Which term refers to a weapon malfunction when the round does not eject after firing?

• A. Failure to feed
• B. Failure to eject / Stovepipe
• C. Failure to extract
• D. Failure to fire

Answer: (B)

When a semi-automatic firearm doesn’t eject the spent cartridge after firing, the issue is described as a failure to eject. A very common manifestation of this is the stovepipe malfunction, where the spent case becomes stuck in the ejection port and sticks upright, like a stovepipe. This happens because the action cycle didn’t complete cleanly—often due to slight timing issues, a weak recoil impulse, lubrication or cleanliness problems, or ammunition with unusual pressure. Understanding the cycle helps: the correct operation requires the case to be extracted from the chamber and ejected; if it isn’t, you’re dealing with a failure to eject, with stovepipe being the specific, recognizable form. For contrast, failure to feed means the next round doesn’t enter the chamber, failure to extract means the case isn’t pulled from the chamber at all, and failure to fire means the round doesn’t ignite.