BSIS Firearm Written Exam ACTUAL
EXAM 2026/2027 | Certification | Verified
Q&A | Pass Guaranteed - A+ Graded
Section 1: Firearm Safety & Mechanical Function (20 Questions)
Q1: While on duty, an armed security guard's semi-automatic pistol fires, but the slide does not fully
return to battery and the next round does not feed. The trigger cannot be pulled. What is the correct
immediate action to clear this malfunction?
A. Tap, rack, and attempt to fire again
B. Lock the slide back, drop the magazine, rack the slide several times, reload and fire
C. Perform a tap, rack, and assess (lock the slide back, drop the magazine, rack to clear, reload)
[CORRECT]
D. Remove the magazine and place the firearm in a gun case
Rationale: A failure to return to battery requires immediate action drill: tap the magazine to ensure
seated, rack the slide forcefully to clear the obstruction, and assess before attempting to fire. Simply
tapping without racking may not clear the stoppage, and removing the magazine alone does not address
the chambered round or obstruction.
Q2: The four primary components of a modern cartridge are:
A. Bullet, casing, gunpowder, firing pin
B. Bullet, cartridge case, primer, propellant [CORRECT]
C. Shell, wad, shot, primer
D. Projectile, magazine, spring, powder
Rationale: A modern metallic cartridge consists of the bullet (projectile), cartridge case (brass or steel),
primer (ignition component in the base), and propellant (smokeless powder). The firing pin is part of the
firearm, not the cartridge. Shotgun shells use different terminology (shell, wad, shot).
Q3: A double-action revolver differs from a single-action semi-automatic pistol in that:
,A. The revolver holds more ammunition than the semi-automatic
B. The revolver's trigger both cocks and releases the hammer with each pull [CORRECT]
C. The semi-automatic is always more accurate than the revolver
D. The revolver automatically ejects spent casings after each shot
Rationale: In a double-action revolver, each trigger pull both cocks the hammer and releases it to fire,
requiring a longer, heavier trigger pull. Single-action semi-automatics typically require manual cocking or
slide cycling for the first shot, with lighter subsequent trigger pulls. Revolvers do not auto-eject casings.
Q4: The "stovepipe" malfunction in a semi-automatic pistol appears as:
A. A failure of the magazine to seat properly
B. A spent casing caught vertically in the ejection port [CORRECT]
C. A double feed of two live rounds into the chamber
D. A failure of the primer to ignite
Rationale: A stovepipe occurs when a spent cartridge casing fails to fully eject and becomes trapped
vertically in the ejection port, resembling a stovepipe. This is cleared using the tap-rack-assess
immediate action drill. It differs from double feeds (two rounds attempting to chamber) or misfires (dud
primer).
Q5: The safety mechanism on a modern semi-automatic pistol typically includes all EXCEPT:
A. Manual thumb safety
B. Grip safety
C. Cylinder release [CORRECT]
D. Drop safety (firing pin block)
Rationale: The cylinder release is a feature of revolvers, not semi-automatic pistols. Semi-automatics
may have manual thumb safeties, grip safeties, trigger safeties, and internal drop safeties (firing pin
blocks) to prevent discharge if dropped. Revolvers typically lack manual safeties but have cylinder
releases for reloading.
Q6: When experiencing a misfire (dud round) on the range, the correct procedure is:
A. Immediately eject the round and continue firing
B. Keep the muzzle pointed downrange and wait 30 seconds before clearing [CORRECT]
C. Attempt to fire the round a second time immediately
D. Disassemble the firearm to remove the round
,Rationale: Safety protocol requires keeping the muzzle pointed in a safe direction (downrange) and
waiting 30 seconds for a potential hangfire (delayed ignition) before clearing the malfunction.
Immediate ejection or second attempts risk discharge during handling. Disassembly on the firing line is
prohibited.
