How To Handle Squib Loads

Aaron Spuler is a firearms enthusiast and recreational shooter. Follow more or his work at The Weapon Blog

The dreaded squib. Also known as a “poppy” in my own family, this happens when the round you’re trying to fire doesn’t have enough gun powder to propel the bullet out of the barrel. You will hear more of a pop sound as opposed to the expected “BANG.” There will also be less recoil if there’s any recoil at all. Your best identifying tool for this will be your ears, whether you’re the shooter or you’re with your shooting crew, if you don’t hear a proper “bang” sound, call CEASE FIRE immediately.

Let me reiterate here, STOP FIRING YOUR WEAPON IMMEDIATELY or yell “CEASE FIRE!” The bullet in your barrel can be various degrees of jammed in various parts of the barrel with various amounts of unburned powder. If you fire this weapon again, you can severely damage your gun, your friends, or even explode your own hand. Hand exploding is a theory of mine, I haven’t personally witnessed hands exploding this way, but do you want to risk it? I definitely prefer having both of my hands unexploded.

First things first, clear the gun. It needs to be unloaded and safe to handle. You’ll want to inspect your gun thoroughly. The barrel could be bulging, In some cases, you’ll see powder residues, but to verify you have an actual squib, you’ll want to take a peek into the barrel. Not from the dangerous end, put your flashlight at that end. If you can’t see the light shining through, you likely have a bullet wedged in there.

Most commonly, you can clear the bullet with a cleaning rod or many people recommend a wooden dowel rod, sized smaller than the inside of your barrel and cut to a length longer than your barrel but not so long as to bend/break. You’ll want to invert the gun, muzzle pointed up and secured by the grip. The idea is to push the bullet out the way it came. Insert the dowel rod into the barrel until it touches the bullet and give it a firm downward thump with a wooden or rubber mallet. Once you have the wedged bullet loosened, it should slide out relatively easy but don’t be surprised if it takes a couple of whacks to dislodge the bullet.

Further inspection should be done, make sure the inside of the barrel isn’t damaged before reloading and shooting this weapon. If you find excess powder anywhere in or around the barrel, this might be the perfect opportunity to clean and lubricate your weapon.

If you are unsure of performing this, a gunsmith or the range officer can do this for you. Use your manners, be respectful, and perhaps they will walk you through it so you can do this yourself next time. Squib rounds most commonly occur with rounds you’ve hand-loaded yourself, or maybe inexperienced Bill next door gave you some he loaded, but it can happen with factory ammunition as well. There are numerous variables that contribute to this particular mishap so don’t be embarrassed to ask for help, this can happen to anyone even if you purchase the highest quality ammunition every time.

This is one of many malfunctions that can occur when handling a firearm and not all malfunctions are ammunition-related. The best advice that comes from the seasoned pros, “know your weapon.” Practice not only shooting but also troubleshooting, identifying problems, fixing problems, and maintenance. Practice safety until it is second-nature. A safe gun makes a happy shooter!

Author Bio:

Richard Douglas is a long time shooter, outdoor enthusiast and technologist. He is the founder and editor of Scopes Field, and a columnist at the National Interest, Cheaper Than Dirt, Daily Caller and other publications.