Firearm Competency Safe Handling and Storage — Questions and Answers
Question 1: What is the first rule of safe firearm handling?
- Treat every firearm as if it is loaded (Correct answer)
- Always keep the safety catch off
- Only check it is loaded when shooting
- Point it at the ground at all times
Correct answer: Treat every firearm as if it is loaded
The cardinal rule is to treat every firearm as if it is loaded, even when you believe it is empty. This single habit prevents most negligent discharges.
Question 2: Where must you keep your finger until you are ready to shoot?
- On the trigger
- Off the trigger and along the frame (Correct answer)
- Inside the trigger guard
- On the safety catch
Correct answer: Off the trigger and along the frame
Keep your finger off the trigger and straight along the frame or slide until your sights are on the target and you have decided to fire.
Question 3: How must a firearm and its ammunition be stored at home under the FCA?
- In a drawer next to the bed
- Anywhere out of sight of children
- In a prescribed safe or strong-room (Correct answer)
- In the boot of a vehicle
Correct answer: In a prescribed safe or strong-room
The Firearms Control Act requires firearms to be stored in a safe, strong-room or device that meets the prescribed SABS standard to prevent loss or theft.
Question 4: In which direction should the muzzle always be pointed?
- Toward the nearest exit
- At the person you are talking to
- Straight up into the air
- In a safe direction where it would cause no harm (Correct answer)
Correct answer: In a safe direction where it would cause no harm
Always keep the muzzle pointed in a safe direction so that, if the firearm discharged unexpectedly, no person would be injured.
Question 5: What must you do before cleaning or handing over a firearm?
- Make sure it is unloaded and the chamber is clear (Correct answer)
- Engage the safety only
- Remove the magazine but leave the chamber
- Fire one round to clear it
Correct answer: Make sure it is unloaded and the chamber is clear
Before cleaning, storing or handing over a firearm, remove the magazine and physically and visually confirm the chamber is empty.
Question 6: Why should you be sure of your target and what is beyond it before firing?
- To save ammunition
- Because a bullet can pass through or miss and harm others (Correct answer)
- To improve your aim
- Because the law requires a warning shot first
Correct answer: Because a bullet can pass through or miss and harm others
A projectile can over-penetrate or miss the target and travel far beyond it, so you must identify the target and the backstop to avoid harming bystanders.
Question 7: What is the safest way to carry a holstered firearm in public for self-defence?
- Loose in a jacket pocket
- Tucked into the waistband without a holster
- Concealed and secured, with the trigger guard covered (Correct answer)
- Held in the hand at all times
Correct answer: Concealed and secured, with the trigger guard covered
A firearm should be carried concealed in a proper holster that covers the trigger guard and retains the firearm securely, preventing accidental discharge or loss.
Question 8: Who is legally responsible for the safekeeping of a licensed firearm?
- The dealer who sold it
- SAPS
- Any adult in the household
- The licence holder (Correct answer)
Correct answer: The licence holder
The licence holder remains personally responsible for the safe storage and use of the firearm and can be held accountable if it is lost, stolen or misused through negligence.
Firearm Competency Safe Handling and Storage
What is the first rule of safe firearm handling?