Can you pass this gun safety quiz?

By: J. Reinoehl
Estimated Completion Time
6 min
Can you pass this gun safety quiz?
Image: Shutterstock

About This Quiz

Learning to be safe around guns is important, even if you never plan to use one. Most accidents involving guns could be avoided. Test exactly how much you know by taking this quiz!
Which of the following is true?
The safety on a gun is guaranteed to prevent it from firing.
A gun will only fire if it is cocked.
Any loaded gun may go off if dropped.
Any loaded gun can fire if dropped. This is why it is important only to load a gun right before you are planning on using it. Guns can go off even if they have not been cocked and even if the safety is on.
A and B.

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Before handing a firearm to another person, what should you do?
Announce loudly that you are not planning to shoot anyone.
Open the action and inspect the chamber.
When handing someone a firearm, you should open the action and inspect the chamber to ensure it does not have a cartridge in it. When accepting a firearm from someone, the action should already be open, and you should inspect the chamber before accepting it.
Load it for them in a safe manner.
Aim at an inanimate object and pull the trigger to prove it is not loaded.

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When should you place your finger on the trigger?
Right before you intend to shoot it.
You should always keep your finger off a firearm trigger until you are ready to shoot it. When pulling the trigger, one index finger should be the only one on it. Placing more than one finger on the trigger to fire it can prevent the trigger from returning to its rest position or even cause you to accidentally fire a second round.
Right after you load the gun.
Whenever the gun is pointed at the ground.
You should always keep your finger on the trigger.

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When you purchase a new firearm, what should you do with the operations and features manual?
The dealer will explain everything, but you should keep the manual for reference if you don't intend to use the gun often.
You should immediately read the manual for each gun you purchase and store it for future reference.
Each time you purchase a gun you should read through the manual and make sure you understand its features and how to operate it. If you have questions, a knowledgeable dealer should be able to answer them. Store the manual in a safe place for future reference.
You should save the manual and read it before you intend to use the gun.
You can toss it if you have at least one other gun.

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Who should take a firearm safety course?
Anyone you authorize to use your firearm.
Anyone in law enforcement.
Only owners of firearms need to take a safety course.
Everyone should take a gun safety course.
Gun safety courses can help everyone. Never owning a gun does not mean you will not be exposed to one at some point in your life.

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When choosing ammunition, what should you do?
Make sure it will fit properly in the chamber.
Make sure it is the right caliber for your firearm.
Gun manufacturers will determine the correct ammunition for your firearm. It is important to only purchase the caliber they recommend.
Shave off some of the metal tip if it will not fit in your firearm.
Make sure to always buy the same brand ammunition.

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What two things should you always wear when shooting a firearm?
A bulletproof vest and Kevlar helmet.
An insulated flannel shirt and orange wool hat.
Eye and ear protection.
It is important to protect your eyes and ears when firing a weapon. Even when a gun is equipped with a suppressor (or silencer as some call them), they still make enough noise to damage hearing in real life.
Open fingered "shooting gloves" and steel-toed boots.

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How should firearms be stored?
In a locked case.
Unloaded.
Separate from ammunition.
All of the above.
It is important to store firearms unloaded and locked either with a fitted lock or in a locked case. Ammunition should be stored separately from weapons.

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When shooting, you should never aim at what?
Trees.
Cardboard boxes.
Any hard surface.
Bullets that hit hard surfaces can ricochet off them in unpredictable ways. Similarly, bullets that hit water behave unpredictably.
Animals.

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The number one rule in gun safety is what?
Always assume every firearm is loaded.
If you come across any firearm, you should always treat it as if it were loaded. This is the number one rule in gun safety.
Only shoot what you can eat.
Practice, practice, practice.
What goes up must come down.

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When carrying a loaded gun, which direction should you point it?
Straight in front of you.
Toward the ground.
Behind you.
Toward the sky.
Guns that accidentally discharge can shoot a bullet up to two miles away. Aiming loaded weapons toward the sky will help avoid accidentally hitting a person or object that could cause a bullet to ricochet. Carrying a concealed loaded firearm with a bullet chambered has led to many accidents.

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What is the purpose of a trigger guard?
To lock the trigger.
To prevent the gun from accidentally firing.
The purpose of a trigger guard is to protect the trigger from accidentally being depressed and firing the weapon. Some trigger guards can be removed to allow the firearm to be fired with gloves or in cold conditions.
To protect your finger.
To guide your finger into the correct position over the trigger.

