FSC - Firearm Safety Certificate Ammunition and Malfunctions Questions and Answers

Question 1

You are at a firing range and pull the trigger, but the firearm only makes a 'click' sound without firing. What is the safest immediate action to take?

Accepted Answer

Keep the firearm pointed in a safe direction for at least 30 seconds.

Answer

Immediately eject the round and inspect it.

Answer

Look down the barrel to check for an obstruction.

Answer

Attempt to fire the round again immediately.

Question 2

Which of the following best describes a 'squib load'?

Accepted Answer

A cartridge that fires with insufficient force, potentially leaving the bullet lodged in the barrel.

Answer

A cartridge that fires with a noticeable delay after the trigger is pulled.

Answer

A fired cartridge case that fails to eject and gets caught in the ejection port.

Answer

A cartridge that fails to fire completely when the trigger is pulled.

Question 3

A shooter experiences a malfunction where a spent cartridge case is partially ejected and becomes trapped vertically in the ejection port, resembling a chimney. This is commonly known as a:

Accepted Answer

Stovepipe

Answer

Double Feed

Answer

Hangfire

Answer

Failure to Feed

Question 4

When a semi-automatic pistol fails to chamber a new round from the magazine after a shot has been fired, this is known as a 'failure to feed'. Which of the following is a common cause of this malfunction?

Accepted Answer

An improperly seated magazine or a damaged magazine.

Answer

Using ammunition of a higher caliber than the firearm is rated for.

Answer

Excessive lubrication on the firearm's slide.

Answer

A defective primer in the cartridge.

Question 5

What is the very FIRST and most important step to take immediately after ANY firearm malfunction occurs?

Accepted Answer

Stop firing and keep the muzzle pointed in a safe direction.

Answer

Rack the slide to clear the chamber.

Answer

Remove the magazine from the firearm.

Answer

Engage the firearm's manual safety.

Question 6

A 'double feed' is a serious malfunction where:

Accepted Answer

A spent casing fails to extract and a new round is fed into the back of it.

Answer

The trigger is pulled twice in rapid succession.

Answer

Two cartridges are fired with a single pull of the trigger.

Answer

The firearm fires even when the safety is engaged.