Coping with Semi-Auto Pistol Malfunctions — CTD Blog

By Editor

The Cheaper Than Dirt Shooter’s Log has a very helpful article for pistol shooters. This CTD article identifies five common malfunctions in semi-auto pistols, and explains how to deal with the five issues safely.
This can be very important — even life-saving. For example, with a hang fire, i.e. a round that does not fire immediately, it is vital to keep the gun pointed DOWN-RANGE. And with a squib load, which may have left a round inside the barrel, it is vital to UNLOAD and NOT take another shot! If you did, the gun could blow up in your hand when the second, full-charge bullet hits the trapped bullet.

The Five Topics Covered Are:

Misfeed (aka Tip-Up)
Double Feed

Stovepipe (Failure to Extract)
Misfire / Hangfire

Squib Load

1. Misfeed or Tip-Up: With any misfeed you should stop firing. With the muzzle pointed safely down-range, remove the magazine, then pull the slide back and remove the round that did not feed. Check the slide for dirt, debris, and check the round that did not feed. After re-inserting the magazine, make sure the mag is seated properly.
2. Double-Feed: This is a fairly common issue with some gun types with worn springs or cheap magazines. Again you want to remove

Source: Accurate Shooter