Firearm Competency: Knowledge of the
Firearms Control Act
Unit Standard 117705: Exam-Style Multiple-Choice Practice Pack
with Explained Answers
10 topics of plain-language study notes • exam traps per topic • 124 multiple-choice drill questions •
a 50-question mock test with answer sheet • every answer explained with the section of the Act or
Regulation • 11 free "Watch & learn" videos • one-page revision sheet
For South Africans preparing for the law (Firearms Control Act) assessment of the firearm competency
course
Independent study aid. This pack is not affiliated with, produced by or endorsed by the South African Police Service
(SAPS), the Central Firearms Register (CFR), the PFTC, SASSETA or any training provider. All notes, questions and
explanations are original and written for practice. They are not copies of any provider's test, manual or question
bank. Quotations from the Firearms Control Act and its Regulations are for study.
It does not replace accredited training. To get a competency certificate you must complete training and the theory
and practical assessments at an accredited training provider. Always follow your instructor, the range rules and the
manufacturer's manual. This pack explains the law as we understand it from the published Act and Regulations
(October 2026). It is not legal advice.
Latest Exam Packs | Independent study aid, not affiliated with SAPS, CFR, PFTC or SASSETA | Page 1
,Contents
• How the law assessment works
• How to use this pack
• Proposed Amendment Bill: what is (and isn't) law
• Part 1: Study notes, exam traps, videos and MCQ drills (Topics 1 to 10)
• Part 2: Mock test (50 questions) with answer sheet
• Part 3: Mock test answers explained
• Part 4: Revision sheet: the numbers you must know
• Things to confirm with your training provider
• Sources
How the law assessment works
The law unit (117705) is normally the first unit of the competency course, and you need it for every
firearm type.
Accredited providers set and mark their own assessments against the unit standard. There is no
public SAPS question paper. Commonly, you first complete an open-book formative workbook, and
then write a closed-book summative test in class.
Format: multiple choice. Learners report that the law test is multiple choice: one correct option out
of several. This pack is therefore 100% multiple choice, with four options per question. Some
providers add other formats, so read your provider's instructions.
Pass mark: not set nationally. Providers commonly require around 80%. Aim for 90%+ on our mock
so you have a margin.
Questions test whether you know what the Act says (numbers, periods, who may do what) and
whether you can apply it to a short scenario. Most wrong options in real tests are "nearly right":
the wrong number of days, the wrong licence section, or the wrong person.
How to use this pack
One topic at a time. Read the notes, then the exam traps, then do the drill without looking. Mark
it, and read every explanation. Each one says why the right answer is right and why the tempting
wrong answers are wrong.
Learn the numbers. Part 4 lists every period and limit (24 hours, 7 days, 30 days, 60 days, 90 days,
200 cartridges, 2,400 primers, licence validity periods). Tests love them.
Do the mock under test conditions: closed book, 60 minutes, then mark it with Part 3.
Check the ⚑ flags with your provider. They mark places where the Act is unclear or providers teach
it differently.
Proposed Amendment Bill: what is (and isn't) law
PROPOSED AMENDMENT BILL: NOT LAW YET (as at October 2026)
A draft Firearms Control Amendment Bill has been under discussion. The 2021 draft was withdrawn after a very large
number of public comments. A newer draft has been reported in the NEDLAC consultation process in 2025 and 2026. It has
not been passed by Parliament, and the current Act still applies.
Changes that have been reported in the media and by firearm organisations (not confirmed final wording):
• tighter rules for self-defence licences (reported as "exceptional circumstances" only);
• lower ammunition limits;
• limits on dedicated (s16) licences;
• stricter rules for collectors and for security-company firearms.
For your test, learn the current Act as taught in this pack. If the Bill becomes law, the numbers and licence rules may
change. Check the latest position before you apply for a licence.
Latest Exam Packs | Independent study aid, not affiliated with SAPS, CFR, PFTC or SASSETA | Page 2
,Part 1: Study notes, exam traps, videos and MCQ drills
Section numbers refer to the Firearms Control Act 60 of 2000 ("the Act"). "Reg" means the Firearms
Control Regulations, 2004 (as amended).
Topic 1: Purpose of the Act, key definitions and what counts as a firearm
Where it sits: s1, s2, s3, s5
Why the Act exists (s2)
The Act is there to protect the constitutional rights to life and bodily integrity. It does that by
cutting down illegally held firearms, tightening control over legal ones, and catching and punishing
negligent or criminal use.