Q7: The caliber designation ".40 S&W" indicates:
A. A 40-millimeter bullet diameter
B. A bullet diameter of approximately 0.40 inches [CORRECT]
C. A powder charge of 40 grains
D. A cartridge length of 40 millimeters
Rationale: Caliber designations in the Imperial system indicate bullet diameter in inches
(approximately). The .40 S&W has a bullet diameter of approximately 0.40 inches (10mm). The
designation does not refer to powder charge, case length, or metric measurements directly.
Q8: The primary safety mechanism that prevents accidental discharge if a loaded semi-automatic pistol
is dropped is:
A. Manual thumb safety only
B. Firing pin block or drop safety [CORRECT]
C. Magazine disconnect safety
D. Trigger guard
Rationale: The firing pin block (or drop safety) is an internal mechanism that physically blocks the firing
pin from striking the primer unless the trigger is fully depressed. This prevents discharge from impact or
dropping. Manual safeties are external devices operated by the user, not automatic drop protection.
Q9: When clearing a double-feed malfunction (two rounds attempting to chamber simultaneously), the
first step is:
A. Rack the slide forcefully
B. Drop the magazine [CORRECT]
C. Tap the magazine base
D. Engage the manual safety
Rationale: In a double-feed, the magazine must be dropped first to relieve pressure on the cartridges
and allow clearance of the jammed rounds. Racking the slide with the magazine in place may worsen the
jam. The sequence is: drop magazine, lock slide back, clear rounds, reload.
, Q10: The difference between single-action and double-action trigger mechanisms is:
A. Single-action requires the hammer to be cocked manually or by slide cycling before the trigger can
fire the weapon [CORRECT]
B. Double-action always results in less accurate shooting
C. Single-action revolvers are safer than double-action revolvers
D. Double-action triggers cannot be used on semi-automatic pistols
Rationale: Single-action triggers release a pre-cocked hammer with a light pull, requiring the hammer to
be cocked first either manually or by cycling the slide. Double-action triggers both cock and release the
hammer with each pull. Both mechanisms are used across revolvers and semi-automatics.
Q11: A ".357 Magnum" revolver can safely fire:
A. Only .357 Magnum ammunition
B. .357 Magnum and .38 Special [CORRECT]
C. .357 Magnum, .38 Special, and 9mm
D. Any .35 caliber ammunition
Rationale: .357 Magnum revolvers can safely chamber and fire both .357 Magnum and .38 Special
cartridges because the .38 Special is the same diameter (approximately) but shorter and lower pressure.
The reverse is not true—.38 Special revolvers cannot handle .357 Magnum pressure.
Q12: The "tap-rack-assess" immediate action drill is performed in what sequence?
A. Assess the malfunction, tap the magazine, rack the slide
B. Tap the magazine base, rack the slide vigorously, assess the weapon [CORRECT]
C. Rack the slide, tap the magazine, assess the target
D. Tap the trigger, rack the hammer, assess the sights
Rationale: The tap-rack-assess drill sequence is: tap the magazine base to ensure proper seating, rack
the slide vigorously to eject the malfunctioning round and chamber a fresh round, then assess the
weapon to ensure it is ready to fire. This clears most common malfunctions.
Q13: The magazine capacity of a standard semi-automatic duty pistol is typically:
A. 5-6 rounds
B. 10-17 rounds depending on caliber and model [CORRECT]
EXAM 2026/2027 | Certification | Verified
Q&A | Pass Guaranteed - A+ Graded
Section 1: Firearm Safety & Mechanical Function (20 Questions)
Q1: While on duty, an armed security guard's semi-automatic pistol fires, but the slide does not fully
return to battery and the next round does not feed. The trigger cannot be pulled. What is the correct
immediate action to clear this malfunction?
A. Tap, rack, and attempt to fire again
B. Lock the slide back, drop the magazine, rack the slide several times, reload and fire
C. Perform a tap, rack, and assess (lock the slide back, drop the magazine, rack to clear, reload)
[CORRECT]
D. Remove the magazine and place the firearm in a gun case
Rationale: A failure to return to battery requires immediate action drill: tap the magazine to ensure
seated, rack the slide forcefully to clear the obstruction, and assess before attempting to fire. Simply
tapping without racking may not clear the stoppage, and removing the magazine alone does not address
the chambered round or obstruction.
