PAL - Possession and Acquisition Licence Firearm Safety Rules (ACTS/PROVE) Questions and Answers 1 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: According to the ACTS acronym for firearm safety, what is the first and most fundamental assumption a person must make when handling any firearm?
- Assume the safety is always engaged.
- Assume the person who last handled it unloaded it correctly.
- Assume every firearm is loaded. (Correct answer)
- Assume it is a non-restricted firearm.
Correct answer: Assume every firearm is loaded.
The 'A' in ACTS stands for "Assume every firearm is loaded." This is the primary rule of firearm safety, requiring that every firearm be treated with the respect due to a loaded weapon until you have personally proven it safe.
Question 2: You are handed a semi-automatic pistol by a friend at the shooting range. After pointing it in a safe direction and removing the magazine, what is the immediate next step in the PROVE procedure to ensure it is unloaded?
- Examine the bore for obstructions.
- Pull the trigger to test the action.
- Verify the feeding path is clear.
- Observe the chamber to ensure it is empty. (Correct answer)
Correct answer: Observe the chamber to ensure it is empty.
The PROVE procedure is sequential. After Pointing the firearm in a safe direction and Removing all ammunition (including the magazine), the next step ('O') is to Observe the chamber to visually confirm that there is no cartridge in it.
Question 3: Which of the following actions is a direct violation of the 'C' in the ACTS firearm safety rules?
- Briefly pointing the firearm at the ceiling while adjusting your grip. (Correct answer)
- Keeping your finger off the trigger until you are ready to shoot.
- Storing a firearm in a locked cabinet.
- Assuming a firearm is loaded when you first pick it up.
Correct answer: Briefly pointing the firearm at the ceiling while adjusting your grip.
The 'C' in ACTS stands for "Control the muzzle direction at all times." Pointing the firearm at the ceiling, even briefly, means losing control of the muzzle and pointing it in an unsafe direction. A safe direction is one in which an accidental discharge would cause no injury or damage.
Question 4: A hunter is crossing a fence. To do so safely, they unload their bolt-action rifle and hand it to their partner. What is the most critical safety step the partner should take immediately upon receiving the firearm?
- Trust the hunter's word that the firearm is unloaded.
- Check the external safety to ensure it is in the "on" position.
- Immediately open the action and visually inspect the chamber themselves. (Correct answer)
- Put the firearm on the ground and cross the fence first.
Correct answer: Immediately open the action and visually inspect the chamber themselves.
This combines the 'S' in ACTS ("See that the firearm is unloaded - PROVE it safe") and the PROVE procedure itself. You must never take someone else's word that a firearm is safe. The first action upon receiving any firearm is to personally verify its status by pointing it in a safe direction and proving it unloaded.
Question 5: When following the PROVE procedure, what does the step "Verify the feeding path" specifically require you to do?
- Ensure the magazine has been removed from the firearm.
- Check for any cartridges that may be in the path between the magazine and the chamber. (Correct answer)
- Look into the chamber from the muzzle end.
- Test the trigger to make sure the firing pin is functioning correctly.
Correct answer: Check for any cartridges that may be in the path between the magazine and the chamber.
The 'V' in PROVE stands for "Verify the feeding path." This involves physically and visually checking the path a cartridge takes from the magazine to the chamber to ensure no ammunition remains in the action after the chamber has been observed. This is distinct from simply removing the magazine or observing the chamber.
Question 6: Which of the following statements best describes the rule concerning the trigger finger, as outlined in ACTS?
- The trigger finger can rest lightly on the trigger if the safety is on.
- The trigger finger must be kept off the trigger and completely out of the trigger guard until you are ready to fire. (Correct answer)
- The trigger finger should only enter the trigger guard when the sights are on target.
- The trigger finger should be indexed along the slide or frame, but inside the trigger guard for quick access.
Correct answer: The trigger finger must be kept off the trigger and completely out of the trigger guard until you are ready to fire.
The 'T' in ACTS is explicit: "Trigger finger must be kept off the trigger and out of the trigger guard." This prevents accidental or negligent discharges. The finger should only move to the trigger when the decision to shoot has been made and the firearm is pointed at the target.
PAL - Possession and Acquisition Licence Firearm Safety Rules (ACTS/PROVE) Questions and Answers 1
According to the ACTS acronym for firearm safety, what is the first and most fundamental assumption a person must make when handling any firearm?