What distinguishes a repeating action from a single shot?

It holds more than one cartridge and can reload the chamber without handling a new round

What do the letters ACTS stand for?

Assume every firearm is loaded; Control the muzzle direction; Trigger finger off the trigger; See that the firearm is unloaded

Approach, Clear, Transport, Store

Action, Chamber, Trigger, Safety

In PROVE, what does the R require?

Remove all cartridges, including the magazine

Someone hands you a firearm and says it is unloaded. What do you do?

Prove it safe yourself before doing anything else

Accept it, since they just checked

Check only if the action is closed

What is the difference between rimfire and centrefire ammunition?

The priming compound sits in the rim of a rimfire case and in a central primer on a centrefire case

Rimfire is only used in shotguns

A cartridge chambers in your firearm. Is it therefore safe to fire?

No. Several cartridges will chamber in the wrong firearm while producing pressures the action cannot contain

Yes, if the case is the same length

You pull the trigger and nothing happens. What is the first thing you do?

Keep the muzzle pointed in a safe direction and wait, in case it is a hangfire

Remove the cartridge and inspect it

On a pump action, what does the action bar lock do?

Holds the fore-end closed, and usually must be released before the action can be opened on an unfired round

Why must the magazine be removed before the chamber on a semi-automatic?

Because cycling the action with the magazine fitted simply chambers the next cartridge

What must you do after removing the magazine and cycling the action?

Look into the chamber and then down the bore to confirm both are clear

Close the action and apply the safety

What must you establish before every shot?

A positively identified target and a safe backstop beyond it

You hear a weak report and feel almost no recoil. What has likely happened?

A squib, with the projectile possibly lodged in the barrel

Before cleaning a firearm, what is the first step?

Prove it safe, with ammunition removed from the area

Why must a barrel obstruction be cleared before firing?

Because pressure behind an obstruction can rupture the barrel

What four jobs does a firearm's action carry out?

Feeding, firing, extracting, ejecting

Aiming, firing, cleaning, storing

Loading, aiming, recoiling, cooling

Cocking, sighting, locking, unlocking

What actually makes a direction safe to point a muzzle?

A direction that would absorb an unintended shot without anyone being hurt

Anywhere nobody happens to be standing at that moment

Toward the ground, unless you are indoors

A part box of cartridges turns up in a damp shed with green corrosion creeping over several of the cases. What should be done with them?

Set them aside as unfit to fire, since a pitted or weakened case can let go under pressure

Scrub the cases bright with a wire brush and carry on using them

Shoot them off at a range to use them up

Wipe oil over them to halt the corrosion, then load as normal

The mechanical safety on a rifle is engaged. What does that let you leave out?

Nothing. A safety is a mechanical part that can fail, so it replaces none of the safe handling practices

Keeping your finger off the trigger

Controlling where the muzzle points

Where in your breathing cycle should the shot break?

In the natural pause that follows a relaxed breath out

While holding a full chest of air as long as you can

You have been out all day in wet snow. What does the firearm need that evening?

Drying off, the bore wiped through, and a light film of oil on the metal

Nothing, modern finishes shrug off water

Leaving in its damp case until morning

Why are careful people so protective of the muzzle end of a rifle barrel when cleaning?

The crown, the last rim of rifling at the muzzle, tips the bullet as it leaves if it gets nicked

That end gets hottest and warps

Solvent attacks the front sight

It is where a cleaning rod is most likely to jam

Why do sensible shooters leave any drinking until the firearms are put away for the day?

Alcohol goes straight after judgement, balance and reaction time, and the person affected is the last to notice

It makes the firearm harder to clean afterwards

It only affects accuracy past a few hundred metres

It only counts if somebody is driving home

Is safe storage of a firearm a legal requirement or a recommendation?

A legal requirement set out in federal regulations that applies to any individual who stores a firearm

A recommendation from the manufacturer

Required only for restricted firearms

Required only when children live in the home

What must you do if a firearm is lost or stolen?

Report it promptly to the police, a firearms officer or the chief firearms officer

Wait 30 days in case it turns up

Tell the retailer you bought it from

A friend asks to borrow your non-restricted rifle for the weekend. When may you lend it?

Only if you have reasonable grounds to believe they hold a licence for that kind of firearm, or they use it under your direct and immediate supervision

Whenever you like, since responsibility passes to the borrower once it leaves your hands

Only if the retailer you bought it from approves the loan

Never, because lending a firearm is not permitted in Canada

How must a non-restricted firearm be stored?

Unloaded, and either rendered inoperable with a secure locking device or by removing the bolt, or locked in a container, receptacle or room that cannot readily be broken into

Unloaded, anywhere out of sight

Unloaded, with a full magazine sitting beside it on the shelf

How must ammunition be stored relative to a non-restricted firearm?

Not readily accessible to the firearm, unless it is kept in a securely locked container, which may be the same one the firearm is in

Always in the same container as the firearm

You want to hang a non-restricted rifle on the wall of your home as a display piece. What does the regulation require?

Unloaded, either fitted with a secure locking device or kept in a securely locked container or room, and not displayed with or readily accessible to its ammunition

Nothing, because a firearm on display is not covered by the storage and display rules

Only that it is unloaded, since it is in plain sight

It may stay loaded as long as a trigger lock is fitted

Canadian law sorts every firearm into one of three classes. Which list names them?

Non-restricted, restricted and prohibited

Hunting, sporting and collector

Licensed, registered and exempt

A friend buys a brand-new reproduction of a percussion-cap muzzleloading rifle and says that, as an antique, it needs no licence. What does the RCMP say?

Percussion-cap long guns made after 1898 are not antiques, even as copies, so a licence is needed

He is right, because every muzzleloader counts as an antique

It is a restricted firearm because it fires black powder

It counts as an antique only while no percussion caps are in the house

When does an air rifle count as a firearm under the Firearms Act, with the same licence rules as a .22 rimfire?

When its muzzle velocity is over 152.4 metres per second and its muzzle energy is over 5.7 joules

Whenever it fires metal pellets rather than plastic ones

When either its velocity or its energy passes the federal limit

Only when it is used to hunt small game

Early attempts at breech-loading firearms kept failing. What did the metal-cased cartridge fix?

The case swelled when fired and sealed the breech, so gas no longer leaked backward

It let the shooter pour loose powder straight from a horn

It did away with the need for a firing pin

It made the barrel strong enough to be rifled

You PROVE a rifle safe at the bench, set it down, and walk to your truck for a few minutes. When you come back, what is its status?

Unknown, because it left your direct control, so you PROVE it safe again

Still safe, because you were the person who unloaded it

Safe, as long as the action was left closed while you were away

Safe, provided the bench is at a range with a range officer

Something moves at the far edge of a clearing. Your rifle wears a 9-power scope and your binoculars are in your pack. Which do you use for a closer look?

The binoculars, since using the scope means aiming at what you check

The scope, because it gives a steadier view than binoculars

The scope, as long as your finger stays off the trigger

The scope, but only with the safety on

You slip on a wet log while carrying a rifle. What is your first job as you go down?

Control where the muzzle points

Throw the rifle well clear of your body

Grab the rifle by the barrel to protect the scope

Catch yourself with both hands and let the rifle drop

Your shotgun barrel is stamped for 2¾-inch shells. An unfired shell from a box marked 3 inches measures about 2¾ inches. Is it safe to use?

