[wade]

I have never experienced a hang fire before. I almost didn't believe in them. I do now.

Today at the range I was shooting my CZ vz 52 with 1950's vintage Bulgarian surplus. A few rounds into the magazine I pulled the trigger and nothing. Hammer went down and nothing. I waited a few seconds, not sure how long because I didn't count and really figured it was just a dud. Just when I was starting to reach with lefty to pull the slide back and clear it the pistol went off. Yikes. I'm just glad I remembered to leave it pointed down range and am glad I wasn't opening it up when it happened.

I'm not sure if that sort of thing is possible with new ammo, but figured I'd put it here since this is the crowd that would be into shooting surplus ammo.

 

[Loopster]

:cantlook: whew! I almost dampened my nickers just reading that! Glad you're ok.

 

[Mr_Mac]

The rule we were taught in the USAF many moons ago was to wait no less than 60 seconds before clearing and, as you already know, keep it pointed downrange! Glad you waited!

 

[gtv]

Glad you are ok... just goes to show that good range behavior, when practiced over and over again, really pays off when it counts.

And it always counts.

 

[CoyoteUGLY]

yikes! I've had that w/muzzies, but never woulda suspected such a long hang w/a cartridge. Thanks for posting it!!

 

[2TN Mules]

Thanks for the heads up. That would tend to scare the crap outta me. Very glad to hear all ended well/

What is the general concensus ($5 word) of you more experienced guys? Is 1 minute about the right time to delay on a hang fire before clearing?

 

[autosurgeon]

I had a 7.62x54 that did that ..I waited 60 seconds or so and removed it and took it to the old sewer pipe that we drop the hang fires down and it went off like 2 min after it went down the pipe... I was like WTF!!! Scared the crap out of me!

+1 on keeping that muzzle down range! Training and more training really paid off for you!

I am also glad that we have a place for hang fires other than tosing them out in the range.. which I have seen done some places!

 

[Mr_Mac]

We have a heavy metal container where I shoot as well though I see more live rounds (mostly .22s) on the ground with dented primers than I do in the can! Idiots! Maybe the guilty parties one day will wind up with a piece of lead in their John Brown hind parts and that'll cure their complacency! Maybe.

 

[Dany]

I've had that happen with my M-44, only it never went off.

Maybe I'm dumb, but what SHOULD you do? I safetied the gun on the bench pointed down range for several minutes, opened the bold and shoved it bullet down into the dirt (we don't have anything such as a saftey box or a rangemaster) What would have been proper protocol?

 

[wade]

I've had that happen with my M-44, only it never went off.

Maybe I'm dumb, but what SHOULD you do? I safetied the gun on the bench pointed down range for several minutes, opened the bold and shoved it bullet down into the dirt (we don't have anything such as a saftey box or a rangemaster) What would have been proper protocol?

What you did sounds pretty good to me.

 

[Krippp]

I've had that happen with my M-44, only it never went off.

Maybe I'm dumb, but what SHOULD you do? I safetied the gun on the bench pointed down range for several minutes, opened the bold and shoved it bullet down into the dirt (we don't have anything such as a saftey box or a rangemaster) What would have been proper protocol?

The only thing I would say that was potentially dangerous about what you did was engaging the safety, on a mosin, when you are pulling the safety rearward to turn and engage it you run the risk of it slipping loose from your grip and then you have another strike on the primer, especially if the sear fails or has a loose tolerence. All of this is because the safety knob is actually what the firing pin is threaded into so when you are pulling it you are basically cocking the weapon to an extent. Other than that it seems as though you were spot on in your actions.

 

[Dany]

Thanks guys, and good info Kripp, I guess I was always taught to safety a weapon (when you can) in that situation, I never thought of the bolt slipping however.

 

[SamStafford]

I had that happen with my MN M44. It was surplus ammo. Pulled the trigger, nothing happened. About a min. later BOOM!!! I still shake a little whenever I shot that gun again. :cantlook:

 

[Silicon Wolverine]

i had some old FN surplus 45 AC that would do that. click and about five seconds later BOOM.

SWS