APOSTC Firearms Practice Test 2026 - Free Firearms Practice Questions and Preparation Guide

Misfire or delay points to an ignition issue. A misfire means the primer failed to ignite the powder, so nothing fires; a delay (hang fire) means the primer did ignite, but the round fires after a noticeable delay. Both situations involve the firing process itself, not the way the cartridge was fed into the chamber or how the casing is ejected. In contrast, issues like stovepipe, double-feed, or failure to eject are feeding or ejection malfunctions, not ignition problems.