Nail Gun Not Shooting Nails: What to Do Now?

A power tool like a nail gun is mandatory for everyone starting from contractor to a DIY user and like any other power tool it can get stuck too. It creates frustration and pushes the temper when you find yourself with a nail gun not shooting in the middle of a project.

Nothing can be more frustrating when you have a nail gun that is not shooting nails and you do not know what to do with it. So, we are here to tell you how you can detect the probable cause for this and take necessary measures to make your faulty nail gun work again. 

A few reasons can cause your nail gun not to shoot nails. Let’s talk about these possible causes and how you can solve them by yourself. Do not start checking your nail gun before ensuring your safety. Make sure you are wearing a pair of goggles and a pair of hand gloves too. 

1. Interruption of power supply

Your nail gun depends on a definite power source to work.  If there is any interruption of power then the nail gun won’t fire. The power source of your nail gun may vary depending on your nail gun. 

If your nail gun is cordless then it depends on the battery for power. You need to check the battery and the battery contact. If the battery is ok then you check the contacts closely. The contacts may be bent from daily use or they may get corroded. Use of any other battery than the proper one may damage the contacts too. Change the battery if it is an outdated one and properly clean the battery contact points.

If your nail gun is pneumatic then you have to check the air compressor of the nail gun. If you pull the trigger and hear air leaking then your valves or O-Ring is not sealed properly. The O-ring can be broken from general wear and tear or improper placement of it after cleaning the gun.   If it is not broken then simply pull it over the firing valve and an application of grease will solve the problem. In case of a broken one you have to replace it with a new one.

If your nail gun is a corded one then simply check the power cord whether it is supplying power or not. Changing a faulty one is the best way to insure power.

2. Nail Jamming inside the gun

It is one of the most probable causes for a nail gun to not fire. Due to the jam, nails get stuck inside the gun and fail to come out and thereby causes the gun to halt. In case of a nail jamming, if you keep pulling the trigger it causes further stresses on the gun by intensifying the nail jam. Take out all the names from your nail gun and clean it properly to get rid of this problem.

3. Use of wrong nails

Using the wrong nails can stop your nail gun from Working. Usually this happens with people who are beginners in using. Most of the nail guns are built to use only a specific gauge of nails. If you are not using the right size then the nails will not come out of your nail gun. Make sure you use the nails your nail gun is compatible with. 

4. Problem with the firing pin

Your nail gun will not fire nails if the firing pin of your nail gun is bent.  This can happen if your nail gun is dropped or the wrong size nails are used to fire the gun. Regular wear and tear can affect it too. Just change the firing pin to solve the problem.

5. Problem with Gas-fuel cell

Empty or outdated gas fuel cells do not supply the necessary power for the nail gun to work.  The names will not come out if your cell is empty. Using wrong fuel to fill the cell will not work either. Incompatibility is a major issues for these guns and they don’t work with other fuels than the right one. So make sure the cell is full and change if it is an outdated one.

6. Gun jamming due to lack of cleaning and oiling

Without proper cleaning and oiling your nail gun is on the way to jam. Without cleaning dirt and moisture accumulates within the gun and creates corrosion. Lack of oiling increases friction among the moving parts of the gun and causes the gun to jam due to heating and abrasion. Read the user manual of your nail gun properly to learn how to clean it and which types of oil you can use to clean it. 

Final Words

Overall, it is not a difficult task to find out why your nail gun is not shooting.  Ensuring proper maintenance can solve most of the problem and we hope this article will help you to detect the causes. Find the cause and act accordingly to make your nail gun workable again.