Keep this in mind for scenario questions. The Act expects owners to be careful, accountable and
able to show they followed the rules.
Definitions that come up again and again (s1)
Firearm: roughly, anything made to fire a bullet or projectile through a barrel or cylinder using
burning propellant at more than 8 joules. It also includes anything that fires rimfire, centre-fire or
pin-fire ammunition, anything that can readily be altered into a firearm, compressed-gas guns of
5.6 mm (.22) or bigger at more than 8 joules, and the barrel, frame or receiver of any of these.
Handgun: a pistol or revolver that can be held in and fired with one hand.
Semi-automatic: self-loading, but one shot per pull of the trigger. Fully automatic: more than one
shot from a single pull.
Ammunition: a primer or a cartridge. A primer on its own counts as ammunition. Cartridge: case,
primer, propellant and bullet or shot together.
Transfer includes selling, letting, donating and lending. Lending your firearm is a transfer.
Designated Firearms Officer (DFO): the police official at your station who receives applications and
deals with firearm admin.
Dedicated hunter / sports person: actively takes part and is a member of an accredited association.
Occasional hunters or sports people take part "from time to time".
Devices that are NOT firearms under the Act (s5)
Explosive-powered industrial tools (e.g. nail guns, line-throwing guns), rock- or concrete-splitting
tools, refractory tools used in mines and steelworks, abattoir captive-bolt guns, muzzle-loading
firearms, airguns, tranquilliser guns, paintball guns, flare guns, deactivated firearms, and anything
else the Minister exempts in the Gazette.
Airgun: compressed gas, and either under 5.6 mm calibre or under 8 joules. A .22 air rifle at more
than 8 joules is therefore a firearm.
Muzzle-loaders are not "firearms" under the Act, but you still need a muzzle-loading competency
certificate to possess one (s3(2)).
The basic rule of possession (s3)
No licence, permit or authorisation for that specific firearm = no lawful possession. Holding a
competency certificate alone is not enough.
Exam traps
A primer alone is ammunition, by definition.
"Handgun" is defined by being fired with one hand, not by calibre.
Latest Exam Packs | Independent study aid, not affiliated with SAPS, CFR, PFTC or SASSETA | Page 3
, Muzzle-loaders are excluded from the firearm definition, but you still need a competency
certificate to possess one.
Airgun exclusion: compressed gas and (under 5.6 mm or under 8 J). Burning powder = not an
airgun.
Lending is a transfer.
Watch & learn (free on YouTube)
How To Get A Gun In South Africa (Gunlicence): the three steps: proficiency, competency, licence.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7YRHpL1-jSk
Top 10 South African Gun Myths Debunked! (Gunlicence): clears up common SA gun-law myths.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pEIaTh_wh3U
Quick-check drill: Topic 1 (12 questions)
1.1. According to section 2, the Act aims above all to enhance which constitutional rights?
(a) The right of access to courts
(b) The rights to life and bodily integrity
(c) The right to own property, including firearms
(d) The right to freedom of trade and occupation
1.2. Under the Act, "ammunition" means:
(a) A complete cartridge only
(b) A primer or a cartridge
(c) Gunpowder kept for reloading
(d) Any bullet, shot or propellant
1.3. Which of these is a "handgun" as defined in the Act?
(a) A pistol or revolver that can be held in and fired with one hand
(b) Any semi-automatic firearm
(c) Any firearm with a barrel shorter than 30 cm, whatever its action
(d) Any firearm with a calibre under 9 mm
1.4. A friend's compressed-air rifle fires a .22 (5.6 mm) pellet at 12 joules. In terms of the Act it is:
(a) A firearm, because it is 5.6 mm or larger and above 8 joules
(b) An airgun, because it uses compressed gas rather than burning powder
(c) A muzzle-loading firearm
(d) Exempt, because pellets are not bullets
1.5. "Semi-automatic" means a firearm that:
