California Firearm Safety Certificate (FSC) Practice Exam

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Prepare effectively for the California Firearm Safety Certificate Test with our comprehensive quiz, featuring multiple-choice questions and valuable explanations. Equip yourself with the knowledge necessary to excel in your exam!

Each practice test/flash card set has 50 randomly selected questions from a bank of over 500. You'll get a new set of questions each time!

Practice this question and more.


What should you do if you fail to fire a cartridge?

  1. Try to fire again immediately

  2. Keep the gun pointed in a safe direction and wait

  3. Shake the gun and try again

  4. Unload the gun immediately

The correct answer is: Keep the gun pointed in a safe direction and wait

Waiting and keeping the gun pointed in a safe direction is the appropriate action to take if a cartridge fails to fire. This is essential for ensuring safety, as there is a possibility that a cartridge may fire after some delay, known as "hangfire." By maintaining a safe direction and being cautious for a period of time, you significantly reduce the risk of an accidental discharge. Additionally, immediately trying to fire again can be dangerous, as it doesn't allow time for potential hangfire situations to resolve safely. Shaking the gun can destabilize the firearm and may unknowingly cause an unintended discharge. Unloading the gun at that moment might also lead to unsafe handling practices if the firearm is not pointed in a safe direction. Therefore, keeping the firearm pointed safely and waiting is the most prudent approach.