Weapon misfires can happen for a variety of reasons. The following are the most common causes:

When any of these types of misfires occur, keep the muzzle of the firearm pointed in a safe direction. Wait about 30 seconds, unload the firearm and take it to a gunsmith for inspection and repair. Do NOT look down the barrel.

Misfire
A misfire occurs when the trigger is pulled and the firearm does not fire. Misfires are caused by either a defective primer that fails to ignite the powder charge or a weak firing pin.

Squib load or pop fire
A squib load occurs when the trigger is pulled and then you hear only a slight pop and do not feel any recoil. It is usually caused by not having a powder charge in the cartridge or shotshell.

Hangfire
A hang fire occurs when the trigger is pulled and the firearm is delayed in firing. They are caused by a temporary failure of the primer to ignite the powder charge.