<P> Hang fire refers to an unexpected delay between the triggering of a firearm and the ignition of the propellant . This failure was common in firearm actions that relied on open primer pans, due to the poor or inconsistent quality of the powder . Modern firearms are susceptible also . The delay is typically too brief to be noticed, but can be several seconds . </P> <P> A hangfire should be suspected whenever a firearm fails to fire, but has not clearly malfunctioned . In modern firearms, it is more likely that the round is a "dud" (one that will never fire at all), but it is important to delay removing the round from the chamber . If a hangfire has in fact occurred, a round initiating outside of the firearm could cause serious injury . If the operator believes that the firearm correctly cycled a fresh round and the action is not visibly jammed, the correct procedure is to keep the firearm pointed at a safe target for thirty seconds, then remove the round . This rule is usually not followed in combat, where being without a working firearm is the bigger risk . </P>

Where does the term hang fire come from