Firearms Handling & Safety Protocols Flashcards

When conducting a range safety briefing as a GSI, which instruction should ALWAYS be included regardless of the experience level of participants?

Answer: Instruct shooters to keep fingers off the trigger until ready to fire

Keeping the finger off the trigger until ready to fire is a universal rule that applies to all shooters regardless of experience.

A student asks if it is safe to dry-fire a modern centerfire semi-automatic pistol during practice. What is the correct GSI response?

Answer: Most modern centerfire pistols can be dry-fired safely, but confirm with the manufacturer's manual

Most modern centerfire pistols tolerate dry-firing, but rimfire firearms generally should not be dry-fired without snap caps, and the owner's manual is the authoritative source.

During a live-fire exercise, a shooter experiences a squib load (a round that fires with insufficient force). What is the correct immediate action?

Answer: Keep the muzzle downrange and immediately notify the range officer

A squib load may lodge a bullet in the barrel; firing again with an obstruction can cause a catastrophic barrel failure, so the range officer must be notified immediately.

What is the safest way to hand a firearm to another person on the range?

Answer: Hand it over with the action open and the muzzle pointed in a safe direction

Handing a firearm with the action open and muzzle in a safe direction allows the recipient to visually confirm the chamber is clear.

A GSI notices a student consistently placing the thumb of the support hand behind the slide of a semi-automatic pistol. Why should this be corrected immediately?

Answer: The slide will lacerate the thumb when the firearm cycles

The reciprocating slide travels rearward with significant force and will cut through the thumb if it is placed behind it, causing a serious injury.

Which of the following best defines 'safe direction' as used in the four fundamental rules of firearm safety?

Answer: A direction in which a negligent discharge would cause the least harm

A safe direction is one where an accidental discharge is unlikely to cause injury or significant property damage, considering what the bullet could penetrate.

A student's semi-automatic pistol fails to go into battery (the slide does not fully close) after chambering a round. What should the GSI instruct the student to do first?

Answer: Perform a tap-rack-assess malfunction clearance drill

A failure to go into battery is typically cleared with the tap-rack-assess drill: tap the magazine, rack the slide firmly, then assess the situation.