No, shell lengths describe the fired, opened shell, so this 3-inch shell is too long for the chamber

Yes, because the ruler shows that it fits

Yes, as long as you load only one at a time

Yes, provided it is a reduced-recoil load

What job does the wad do inside a shotgun shell?

It separates the powder from the shot and seals the gas behind the shot charge

It holds the primer in the centre of the base

It is the charge that sets off the powder

It slows the shot so the pattern opens wider

You are deciding where to keep a few boxes of hunting ammunition at home. What does the course handbook say about the container?

A cool, dry spot, preferably in a vented container, since a sealed one can be an explosive hazard in a fire

An airtight steel box sealed shut to keep every trace of moisture out

A warm spot close to the furnace so the powder never gets damp

Loose in a drawer so the cartridges do not rub against each other

On your shotgun's cross-bolt safety button, a red band is showing. What does that usually mean?

The safety is off and the firearm can fire

The safety is on and the trigger is blocked

The firearm is unloaded and safe to hand over

The action is locked and cannot be opened

You go to open a break-action shotgun, but the action release will not move. What might you need to do?

Move the safety to off, keeping the muzzle in the safest direction and your finger clear of the trigger

Force the lever over with a tool until it gives

Pull the trigger to free up the locking lugs

Tap the barrels against the ground to loosen the action

Before loading, you want to check the barrel for obstructions. From which end should you look through it whenever the design allows?

From the breech end, with the action open

From the muzzle end, since it is closer to your eye

From either end, as long as the safety is on

From the muzzle, holding a light at the breech

A lever-action rifle has a cartridge in the chamber and its exposed hammer resting fully forward. Why is that a poor way to carry it?

With the hammer resting on the firing pin, a sudden blow to the hammer may fire the round

The hammer can freeze in that position in cold weather

The lever cannot be worked until the hammer is cocked

It slowly wears out the firing pin spring

A grouse flushes and you swing your shotgun onto it. Where should your eyes be focused?

On the bird, with both eyes open

On the front bead, lined up along the rib

On the back of the rib, as with a rifle sight

Through your dominant eye only, with the other closed

Canada · CFSC

CFSC Practice Test

By Hunters Guide. Last reviewed September 30, 2026.

The CFSC ends with a written test and a practical test, and the RCMP publishes no question count or pass mark for either. 60 practice questions, 8 topics, every answer explained.

