The Down Range Forum
Member Section => Down Range Cafe => Topic started by: alfsauve on November 06, 2021, 11:09:31 AM
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I may have experience a true hang fire Thursday at my indoor league. I say may, because being under pressure of action shooting it's not cut and dried. The SO say it possibly was, but given the rarity of this event with modern ammo, especially in pistols, neither he not I am 100% sure.
Here's what happened.
Shooting a Sig X5 Legion, using S&B 115gr factory ammo.
Limited round stage with mandatory reload after 5th round.
I acquire the target for round 4 and pull the trigger, nothing happens.
I refocus on the rear of the slide and see it's all the way in battery.
Mind is flying:
-Misfire?
-What do I do about the 5th round?
-What about the mandatory reload?
-Didn't get far enough along to even consider having to retain the extra mag
Start to loosen my support hand grip to perform a tap/rack and the gun fires. Much to my and the SO surprise.
Scored a -0, btw because I still had the gun on target.
The SO did not stop me shooting and I finished the stage with no problems.
The SO tells me later that I had not removed my finger from the trigger guard at the time it fired.
Unresolved.
Did I really pull the trigger all the way the first time? Not much take up in an X5.
Did the gun experience some type of hang up itself? Not likely, never heard of a delayed striker.
Then was it a real hang fire?
I tend to think it was. Yes even with a quality company like S&B. This past year I had 3 squibs in a 1,000 round lot of Fiocchi, so I don't think any manufacturer is above having problems. Given the demand to produce ammo right now I think it's a possibility.
Delayed striker, not pulling the trigger fully, or hang-fire, as long as there's a round in the chamber it can go off unexpectedly, keep that gun pointed in a safe direction. Always.
FYI: IDPA defines an unsafe discharge (they don't use the term Negligent Discharge):
a. in the holster.
b. striking up range of the shooter.
c. into the ground downrange closer to the shooter than 2 yards, unless engaging a low target that is
within 2 yards.
d. over a berm.
e. during Load And Make Ready, Unload and Show Clear, Reload, or Malfunction Clearance.
f. before the start signal.
g. while transferring a firearm from one hand to the other.
h. while handling a firearm except at the firing line.
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Probably was "delayed ignition".
Firing systems nowadays are pretty much idiot proof, and as Mark Novak would say, "You do the maintenance".
That makes gun issue unlikely and the only other variable is the round.
What was the lot # ?
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Alf... an anecdote, and not necessarily an answer to your problem...I have a good friend that at one time built competition 1911s, and did practical pistol modifications.... 3 USMC C-130 pilots scheduled to fly to Guatemala dropped by his shop with personally owned Springfield P9 pistols (CZ 75 clones) they reported that two of the pistols worked flawlessly, but the third would not fire if shot left handed, and unfortunately the owner was left handed... what we discovered was that the slight pressure exerted on the left side of the trigger caused a minimal movement of the sear block, enough that the hammer was not released...
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Wanted,
Ergonomics tester :
Must be left handed, No righties need apply.
I make a joke about it, but it's surprising (always ;D )what little things can make a difference, and how hard it can be to find them.
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Delayed ignition....
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I've sent off an email to S&B with a scan of the UPC and Lot #. Told them I didn't want anything, but that it might prove useful to their QC people in case a trend develops.
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Delayed ignition....
That's my guess as well.