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Before shooting a target, what should you do?
Know what is between you and the target and only take the shot if you are confident you will hit the target.
Know what is between you and the target, what is around the target, as well as what is beyond the target.
Because of the extended range of firearms, you should know what is in front of you, around the target, and beyond the target before firing. Being aware of your surroundings and the surroundings of the target will prevent accidents.
Close your eyes to protect them from discharged casings.
Look over your shoulder.

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The only time it is safe to run with a loaded firearm is when?
It is safe when it is in a holster.
It is safe when pointed toward the sky.
It is safe when slung over your shoulder.
None of the above.
It is never safe to run with a loaded firearm. Although law enforcement and military must do so under some circumstances, it does not reduce the danger involved.

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Why do hunters wear orange?
It improves their visibility to other hunters, but animals cannot see it.
Blaze orange reduces accidental shootings and is required for hunting in some states. Deer and some other animals are color blind, especially on the red end of the spectrum, so orange is a good choice to be visible to other hunters and invisible to the hunted animal.
It is a fashion statement.
It shows who has passed a gun safety course and who has not.
It lets other people know what they are hunting, based on its pattern.

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In how many states is it a criminal offense if you did not properly store your gun and someone gets hurt?
10 or less.
10 to 20.
As of 2016, 18 states had laws requiring gun owners to store their weapons properly. Proper storage involves locking up the gun and storing the ammunition in a locked, separate area.
20 to 30.
30 or more.

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Fill in the blank: You should never point your firearm at anyone unless you plan on ____________ them.
Saving.
Eating
Scaring.
Shooting.
You should never point your firearm at anyone unless you plan on shooting them. In addition to always assuming a firearm is loaded, you should never point it at another person you don't intend to shoot.

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Which of the following is not a method used to prevent smart guns from being fired by anyone except their owner?
Magnetic rings.
Voice recognition.
Smart guns are designed to recognize their owners through a variety of methods, from items worn by the gun owner to biometric data. As of yet, no one has proposed a voice activated system.
Biometric information.
Radio frequency wristwatches.

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What does "overpenetration" mean?
It is when a cartridge is inserted too deeply into the chamber.
It is when a cartridge with a higher than recommended caliber is used.
It is when the bullet passes through its target.
Because bullets can pass through objects, it is important to know what is beyond the target and it is important to take extra care with loaded guns in residential areas. Accidents have occurred because bullets have passed through walls, ceilings, floors, people, and neighboring houses.
It is when a gun is pressed into something before pulling the trigger as opposed to aiming it.

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How often should a gun be cleaned?
Once a month.
Once a year.
Every time you use it and during excessive use.
In addition to cleaning a gun before you use it if it has been sitting for a while, you should also clean a gun after you use it. You should take a break during excessive use to clean it, too. It is vital to unload the weapon and inspect the chamber to make sure it is empty before you begin cleaning in order to prevent an accidental discharge of a chambered cartridge.
Thoroughly once a year, but it should be oiled monthly.

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What happens when you fire a gun at the surface of a lake?
It bounces back.
It will travel in an unknown direction.
Water causes bullets to behave in unusual ways. Most bullets that penetrate water will only travel an additional three to eight feet. However, just as rocks can skip across the water, a bullet can ricochet and cause accidental injuries or death.
It stops the bullet.
It reflects 90 degrees from the point of impact.

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On average, how loud are handguns?
160 decibels.
Most guns are between 140-180 decibels when fired. Suppressors can reduce that to 120, which is just below the permanent hearing damage level, but still loud enough to merit the use of ear protection.
120 decibels.
100 decibels.
85 decibels.

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What are the three main parts of a gun?
The trigger, stock, and barrel.
The action, stock, and barrel.
The action includes all the parts of the gun that move to load, fire, and eject the shells. The stock is the handle, and the barrel is a bored out tube that directs the bullet out of the gun.
The action, trigger, and barrel.
The sight, stock, and trigger.

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What type of gun has a rotating cylinder with chambers for the cartridges?
A 9 mm pistol.
A revolver.
A revolver uses a rotating cylinder to hold cartridges. Older single action revolvers were designed so that the firing pin rested on a chambered cartridge, which led to the rule of leaving that chamber empty. Modern double action revolvers (that are not replicas of older guns) have safety features to prevent accidental firing that were not available on older models, but carrying any gun with a bullet chambered is dangerous.
A shotgun.
A machine gun.