CFSC Practice Test: all 60 questions

1. Which three assemblies make up any firearm?
1. Barrel, magazine, scope
2. Action, trigger, safety
3. Barrel, action, stock
4. Stock, sights, sling
Show the answer
Barrel, action, stock
Barrel, action, stock. Every firearm breaks down into those three, whatever its age or type. Learn to name parts by assembly and you can follow instructions for an action you've never had in your hands.
2. A firearm's chamber is part of which assembly?
1. The stock
2. The barrel
3. The trigger group
4. The magazine
Show the answer
The barrel
The barrel. The chamber is its back end, the part the cartridge sits in, which is why proving a firearm safe means looking into the chamber and then down the bore. One component. You check both ends of it.
3. What distinguishes a repeating action from a single shot?
1. It holds more than one cartridge and can reload the chamber without handling a new round
2. It fires faster
3. It has a longer barrel
4. It uses centrefire ammunition
Show the answer
It holds more than one cartridge and can reload the chamber without handling a new round
Clearing the chamber on a repeater doesn't make it safe. The magazine has to be dealt with first. Skip that step and the action just feeds another round into the chamber.
4. What do the letters ACTS stand for?
1. Assume every firearm is loaded; Control the muzzle direction; Trigger finger off the trigger; See that the firearm is unloaded
2. Aim, Cock, Take, Shoot
3. Approach, Clear, Transport, Store
4. Action, Chamber, Trigger, Safety
Show the answer
Assume every firearm is loaded; Control the muzzle direction; Trigger finger off the trigger; See that the firearm is unloaded
Assume every firearm is loaded. Control the muzzle direction. Trigger finger off the trigger. See that the firearm is unloaded. Those four vital practices apply to every firearm, every time, with no exception for one you know well and none for one somebody has just proven to you.
5. In PROVE, what does the R require?
1. Reload the magazine
2. Rest the firearm
3. Remove all cartridges, including the magazine
4. Return the firearm to its case
Show the answer
Remove all cartridges, including the magazine
Remove: all cartridges, the magazine included. PROVE runs Point, Remove, Observe, Verify, Examine, so the source of ammunition is gone before you inspect the chamber. Do it the other way round and the magazine simply refills what you just cleared.
6. Someone hands you a firearm and says it is unloaded. What do you do?
1. Prove it safe yourself before doing anything else
2. Accept it, since they just checked
3. Check only if the action is closed
4. Ask a second person to confirm
Show the answer
Prove it safe yourself before doing anything else
Prove it yourself. Somebody's word isn't a condition you can verify. Do it for every firearm you take control of, right in front of the person who handed it over. On a range that reads as courtesy, not an insult.
7. What is the difference between rimfire and centrefire ammunition?
1. Rimfire is more powerful
2. Rimfire is only used in shotguns
3. The priming compound sits in the rim of a rimfire case and in a central primer on a centrefire case
4. Centrefire cannot be reloaded
Show the answer
The priming compound sits in the rim of a rimfire case and in a central primer on a centrefire case
It comes down to where the priming compound sits: in the rim on a rimfire case, in a primer at the centre on a centrefire case. That decides how the firing pin has to strike it. And since a spent centrefire primer is replaceable, those cases can be reloaded.
8. A cartridge chambers in your firearm. Is it therefore safe to fire?
1. Yes, if it chambers it fits
2. Yes, if the case is the same length
3. Only if it is centrefire
4. No. Several cartridges will chamber in the wrong firearm while producing pressures the action cannot contain
Show the answer
No. Several cartridges will chamber in the wrong firearm while producing pressures the action cannot contain
No. Fitting isn't permission. Plenty of cartridges slide into the wrong firearm and then build pressure the action was never made to contain. Match the cartridge designation stamped on the barrel to the headstamp on the case; nothing else counts.
9. You pull the trigger and nothing happens. What is the first thing you do?
1. Open the action immediately
2. Keep the muzzle pointed in a safe direction and wait, in case it is a hangfire
3. Shake the firearm
4. Remove the cartridge and inspect it
Show the answer
Keep the muzzle pointed in a safe direction and wait, in case it is a hangfire
Muzzle safe, then wait. It could be a hangfire, a delayed ignition, so the round may still fire after the trigger falls. Open the action toward your face while that's pending and you learn the hard way. Only then do you investigate.
10. On a pump action, what does the action bar lock do?
1. Prevents the trigger moving
2. Locks the safety on
3. Holds the fore-end closed, and usually must be released before the action can be opened on an unfired round
4. Secures the magazine
Show the answer
Holds the fore-end closed, and usually must be released before the action can be opened on an unfired round
It holds the fore-end closed. On an unfired round you usually have to release it before the action will open at all, and people who never found the release end up forcing the pump. Locating it is part of proving that particular firearm safe.
11. Why must the magazine be removed before the chamber on a semi-automatic?
1. It is not required
2. To protect the extractor
3. Because cycling the action with the magazine fitted simply chambers the next cartridge
4. To disengage the safety
Show the answer
Because cycling the action with the magazine fitted simply chambers the next cartridge
Because the action feeds itself. Cycle it with the magazine still fitted and all you've done is chamber the next cartridge. Going after the chamber first is the single most common error in proving a semi-automatic safe.
12. What must you do after removing the magazine and cycling the action?
1. Look into the chamber and then down the bore to confirm both are clear
2. Close the action and apply the safety
3. Assume it is clear
4. Dry fire to confirm
Show the answer
Look into the chamber and then down the bore to confirm both are clear
Look into the chamber, then down the bore, and confirm both are clear. PROVE ends on examining the bore for a reason. An empty chamber sitting over an obstructed barrel is still a dangerous firearm.
13. What must you establish before every shot?
1. The wind direction
2. A positively identified target and a safe backstop beyond it
3. The exact range
4. The ammunition brand
Show the answer
A positively identified target and a safe backstop beyond it
A positively identified target and a safe backstop behind it. Once it's fired, that projectile is yours for its entire flight, and the flight can run to kilometres. What's back there is your decision as much as the target is.
14. Which shooting position is the most stable?
1. Standing
2. Prone
3. Kneeling
4. Sitting
Show the answer
Prone
Prone. More of you touches the ground, and your muscles have the least to do. Stability falls away from there through sitting and kneeling, down to standing, the least steady of the four.
15. You hear a weak report and feel almost no recoil. What has likely happened?
1. A normal light load
2. A hangfire
3. A misfire
4. A squib, with the projectile possibly lodged in the barrel
Show the answer
A squib, with the projectile possibly lodged in the barrel
Probably a squib, and the projectile may be stuck somewhere in your barrel. The trap is that it feels close enough to a normal shot to carry on. Don't. Unload, and check the bore before another round goes in behind a stuck one.
16. Before cleaning a firearm, what is the first step?
1. Disassemble it
2. Apply solvent
3. Prove it safe, with ammunition removed from the area
4. Check the sights
Show the answer
Prove it safe, with ammunition removed from the area
Prove it safe, and clear the ammunition out of the area. Cleaning incidents happen because somebody assumed the firearm was empty. With the ammunition gone, a live round can't find its way back into the action while the gun is stripped.
17. Why must a barrel obstruction be cleared before firing?
1. It reduces accuracy
2. It damages the finish
3. It affects the sights only
4. Because pressure behind an obstruction can rupture the barrel
Show the answer
Because pressure behind an obstruction can rupture the barrel
A barrel is a pressure vessel. Pressure behind an obstruction can rupture it, and it hardly matters whether that's mud, snow, a forgotten cleaning patch or a lodged projectile.
18. What four jobs does a firearm's action carry out?
1. Aiming, firing, cleaning, storing
2. Loading, aiming, recoiling, cooling
3. Cocking, sighting, locking, unlocking
4. Feeding, firing, extracting, ejecting
Show the answer
Feeding, firing, extracting, ejecting
Feeding, firing, extracting, ejecting. The action is the working middle of the firearm: it feeds a cartridge into the chamber, fires it, pulls the spent case back out and throws it clear. Know that chain and you can usually work out where a stoppage happened, even on a firearm you've never handled. One link has quit.
19. What actually makes a direction safe to point a muzzle?
1. Downward, in every situation
2. A direction that would absorb an unintended shot without anyone being hurt
3. Anywhere nobody happens to be standing at that moment
4. Toward the ground, unless you are indoors
Show the answer
A direction that would absorb an unintended shot without anyone being hurt
Not a compass point. A safe direction is whichever way would stop a shot you never meant to fire, with nobody hurt. Upstairs in a house, down at a concrete floor, out over water that skips a projectile along: each one changes the answer. You remake that judgement every time you move. It isn't a habit you set once and forget.
