Firearm Competency: Handgun
Unit Standard 119649: Exam-Style Practice Pack with Explained
Answers + Practical Shoot Prep
7 topics of plain-language study notes • exam traps per topic • 80 practice questions (multiple choice,
true/false, fill-in and scenario) • a 40-question mock test • every answer explained step by step •
practical-shoot prep checklist • 16 free "Watch & learn" videos
For South Africans preparing for the handgun theory and practical assessments 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 handgun assessment works
• How to use this pack
• Part 1: Study notes, exam traps, videos and drills (Topics H1 to H7)
• Part 2: Mock test (40 questions)
• Part 3: Mock test answers explained
• Part 4: Practical-shoot prep checklist
• Part 5: Revision sheet
• Things to confirm with your training provider
• Sources
How the handgun assessment works
You normally do the handgun unit (119649) after the law unit (117705).
Theory: each accredited provider sets its own test against the unit standard, often an open-book
workbook followed by a closed-book test. Providers commonly mix multiple choice, true/false, fill-
in-the-missing-word, "list" and short scenario questions, so this pack practises all of them. Pass
marks are set by the provider (commonly around 80%).
Practical: you show safe handling (muzzle direction, finger off the trigger, loading, unloading and
proving clear, clearing stoppages, basic cleaning and inspection), then shoot. The unit standard's
range statement, as summarised by providers, refers to 10 hits out of 10 at 7 metres on an A3-
sized target, unsupported, with two hands. Providers usually expect 100% on the practical.
Unsafe handling during the practical (e.g. sweeping someone with the muzzle, finger on the trigger)
can fail you even if every shot hits.
How to use this pack
Read the notes for a topic, do the drill without looking, then read every explanation.
For scenario and fill-in questions, write your answer down before reading ours. The model answers
show the points a marker looks for.
Practise the handling drills only under supervision at your provider or an accredited range, with
dummy rounds or snap caps. This pack explains them; it does not replace hands-on training.
Use Part 4 the week before your practical.
Latest Exam Packs | Independent study aid, not affiliated with SAPS, CFR, PFTC or SASSETA | Page 2
,Part 1: Study notes, exam traps, videos and drills
Law references are to the Firearms Control Act 60 of 2000 ("s") and its Regulations ("Reg"). Handling
methods differ slightly between models and providers: follow your instructor and your firearm's manual.
Topic H1: The law when you use a handgun: private defence, carrying and offences
Where it sits: Common law; Act s13, s22, s84, s120; Reg 86
Private defence in plain words
South African common law lets you use force to defend yourself or another person, and in some
cases property, against an unlawful attack. The courts set strict requirements.
The attack: it must be unlawful; it must have already started or be imminent (about to happen
right now), not something that might happen tomorrow or that is already over; and it must be
against a legally protected interest (life, bodily integrity, and in limited cases property).
The defence: it must be necessary (no reasonable, less harmful way out); directed at the attacker,
not at bystanders; and reasonably proportionate to the attack. Courts look at all the circumstances:
the weapons involved, the relative strength of the people, the place and time, and whether there
was a chance to retreat.
When the attack stops, the right to defend stops. Shooting someone who is running away, or who
has been disarmed, is revenge, not defence. Pre-emptive shooting (because you think they might
attack later) is not private defence.
Property: using deadly force only to protect property (e.g. shooting a thief running off with your TV)
will very rarely, if ever, be found reasonable. The SCA in S v Trainor 2003 (1) SACR 35 (SCA) stressed
that all the circumstances must be weighed.
Putative private defence: if you honestly but wrongly believe you are being attacked, you may lack
intent (dolus), but you can still be convicted of culpable homicide if a reasonable person would not
have made that mistake. The Constitutional Court discussed this in Tuta v S [2022] ZACC 19.
A firearm competency certificate and licence give you no extra right to use force. Every shot you
fire must be justified in law.
Rules from the Act every handgun user meets daily
Carrying (s84): holster or similar holder attached to your body, or a rucksack or similar holder.
Completely covered and under effective control.
Storage (Reg 86): in a SABS 953-1/953-2 safe whenever it is not under your direct personal and
physical control. s13 firearms may be stored loaded; others unloaded.
Pointing (s120(6)) a firearm, loaded or not, or an imitation, at someone without good reason is an
offence. Discharge in a built-up area or public place without good reason is an offence (s120(7)).
Under the influence (s120(4)): never handle a firearm after drinking or taking intoxicating drugs or
medicine.
Loss or theft (s120(11)): report within 24 hours to the police station nearest where it happened.
Letting someone else shoot (s22): you must be 21+, and they must be under your immediate
supervision, where safe and lawful. Never someone drunk or mentally ill (s120(5)).
One s13 licence per person (s13(3)); a s13 handgun may not be fully automatic (s13(1)(b)).