(a) Fires more than one shot per depression of the trigger
(b) Must be cocked by hand before every shot, like a single-action revolver
(c) Can be switched between single shots and short bursts by a selector
(d) Is self-loading but fires only one shot per depression of the trigger
1.6. Which of the following is NOT regarded as a firearm under section 5?
(a) A 12-gauge pump shotgun
(b) A paintball gun
(c) A .22 rimfire rifle
(d) The frame of a pistol
Latest Exam Packs | Independent study aid, not affiliated with SAPS, CFR, PFTC or SASSETA | Page 4
Firearms Control Act
Unit Standard 117705: Exam-Style Multiple-Choice Practice Pack
with Explained Answers
10 topics of plain-language study notes • exam traps per topic • 124 multiple-choice drill questions •
a 50-question mock test with answer sheet • every answer explained with the section of the Act or
Regulation • 11 free "Watch & learn" videos • one-page revision sheet
For South Africans preparing for the law (Firearms Control Act) assessment of the firearm competency
course
Independent study aid. This pack is not affiliated with, produced by or endorsed by the South African Police Service
(SAPS), the Central Firearms Register (CFR), the PFTC, SASSETA or any training provider. All notes, questions and
explanations are original and written for practice. They are not copies of any provider's test, manual or question
bank. Quotations from the Firearms Control Act and its Regulations are for study.
It does not replace accredited training. To get a competency certificate you must complete training and the theory
and practical assessments at an accredited training provider. Always follow your instructor, the range rules and the
manufacturer's manual. This pack explains the law as we understand it from the published Act and Regulations
(October 2026). It is not legal advice.
Latest Exam Packs | Independent study aid, not affiliated with SAPS, CFR, PFTC or SASSETA | Page 1
,Contents
• How the law assessment works
• How to use this pack
• Proposed Amendment Bill: what is (and isn't) law
• Part 1: Study notes, exam traps, videos and MCQ drills (Topics 1 to 10)
• Part 2: Mock test (50 questions) with answer sheet
• Part 3: Mock test answers explained
• Part 4: Revision sheet: the numbers you must know
• Things to confirm with your training provider
• Sources
How the law assessment works
The law unit (117705) is normally the first unit of the competency course, and you need it for every
firearm type.
Accredited providers set and mark their own assessments against the unit standard. There is no
public SAPS question paper. Commonly, you first complete an open-book formative workbook, and
then write a closed-book summative test in class.
Format: multiple choice. Learners report that the law test is multiple choice: one correct option out
of several. This pack is therefore 100% multiple choice, with four options per question. Some
providers add other formats, so read your provider's instructions.
Pass mark: not set nationally. Providers commonly require around 80%. Aim for 90%+ on our mock
so you have a margin.
Questions test whether you know what the Act says (numbers, periods, who may do what) and
whether you can apply it to a short scenario. Most wrong options in real tests are "nearly right":
the wrong number of days, the wrong licence section, or the wrong person.
How to use this pack
One topic at a time. Read the notes, then the exam traps, then do the drill without looking. Mark
it, and read every explanation. Each one says why the right answer is right and why the tempting
wrong answers are wrong.
Learn the numbers. Part 4 lists every period and limit (24 hours, 7 days, 30 days, 60 days, 90 days,
200 cartridges, 2,400 primers, licence validity periods). Tests love them.
Do the mock under test conditions: closed book, 60 minutes, then mark it with Part 3.
Check the ⚑ flags with your provider. They mark places where the Act is unclear or providers teach
it differently.
Proposed Amendment Bill: what is (and isn't) law
PROPOSED AMENDMENT BILL: NOT LAW YET (as at October 2026)
A draft Firearms Control Amendment Bill has been under discussion. The 2021 draft was withdrawn after a very large
number of public comments. A newer draft has been reported in the NEDLAC consultation process in 2025 and 2026. It has
not been passed by Parliament, and the current Act still applies.
Changes that have been reported in the media and by firearm organisations (not confirmed final wording):
• tighter rules for self-defence licences (reported as "exceptional circumstances" only);
• lower ammunition limits;
• limits on dedicated (s16) licences;
• stricter rules for collectors and for security-company firearms.
For your test, learn the current Act as taught in this pack. If the Bill becomes law, the numbers and licence rules may
change. Check the latest position before you apply for a licence.
Latest Exam Packs | Independent study aid, not affiliated with SAPS, CFR, PFTC or SASSETA | Page 2
,Part 1: Study notes, exam traps, videos and MCQ drills
Section numbers refer to the Firearms Control Act 60 of 2000 ("the Act"). "Reg" means the Firearms
Control Regulations, 2004 (as amended).
Topic 1: Purpose of the Act, key definitions and what counts as a firearm
Where it sits: s1, s2, s3, s5
Why the Act exists (s2)
The Act is there to protect the constitutional rights to life and bodily integrity. It does that by
cutting down illegally held firearms, tightening control over legal ones, and catching and punishing
negligent or criminal use.