20. A part box of cartridges turns up in a damp shed with green corrosion creeping over several of the cases. What should be done with them?
1. Scrub the cases bright with a wire brush and carry on using them
2. Shoot them off at a range to use them up
3. Set them aside as unfit to fire, since a pitted or weakened case can let go under pressure
4. Wipe oil over them to halt the corrosion, then load as normal
Show the answer
Set them aside as unfit to fire, since a pitted or weakened case can let go under pressure
Set them aside. A cartridge case is a thin-walled pressure vessel, and corrosion eats at those walls from outside while damp goes after the powder and primer inside. Neither problem shows you how far along it is. Shooting them off to be rid of them is the worst version of the idea, since you're the one standing behind them when one lets go. Corroded, dented or split cases get put aside, and a range or a dealer can tell you where they go from there.
21. The mechanical safety on a rifle is engaged. What does that let you leave out?
1. Looking into the chamber
2. Keeping your finger off the trigger
3. Controlling where the muzzle points
4. Nothing. A safety is a mechanical part that can fail, so it replaces none of the safe handling practices
Show the answer
Nothing. A safety is a mechanical part that can fail, so it replaces none of the safe handling practices
Nothing. On most actions the safety only blocks the trigger or the sear, and underneath it the firearm is still loaded and still cocked. Springs weaken. Parts wear, grit works in, and a good knock can jar a worn safety off its notch. Treat it as one more layer of protection, never as permission to skip a step you'd otherwise take.
22. Where in your breathing cycle should the shot break?
1. In the natural pause that follows a relaxed breath out
2. At the top of a deep breath in
3. Part way through breathing out
4. While holding a full chest of air as long as you can
Show the answer
In the natural pause that follows a relaxed breath out
In the natural pause after a relaxed breath out. Your chest moves the sights whether you notice or not, so let the breath go, let things settle, and take the shot in that short gap before your body asks for air again. Holding a full lungful backfires. Within a few seconds you get muscle tremor and greying vision, the opposite of steady.
23. You have been out all day in wet snow. What does the firearm need that evening?
1. Nothing, modern finishes shrug off water
2. Drying off, the bore wiped through, and a light film of oil on the metal
3. A long soak in solvent
4. Leaving in its damp case until morning
Show the answer
Drying off, the bore wiped through, and a light film of oil on the metal
Water and steel make rust, and rust doesn't wait until it suits you. That evening, wipe the firearm dry, run a patch through the bore, then put a light film of oil on the outside metal. Get it out of the case too. A closed case holds damp against the metal all night and undoes the work you just did.
24. Why are careful people so protective of the muzzle end of a rifle barrel when cleaning?
1. The crown, the last rim of rifling at the muzzle, tips the bullet as it leaves if it gets nicked
2. That end gets hottest and warps
3. Solvent attacks the front sight
4. It is where a cleaning rod is most likely to jam
Show the answer
The crown, the last rim of rifling at the muzzle, tips the bullet as it leaves if it gets nicked
That last ring of rifling is the crown, the final thing touching the bullet on its way out. Scrape it with a bare steel rod and gas escapes unevenly behind the bullet, tipping it slightly as it leaves. What you'll see is groups opening up for no reason you can pin down. So clean from the chamber end where the action allows, and use a bore guide where it doesn't.
25. Why do sensible shooters leave any drinking until the firearms are put away for the day?
1. It makes the firearm harder to clean afterwards
2. It only affects accuracy past a few hundred metres
3. It only counts if somebody is driving home
4. Alcohol goes straight after judgement, balance and reaction time, and the person affected is the last to notice
Show the answer
Alcohol goes straight after judgement, balance and reaction time, and the person affected is the last to notice
Alcohol goes after exactly what safe handling runs on: judgement, balance, coordination, reaction time. Worse, it takes away your ability to spot the problem, so somebody two drinks in feels perfectly capable. The same caution covers anything prescribed or off the shelf with a drowsiness warning. Still wondering about it? Then the firearms go away first.
26. Is safe storage of a firearm a legal requirement or a recommendation?
1. A recommendation from the manufacturer
2. Required only for restricted firearms
3. A legal requirement set out in federal regulations that applies to any individual who stores a firearm
4. Required only when children live in the home
Show the answer
A legal requirement set out in federal regulations that applies to any individual who stores a firearm
A legal requirement, written into federal regulations rather than a manufacturer's suggestion. The Storage, Display, Transportation and Handling of Firearms by Individuals Regulations say an individual may store a non-restricted firearm only if it is unloaded and secured, and restricted and prohibited firearms get their own stricter sections. It binds whoever is storing the firearm. Three kids in the house or living alone, same rule.
Source: Storage, Display, Transportation and Handling of Firearms by Individuals Regulations (SOR/98-209), section 5: An individual may store a non-restricted firearm only if (a) it is unloaded Checked 2026-09-21.
27. What must you do if a firearm is lost or stolen?
1. Nothing, if it was insured
2. Wait 30 days in case it turns up
3. Report it promptly to the police, a firearms officer or the chief firearms officer
4. Tell the retailer you bought it from
Show the answer
Report it promptly to the police, a firearms officer or the chief firearms officer
Promptly. The Criminal Code requires anyone who has lost a firearm, or had one stolen, to report the loss with reasonable despatch to a peace officer, a firearms officer or a chief firearms officer. Insurance and the retailer don't come into it. Waiting to see if it turns up is exactly what the rule is written to prevent, and a quick report is the only thing that gives anyone a realistic chance of getting the firearm back.
Source: Criminal Code (R.S.C., 1985, c. C-46), section 105, Losing or finding: or having had it stolen from the person’s possession, does not with reasonable despatch report the loss to a peace officer, to a firearms officer or a chief firearms officer Checked 2026-09-21.
28. A friend asks to borrow your non-restricted rifle for the weekend. When may you lend it?
1. Whenever you like, since responsibility passes to the borrower once it leaves your hands
2. Only if you have reasonable grounds to believe they hold a licence for that kind of firearm, or they use it under your direct and immediate supervision
3. Only if the retailer you bought it from approves the loan
4. Never, because lending a firearm is not permitted in Canada
Show the answer
Only if you have reasonable grounds to believe they hold a licence for that kind of firearm, or they use it under your direct and immediate supervision
The Firearms Act permits lending, and it puts the condition on the lender. A person may lend a firearm only with reasonable grounds to believe the borrower holds a licence authorizing them to possess that kind of firearm, or if the borrower uses it under the lender's direct and immediate supervision, in the same way the lender may lawfully use it. For an unsupervised weekend loan, ask to see the licence before the rifle goes anywhere. Checking doesn't end at your doorstep.
Source: Firearms Act (S.C. 1995, c. 39), section 33, Authorization to lend: a person may lend a firearm only if (a) the person (i) has reasonable grounds to believe that the borrower holds a licence authorizing the borrower to possess that kind of firearm Checked 2026-09-21.
29. How must a non-restricted firearm be stored?
1. Loaded, in a locked cabinet
2. Unloaded, anywhere out of sight
3. Unloaded, with a full magazine sitting beside it on the shelf
4. Unloaded, and either rendered inoperable with a secure locking device or by removing the bolt, or locked in a container, receptacle or room that cannot readily be broken into
Show the answer
Unloaded, and either rendered inoperable with a secure locking device or by removing the bolt, or locked in a container, receptacle or room that cannot readily be broken into
Unloaded is the floor, not the finish. On top of that, the firearm has to be made inoperable, with a secure locking device such as a trigger lock or cable lock or by taking out the bolt or bolt-carrier, or else locked inside a container, receptacle or room that can't readily be broken into. Any one of those routes is enough. Unloaded and out of sight isn't. Ammunition then can't be readily accessible to the firearm unless it's locked up, which can be in the same locked container.
Source: Storage, Display, Transportation and Handling of Firearms by Individuals Regulations (SOR/98-209), section 5: (b) it is (i) rendered inoperable by means of a secure locking device, (ii) rendered inoperable by the removal of the bolt or bolt-carrier, or (iii) stored in a container, receptacle or room that is kept securely locked Checked 2026-09-21.
30. How must ammunition be stored relative to a non-restricted firearm?
1. Always in the same container as the firearm
2. Not readily accessible to the firearm, unless it is kept in a securely locked container, which may be the same one the firearm is in
3. Always loaded in the magazine
4. There is no requirement at all
Show the answer
Not readily accessible to the firearm, unless it is kept in a securely locked container, which may be the same one the firearm is in