Exam traps
"Imminent" means about to happen now, not a threat for later.
Shooting a fleeing intruder in the back is generally not private defence: the attack is over.
Pointing an unloaded pistol at someone as a joke is still an offence.
Your licence does not authorise you to use force. The law of private defence decides that.
Latest Exam Packs | Independent study aid, not affiliated with SAPS, CFR, PFTC or SASSETA | Page 3
, Watch & learn (free on YouTube)
Can you Shoot Someone in South Africa? (Gunlicence): private defence in plain language.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qh-Zrc-YMDc
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 H1 (12 questions)
H1.1. Which of these is a requirement for the ATTACK in private defence?
(a) It must involve a firearm or other dangerous weapon of some kind
(b) It must be unlawful and must have started or be imminent
(c) It must happen at night inside your home
(d) It must be reported to the police first, before you act
H1.2. If an attacker drops his knife and runs away, you may still shoot him because the attack has just
happened. [True / False]
H1.3. The defensive act must be reasonably __________ to the attack. [Fill in]
H1.4. At 02:00 you hear someone in your yard. You see a person climbing over your wall and walking
away with your lawnmower. He has not seen you and shows no weapon. May you shoot him? Explain.
[Scenario / short answer]
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
H1.5. "Putative" private defence means:
(a) You honestly but mistakenly believed you were under attack
(b) You shot to protect someone else
(c) You were attacked by a police official
(d) You defended property only
H1.6. Holding a firearm licence gives you a wider right to use force than an unarmed citizen has. [True /
False]
H1.7. Which carry method complies with section 84 for a handgun in public?
(a) Pistol locked in the cubbyhole while you are in a shop
(b) A covered holster on your belt, under your effective control
(c) Pistol in your hand, pointed down at the ground
(d) Pistol tucked into a pocket, half visible to people around you
H1.8. A theft of your handgun must be reported to the police within ______ hours of becoming aware
of it. [Fill in]
H1.9. Your 25-year-old cousin (no licence) wants to try your pistol at an accredited range. What
conditions must be met under the Act? [Scenario / short answer]
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
H1.10. Pointing your licensed (unloaded) pistol at a friend as a joke is:
(a) Lawful, because it is your own firearm
(b) Lawful, because it is unloaded
(c) An offence under section 120(6)
(d) Only an offence in public
Latest Exam Packs | Independent study aid, not affiliated with SAPS, CFR, PFTC or SASSETA | Page 4
Unit Standard 119649: Exam-Style Practice Pack with Explained
Answers + Practical Shoot Prep
7 topics of plain-language study notes • exam traps per topic • 80 practice questions (multiple choice,
true/false, fill-in and scenario) • a 40-question mock test • every answer explained step by step •
practical-shoot prep checklist • 16 free "Watch & learn" videos
For South Africans preparing for the handgun theory and practical assessments 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 handgun assessment works
• How to use this pack
• Part 1: Study notes, exam traps, videos and drills (Topics H1 to H7)
• Part 2: Mock test (40 questions)
• Part 3: Mock test answers explained
• Part 4: Practical-shoot prep checklist
• Part 5: Revision sheet
• Things to confirm with your training provider
• Sources
How the handgun assessment works
You normally do the handgun unit (119649) after the law unit (117705).
Theory: each accredited provider sets its own test against the unit standard, often an open-book
workbook followed by a closed-book test. Providers commonly mix multiple choice, true/false, fill-
in-the-missing-word, "list" and short scenario questions, so this pack practises all of them. Pass
marks are set by the provider (commonly around 80%).
Practical: you show safe handling (muzzle direction, finger off the trigger, loading, unloading and
proving clear, clearing stoppages, basic cleaning and inspection), then shoot. The unit standard's
range statement, as summarised by providers, refers to 10 hits out of 10 at 7 metres on an A3-
sized target, unsupported, with two hands. Providers usually expect 100% on the practical.
Unsafe handling during the practical (e.g. sweeping someone with the muzzle, finger on the trigger)
can fail you even if every shot hits.
How to use this pack
Read the notes for a topic, do the drill without looking, then read every explanation.
For scenario and fill-in questions, write your answer down before reading ours. The model answers
show the points a marker looks for.
Practise the handling drills only under supervision at your provider or an accredited range, with
dummy rounds or snap caps. This pack explains them; it does not replace hands-on training.
Use Part 4 the week before your practical.
Latest Exam Packs | Independent study aid, not affiliated with SAPS, CFR, PFTC or SASSETA | Page 2
,Part 1: Study notes, exam traps, videos and drills
Law references are to the Firearms Control Act 60 of 2000 ("s") and its Regulations ("Reg"). Handling
methods differ slightly between models and providers: follow your instructor and your firearm's manual.
