Ace the California Firearm Safety Certificate 2025 – Shoot for Success with Our Fun Practice Exam!

If you experience a squib load while shooting, the correct action to take is to unload the firearm and check the barrel for obstructions. A squib load occurs when a cartridge only partially fires, resulting in a weak projectile being fired down the barrel. If you were to keep firing to clear the obstruction (Option A), you risk causing serious damage or injury as the weak projectile might get stuck in the barrel and subsequent shots could cause the barrel to burst. Trying to fix the problem by shaking the firearm (Option C) is also not recommended as it does not address the potential obstruction in the barrel. Continuing to fire if the firearm seems to be operating normally (Option D) is very dangerous as the obstruction from the squib load could cause a catastrophic failure. Unloading the firearm and checking the barrel for obstructions is the safest and most appropriate course of action in such a situation.