Keep this in mind for scenario questions. The Act expects owners to be careful, accountable and
able to show they followed the rules.
Definitions that come up again and again (s1)
Firearm: roughly, anything made to fire a bullet or projectile through a barrel or cylinder using
burning propellant at more than 8 joules. It also includes anything that fires rimfire, centre-fire or
pin-fire ammunition, anything that can readily be altered into a firearm, compressed-gas guns of
5.6 mm (.22) or bigger at more than 8 joules, and the barrel, frame or receiver of any of these.
Handgun: a pistol or revolver that can be held in and fired with one hand.
Semi-automatic: self-loading, but one shot per pull of the trigger. Fully automatic: more than one
shot from a single pull.
Ammunition: a primer or a cartridge. A primer on its own counts as ammunition. Cartridge: case,
primer, propellant and bullet or shot together.
Transfer includes selling, letting, donating and lending. Lending your firearm is a transfer.
Designated Firearms Officer (DFO): the police official at your station who receives applications and
deals with firearm admin.
Dedicated hunter / sports person: actively takes part and is a member of an accredited association.
Occasional hunters or sports people take part "from time to time".
Devices that are NOT firearms under the Act (s5)
Explosive-powered industrial tools (e.g. nail guns, line-throwing guns), rock- or concrete-splitting
tools, refractory tools used in mines and steelworks, abattoir captive-bolt guns, muzzle-loading
firearms, airguns, tranquilliser guns, paintball guns, flare guns, deactivated firearms, and anything
else the Minister exempts in the Gazette.
Airgun: compressed gas, and either under 5.6 mm calibre or under 8 joules. A .22 air rifle at more
than 8 joules is therefore a firearm.
Muzzle-loaders are not "firearms" under the Act, but you still need a muzzle-loading competency
certificate to possess one (s3(2)).
The basic rule of possession (s3)
No licence, permit or authorisation for that specific firearm = no lawful possession. Holding a
competency certificate alone is not enough.
Exam traps
A primer alone is ammunition, by definition.
"Handgun" is defined by being fired with one hand, not by calibre.
Latest Exam Packs | Independent study aid, not affiliated with SAPS, CFR, PFTC or SASSETA | Page 3
, Muzzle-loaders are excluded from the firearm definition, but you still need a competency
certificate to possess one.
Airgun exclusion: compressed gas and (under 5.6 mm or under 8 J). Burning powder = not an
airgun.
Lending is a transfer.
Watch & learn (free on YouTube)
How To Get A Gun In South Africa (Gunlicence): the three steps: proficiency, competency, licence.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7YRHpL1-jSk
Top 10 South African Gun Myths Debunked! (Gunlicence): clears up common SA gun-law myths.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pEIaTh_wh3U
Quick-check drill: Topic 1 (12 questions)
1.1. According to section 2, the Act aims above all to enhance which constitutional rights?
(a) The right of access to courts
(b) The rights to life and bodily integrity
(c) The right to own property, including firearms
(d) The right to freedom of trade and occupation
1.2. Under the Act, "ammunition" means:
(a) A complete cartridge only
(b) A primer or a cartridge
(c) Gunpowder kept for reloading
(d) Any bullet, shot or propellant
1.3. Which of these is a "handgun" as defined in the Act?
(a) A pistol or revolver that can be held in and fired with one hand
(b) Any semi-automatic firearm
(c) Any firearm with a barrel shorter than 30 cm, whatever its action
(d) Any firearm with a calibre under 9 mm
1.4. A friend's compressed-air rifle fires a .22 (5.6 mm) pellet at 12 joules. In terms of the Act it is:
(a) A firearm, because it is 5.6 mm or larger and above 8 joules
(b) An airgun, because it uses compressed gas rather than burning powder
(c) A muzzle-loading firearm
(d) Exempt, because pellets are not bullets
1.5. "Semi-automatic" means a firearm that:
(a) Fires more than one shot per depression of the trigger
(b) Must be cocked by hand before every shot, like a single-action revolver
(c) Can be switched between single shots and short bursts by a selector
(d) Is self-loading but fires only one shot per depression of the trigger
1.6. Which of the following is NOT regarded as a firearm under section 5?
(a) A 12-gauge pump shotgun
(b) A paintball gun
(c) A .22 rimfire rifle
(d) The frame of a pistol
Latest Exam Packs | Independent study aid, not affiliated with SAPS, CFR, PFTC or SASSETA | Page 4
