RSO Firearm Stoppages and Malfunctions Questions and Answers

Question 1

A shooter on the line experiences a noticeably weak report, almost no recoil, and the action on their semi-automatic pistol fails to cycle.
Which of the following is the most probable and dangerous malfunction?

Accepted Answer

Squib load

Answer

Failure to eject (stovepipe)

Answer

Hang fire

Answer

Double feed

Question 2

An RSO observes a shooter's firearm go "click" instead of firing. The RSO's most critical and immediate instruction to the shooter should be based on the potential for what type of event?

Accepted Answer

A hang fire

Answer

A squib load

Answer

A failure to feed

Answer

An out-of-battery discharge

Question 3

From a Range Safety Officer's perspective, what is the key difference between a firearm "stoppage" and a "malfunction"?

Accepted Answer

A stoppage is typically clearable by the shooter using immediate action drills, whereas a malfunction often indicates a broken part requiring an armorer.

Answer

A stoppage only happens with rifles, while a malfunction can happen with any firearm.

Answer

A stoppage is caused by faulty ammunition, while a malfunction is always caused by a dirty firearm.

Answer

A stoppage requires a complete field strip to fix, while a malfunction can be cleared by tapping the magazine.

Question 4

A shooter's semi-automatic pistol fails to completely close after firing a round, with the slide stopping slightly short of its forward-most position. This condition is known as:

Accepted Answer

Failure to return to battery

Answer

Stovepipe

Answer

Failure to extract

Answer

Hammer follow

Question 5

Which of the following describes a "stovepipe" stoppage?

Accepted Answer

A fired cartridge case getting trapped vertically in the ejection port as the slide closes.

Answer

Two live rounds attempting to feed into the chamber at the same time.

Answer

A live round failing to be stripped from the magazine.

Answer

The trigger is pulled, but the primer fails to ignite, resulting in a "click."

Question 6

A shooter experiences a failure to extract, where the spent casing remains in the chamber, and the slide attempts to feed a new round behind it. This specific type of jam is commonly referred to as a:

Accepted Answer

Double feed

Answer

Squib load

Answer

Light primer strike

Answer

Hang fire

A shooter on the line experiences a noticeably weak report, almost no recoil, and the action on their semi-automatic pistol fails to cycle.Which of the following is the most probable and dangerous malfunction?

A shooter on the line experiences a noticeably weak report, almost no recoil, and the action on their semi-automatic pistol fails to cycle.
Which of the following is the most probable and dangerous malfunction?