and ensure your firearm’s barrel is clear and undamaged before bringing the gun back into service. Either a regular cleaning rod or special solid-brass squib rod can be used to gently push the bullet out. Always try to push from the breech (chamber) end of the barrel, where possible, to avoid damaging the rifling and crown of the barrel. If you have to clear the round from the other direction, a cone-shaped brass muzzle protector can be used. A gunsmith can be consulted for help, where needed.

4. Minimize the Risk

Because they’re so dangerous, preventing future squib round incidents is a high priority. You can minimize the risk by using high-quality, factory-loaded ammunition. Regular maintenance of your firearms can help keep the barrel clear of dirt and debris that may contribute to fouling that could cause a squib round. Awareness of the risk and attentiveness to the sound and feel of each shot can also lower your risk of firearm damage and injuries.

More Ways to Minimize Your Firearm Risks

Modern firearm mechanisms work with amazing reliability. Winchester’s Glen Weeks once said its primers were 99.9997% reliable, which means that the average gun owner shooting one million rounds might see only three primer manufacturing defects in a lifetime, if they saw any at all. However, many factors can contribute to such a firearm malfunction, not just a defective piece of ammo. This makes misfires, hang fires, squib rounds and other malfunctions more common than many gun owners would like.

If a bystander is injured or their property is damaged due to a hang fire, squib round or other firearm malfunction, they could sue the owner or operator of the firearm for damages. Even if you didn’t do anything wrong, these kinds of lawsuits can be costly to defend against. However, specialty insurance is available that can help protect gun owners like you.

Lockton Affinity Outdoor offers Personal Firearm Liability Insurance for gun owners and operators that can protect against accidental property damage and injuries to third parties.

Our Personal Firearm Liability coverage provides protection for:

  • Hunting and shooting accident liability
  • Accidental discharge
  • Lost or stolen firearm liability
  • Lawful personal defense
  • Civil suit defense and damages

Every gun owner and operator hopes to avoid having an accident while on a hunt or at the range where a person could be injured or their property is damaged. But even all the right firearm safety knowledge, practices and care can’t prevent every incident. In these cases, the right insurance may be able to provide added protection. Learn more at Lockton Affinity Outdoor.