NRA NRA Firearm Inspection & Testing Procedures 1 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: What is the first step a gunsmith should take when receiving any firearm for service?
- Disassemble it completely
- Verify that the firearm is unloaded and safe to handle before any inspection or work begins (Correct answer)
- Test-fire it to document the problem
- Check the serial number against the owner's paperwork
Correct answer: Verify that the firearm is unloaded and safe to handle before any inspection or work begins
Confirming the firearm is unloaded is the mandatory first step before any handling, inspection, or work to prevent accidental discharge.
Question 2: What does a 'function check' (or function test) verify after a gunsmith completes work on a firearm?
- That the finish is evenly applied
- That all mechanical functions — safety, trigger, feeding, ejection — operate correctly before returning the firearm to the customer (Correct answer)
- That the sight picture is correct
- That all screws are tightened to maximum torque
Correct answer: That all mechanical functions — safety, trigger, feeding, ejection — operate correctly before returning the firearm to the customer
A function check systematically tests each mechanical operation of the firearm to confirm safe and reliable function before the customer receives it.
Question 3: What is a 'proof test' and who typically performs it?
- A gunsmith's standard function check using live ammunition
- A test in which a firearm is fired with a specially loaded overpressure round to verify structural integrity — typically performed by proof houses or manufacturers (Correct answer)
- A customer acceptance test performed at a shooting range
- A visual inspection of the barrel for cracks
Correct answer: A test in which a firearm is fired with a specially loaded overpressure round to verify structural integrity — typically performed by proof houses or manufacturers
Proof testing uses cartridges generating significantly higher than maximum pressure to verify the firearm's structural integrity, performed under controlled conditions by certified proof houses.
Question 4: What is 'drop testing' in the context of firearm safety evaluation?
- Dropping the firearm from a height to test finish durability
- Dropping a cocked firearm from a specified height to verify passive safeties prevent accidental discharge (Correct answer)
- A field test where snap caps are dropped into the chamber
- Testing whether magazines drop free when the release is pressed
Correct answer: Dropping a cocked firearm from a specified height to verify passive safeties prevent accidental discharge
Drop testing verifies that passive drop safeties (such as firing pin blocks) prevent the firearm from discharging if dropped in any orientation.
Question 5: When inspecting a used firearm for purchase or service, which area of the barrel should be examined most carefully for erosion?
- The exterior of the muzzle end
- The throat (leade) area just forward of the chamber, where propellant gas and bullet passage cause the most wear (Correct answer)
- The middle of the barrel where the gas port is located
- The chamber neck area where the case mouth seats
Correct answer: The throat (leade) area just forward of the chamber, where propellant gas and bullet passage cause the most wear
The throat and leade see the highest heat and pressure as the bullet engages the rifling, making this area most prone to erosion and the first to show significant wear.
Question 6: What does checking for 'cylinder lockup' in a revolver assess?
- Whether the cylinder latch is properly installed
- Whether the cylinder indexes correctly and locks solidly in alignment with the barrel under firing conditions (Correct answer)
- Whether the cylinder crane is bent
- Whether the ejector rod is the correct length
Correct answer: Whether the cylinder indexes correctly and locks solidly in alignment with the barrel under firing conditions
Cylinder lockup checks that the cylinder rotates to full index and is firmly locked in alignment with the barrel and forcing cone, preventing off-axis bullet travel.
NRA NRA Firearm Inspection & Testing Procedures 1
What is the first step a gunsmith should take when receiving any firearm for service?