CRFSC Operating Firearm Actions 5 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: On a semi-automatic firearm, what is the result of firing a cartridge with the action 'out of battery'?
- The unsupported case can rupture, causing a dangerous malfunction (Correct answer)
- The firearm simply will not fire due to a drop safety
- The round fires normally but cycles slightly slower
- The slide locks back automatically as a safety feature
Correct answer: The unsupported case can rupture, causing a dangerous malfunction
Firing out of battery means the case is not fully supported by the chamber, risking a case rupture that can direct hot gas and fragments toward the shooter.
Question 2: What is the correct procedure when a semi-automatic pistol experiences a failure to fire (trigger pulls but no discharge)?
- Keep pointed downrange, wait 30 seconds, then tap the magazine, rack the slide, and reassess (Correct answer)
- Immediately open the slide to inspect the chamber
- Point the muzzle upward and shake the firearm
- Remove the magazine and disassemble the firearm on the firing line
Correct answer: Keep pointed downrange, wait 30 seconds, then tap the magazine, rack the slide, and reassess
The tap-rack-reassess drill — seating the magazine, cycling the slide to eject the suspect round — is the standard immediate action for a failure to fire, with a 30-second hangfire wait first.
Question 3: How does the action of a lever-action rifle feed rounds from the magazine to the chamber?
- Cycling the lever rotates a carrier that lifts a round into alignment with the chamber (Correct answer)
- A gas piston pushes rounds upward as the lever is worked
- The lever pulls a round directly from a box magazine below the action
- Spring pressure alone feeds rounds while the lever only cocks the hammer
Correct answer: Cycling the lever rotates a carrier that lifts a round into alignment with the chamber
Most lever-actions use a carrier block that rises on the upstroke of the lever, lifting the next cartridge to chamber level for the bolt to strip and push in.
Question 4: What distinguishes a 'selective-fire' action from a standard semi-automatic action?
- It can switch between semi-automatic and fully automatic fire (Correct answer)
- It allows the shooter to select which barrel fires on a double-gun
- It enables single-action or double-action trigger modes
- It lets the shooter choose between two different calibers
Correct answer: It can switch between semi-automatic and fully automatic fire
Selective-fire firearms can be switched between firing modes — typically semi-automatic and fully automatic — and are tightly restricted in Canada under the Firearms Act.
Question 5: On a pump-action shotgun, what prevents the action from being cycled while the trigger is held rearward (during firing)?
- The action slide lock, which releases only when the trigger resets (Correct answer)
- The magazine cutoff preventing pump movement
- A separate safety that must be disengaged after each shot
- The inertia from recoil holds the slide forward temporarily
Correct answer: The action slide lock, which releases only when the trigger resets
The action slide lock or 'action lock' holds the forend in place while the trigger is depressed, releasing only after the trigger is reset so the shooter can pump for the next shot.
Question 6: When field-stripping a semi-automatic pistol for cleaning, why is it essential to verify the chamber is empty before disassembly?
- A round in the chamber can be inadvertently fired during disassembly if the trigger is actuated (Correct answer)
- The slide cannot be removed with a loaded chamber due to mechanical stops
- Cleaning solvents can react with live primers if the chamber is loaded
- The extractor will be damaged if a round is present during slide removal
Correct answer: A round in the chamber can be inadvertently fired during disassembly if the trigger is actuated
During disassembly steps that require pressing the trigger (common on many pistols), a loaded chamber creates a risk of an unintended discharge.
Question 7: What is a 'slam fire' and which action type is most historically associated with this malfunction?
- Uncontrolled automatic firing caused by a floating firing pin, most associated with open-bolt semi-automatics (Correct answer)
- A squib round that fires with reduced velocity, most common in revolvers
- Firing before the bolt fully closes, typical only in double-action pistols
- A hangfire that ignites during extraction, associated with lever-action rifles
Correct answer: Uncontrolled automatic firing caused by a floating firing pin, most associated with open-bolt semi-automatics
Slam fire occurs when the firing pin or striker contacts the primer as the bolt closes, causing unintended ignition, and was a known risk with some early open-bolt designs converted to semi-automatic.
CRFSC Operating Firearm Actions 5
On a semi-automatic firearm, what is the result of firing a cartridge with the action 'out of battery'?