Training doesn’t always have to be flashy or expensive. Sometimes, the best thing you can do with a limited budget and range time is to focus on the fundamentals that actually keep you in the fight. This drill is one of them. This training isn’t designed for speed or bragging rights, it’s designed to teach you what to do during firearm failures. Because eventually, they will fail.
Training for Firearm Failures
Failure drills often get pushed aside in favor of more exciting shooting scenarios. But when the gun goes click instead of bang, the last thing you want to do is freeze. This is a repeatable, reliable drill that helps build subconscious skills for those very moments. And you can do it with a single box of ammo, a few snap caps, and a little planning.
Simulating the Problem
Failure to feed and failure to ignite are two of the most common stoppages you’ll face with a semiautomatic handgun. Whether it’s a bad primer or an improperly seated magazine, these aren’t fantasy problems. They happen in real life. And when they do, your response needs to be fast, correct, and instinctive.
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Snap caps dummy rounds are designed to mimic real cartridges and are the perfect tool here. They allow you to simulate a failure to ignite, with no risk. Depending on how you prep, they can introduce uncertainty into the drill. You don’t know exactly when your gun will fail, and that ambiguity creates training value.
Now, how you load the snap caps matters. If you’re just getting started, try loading in a predictable pattern. For example, alternate live rounds and snap caps. Start with a live round and then a snap cap. Repeat this until your last snap cap is at the top of the magazine. Finally, manually load one round into the chamber. Now you’re ready.
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This gives you a controlled environment to build muscle memory. If you have a training partner, even better. Have them load the mags randomly, so you won’t know what’s coming. It’s a great way to simulate stress while still keeping it fun.
Tap, Rack, Assess
When the gun fails to fire, your goal is to get it back into action as quickly and as safely as possible. The technique is simple in concept but demands consistency: Tap. Rack. Assess.
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Tap the magazine hard with the palm of your support hand. This confirms that the magazine is seated properly—something that’s often overlooked. Believe it or not, a lot of failures stem from the mag not being locked in tight. Whether you bumped the release during recoil or simply didn’t seat it well during a reload, this is step one.
Rack the slide sharply. Palm over the top, pinky facing away, rack it with force and purpose. Don’t be gentle here. Get that slide all the way to the rear and let it fly. You want any problematic round to be ejected cleanly, and racking with authority increases your chances of clearing the issue in one go. It’s also critical that the gun stays level or angled slightly away so gravity helps you get that cartridge out.
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Remember: If you’re off the target your finger is out of the trigger guard and high on the frame.
Assess as you re-engage. You should never lose visual contact with your threat or target unless absolutely necessary. The gun stays close to the body during manipulation, but your eyes stay up. As you extend the gun back out, visually verify that the slide is in battery and the gun looks correct.
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Did you see a flash of brass fly out of the chamber in your periphery? Is everything back in place? These are the signs that your motion worked. It should become subconscious over time.
Why It Matters
If you’ve never trained for failure, your first malfunction could feel like the end of the world. I’ve seen students completely freeze up during their first simulated stoppage. That’s why we drill it. Not just to teach the technique, but to inoculate you against “uh, what do I do?”
In real-world encounters, especially in close-quarters, stoppages happen. Clothing can catch the slide. A coat sleeve can slow the slide to prevent ejection. Your gear can get in your way. However, your job is to solve the problem and stay in the fight.
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That won’t happen if you’ve never been there before. Drills like this build the confidence and reps you need when things go wrong. You don’t have to think, you just do.
Our hands and body need to be on autopilot, so our brain can process what’s happening.
Final Rack
I built this drill for students who want to train for the when, not the if. Stoppages aren’t rare. They happen to new shooters, experienced shooters, and even the best competitors. That means failure drills need to be baked into your range time. This is one of the simplest, most affordable ways to do it.
Shoot safe.