The storage rule is there so a stored firearm can't be used on the spot. Under the regulation, the firearm can't be readily accessible to ammunition unless the ammunition sits in a container or receptacle kept securely locked. That container can hold the firearm too. So a locked cabinet with rifle and cartridges inside meets the rule, and so does ammunition kept apart from the firearm. A box of shells on the shelf beside an unlocked rifle doesn't.
Source: Storage, Display, Transportation and Handling of Firearms by Individuals Regulations (SOR/98-209), section 5: it is not readily accessible to ammunition, unless the ammunition is stored, together with or separately from the firearm, in a container or receptacle that is kept securely locked Checked 2026-09-21.
31. What condition must a non-restricted firearm be in during transport?
1. Loaded, with the safety on
2. Loaded, if it is out of sight
3. Either, on private property
4. Unloaded
Show the answer
Unloaded
Unloaded. Not loaded with the safety on, not loaded because it's out of sight, not loaded on your own land either. The regulation makes one allowance, for a muzzle-loader moving between hunting sites, which travels with its firing cap or flint removed instead. More requirements apply once the firearm is left in an unattended vehicle. Restricted firearms need a locking device and a locked opaque container on top of being unloaded.
Source: Storage, Display, Transportation and Handling of Firearms by Individuals Regulations (SOR/98-209), section 10: An individual may transport a non-restricted firearm only if (a) except in the case of a muzzle-loading firearm that is being transported between hunting sites, it is unloaded Checked 2026-09-21.
32. You want to hang a non-restricted rifle on the wall of your home as a display piece. What does the regulation require?
1. Nothing, because a firearm on display is not covered by the storage and display rules
2. Only that it is unloaded, since it is in plain sight
3. Unloaded, either fitted with a secure locking device or kept in a securely locked container or room, and not displayed with or readily accessible to its ammunition
4. It may stay loaded as long as a trigger lock is fitted
Show the answer
Unloaded, either fitted with a secure locking device or kept in a securely locked container or room, and not displayed with or readily accessible to its ammunition
Display gets its own section in the regulations, not a free pass, because a displayed firearm is out where people can see it and reach it. That's the opposite of storage. For a non-restricted firearm it means unloaded, plus a secure locking device on it or a securely locked container, receptacle or room around it. Its ammunition can't be displayed with it or be readily accessible to it. Restricted and prohibited firearms on display also have to be securely attached to something that can't be moved.
Source: Storage, Display, Transportation and Handling of Firearms by Individuals Regulations (SOR/98-209), section 8: An individual may display a non-restricted firearm only if it (a) is unloaded; (b) is rendered inoperable by means of a secure locking device or is in a container, receptacle or room that is kept securely locked Checked 2026-09-21.
33. Canadian law sorts every firearm into one of three classes. Which list names them?
1. Non-restricted, restricted and prohibited
2. Hunting, sporting and collector
3. Long gun, handgun and air gun
4. Licensed, registered and exempt
Show the answer
Non-restricted, restricted and prohibited
Non-restricted, restricted and prohibited. The class decides which rules apply, from licensing to storage. Most common hunting rifles and shotguns are non-restricted, the least regulated of the three, and the other two carry tighter controls. Looks can mislead. Some rifles and shotguns fall into the stricter classes.
Source: Royal Canadian Mounted Police, Firearms: Firearms in Canada fall into three different classes: non-restricted, restricted, and prohibited. Checked 2026-09-30.
34. A friend buys a brand-new reproduction of a percussion-cap muzzleloading rifle and says that, as an antique, it needs no licence. What does the RCMP say?
1. He is right, because every muzzleloader counts as an antique
2. It is a restricted firearm because it fires black powder
3. It counts as an antique only while no percussion caps are in the house
4. Percussion-cap long guns made after 1898 are not antiques, even as copies, so a licence is needed
Show the answer
Percussion-cap long guns made after 1898 are not antiques, even as copies, so a licence is needed
It isn't an antique. Ignition type and date both matter here. Matchlock, wheel lock and flintlock long guns count as antiques whenever they were made, but percussion-cap long guns made after 1898 don't, even as copies of an old design. They're non-restricted firearms. Possessing one takes a licence.
Source: Royal Canadian Mounted Police, Specific types of firearms (Black powder firearms): Percussion cap long guns and muzzle-loading black powder handguns made after 1898 are not considered antiques even if they are copies of an earlier antique model. Checked 2026-09-30.
35. When does an air rifle count as a firearm under the Firearms Act, with the same licence rules as a .22 rimfire?
1. Whenever it fires metal pellets rather than plastic ones
2. When either its velocity or its energy passes the federal limit
3. Only when it is used to hunt small game
4. When its muzzle velocity is over 152.4 metres per second and its muzzle energy is over 5.7 joules
Show the answer
When its muzzle velocity is over 152.4 metres per second and its muzzle energy is over 5.7 joules
Only when it passes both limits. Plenty of hunting-grade air rifles do, and those need the same licence and safe storage as any other firearm. Weaker ones? They still count as firearms under the Criminal Code if used in a crime, and every air gun calls for the same safe handling.
Source: Royal Canadian Mounted Police, Specific types of firearms (Air guns): Air guns need to exceed both thresholds to be classified as firearms for purposes of the Firearms Act. Checked 2026-09-30.
36. Early attempts at breech-loading firearms kept failing. What did the metal-cased cartridge fix?
1. The case swelled when fired and sealed the breech, so gas no longer leaked backward
2. It let the shooter pour loose powder straight from a horn
3. It did away with the need for a firing pin
4. It made the barrel strong enough to be rifled
Show the answer
The case swelled when fired and sealed the breech, so gas no longer leaked backward
Leaking gas. Loading from the back is faster, but early breechloaders let burning gas escape at the breech. The metal case fixed that: as the powder burns, the case swells against the chamber walls and seals them. Add weatherproof, ready-made ammunition and practical repeating firearms became possible.
Source: Canadian Firearms Safety Course Student Handbook, 5th edition (RCMP Canadian Firearms Program, 2014), Module 1, The evolution of firearms: The expanding case prevented gas leakage. Checked 2026-09-30.
37. You PROVE a rifle safe at the bench, set it down, and walk to your truck for a few minutes. When you come back, what is its status?
1. Unknown, because it left your direct control, so you PROVE it safe again
2. Still safe, because you were the person who unloaded it
3. Safe, as long as the action was left closed while you were away
4. Safe, provided the bench is at a range with a range officer
Show the answer
Unknown, because it left your direct control, so you PROVE it safe again
Unknown. A firearm stays proven safe only while the person who checked it keeps direct control, which the handbook defines as within eyesight or arm's reach. Walk to the truck and that's gone; someone could have loaded it, or picked up the wrong one. So it gets checked again every time it comes back into your hands.
Source: Canadian Firearms Safety Course Student Handbook, 5th edition (RCMP Canadian Firearms Program, 2014), Module 6, Operating firearms actions: Direct control is defined as having the firearm within eyesight and/or an arm’s reach of the shooter. Checked 2026-09-30.
38. Something moves at the far edge of a clearing. Your rifle wears a 9-power scope and your binoculars are in your pack. Which do you use for a closer look?
1. The binoculars, since using the scope means aiming at what you check
2. The scope, because it gives a steadier view than binoculars
3. The scope, as long as your finger stays off the trigger
4. The scope, but only with the safety on
Show the answer
The binoculars, since using the scope means aiming at what you check
The binoculars. A scope is for aiming, not viewing, and looking through it means pointing the muzzle at whatever you're trying to identify. That might be a person. Binoculars let you check without aiming. Keep them where you can reach them quickly, not buried in a pack.
Source: Canadian Firearms Safety Course Student Handbook, 5th edition (RCMP Canadian Firearms Program, 2014), Module 4, Basic firearm safety: Never use a scope as a substitute for binoculars to identify persons, animals or objects. Checked 2026-09-30.
39. You slip on a wet log while carrying a rifle. What is your first job as you go down?
1. Control where the muzzle points
2. Throw the rifle well clear of your body
3. Grab the rifle by the barrel to protect the scope
4. Catch yourself with both hands and let the rifle drop
Show the answer
Control where the muzzle points
Control the muzzle. A rifle can go off in a fall if something strikes the trigger or the action, and muzzle control means any discharge goes somewhere safe. Before you cross rough ground, think about how you'd hold the rifle going down. Where you can, unload before slippery or uneven footing.
Source: Canadian Firearms Safety Course Student Handbook, 5th edition (RCMP Canadian Firearms Program, 2014), Module 7, Safe handling and carrying of non-restricted firearms: If you do fall, remember your first action should be to control the muzzle of the firearm. Checked 2026-09-30.
