How to Fix, Unjam, or Reset a Cordless Framing Nailer

Remove the battery (and the fuel cell, if your nailer has one), take out the nails, open the nose latch, and pull out the bent nail with pliers. To reset most cordless framing nailers, leave the battery out for a short time, reinstall it, then fire one test nail into scrap wood. Your owner's manual has the exact steps for your model, so check it before you take anything apart.

Start with safety, every time

A cordless framing nailer stores energy even when it looks idle. A spring, a flywheel or a combustion chamber can still move the driver blade if the tool wakes up. Treat every jam as a loaded tool.

Do these things before you touch the nose or the magazine:

Remove the battery. If your tool also uses a fuel cell, such as the Paslode Cordless XP, take that out too.
Keep your fingers and face away from the nose. Never point the tool at yourself or anyone nearby.
Wear safety glasses. A bent nail or a loose fragment can fly out when you free it.
Wear work gloves, since jammed nails are sharp and the nose can be hot after heavy use.
Never defeat the contact tip or the safety switch to get a nail out.

Clear a nail jam step by step

Most jams are bent nails stuck in the nose, where the driver blade pushes nails into the wood. The steps below match how nearly all framing nailers are built, but the latch and cover design varies by brand.

Remove the battery and fuel cell, then slide the nail strip out of the magazine.
Release the nose latch or open the jam-release cover. Many tools have a tool-free latch on the front of the nose.
Look into the channel. Pull the bent nail out with needle-nose pliers.
If the driver blade is stuck down in the channel, push it back up gently by tapping it with a nail set or a smooth punch. Do not pry against the housing.
Check the channel for broken plastic collation or paper bits, and clear them out.
Close the latch until it clicks, reload the nails, and reinstall the battery.
Fire one nail into scrap lumber before you go back to the job.

How to reset a cordless framing nailer

Many cordless nailers have no reset button. A reset usually means taking the tool out of a stalled or locked state so it will fire again.

Start by removing the battery and waiting a short time. This lets the electronics clear a fault. Reinstall the battery and test fire into scrap wood. If the tool still will not fire, check these common causes:

The battery is low. Some tools will not fire on a nearly empty pack. Try a fully charged one.
The magazine is empty or the nails are loaded wrong. Some tools lock out when they sense no nails.
The nose is not fully pressed against the work. The contact tip has to compress before the tool will fire.
The mode switch is between positions. Move it firmly to sequential or bump mode.
The driver blade did not return all the way after a jam. Re-check the nose channel.

Notes for DeWalt, Metabo HPT and Paslode

Our comparison pages cover published specifications, so we do not list model-specific repair procedures. Use your manual for the exact latch and cover locations. Still, a few features from the spec data affect how you troubleshoot.

DeWalt owners should follow the general steps above, then check the manual for the nose release on their model. We do not have DeWalt specifications on this page, so we will not guess at details.

The Metabo HPT NR1890DCA and NR1890DRA both have a selective actuation switch for changing between sequential and bump fire. If one of them seems dead, make sure the switch is fully seated. Both use an air spring drive system and a 4.0Ah battery, and both list tool-less depth adjustment. If nails sit proud after you clear a jam, check the depth setting before you assume something broke.

The Paslode Cordless XP runs on a battery and a fuel cell. Its listing says it works in temperatures down to 14 degrees F. On a cold day, a weak fuel cell or a cold battery can look like a mechanical fault, so warm both before you start taking things apart. Always remove the fuel cell before you clear a jam in that tool.

Some Makita framing nailers list an anti-dry fire mechanism that helps prevent driving blanks. If yours stops firing when the magazine runs low, load nails before you troubleshoot further.

Common problems and quick fixes

Use this table to match the symptom to the likely cause before you start disassembling anything.

Symptom	Likely cause	What to try
Nails bend in the nose	Wrong nail angle or damaged strip	Check that the strip matches the magazine angle, then replace bent nails
Nails sit proud	Depth setting too shallow, or low battery	Adjust depth, then swap in a charged battery
Tool will not fire	Fault, lockout or mode switch problem	Remove the battery, wait, reinstall, and check the switch
Nails skip or double fire	Worn contact tip or dirty nose	Clean the nose and have the tool serviced if it continues
Driver stays down	Jammed nail or blade stuck	Remove power, clear the nose, and tap the blade up

How to prevent the next jam

Most jams start with the nails, not the tool. Framing nailers take nails at set angles, and our guide to the best battery framing nailer notes that 21° plastic strip and 30° paper tape are the most common. Using the wrong angle is a quick way to bend nails and stall the driver.

Keep nail strips dry. Paper tape swells when it gets wet, and damaged collation can feed badly. Do not load a strip that is bent or torn.

Match the nail length to the tool. The tools on our page list nail lengths from 2 in to 3-1/2 in, and the Paslode lists 2 in to 3-1/4 in. Going outside the range your tool lists invites jams.

Clean out dust and debris from the nose now and then, with the battery removed. Shooting into dense material like engineered lumber is harder on nails, so set the depth adjustment to suit the wood.

When to stop and get service

If a tool jams over and over with the right nails, or if the driver blade looks bent or damaged, stop using it. A repeated jam can mean a worn part that needs a technician.

Check your warranty paperwork. The Metabo HPT tools in our data list a lifetime tool body warranty, so contact the maker before you attempt any repair that opens the housing.

If you are shopping for a replacement, our best framing nailer page and our best nailer for framing page put the main specs side by side, including magazine angle, weight and nails per charge.

Frequently asked questions

Can I unjam a framing nailer with the battery still in?

No. Always remove the battery first, and the fuel cell too if your tool has one. A hidden spring or motor start can drive the blade while your hand is near the nose.

Why does my nailer fire but leave nails sticking out?

Start with the depth adjustment and the battery charge. Tools with tool-free depth adjustment let you set nails flush without any other parts. Dense lumber may also need a higher depth setting.

Should I use oil on a cordless framing nailer?

Follow your manual. Some cordless tools need no oil in the drive area, and adding the wrong lubricant can attract dust. Wipe the nose clean and leave internal service to the maker.

Is it safe to use bump mode after clearing a jam?

Test in sequential mode first, on scrap wood. Switch to bump fire only after the tool is feeding and firing normally.