1. A shooter experiences a hangfire while firing a bolt-action rifle on a cold range. What is your
immediate command?
A) “Cease fire, unload, show clear”
B) “Cease fire, stand by”
C) “Cease fire, remove magazines”
D) “Cease fire, keep firearm pointed downrange for 60 seconds”
Rationale: A hangfire requires keeping the muzzle downrange for at least 60 seconds before
attempting to clear the firearm.
2. During a cease-fire to change targets, a shooter keeps handling ammunition at the bench. You
should:
A) Ignore it if they are not touching the firearm
B) Instruct them to step away from all ammunition and firearms
C) Allow them to load magazines
D) Only warn them after the cease-fire ends
Rationale: During a cease-fire, all ammunition handling must stop to prevent an accidental
discharge.
3. A shooter’s semiautomatic pistol fails to feed a round. They immediately turn sideways to look
into the ejection port. Your action:
A) Praise their troubleshooting
B) Stop them and remind them to keep the muzzle pointed downrange
C) Hand them a cleaning rod
D) Tell them to pull the trigger again
Rationale: The muzzle must remain downrange at all times during clearing; turning sideways
breaks safe direction.
,4. Which condition requires an immediate, emergency cease-fire command?
A) Shooter adjusting optics
B) A person walks forward of the firing line
C) Malfunction of a target carrier
D) Empty brass on the ground
Rationale: Any person forward of the firing line is an imminent safety hazard requiring
immediate stop.
5. A shooter with a muzzleloader has powder and projectiles on the bench during a cold range.
You should:
A) Allow it since muzzleloaders are exempt
B) Order all loading components removed from the bench
C) Ask them to fire into the backstop
D) Move them to a separate bay
Rationale: No loading or ammunition handling is permitted on a cold range regardless of
firearm type.
6. During live fire, you see a shooter’s finger inside the trigger guard while reloading. The safe
action is:
A) Wait for them to finish
B) Command “finger off the trigger” immediately
C) Disqualify them for the day
D) Note it for debriefing later
Rationale: Trigger finger discipline must be maintained at all times except when actually firing.
7. A shooter experiences a squib load (bullet lodged in barrel) and tries to fire another round. You
should:
A) Let them fire to clear it
B) Shout “cease fire” and physically stop them if needed
C) Suggest using a cleaning rod
D) Ignore it if the gun cycles
Rationale: Firing into a squib can cause catastrophic barrel failure and serious injury.
,8. What is the minimum required distance from the firing line to the nearest overhead obstruction
for standard rifle shooting?
A) 10 feet
B) 25 feet
C) Safe distance such that muzzle blast does not strike the obstruction—depends on range design
D) 100 feet
Rationale: Overhead baffles must be positioned to prevent rounds from escaping the range; no
universal minimum without engineering.
9. A shooter wants to holster a loaded handgun during a cease-fire. You direct:
A) “It’s fine if the safety is on”
B) “Unload and show clear before holstering”
C) “Only if the holster is level III”
D) “Go to the designated holster area”
Rationale: On a cold range, no loaded firearms are permitted off the firing line or in holsters.
10. You notice a shooter has a blood alcohol odor. The correct action is:
A) Allow supervised shooting
B) Deny range access and document the incident
C) Offer them coffee and water
D) Only warn them about safety rules
Rationale: Any impairment from alcohol or drugs makes a shooter unsafe and must result in
denial of access.
11. A shooter’s bullet strikes the ground 10 yards in front of the firing line. You should:
A) Ignore one stray shot
B) Call a cease-fire and inspect for ricochet hazard
C) Tell them to aim higher
D) Let them finish the magazine
Rationale: Ground strikes near the line indicate unsafe muzzle angle or ricochet risk and require
investigation.
12. When using steel targets, the minimum safe distance for handgun ammunition is
approximately:
, A) 5 yards
B) *12 yards for frangible, 15-20 yards for standard lead*
C) 25 yards always
D) 50 yards
Rationale: Closer distances risk spall and ricochet; NRA recommends longer distances for
standard ammo.
13. A shooter’s semiauto rifle doubles (fires two rounds with one trigger pull). Your priority:
A) Check the target
B) Declare the firearm unsafe and remove it from the line
C) Adjust the gas system
D) Continue firing if accuracy is fine
Rationale: A malfunction that causes unintended firing is a serious hazard requiring immediate
removal.
14. During a cease-fire, a shooter runs downrange without announcing. You should:
A) Wait for them to return
B) Signal all shooters to keep hands off firearms and retrieve the person
C) Fire a warning shot
D) Sound an air horn once
Rationale: The RSO must ensure no one handles guns while anyone is downrange, then address
the breach.
15. You observe a minor ricochet that goes into the side berm. The shooter wants to continue.
You:
A) Allow continuation
B) Temporarily halt fire and check the berm for damage
C) Change the target distance
D) Move them to a different lane
Rationale: Ricochets can degrade berm integrity and cause unpredictable flight paths;
inspection is required.
16. A shooter complains the target carrier is stuck halfway. During a cold range, you:
A) Let them fix it while others wait
immediate command?
