Which term describes a failure to eject where the spent casing remains in the ejection port?

Which term describes a failure to eject where the spent casing remains in the ejection port?

• A. Failure to feed
• B. Double feed
• C. Firing pin hang fire
• D. Stovepipe malfunction

Answer: (D)

A stovepipe involves a spent cartridge that fails to eject and gets stuck in the ejection port, usually sticking upward like a small pipe. This is why you see the casing protruding instead of being thrown clear by the slide. It’s distinct from a failure to feed, where a round won’t enter the chamber; a double feed, where more than one round interferes with feeding; and a firing pin hang fire, where the primer ignites late or not at all. Stovepiping happens when the slide doesn’t complete its cycle cleanly, often due to weak recoil, a dirty or damaged extractor, or grip issues that let the casing catch on the edge of the ejection port. In practice, clearing a stovepipe involves cycling the action to eject the stuck casing and resume firing.

A stovepipe involves a spent cartridge that fails to eject and gets stuck in the ejection port, usually sticking upward like a small pipe. This is why you see the casing protruding instead of being thrown clear by the slide. It’s distinct from a failure to feed, where a round won’t enter the chamber; a double feed, where more than one round interferes with feeding; and a firing pin hang fire, where the primer ignites late or not at all. Stovepiping happens when the slide doesn’t complete its cycle cleanly, often due to weak recoil, a dirty or damaged extractor, or grip issues that let the casing catch on the edge of the ejection port. In practice, clearing a stovepipe involves cycling the action to eject the stuck casing and resume firing.