40. Your shotgun barrel is stamped for 2¾-inch shells. An unfired shell from a box marked 3 inches measures about 2¾ inches. Is it safe to use?
1. Yes, because the ruler shows that it fits
2. Yes, as long as you load only one at a time
3. No, shell lengths describe the fired, opened shell, so this 3-inch shell is too long for the chamber
4. Yes, provided it is a reduced-recoil load
Show the answer
No, shell lengths describe the fired, opened shell, so this 3-inch shell is too long for the chamber
No. The length on the box is measured after firing, once the crimp has opened out, so an unfired 3-inch shell looks short with its end folded shut. Fired in a 2¾-inch chamber, it can raise pressure enough to damage the barrel. Match the box to the stamp on the barrel rather than to a ruler.
Source: Canadian Firearms Safety Course Student Handbook, 5th edition (RCMP Canadian Firearms Program, 2014), Module 5, Ammunition: Chamber dimensions are given for a fired shell. Checked 2026-09-30.
41. What job does the wad do inside a shotgun shell?
1. It holds the primer in the centre of the base
2. It separates the powder from the shot and seals the gas behind the shot charge
3. It is the charge that sets off the powder
4. It slows the shot so the pattern opens wider
Show the answer
It separates the powder from the shot and seals the gas behind the shot charge
It's the divider and the seal. Sitting between the powder and the shot or slug, the wad keeps hot gas off the pellets and seals that gas behind the load so it drives the charge down the barrel. It also keeps the shot off the inside of the barrel. That's the fifth part of a shotgun shell, one more than a rifle cartridge has.
Source: Canadian Firearms Safety Course Student Handbook, 5th edition (RCMP Canadian Firearms Program, 2014), Module 5, Ammunition: It separates the powder charge from the shot or slug. Checked 2026-09-30.
42. You are deciding where to keep a few boxes of hunting ammunition at home. What does the course handbook say about the container?
1. An airtight steel box sealed shut to keep every trace of moisture out
2. A warm spot close to the furnace so the powder never gets damp
3. A cool, dry spot, preferably in a vented container, since a sealed one can be an explosive hazard in a fire
4. Loose in a drawer so the cartridges do not rub against each other
Show the answer
A cool, dry spot, preferably in a vented container, since a sealed one can be an explosive hazard in a fire
Somewhere cool and dry, since heat and damp break down powder and primers. Vented is better. In a house fire a sealed box can build pressure and burst. And keep the ammunition out of children's reach, away from anything that burns easily.
Source: Canadian Firearms Safety Course Student Handbook, 5th edition (RCMP Canadian Firearms Program, 2014), Module 5, Ammunition: Keep in mind that storing ammunition in an unvented container may create an explosive hazard during a fire. Checked 2026-09-30.
43. You plan to shoot at a target on open ground with a centre-fire rifle. If nothing stops it, how far can a bullet from some rifles travel?
1. About 300 metres
2. Roughly one kilometre
3. More than five kilometres
4. No more than two kilometres
Show the answer
More than five kilometres
Some rifles can send a bullet more than five kilometres, the handbook notes. That's far beyond anything you can see clearly. So every target needs a solid backstop behind it, because where the bullet stops is your responsibility.
Source: Canadian Firearms Safety Course Student Handbook, 5th edition (RCMP Canadian Firearms Program, 2014), Module 5, Ammunition: Some rifles can fire bullets further than five kilometers. Checked 2026-09-30.
44. On your shotgun's cross-bolt safety button, a red band is showing. What does that usually mean?
1. The safety is off and the firearm can fire
2. The safety is on and the trigger is blocked
3. The firearm is unloaded and safe to hand over
4. The action is locked and cannot be opened
Show the answer
The safety is off and the firearm can fire
Usually that the safety is off and the firearm is ready to fire. That's how many cross-bolt safeties are marked, but there's no single standard, and some firearms are marked differently or not at all. Learn your firearm's safety from the owner's manual before you load it. No safety ever replaces muzzle control.
Source: Canadian Firearms Safety Course Student Handbook, 5th edition (RCMP Canadian Firearms Program, 2014), Module 6, Operating firearms actions: Red means that the safety is OFF, and the firearm can be fired. Checked 2026-09-30.
45. You go to open a break-action shotgun, but the action release will not move. What might you need to do?
1. Force the lever over with a tool until it gives
2. Pull the trigger to free up the locking lugs
3. Move the safety to off, keeping the muzzle in the safest direction and your finger clear of the trigger
4. Tap the barrels against the ground to loosen the action
Show the answer
Move the safety to off, keeping the muzzle in the safest direction and your finger clear of the trigger
Some firearms won't open while the safety is on. The handbook's unloading steps allow for it: safety off, muzzle in the safest available direction, nothing touching the trigger. Then open the action and check each chamber.
Source: Canadian Firearms Safety Course Student Handbook, 5th edition (RCMP Canadian Firearms Program, 2014), Module 6, Operating firearms actions: If the action release will not move, the safety may need to be moved to the OFF position. Checked 2026-09-30.
46. Before loading, you want to check the barrel for obstructions. From which end should you look through it whenever the design allows?
1. From the muzzle end, since it is closer to your eye
2. From either end, as long as the safety is on
3. From the muzzle, holding a light at the breech
4. From the breech end, with the action open
Show the answer
From the breech end, with the action open
From the breech, whenever the design allows. Looking in at the muzzle puts your face in front of the bore. If that's the only way, first make sure the firearm is unloaded, the action open and the chamber empty. A patch on a rod works too, provided the patch fills the bore.
Source: Canadian Firearms Safety Course Student Handbook, 5th edition (RCMP Canadian Firearms Program, 2014), Module 6, Operating firearms actions: Whenever possible, this should be done by looking through the barrel from the BACK or breech end. Checked 2026-09-30.
47. A lever-action rifle has a cartridge in the chamber and its exposed hammer resting fully forward. Why is that a poor way to carry it?
1. The hammer can freeze in that position in cold weather
2. The lever cannot be worked until the hammer is cocked
3. With the hammer resting on the firing pin, a sudden blow to the hammer may fire the round
4. It slowly wears out the firing pin spring
Show the answer
With the hammer resting on the firing pin, a sudden blow to the hammer may fire the round
With the hammer fully forward on a loaded chamber, it's resting on the firing pin. A knock from a fall or a dropped rifle can drive it hard enough to fire. Keep the chamber empty until you're ready to shoot. Designs differ, so read the owner's manual as well.
Source: Canadian Firearms Safety Course Student Handbook, 5th edition (RCMP Canadian Firearms Program, 2014), Module 6, Operating firearms actions: When the hammer is fully forward resting on the firing pin, a sudden blow on the hammer may discharge the firearm. Checked 2026-09-30.
48. A grouse flushes and you swing your shotgun onto it. Where should your eyes be focused?
1. On the front bead, lined up along the rib
2. On the back of the rib, as with a rifle sight
3. Through your dominant eye only, with the other closed
4. On the bird, with both eyes open
Show the answer
On the bird, with both eyes open
On the bird, both eyes open. You point a shotgun rather than aim it like a rifle, so watch the moving target, not the barrel or the bead. Stock to your cheek first, then your shoulder, and the gun sits the same way every time. Keep swinging as you fire or the shot passes behind the bird.
Source: Canadian Firearms Safety Course Student Handbook, 5th edition (RCMP Canadian Firearms Program, 2014), Module 8, Firing techniques and procedures: Focus on the moving target, not on the firearm barrel or the bead sight. Checked 2026-09-30.
49. At a club range you see a person walking out into the field beyond the targets. Who may call a cease-fire?
1. Only the range officer on duty
2. Anyone who sees the emergency
3. Only a club director or course instructor
4. Only the shooter closest to the person
Show the answer
Anyone who sees the emergency
Anyone. If you see the emergency, call it, loudly and at once. On that command all firing stops, firearms are unloaded with actions open, and shooters step back behind the line. Nobody touches a firearm again until the range officer gives the next command.
Source: Canadian Firearms Safety Course Student Handbook, 5th edition (RCMP Canadian Firearms Program, 2014), Module 7, Safe handling and carrying of non-restricted firearms: In an emergency, anyone can call a “cease-fire.” Checked 2026-09-30.
50. Four friends want to sight in their rifles together in an open field. What does the handbook suggest they set up first?
1. Nothing formal, since range rules apply only at approved ranges
2. A line where each shooter picks a target as they go
3. A rotation where one shooter fires while the others walk out to check targets
4. An informal firing line, with one person named range officer and a safe backstop for each shooter
Show the answer
An informal firing line, with one person named range officer and a safe backstop for each shooter
A field needs the same order as a range when a group shoots there. The handbook suggests an informal firing line, where firearms are uncased, loaded and fired only on the line, under one appointed range officer. Each shooter gets a safe zone with a proper backstop. Nobody goes forward until every firearm is unloaded and the officer says so.