A) “Cease fire, unload, show clear”
B) “Cease fire, stand by”
C) “Cease fire, remove magazines”
D) “Cease fire, keep firearm pointed downrange for 60 seconds”
Rationale: A hangfire requires keeping the muzzle downrange for at least 60 seconds before
attempting to clear the firearm.
2. During a cease-fire to change targets, a shooter keeps handling ammunition at the bench. You
should:
A) Ignore it if they are not touching the firearm
B) Instruct them to step away from all ammunition and firearms
C) Allow them to load magazines
D) Only warn them after the cease-fire ends
Rationale: During a cease-fire, all ammunition handling must stop to prevent an accidental
discharge.
3. A shooter’s semiautomatic pistol fails to feed a round. They immediately turn sideways to look
into the ejection port. Your action:
A) Praise their troubleshooting
B) Stop them and remind them to keep the muzzle pointed downrange
C) Hand them a cleaning rod
D) Tell them to pull the trigger again
Rationale: The muzzle must remain downrange at all times during clearing; turning sideways
breaks safe direction.
,4. Which condition requires an immediate, emergency cease-fire command?
A) Shooter adjusting optics
B) A person walks forward of the firing line
C) Malfunction of a target carrier
D) Empty brass on the ground
Rationale: Any person forward of the firing line is an imminent safety hazard requiring
immediate stop.
5. A shooter with a muzzleloader has powder and projectiles on the bench during a cold range.
You should:
A) Allow it since muzzleloaders are exempt
B) Order all loading components removed from the bench
C) Ask them to fire into the backstop
D) Move them to a separate bay
Rationale: No loading or ammunition handling is permitted on a cold range regardless of
firearm type.
6. During live fire, you see a shooter’s finger inside the trigger guard while reloading. The safe
action is:
A) Wait for them to finish
B) Command “finger off the trigger” immediately
C) Disqualify them for the day
D) Note it for debriefing later
Rationale: Trigger finger discipline must be maintained at all times except when actually firing.
7. A shooter experiences a squib load (bullet lodged in barrel) and tries to fire another round. You
should:
A) Let them fire to clear it
B) Shout “cease fire” and physically stop them if needed
C) Suggest using a cleaning rod
D) Ignore it if the gun cycles
Rationale: Firing into a squib can cause catastrophic barrel failure and serious injury.
,8. What is the minimum required distance from the firing line to the nearest overhead obstruction
for standard rifle shooting?
A) 10 feet
B) 25 feet
C) Safe distance such that muzzle blast does not strike the obstruction—depends on range design
D) 100 feet
Rationale: Overhead baffles must be positioned to prevent rounds from escaping the range; no
universal minimum without engineering.
9. A shooter wants to holster a loaded handgun during a cease-fire. You direct:
A) “It’s fine if the safety is on”
B) “Unload and show clear before holstering”
C) “Only if the holster is level III”
D) “Go to the designated holster area”
Rationale: On a cold range, no loaded firearms are permitted off the firing line or in holsters.
10. You notice a shooter has a blood alcohol odor. The correct action is:
A) Allow supervised shooting
B) Deny range access and document the incident
C) Offer them coffee and water
D) Only warn them about safety rules
Rationale: Any impairment from alcohol or drugs makes a shooter unsafe and must result in
denial of access.
11. A shooter’s bullet strikes the ground 10 yards in front of the firing line. You should:
A) Ignore one stray shot
B) Call a cease-fire and inspect for ricochet hazard
C) Tell them to aim higher
D) Let them finish the magazine
Rationale: Ground strikes near the line indicate unsafe muzzle angle or ricochet risk and require
investigation.
12. When using steel targets, the minimum safe distance for handgun ammunition is
approximately:
, A) 5 yards
B) *12 yards for frangible, 15-20 yards for standard lead*
C) 25 yards always
D) 50 yards
Rationale: Closer distances risk spall and ricochet; NRA recommends longer distances for
standard ammo.
13. A shooter’s semiauto rifle doubles (fires two rounds with one trigger pull). Your priority:
A) Check the target
B) Declare the firearm unsafe and remove it from the line
C) Adjust the gas system
D) Continue firing if accuracy is fine
Rationale: A malfunction that causes unintended firing is a serious hazard requiring immediate
removal.
14. During a cease-fire, a shooter runs downrange without announcing. You should:
A) Wait for them to return
B) Signal all shooters to keep hands off firearms and retrieve the person
C) Fire a warning shot
D) Sound an air horn once
Rationale: The RSO must ensure no one handles guns while anyone is downrange, then address
the breach.
15. You observe a minor ricochet that goes into the side berm. The shooter wants to continue.
You:
A) Allow continuation
B) Temporarily halt fire and check the berm for damage
C) Change the target distance
D) Move them to a different lane
Rationale: Ricochets can degrade berm integrity and cause unpredictable flight paths;
inspection is required.
16. A shooter complains the target carrier is stuck halfway. During a cold range, you:
A) Let them fix it while others wait
