Firearm Types and Mechanisms Flashcards
7 cards from real CA-FSC practice questions. Tap to flip, then mark Knew It or Still Learning — missed cards come back until you master them.
Read the first 7 Firearm Types and Mechanisms flashcards as text
Which type of shotgun action is most commonly associated with police and military use due to reliability and capacity?
Answer: Pump action
Pump-action shotguns are favored in law enforcement and military contexts for their reliability under adverse conditions and multiple-shot capacity.
What is a 'detachable magazine' as it relates to California firearm laws?
Answer: A magazine that can be removed from the firearm without disassembling the action
Under California law, a detachable magazine is one that can be removed from the firearm without disassembling the firearm action.
What does 'caliber' refer to when describing a firearm?
Answer: The approximate diameter of the bore or the bullet, usually in inches or millimeters
Caliber refers to the approximate internal diameter of the barrel or the diameter of the projectile, expressed in inches (e.g., .45) or millimeters (e.g., 9mm).
In a bolt-action rifle, what must the shooter do between shots?
Answer: Manually lift, pull back, push forward, and close the bolt handle
Bolt-action operation requires manually lifting the bolt handle to unlock it, pulling it rearward to eject the case, then pushing it forward and rotating it down to chamber a new round.
What is the 'forcing cone' in a revolver?
Answer: The tapered entry of the barrel that guides the bullet from the cylinder into the bore
The forcing cone is the tapered transition at the rear of the barrel that guides and obturates the bullet as it moves from the cylinder into the rifled bore.
Which of the following is an identifying characteristic of a 'shotgun'?
Answer: Smooth bore barrel designed to fire shot or slugs
Shotguns traditionally have smoothbore barrels designed to fire multiple pellets (shot) or single projectiles (slugs), distinguishing them from rifled firearms.
What is the 'slide stop' (slide release) on a semi-automatic pistol used for?
Answer: To lock the slide open when the magazine is empty, and to release the slide to chamber a round
The slide stop locks the slide in the open position when the magazine is empty and can be depressed by the thumb to release the slide and chamber the first round of a fresh magazine.