Courses / Self-loading rifle / Lesson 7
Malfunctions
Failure to fire, feed or extract, and what to do. Lesson 7 of 8 · about 6 minutes to watch.
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Step through the slides. The trainer's words are under each one.
Malfunctions
Self-loading rifle, lesson 7 of 8: failure to fire, feed or extract
Sooner or later, a rifle won't do what you expect. The unit standard names three malfunctions: failure to fire, failure to feed and failure to extract. You need to recognise each, know its likely causes, restore the rifle to safe working order, and know when to hand it to a gunsmith.
Whatever happens, these come first
- 1Muzzle stays safeDownrange, always
- 2Finger off the triggerStraight along the side
- 3Wait if it didn't fireAt least 30 seconds: it may be a hangfire
- 4Then follow your drillAs your trainer showed you for your model
Before you think about the cause, do these. Keep the muzzle downrange. Take your finger off the trigger. If the rifle didn't fire when you pressed the trigger, wait at least 30 seconds with the muzzle in a safe direction before you open the action, because the cartridge may be a hangfire that fires late. Then clear the problem using the drill your trainer showed you for your model. Drills differ between rifles, so learn yours on the range.
The three malfunctions
| Malfunction | What you notice | Common causes |
|---|---|---|
| Failure to fire | A click, no shot | Faulty cartridge, round not fully chambered, weak firing pin strike |
| Failure to feed | The next round doesn't go into the chamber | Magazine not seated, damaged magazine, dirt |
| Failure to extract | The empty case stays in the chamber | Dirty chamber, worn or damaged extractor, ammunition |
Here are the three. A failure to fire: you press the trigger and hear a click, but no shot. It could be a faulty cartridge, a round that isn't fully in the chamber, or a weak strike from the firing pin. A failure to feed: the next round doesn't make it into the chamber, often because the magazine isn't properly seated, or is damaged or dirty. A failure to extract: the empty case stays stuck in the chamber, which can be dirt, a worn or damaged extractor, or the ammunition. Think back to lesson 2's cycle: each malfunction is a step that didn't happen.
Where each one breaks the cycle
- 1FireFailure to fire stops here
- 2ExtractFailure to extract stops here
- 3EjectCase thrown clear
- 4FeedFailure to feed stops here
- 5Chamber and lockReady to fire again
Here's the cycle from lesson 2 again, with the three malfunctions on it. Failure to fire breaks it at the very first step. Failure to extract breaks it when the case should come out. Failure to feed breaks it when the next round should go in. Picturing where the cycle stopped helps you see what to check.
Two dangers to know
| Compare | Hangfire | Squib load |
|---|---|---|
| What happens | The cartridge fires late, after the click | The shot sounds or feels much weaker than normal |
| The danger | Opening the action as it fires | A bullet stuck in the barrel |
| What you do | Muzzle safe, wait at least 30 seconds | Stop firing; check the barrel is clear before any more shots |
Two special cases. A hangfire is a cartridge that fires late, a moment after the click. If you open the action just then, it can injure you, which is why you wait at least 30 seconds with the muzzle downrange. A squib load is a cartridge that fires weakly, with a quiet pop or little recoil. The bullet may be stuck in the barrel. Stop firing. If you fire another round behind a stuck bullet, the barrel can burst. Make the rifle safe and have the barrel checked before you shoot again.
Fix it yourself, or see a gunsmith?
| Problem | Who deals with it |
|---|---|
| Magazine not fully seated | You: reseat it and check |
| Dirt in the chamber or action | You: clean it with a cleaning kit |
| One faulty cartridge | You: put it aside safely, as your range requires |
| Broken or worn extractor | A gunsmith |
| The same malfunction again and again | A gunsmith |
| A bullet stuck in the barrel | A gunsmith, or a recognised expert |
The unit standard asks you to know which fixes are yours and which go to a gunsmith. Yours: reseating a magazine, cleaning dirt out of the chamber or action, and setting a faulty cartridge aside safely as the range requires. A gunsmith's: a broken or worn part such as an extractor, any malfunction that keeps coming back, and a bullet stuck in the barrel. If in doubt, make the rifle safe and take it to a gunsmith.
Thandi's rifle stops mid-string
Halfway through a string, Thandi's bolt closes on nothing: the next round hasn't fed.
- Muzzle downrange, finger off
- The magazine wasn't fully seated
- She clears it as Anel showed her, reseats and tugs the magazine
Halfway through a string, Thandi presses the trigger and gets a click. The bolt has closed on an empty chamber: the next round never fed. She keeps the muzzle downrange, takes her finger off the trigger and tells Anel. The cause is simple: the magazine wasn't fully seated. She clears the rifle the way Anel showed her for her model, reseats the magazine and gives it a tug. No gunsmith needed. A failure to feed she can fix herself.
Your turn
Before lesson 8
- Do the exercise: What went wrong?
- Answer four quick questions on this lesson
- Apply: ask your trainer to show you the drill for your model
Name the malfunction in each scene, then answer four questions. Ask your trainer to show you the clearance drill for your rifle, and practise it with dummy rounds if your range allows. Next lesson: inspection, cleaning, and exactly what the practical assessment asks.
Do: What went wrong?
Something has gone wrong with a rifle on the line at Ridgeview. Which malfunction is it?
Check
Four quick questions. The reason shows as soon as you answer.
Apply
Where this shows up in your own life.
Ask your trainer to show you the malfunction drill for your rifle, and practise it with dummy rounds if the range allows.
6. Shooting fundamentals
Next lesson8. Inspection, cleaning and the practical test
Continue →Ridgeview Firearms Academy and its people are fictional. This is study material written from the Firearms Control Act and the SAQA unit standards. It isn't an accredited course or legal advice; your accredited training provider runs the official tests.