Hunters Guide

BC · topic practice

Firearm actions practice questions for British Columbia

By Hunters Guide. Last reviewed September 18, 2026.

These 4 firearm actions questions are drawn from the BC CORE Practice Exam. They are original practice items written from published Conservation and Outdoor Recreation Education curriculum topics, with an explanation on every answer.

Firearm actions questions

  1. 1You are unloading a semi-automatic at the end of a hunt and cycle the action twice. A live round is still chambered. Why?

    1. The extractor has failed
    2. The magazine is still fitted and is feeding a fresh round each time you cycle
    3. The safety is engaged
    4. The barrel is obstructed
    Show the answer

    The magazine is still fitted and is feeding a fresh round each time you cycle

    Nothing is broken. Each cycle ejects one round and loads the next straight out of the magazine, which is why the magazine comes out first and the chamber second.

  2. 2A lever action's hammer sits partway back. Is the firearm safe to treat as unloaded?

    1. Yes, half-cock is a mechanical safety
    2. No. Half-cock is an old hammer position, not a safety, and the firearm must still be proven unloaded
    3. Yes, if the lever is closed
    4. Only on modern rifles
    Show the answer

    No. Half-cock is an old hammer position, not a safety, and the firearm must still be proven unloaded

    Half-cock predates modern safeties and can fail if the hammer is knocked. Treat the firearm as capable of firing regardless of hammer position.

  3. 3On a break action shotgun, what is the surest way to confirm it is unloaded?

    1. Shake it and listen
    2. Open the action and look into each chamber, then check the bore
    3. Check the safety is on
    4. Count the shells in your pocket
    Show the answer

    Open the action and look into each chamber, then check the bore

    A break action opens the chambers to direct view, which is the clearest proof any action can give. Looking is the step people skip.

  4. 4Opening the bolt on a bolt action clears the chamber. What does it NOT do?

    1. It exposes the chamber
    2. It empties the magazine, which must be dealt with separately
    3. It ejects a chambered round
    4. It lets you inspect the bore
    Show the answer

    It empties the magazine, which must be dealt with separately

    Opening the bolt clears and reveals the chamber. It does not empty the magazine, which is why the magazine is dealt with separately.

Ready for the full set? Take the BC CORE Practice Exam.