ACT 235 235 Marksmanship & Target Practice Skills 4 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: During the ACT 235 qualification course, a shooter experiences a failure to fire (click, no bang). What is the immediate action drill?
- Lock the slide back and inspect the chamber
- Tap the magazine base, rack the slide, and attempt to fire again (Tap-Rack-Bang) (Correct answer)
- Remove the magazine and replace it before racking the slide
- Call for range officer assistance immediately
Correct answer: Tap the magazine base, rack the slide, and attempt to fire again (Tap-Rack-Bang)
The Tap-Rack-Bang (or Tap-Rack-Assess) drill is the universal immediate action for a semi-automatic pistol stoppage under ACT 235 training.
Question 2: What is the dominant eye's role in ACT 235 pistol marksmanship?
- It determines which holster side the officer uses
- It should be aligned with the sights to produce the most accurate sight picture (Correct answer)
- It controls the trigger finger's speed
- It is used only in low-light shooting with a flashlight
Correct answer: It should be aligned with the sights to produce the most accurate sight picture
The dominant (master) eye provides the clearest image of the front sight and should be the eye used to align the sights on the target.
Question 3: In ACT 235 training, what is the purpose of the 'compressed surprise break' technique for trigger control?
- To fire multiple rounds as quickly as possible
- To apply steady increasing pressure so the shot fires without the shooter consciously deciding the exact moment (Correct answer)
- To reduce trigger pull weight mechanically
- To time the shot to the heartbeat to avoid pulse-induced movement
Correct answer: To apply steady increasing pressure so the shot fires without the shooter consciously deciding the exact moment
The compressed surprise break prevents the anticipatory flinch that occurs when the shooter knows exactly when the gun will fire, producing a cleaner trigger press.
Question 4: Which of the following represents a 'Type II' malfunction in the ACT 235 malfunction clearance curriculum?
- Failure to feed (round nose-dives)
- Stovepipe — a spent case partially ejected and caught by the slide (Correct answer)
- Double feed — two rounds attempting to enter the chamber simultaneously
- Trigger reset failure
Correct answer: Stovepipe — a spent case partially ejected and caught by the slide
A Type II malfunction (stovepipe) is a partially ejected case standing vertically in the ejection port, cleared with a Tap-Rack drill.
Question 5: ACT 235 marksmanship standards require that scored rounds hit within the designated scoring zone of the target. What area of a standard silhouette target is the primary scoring zone?
- Head only
- Center mass — the upper chest/torso area (Correct answer)
- The entire silhouette outline
- Any zone below the belt line
Correct answer: Center mass — the upper chest/torso area
The center-mass scoring zone (upper chest/torso) represents the largest vital target area and is the standard primary scoring zone in ACT 235 qualification.
Question 6: What is the correct eye focus during pistol marksmanship as taught in ACT 235?
- Focus on the target so threats are clearly visible
- Focus sharply on the front sight, allowing the target and rear sight to appear slightly blurred (Correct answer)
- Focus on the rear sight notch for widest view
- Alternate focus between front sight and target with each shot
Correct answer: Focus sharply on the front sight, allowing the target and rear sight to appear slightly blurred
Focusing on the front sight ensures precise alignment; the human eye cannot simultaneously focus on the front sight, rear sight, and target, so front-sight focus is the correct priority.
Question 7: During ACT 235 qualification, an officer must perform a speed reload. What is the correct sequence?
- Rack the slide, drop the empty magazine, insert a loaded magazine
- Drop the empty magazine, insert a loaded magazine, release the slide stop or rack the slide to chamber a round (Correct answer)
- Insert the new magazine over the empty magazine and rack the slide
- Lock the slide back, insert a new magazine, press the slide release
Correct answer: Drop the empty magazine, insert a loaded magazine, release the slide stop or rack the slide to chamber a round
The speed reload sequence drops the empty magazine, seats a loaded magazine, and chambers a round via slide release or rack to restore the weapon to battery as quickly as possible.
ACT 235 235 Marksmanship & Target Practice Skills 4
During the ACT 235 qualification course, a shooter experiences a failure to fire (click, no bang).
What is the immediate action drill?