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When your Paslode or pneumatic nail gun stops firing in the middle of a job, it does more than slow you down — it breaks momentum, wastes nails, and can turn a straightforward task into a headache. Most firing issues come down to a small set of mechanical, electrical, or fuel-related faults. This guide walks you through the essential checks you can do on site before bringing the tool into the workshop for a proper service.
If your gun still won’t behave after these steps, book it in with Air Gun Services and we’ll sort it out.
Before you start diagnosing a misfire, make the tool safe:
Remove the battery
Remove the gas cell
Disconnect the airline on pneumatic guns
Never pull the trigger while looking down the nose
If you notice cracking, burning, gas smell, loose fittings, or anything that looks structurally off, stop immediately. Those are workshop-only faults and shouldn’t be handled on site.
A large amount of “won’t fire” complaints come back to simple issues.
Empty or incorrect nails
Check whether the magazine is actually loaded. Then confirm you’re using the correct gauge, length and collation for that model. Even a slightly incorrect strip can stop the driver from cycling properly.
Depth or driver settings
If nails aren’t sinking fully or the gun fires intermittently, reset depth to the middle and test on scrap timber. Incorrect depth settings can mimic a misfire.
Contact tip not engaging
Nail guns won’t fire unless the nose is fully depressed. Packed timber, awkward angles or a bent/burred nosepiece can stop the safety from engaging and make it feel like the tool has failed.
If the gun clicks but doesn’t fire a nail, it’s time to check for jams.
Jams are the classic cause of a Paslode or pneumatic nailer refusing to fire.
Open the magazine and nose latch (if your model has one). Remove any bent nails or broken strips. Inspect the driver blade — mushrooming or small chips can stop nails feeding straight. Clean the rails and nose area; resin, dust and glue buildup are common on NZ framing sites and can choke the feed mechanism.
If you’re experiencing repeated jams with fresh nails, you may have wear inside the nose or driver assembly that needs replacement parts.
With cordless Paslodes, the green status light gives you a clear indicator of what’s going on internally:
Solid green: operating normally
Slow flashing: battery getting low
Fast flashing / irregular patterns: fault, error or service alert
If the green light is flashing fast or in a pattern you don’t recognise, and the tool still won’t fire with a full battery, the ignition or electronics likely need attention.
Many Paslode misfire issues are actually battery-related, not mechanical.
If your charger is flashing red and green, work through these:
Clean the contacts on the battery and charger
Test the charger on another outlet
Try charging a second battery if you have one
A failing battery might warm up quickly, take far longer to charge, or cut out after just a few shots. We can test Paslode batteries in the workshop to confirm whether the issue is the battery, charger or tool.
Fuel is a common culprit in NZ conditions, especially when temperatures drop.
Check the expiry date on your fuel cell. Old or partially used cells can lose pressure. Make sure you’re using the correct tall or short cell for your Paslode model. In cold weather, keep fuel cells inside your jacket or tool bag — cold fuel produces weak ignition and frequent misfires.
If you can hear the fan running and smell gas but the tool still won’t drive a nail, the ignition system or seals likely need workshop attention.
If you’ve completed all the checks above and your Paslode still refuses to fire, you’re probably looking at worn internal components.
Common culprits include:
Worn O-rings or seals
Damaged driver blade
Faulty ignition module
Broken firing pin
Weak feeder spring
Wiring or control board issues
Continuing to use a tool with internal wear can lead to more expensive repairs — or complete tool failure.
If your nail gun still won’t fire after these checks, it needs a proper strip-down, inspection and test fire.
At Air Gun Services we:
Service Paslode, Senco, BeA, Bostitch and most major brands
Replace worn seals, drivers, O-rings and ignition components
Test under load to ensure the gun fires reliably back on site
Offer fast Auckland workshop drop-off
Provide nationwide courier servicing for tradies across NZ
A Paslode should fire first time, every time. If yours isn’t, let the specialists handle it and get you back on the job with a tool that actually works.
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