NRA Instructor Class - 50 Practice Questions and Answers
Course NRA Instructors class
Firearm Safety Rules and Storage (Questions 1-10)
1. What are the three fundamental NRA rules of gun safety? Answer: ALWAYS keep the gun
pointed in a safe direction. ALWAYS keep your finger off the trigger until ready to shoot.
ALWAYS keep the gun unloaded until ready to use.
2. What is a safe direction? Answer: A direction in which a bullet cannot strike anyone, taking into
account that bullets can penetrate walls, ceilings and floors.
3. Where should the trigger finger rest when not intending to fire? Answer: Outside the trigger
guard, alongside the frame, until the sights are on target and the decision to shoot is made.
4. True or false: A mechanical safety can be relied upon as the only means of preventing an
accidental discharge. Answer: False. A safety is a mechanical device that can fail. It never
replaces safe handling.
5. What should a shooter do when handed a firearm or picking one up? Answer: Point it in a safe
direction, keep the finger off the trigger, and open the action to check that it is unloaded.
6. Why must the shooter be sure of the target and what is beyond it? Answer: Bullets can miss or
pass through a target. The shooter is responsible for where every shot goes.
7. Why should eye and ear protection be worn? Answer: To protect against noise damage and
flying debris, powder and fragments.
8. Why must shooters never use alcohol or drugs before or while shooting? Answer: They impair
judgement, coordination and reaction time. This includes some prescription and over-the-
counter medicines.
, 9. What is the NRA's guidance on storing firearms? Answer: Store them so they are inaccessible to
children and unauthorized users, unloaded and locked, with ammunition stored separately.
10. What are some examples of secure storage? Answer: Locked safes or cabinets, trigger or cable
locks and lock boxes.
Firearm Types, Parts and Ammunition (Questions 11-20)
11. What are the main functions of a firearm's action? Answer: Feeding, firing, extracting and
ejecting.
12. Name the main handgun action types. Answer: Revolvers (single-action and double-action) and
semi-automatic pistols.
13. Name common rifle and shotgun action types. Answer: Bolt, lever, pump, semi-automatic,
break (single or double barrel).
14. What is the difference between single-action and double-action? Answer: Single-action fires
one shot per trigger pull and the hammer must be cocked first. Double-action trigger pull cocks
and releases the hammer.
15. What are the parts of a cartridge? Answer: Case, primer, powder and bullet (projectile).
16. What is caliber? Answer: The diameter of the bore or bullet, expressed in inches or millimetres.
17. Why must the correct ammunition be used? Answer: Wrong ammunition can damage the
firearm or cause serious injury. Match the markings on the barrel and the ammunition.
18. What is a hangfire or misfire? Answer: A failure of a round to fire as expected. Treat a hangfire
as a potential delayed discharge.
19. What is the first step to take after a misfire? Answer: Keep the firearm pointed downrange in a
safe direction, keep the finger off the trigger and wait before opening the action.
Course NRA Instructors class
Firearm Safety Rules and Storage (Questions 1-10)
1. What are the three fundamental NRA rules of gun safety? Answer: ALWAYS keep the gun
pointed in a safe direction. ALWAYS keep your finger off the trigger until ready to shoot.
ALWAYS keep the gun unloaded until ready to use.
2. What is a safe direction? Answer: A direction in which a bullet cannot strike anyone, taking into
account that bullets can penetrate walls, ceilings and floors.
3. Where should the trigger finger rest when not intending to fire? Answer: Outside the trigger
guard, alongside the frame, until the sights are on target and the decision to shoot is made.
4. True or false: A mechanical safety can be relied upon as the only means of preventing an
accidental discharge. Answer: False. A safety is a mechanical device that can fail. It never
replaces safe handling.
5. What should a shooter do when handed a firearm or picking one up? Answer: Point it in a safe
direction, keep the finger off the trigger, and open the action to check that it is unloaded.
6. Why must the shooter be sure of the target and what is beyond it? Answer: Bullets can miss or
pass through a target. The shooter is responsible for where every shot goes.
7. Why should eye and ear protection be worn? Answer: To protect against noise damage and
flying debris, powder and fragments.
8. Why must shooters never use alcohol or drugs before or while shooting? Answer: They impair
judgement, coordination and reaction time. This includes some prescription and over-the-
counter medicines.
, 9. What is the NRA's guidance on storing firearms? Answer: Store them so they are inaccessible to
children and unauthorized users, unloaded and locked, with ammunition stored separately.
10. What are some examples of secure storage? Answer: Locked safes or cabinets, trigger or cable
locks and lock boxes.
Firearm Types, Parts and Ammunition (Questions 11-20)
11. What are the main functions of a firearm's action? Answer: Feeding, firing, extracting and
ejecting.
12. Name the main handgun action types. Answer: Revolvers (single-action and double-action) and
semi-automatic pistols.
13. Name common rifle and shotgun action types. Answer: Bolt, lever, pump, semi-automatic,
break (single or double barrel).
14. What is the difference between single-action and double-action? Answer: Single-action fires
one shot per trigger pull and the hammer must be cocked first. Double-action trigger pull cocks
and releases the hammer.
15. What are the parts of a cartridge? Answer: Case, primer, powder and bullet (projectile).
16. What is caliber? Answer: The diameter of the bore or bullet, expressed in inches or millimetres.
17. Why must the correct ammunition be used? Answer: Wrong ammunition can damage the
firearm or cause serious injury. Match the markings on the barrel and the ammunition.
18. What is a hangfire or misfire? Answer: A failure of a round to fire as expected. Treat a hangfire
as a potential delayed discharge.
19. What is the first step to take after a misfire? Answer: Keep the firearm pointed downrange in a
safe direction, keep the finger off the trigger and wait before opening the action.