Topic H1: The law when you use a handgun: private defence, carrying and offences
Where it sits: Common law; Act s13, s22, s84, s120; Reg 86
Private defence in plain words
South African common law lets you use force to defend yourself or another person, and in some
cases property, against an unlawful attack. The courts set strict requirements.
The attack: it must be unlawful; it must have already started or be imminent (about to happen
right now), not something that might happen tomorrow or that is already over; and it must be
against a legally protected interest (life, bodily integrity, and in limited cases property).
The defence: it must be necessary (no reasonable, less harmful way out); directed at the attacker,
not at bystanders; and reasonably proportionate to the attack. Courts look at all the circumstances:
the weapons involved, the relative strength of the people, the place and time, and whether there
was a chance to retreat.
When the attack stops, the right to defend stops. Shooting someone who is running away, or who
has been disarmed, is revenge, not defence. Pre-emptive shooting (because you think they might
attack later) is not private defence.
Property: using deadly force only to protect property (e.g. shooting a thief running off with your TV)
will very rarely, if ever, be found reasonable. The SCA in S v Trainor 2003 (1) SACR 35 (SCA) stressed
that all the circumstances must be weighed.
Putative private defence: if you honestly but wrongly believe you are being attacked, you may lack
intent (dolus), but you can still be convicted of culpable homicide if a reasonable person would not
have made that mistake. The Constitutional Court discussed this in Tuta v S [2022] ZACC 19.
A firearm competency certificate and licence give you no extra right to use force. Every shot you
fire must be justified in law.
Rules from the Act every handgun user meets daily
Carrying (s84): holster or similar holder attached to your body, or a rucksack or similar holder.
Completely covered and under effective control.
Storage (Reg 86): in a SABS 953-1/953-2 safe whenever it is not under your direct personal and
physical control. s13 firearms may be stored loaded; others unloaded.
Pointing (s120(6)) a firearm, loaded or not, or an imitation, at someone without good reason is an
offence. Discharge in a built-up area or public place without good reason is an offence (s120(7)).
Under the influence (s120(4)): never handle a firearm after drinking or taking intoxicating drugs or
medicine.
Loss or theft (s120(11)): report within 24 hours to the police station nearest where it happened.
Letting someone else shoot (s22): you must be 21+, and they must be under your immediate
supervision, where safe and lawful. Never someone drunk or mentally ill (s120(5)).
One s13 licence per person (s13(3)); a s13 handgun may not be fully automatic (s13(1)(b)).
Exam traps
"Imminent" means about to happen now, not a threat for later.
Shooting a fleeing intruder in the back is generally not private defence: the attack is over.
Pointing an unloaded pistol at someone as a joke is still an offence.
Your licence does not authorise you to use force. The law of private defence decides that.
Latest Exam Packs | Independent study aid, not affiliated with SAPS, CFR, PFTC or SASSETA | Page 3
, Watch & learn (free on YouTube)
Can you Shoot Someone in South Africa? (Gunlicence): private defence in plain language.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qh-Zrc-YMDc
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 H1 (12 questions)
H1.1. Which of these is a requirement for the ATTACK in private defence?
(a) It must involve a firearm or other dangerous weapon of some kind
(b) It must be unlawful and must have started or be imminent
(c) It must happen at night inside your home
(d) It must be reported to the police first, before you act
H1.2. If an attacker drops his knife and runs away, you may still shoot him because the attack has just
happened. [True / False]
H1.3. The defensive act must be reasonably __________ to the attack. [Fill in]
H1.4. At 02:00 you hear someone in your yard. You see a person climbing over your wall and walking
away with your lawnmower. He has not seen you and shows no weapon. May you shoot him? Explain.
[Scenario / short answer]
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
H1.5. "Putative" private defence means:
(a) You honestly but mistakenly believed you were under attack
(b) You shot to protect someone else
(c) You were attacked by a police official
(d) You defended property only
H1.6. Holding a firearm licence gives you a wider right to use force than an unarmed citizen has. [True /
False]
H1.7. Which carry method complies with section 84 for a handgun in public?
(a) Pistol locked in the cubbyhole while you are in a shop
(b) A covered holster on your belt, under your effective control
(c) Pistol in your hand, pointed down at the ground
(d) Pistol tucked into a pocket, half visible to people around you
H1.8. A theft of your handgun must be reported to the police within ______ hours of becoming aware
of it. [Fill in]
H1.9. Your 25-year-old cousin (no licence) wants to try your pistol at an accredited range. What
conditions must be met under the Act? [Scenario / short answer]
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
H1.10. Pointing your licensed (unloaded) pistol at a friend as a joke is:
(a) Lawful, because it is your own firearm
(b) Lawful, because it is unloaded
(c) An offence under section 120(6)
(d) Only an offence in public
Latest Exam Packs | Independent study aid, not affiliated with SAPS, CFR, PFTC or SASSETA | Page 4