Source: Canadian Firearms Safety Course Student Handbook, 5th edition (RCMP Canadian Firearms Program, 2014), Module 7, Safe handling and carrying of non-restricted firearms: An informal firing line is an effective method to use when sighting-in or shooting in a field, with a group of two or more people. Checked 2026-09-30.
51. You oiled your rifle's bore before putting it away for the summer. What should you do before firing it in the fall?
1. Run a clean, dry patch through the bore to take out the oil
2. Nothing, since the first shot will clear the oil out
3. Add more oil so the bullet slides through freely
4. Fire one shot into the ground to clear the barrel
Show the answer
Run a clean, dry patch through the bore to take out the oil
Run a clean, dry patch or two through the bore. Oil or grease left in there can raise pressure when a bullet is fired, and too much can damage the barrel. While you're at it, check for rust or anything that crept in during storage. A normal step in the routine.
Source: Canadian Firearms Safety Course Student Handbook, 5th edition (RCMP Canadian Firearms Program, 2014), Module 9, Care of non-restricted firearms: Remember, before the next firing of the firearm, run a dry patch through the barrel to remove any oil. Checked 2026-09-30.
52. You bought a case of old military surplus ammunition with corrosive primers. How does that change your cleaning?
1. No change, since every primer made is now non-corrosive
2. Clean the firearm right after you shoot it, not days later
3. Clean it once a season, since dry residue does no harm
4. Wipe the outside only, since the corrosion stays in the case
Show the answer
Clean the firearm right after you shoot it, not days later
Clean it right after you shoot. Modern primers and powders are non-corrosive, but some old surplus isn't, and its residue draws moisture and starts rust in the bore quickly. Rust and residue left in a barrel can build up pressure and damage it over time.
Source: Canadian Firearms Safety Course Student Handbook, 5th edition (RCMP Canadian Firearms Program, 2014), Module 9, Care of non-restricted firearms: If you use corrosive ammunition, you should clean your firearm immediately after you use it. Checked 2026-09-30.
53. After cleaning your rifle, you are tempted to wipe your cartridges with the same oily rag. Why is that a poor idea?
1. Penetrating oil can harm primers, and oily cartridges can cause jams
2. The rag leaves fingerprints that rust the brass
3. Oil makes the powder inside burn too fast
4. Oily cartridges freeze to the magazine walls
Show the answer
Penetrating oil can harm primers, and oily cartridges can cause jams
Oil seeping into a primer can keep it from firing properly. Oil, sand or dirt on the cartridges can also cause jams and harm the firearm. So keep ammunition clean and dry, in its original box where you can. If it gets dirty, a clean, dry cloth does the job.
Source: Canadian Firearms Safety Course Student Handbook, 5th edition (RCMP Canadian Firearms Program, 2014), Module 9, Care of non-restricted firearms: Primers are adversely affected by exposure to penetrating oils. Checked 2026-09-30.
54. You hold a firearms licence and move to a new house across town. What does the RCMP ask you to do?
1. Contact the Canadian Firearms Program within 30 days of the move
2. Nothing until your licence comes up for renewal
3. Tell your local police detachment within one year
4. Apply for a new licence at the new address
Show the answer
Contact the Canadian Firearms Program within 30 days of the move
Within 30 days, contact the Canadian Firearms Program. That's the RCMP's ask when your address changes. Your licence record needs a current address so notices, renewal reminders among them, actually reach you. It's quick and keeps the licence in good order. Renew before it expires, too.
Source: Royal Canadian Mounted Police, Storing, transporting and displaying firearms: Contact the Canadian Firearms Program within 30 days if your address changes. Checked 2026-09-30.
55. As a joke, a friend points an unloaded rifle at you in his garage. How does the Criminal Code treat that?
1. It is not an offence, since the rifle was unloaded
2. Pointing a firearm at a person without lawful excuse is an offence, loaded or unloaded
3. It is an offence only if the rifle is a restricted firearm
4. It is an offence only when it happens in a public place
Show the answer
Pointing a firearm at a person without lawful excuse is an offence, loaded or unloaded
Loaded or not, it's an offence. Section 87 covers pointing a firearm at another person without lawful excuse, whether it's loaded or unloaded. Set the legal side aside and it still breaks the basic rule of muzzle control. Every firearm gets treated as loaded, every time.
Source: Criminal Code (R.S.C., 1985, c. C-46), section 87, Pointing a firearm: Every person commits an offence who, without lawful excuse, points a firearm at another person, whether the firearm is loaded or unloaded. Checked 2026-09-30.
56. You own a centre-fire semi-automatic rifle. As a general rule, how many cartridges may its magazine hold under Canadian law?
1. 10
2. 15
3. There is no limit for long guns
4. 5
Show the answer
5
Five, for most magazines made for this kind of rifle or shotgun. Anything holding more is a prohibited device unless it's been permanently altered to hold fewer. Most handgun magazines are capped at 10. Bolt, lever and pump guns? Generally no limit.
Source: Royal Canadian Mounted Police, Maximum permitted magazine capacity: 5 cartridges for most magazines designed for a semi-automatic, centre-fire long gun Checked 2026-09-30.
57. A relative who lives with you is in crisis and has talked about hurting himself. Your firearms are locked up as the law requires. What does the course suggest?
1. Nothing more, since legal storage already covers the risk
2. Go beyond locked storage and move the firearms out of the home for now, contacting police if needed
3. Hide the keys somewhere he is unlikely to look
4. Move the ammunition to the car and leave the firearms
Show the answer
Go beyond locked storage and move the firearms out of the home for now, contacting police if needed
Many suicides and violent acts happen on sudden impulse, and a delay can save a life. When a situation seems to be building, the handbook says to remove all firearms, properly stored ones included, and keep them somewhere else for a while. In an emergency, call your local police.
Source: Canadian Firearms Safety Course Student Handbook, 5th edition (RCMP Canadian Firearms Program, 2014), Module 10, Social responsibilities of the firearms owner/user: When these situations seem to be developing, it is good practice to remove all firearms. Checked 2026-09-30.
58. You leave your unloaded rifle in your boat at a public dock while you eat lunch in town. Do the federal rules for unattended vehicles apply to the boat?
1. No, because the rules cover only cars and trucks
2. Yes, because the regulations count any conveyance used on water, land or air as a vehicle
3. No, as long as the boat is tied to the dock
4. Only if the boat has a motor attached
Show the answer
Yes, because the regulations count any conveyance used on water, land or air as a vehicle
Yes. The storage and transport rules define a vehicle broadly, so a boat counts, and so does a snowmachine or a small plane. Leave the boat unattended and the same locking and out-of-sight rules apply as for a car or truck. Plan for that before you tie up.
Source: Storage, Display, Transportation and Handling of Firearms by Individuals Regulations (SOR/98-209), section 1, definition of vehicle: vehicle means any conveyance that is used for transportation by water, land or air. Checked 2026-09-30.
59. Which of these counts as a secure locking device under the federal storage regulations?
1. A plastic zip tie pulled tight through the trigger guard
2. A padded gun sock pulled over the action
3. A strip of tape across the ejection port
4. A trigger or cable lock that opens only with a key or combination and stops the firearm from firing
Show the answer
A trigger or cable lock that opens only with a key or combination and stops the firearm from firing
The trigger or cable lock. The regulations set two tests: a secure locking device opens only with a key or a combination, and once fitted it stops the firearm from being fired. Zip ties, socks and tape fail both. Not every lock suits every model, so check that yours actually fits.
Source: Storage, Display, Transportation and Handling of Firearms by Individuals Regulations (SOR/98-209), section 1, definition of secure locking device: that can only be opened or released by the use of an electronic, magnetic or mechanical key or by setting the device in accordance with an alphabetical or numerical combination Checked 2026-09-30.
60. You are about to buy your first rifle from a shop in town. What does the handbook recommend for getting it home?
1. Carry it openly so people can see it is unloaded
2. Carry it in a case or opaque container so it is not on display in public
3. Carry it loaded in case of theft on the way
4. Carry it assembled on a sling over your shoulder
Show the answer
Carry it in a case or opaque container so it is not on display in public
A case, or any container you can't see through. The moment you leave the shop, you're carrying a firearm in a public place. Keeping it out of sight avoids alarming people and tempting thieves, which is why the handbook recommends it. Work out where you'll store it before you buy.
Source: Canadian Firearms Safety Course Student Handbook, 5th edition (RCMP Canadian Firearms Program, 2014), Module 11, Safe storage, display, transportation and handling: It is recommended that all firearms be carried in a case or opaque container to avoid display in public Checked 2026-09-30.

