Hang-fire

Hang fire is a term that refers to a state in which an unexpected delay is encountered between a firearm being triggered and the initiation of the propellant. This mode of failure was common in firearm actions which relied upon open primer pans, mainly due to poor and/or inconsistent quality of the powder used. Modern weapons can also be susceptible, particularly where the ammunition has been stored in an environment outside of the design specification, such as in cold, damp conditions. The delay is typically (but not always) too small to be noticed, but may be disruptive in processes where accurate timing is important - as in synchronization gear in propeller driven aircraft.

The Darwin Awards website chronicles one unconfirmed incident of a potential award winner's experience with hang-fire:

"CLICK!" went the gun.
At this unexpected development, the puzzled crook looked straight down the barrel of his weapon and uttered the words, "What the...?"
As it turned out, the WWII veteran had WWII vintage ammunition in his WWII vintage pistol. Priming caps over time are known to lose their "spontaneous" nature, particularly if stored improperly, causing what is known as a hang-fire: The primer smolders into a delayed ignition.
Such was the case here.

See also

• Squib load

Notes

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