A nail gun jam can be quite a nuisance. It gets worse if it happens too frequently. A jammed nail gun occurs when you press the trigger and refuses to release nails. A nail gets caught in the nail gun or hits an object and diverts back, causing the nail gun to stop firing. It is quite a common problem with nail guns; therefore, it is crucial to know how to unjam one to prevent injuries.

Modern nail guns from renowned manufacturers like Bostitch, Makita, Dewal, and others with release levers that are easy to fix, but it’s good to read the instruction manual. Regular gun maintenance will prevent frequent occurrences. Read on to learn how to unjam, common jamming causes, and how to avoid it.

Safety Measures

Nails guns can misfire, causing severe injury, so it is vital to observe the following safety measures;

• Wear safety glasses to protect the eyes.
• Make sure no one is close, even pets.
• Put on some heavy-duty gloves to prevent injury.
• Always point the gun away from your face or body.
• Always remember to disconnect your nail gun’s source of power before fixing it.

Instructions: Unjamming the Nail Gun

• Always read the instruction manual if you’re a beginner when it comes to unjamming your tool. It helps to familiarize with the tool parts and troubleshooting suggestions.
• Remove or disconnect all power sources. Remove the electrical cord from the socket, the batteries, or the compressed air. Then pull the trigger with the gun facing away from you to remove any trapped air. Disconnecting power is to avoid any injuries.
• Locate the release lever in the barrel of the nail gun meant to remove any jammed nail quickly. Hold the gun away from your face and body, open the barrel by pulling the release lever to release the jammed nail. Make sure there are no other blockages in there.
• In case your nail gun doesn’t have a release lever, check the barrels for any jammed nails. Use another nail or a needle nose pliers to pick out the jammed nail through unscrewing a latch on top of the gun.
• Reload the nails and close the barrel. Connect the nail gun to its power source and cautiously test the nail gun.

Reasons a Nail Gun Gets Jammed.

Nail guns tend to get jammed over time if they are not well or regularly maintained. To prevent frequent jamming, you need to understand the reasons that cause it. These are some of the likely reasons:

1. When the nails’ size is incorrect and does not match with your specific nail gun, always use the correct nail size for your nail gun.
2. Friction. When you don’t oil your nail gun enough. Pour a fair amount of oil in the barrel before nailing.
3. Nail guns that run on batteries have a higher force and speed, causing some nails to deflect.
4. A nail gun with broken fasteners tends to jam easily. Make sure your nail size matches with your nail gun.
5. If your nail gun keeps jamming, it is probably wearing out or damaged. The best solution would be to get yourself a new one.
6. If you use nails on a surface that already has nails, the nails may collide, causing the nails inside your gun to bend and jam.

Fixing a jammed nail gun is a straightforward job; however, you need to handle it with caution as it can misfire at anytime. Using a modern nail gun with a release lever will make unjamming much easier for you. Remember to oil your nail gun regularly and use the recommended nail size to prevent jamming.