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What classifies a weapon as being fully automatic?
It fires automatically without pressing the trigger.
It continues firing bullets until you release the trigger.
Depressing the trigger of a fully automatic weapon will cause it to continue firing until the trigger is released or it runs out of ammunition. Semi-automatic weapons have the ability to chamber the next bullet after pulling the trigger but will only release one bullet per trigger pull. As of 1986, it is illegal to possess or transfer fully automatic weapons unless they were manufactured prior to the law's passing or unless they are for the U.S. military's use.
It cleans itself.
It loads itself.

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When is it safe to store a firearm without placing it in a locked safe or using a lock?
When you are going to be using it every day.
When you live alone.
When your kids have moved out of the house.
It is never safe to store a firearm without locking it.
Most gun accidents occur because owners store their weapons loaded and unlocked. If you do not have time to load your weapon during a home emergency, you would not have time to get to it.

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What is the legal alcohol limit for operating a handgun?
0.1.
0.2.
It varies by state.
The legal blood-alcohol limit for carrying a firearm varies from state to state. However, carrying or using a firearm under the influence of alcohol can create situations that are illegal under reckless endangerment laws.
There are no laws in any state regarding handguns and alcohol.

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What is the best way to unload a semi-automatic pistol?
Remove the magazine, lock the slide back and eject any chambered rounds, apply the safety, apply the lock.
It is important to remove the magazine before checking the chamber and ejecting any chambered cartridges. If you check the chamber and then remove the magazine, you could end up chambering another cartridge. The gun can still fire even if the magazine is removed.
Pull the slide back and eject the round, close the slide and apply the safety, remove the magazine, engage the lock.
Apply the safety, lock the slide back and eject the round, remove the magazine, apply the lock.
Lock the slide back, apply the safety, eject the round, remove the magazine.

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What is the part of the firearm called where the projectile exits it?
The extractor.
The muzzle.
The end of the weapon barrel where the bullet exits it is called the muzzle. In rifled weapons, it is specially designed to protect the rifling from damage. The muzzle also determines the firearm's accuracy.
The hammer.
The recoil spring.

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What type of gun would use a pump action?
A shotgun.
Rifles and shotguns can both use pump-action to load cartridges. Most pump-action weapons require you to insert the cartridge directly into them as opposed to using a magazine.
A revolver.
A machine gun.
A semi-automatic pistol.

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What are the parts of a cartridge?
Bullet, firing pin, propellant, case.
Bullet, shot, propellant, case.
Bullet, propellant, primer, case.
Most people call cartridges "bullets," but the bullet is only the projectile fired from the firearm (one part of the cartridge). The other parts include the propellant, which is fast-burning, and the primer, which ignites the propellant on impact. The case holds everything together in one package.
Bullet, shell, propellant, firing pin.

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If a firearm malfunctions while you are using it, which of the following should you do?
Toss the firearm a safe distance away from you.
Keep your finger off the trigger and point the gun in a safe direction.
A malfunctioning firearm is a dangerous situation. You should stop firing, remove your finger from the trigger, and keep the gun pointed in a safe direction. If you are at a range, you can raise your free hand to signal the range official for help.
Keep it pointing a safe direction and continue trying to fire it until it "catches."
Place it in a bucket of water.

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What is a straw purchase?
Buying a fake gun.
Buying a gun for someone who can't purchase one legally.
A straw purchase is buying a firearm for someone else who does not want their name on the transaction and/ or is prohibited by law from buying a gun. These transactions are against federal and state laws. You should never buy a gun for someone who is unable to buy one for himself or herself legally.
Buying ammunition in bulk.
Buying throwing knives, blowguns, and other non-firearms.

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What does ammunition caliber mean?
The diameter of the bullet.
The caliber of ammunition is the diameter of the bullet. Using a different caliber than what is recommended, even if it fits in the chamber, can lead to jamming, misfiring, and/ or damaging the gun internally.
The length of the cartridge.
The amount of pressure needed to ignite the primer.
The amount of firepower in the propellant.

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Which of the following is not part of a shell (shotshell)?
Shot.
Slug.
Grain.
The term grain refers to mass and is not a component of ammunition. One ounce is equal to 437.5 grains. Although some shells contain slugs and others contain shot, both are equally valid parts of a shotshell.
Wad.

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