Drill with flashcards

These are practice questions, not the official exam. We wrote them from the published course topics. We did not copy them from the Canadian Firearms Safety Course question bank. So a good score here means you are ready to book the real thing. It does not mean you are certified.

Passing the course is one step. For what happens after it, and what the licence costs, read How to Get a PAL in Canada.

What the CFSC written examination covers

The Canadian Firearms Safety Course is organised into 8 chapters. This practice set follows the same outline, so you can drill any of them with the topic buttons above the questions.

Evolution of firearms, major parts, types and actions
Basic firearms safety practices
Ammunition
Operating firearm actions
Firing techniques and procedures
Care of non-restricted firearms
Responsibilities of the firearm owner and user
Safe storage, display, transportation and handling

Questions about the CFSC written examination

Is this the real Canadian Firearms Safety Course exam?

No. These are original practice questions written from published curriculum topics. They are not reproduced from the official question bank, and passing them does not certify you to hunt in Canada.

What does the CFSC written examination cover?

There are 8 topics here: firearm evolution, safety practices, ammunition, operating actions, firing techniques, firearm care, owner responsibility, storage transport. The official course covers the same ground in more depth.

Is the CFSC the same in every province?

Yes. Firearms licensing is federal, so the Canadian Firearms Safety Course is taught and examined to a single national standard. It is separate from hunter education, which each province and territory runs under its own name and rules.

CFSC Practice Test

CFSC Practice Test: all 60 questions

1. Which three assemblies make up any firearm?

2. A firearm's chamber is part of which assembly?

3. What distinguishes a repeating action from a single shot?

4. What do the letters ACTS stand for?

5. In PROVE, what does the R require?

6. Someone hands you a firearm and says it is unloaded. What do you do?

7. What is the difference between rimfire and centrefire ammunition?

8. A cartridge chambers in your firearm. Is it therefore safe to fire?

9. You pull the trigger and nothing happens. What is the first thing you do?

10. On a pump action, what does the action bar lock do?

11. Why must the magazine be removed before the chamber on a semi-automatic?

12. What must you do after removing the magazine and cycling the action?

13. What must you establish before every shot?

14. Which shooting position is the most stable?

15. You hear a weak report and feel almost no recoil. What has likely happened?

16. Before cleaning a firearm, what is the first step?

17. Why must a barrel obstruction be cleared before firing?

18. What four jobs does a firearm's action carry out?

19. What actually makes a direction safe to point a muzzle?

20. A part box of cartridges turns up in a damp shed with green corrosion creeping over several of the cases. What should be done with them?

21. The mechanical safety on a rifle is engaged. What does that let you leave out?

22. Where in your breathing cycle should the shot break?

23. You have been out all day in wet snow. What does the firearm need that evening?

24. Why are careful people so protective of the muzzle end of a rifle barrel when cleaning?

25. Why do sensible shooters leave any drinking until the firearms are put away for the day?

26. Is safe storage of a firearm a legal requirement or a recommendation?

27. What must you do if a firearm is lost or stolen?

28. A friend asks to borrow your non-restricted rifle for the weekend. When may you lend it?

29. How must a non-restricted firearm be stored?

30. How must ammunition be stored relative to a non-restricted firearm?

31. What condition must a non-restricted firearm be in during transport?

32. You want to hang a non-restricted rifle on the wall of your home as a display piece. What does the regulation require?

33. Canadian law sorts every firearm into one of three classes. Which list names them?

34. A friend buys a brand-new reproduction of a percussion-cap muzzleloading rifle and says that, as an antique, it needs no licence. What does the RCMP say?

35. When does an air rifle count as a firearm under the Firearms Act, with the same licence rules as a .22 rimfire?

36. Early attempts at breech-loading firearms kept failing. What did the metal-cased cartridge fix?

37. You PROVE a rifle safe at the bench, set it down, and walk to your truck for a few minutes. When you come back, what is its status?

38. Something moves at the far edge of a clearing. Your rifle wears a 9-power scope and your binoculars are in your pack. Which do you use for a closer look?

39. You slip on a wet log while carrying a rifle. What is your first job as you go down?

40. Your shotgun barrel is stamped for 2¾-inch shells. An unfired shell from a box marked 3 inches measures about 2¾ inches. Is it safe to use?

41. What job does the wad do inside a shotgun shell?

42. You are deciding where to keep a few boxes of hunting ammunition at home. What does the course handbook say about the container?

43. You plan to shoot at a target on open ground with a centre-fire rifle. If nothing stops it, how far can a bullet from some rifles travel?

44. On your shotgun's cross-bolt safety button, a red band is showing. What does that usually mean?

45. You go to open a break-action shotgun, but the action release will not move. What might you need to do?

46. Before loading, you want to check the barrel for obstructions. From which end should you look through it whenever the design allows?

47. A lever-action rifle has a cartridge in the chamber and its exposed hammer resting fully forward. Why is that a poor way to carry it?

48. A grouse flushes and you swing your shotgun onto it. Where should your eyes be focused?

49. At a club range you see a person walking out into the field beyond the targets. Who may call a cease-fire?

50. Four friends want to sight in their rifles together in an open field. What does the handbook suggest they set up first?

51. You oiled your rifle's bore before putting it away for the summer. What should you do before firing it in the fall?

52. You bought a case of old military surplus ammunition with corrosive primers. How does that change your cleaning?

53. After cleaning your rifle, you are tempted to wipe your cartridges with the same oily rag. Why is that a poor idea?

54. You hold a firearms licence and move to a new house across town. What does the RCMP ask you to do?

55. As a joke, a friend points an unloaded rifle at you in his garage. How does the Criminal Code treat that?

56. You own a centre-fire semi-automatic rifle. As a general rule, how many cartridges may its magazine hold under Canadian law?

57. A relative who lives with you is in crisis and has talked about hurting himself. Your firearms are locked up as the law requires. What does the course suggest?

58. You leave your unloaded rifle in your boat at a public dock while you eat lunch in town. Do the federal rules for unattended vehicles apply to the boat?

59. Which of these counts as a secure locking device under the federal storage regulations?

60. You are about to buy your first rifle from a shop in town. What does the handbook recommend for getting it home?

What the CFSC written examination covers

Questions about the CFSC written examination

Is this the real Canadian Firearms Safety Course exam?

What does the CFSC written examination cover?

Is the CFSC the same in every province?