A misfire is defined as which of the following?

• A. A delay in firing
• B. A complete failure to fire
• C. A partial failure to launch
• D. A failure to arm

Answer: (B)

Misfire means that when the firing signal is given, nothing happens at all—the round does not ignite or launch. It’s a complete failure to fire, not a delay or partial action. A delay in firing would be a hang fire, where ignition comes after a short pause. A partial failure to launch implies some propulsion occurs but not a full launch, which isn’t a true misfire. A failure to arm stops the weapon from firing in the first place, which is an arming fault rather than a misfire. So the description that matches a misfire best is the complete failure to fire.