Q2: The four primary components of a modern cartridge are:
A. Bullet, casing, gunpowder, firing pin
B. Bullet, cartridge case, primer, propellant [CORRECT]
C. Shell, wad, shot, primer
D. Projectile, magazine, spring, powder
Rationale: A modern metallic cartridge consists of the bullet (projectile), cartridge case (brass or steel),
primer (ignition component in the base), and propellant (smokeless powder). The firing pin is part of the
firearm, not the cartridge. Shotgun shells use different terminology (shell, wad, shot).
Q3: A double-action revolver differs from a single-action semi-automatic pistol in that:
,A. The revolver holds more ammunition than the semi-automatic
B. The revolver's trigger both cocks and releases the hammer with each pull [CORRECT]
C. The semi-automatic is always more accurate than the revolver
D. The revolver automatically ejects spent casings after each shot
Rationale: In a double-action revolver, each trigger pull both cocks the hammer and releases it to fire,
requiring a longer, heavier trigger pull. Single-action semi-automatics typically require manual cocking or
slide cycling for the first shot, with lighter subsequent trigger pulls. Revolvers do not auto-eject casings.
Q4: The "stovepipe" malfunction in a semi-automatic pistol appears as:
A. A failure of the magazine to seat properly
B. A spent casing caught vertically in the ejection port [CORRECT]
C. A double feed of two live rounds into the chamber
D. A failure of the primer to ignite
Rationale: A stovepipe occurs when a spent cartridge casing fails to fully eject and becomes trapped
vertically in the ejection port, resembling a stovepipe. This is cleared using the tap-rack-assess
immediate action drill. It differs from double feeds (two rounds attempting to chamber) or misfires (dud
primer).
Q5: The safety mechanism on a modern semi-automatic pistol typically includes all EXCEPT:
A. Manual thumb safety
B. Grip safety
C. Cylinder release [CORRECT]
D. Drop safety (firing pin block)
Rationale: The cylinder release is a feature of revolvers, not semi-automatic pistols. Semi-automatics
may have manual thumb safeties, grip safeties, trigger safeties, and internal drop safeties (firing pin
blocks) to prevent discharge if dropped. Revolvers typically lack manual safeties but have cylinder
releases for reloading.
Q6: When experiencing a misfire (dud round) on the range, the correct procedure is:
A. Immediately eject the round and continue firing
B. Keep the muzzle pointed downrange and wait 30 seconds before clearing [CORRECT]
C. Attempt to fire the round a second time immediately
D. Disassemble the firearm to remove the round
,Rationale: Safety protocol requires keeping the muzzle pointed in a safe direction (downrange) and
waiting 30 seconds for a potential hangfire (delayed ignition) before clearing the malfunction.
Immediate ejection or second attempts risk discharge during handling. Disassembly on the firing line is
prohibited.
Q7: The caliber designation ".40 S&W" indicates:
A. A 40-millimeter bullet diameter
B. A bullet diameter of approximately 0.40 inches [CORRECT]
C. A powder charge of 40 grains
D. A cartridge length of 40 millimeters
Rationale: Caliber designations in the Imperial system indicate bullet diameter in inches
(approximately). The .40 S&W has a bullet diameter of approximately 0.40 inches (10mm). The
designation does not refer to powder charge, case length, or metric measurements directly.
Q8: The primary safety mechanism that prevents accidental discharge if a loaded semi-automatic pistol
is dropped is:
A. Manual thumb safety only
B. Firing pin block or drop safety [CORRECT]
C. Magazine disconnect safety
D. Trigger guard
Rationale: The firing pin block (or drop safety) is an internal mechanism that physically blocks the firing
pin from striking the primer unless the trigger is fully depressed. This prevents discharge from impact or
dropping. Manual safeties are external devices operated by the user, not automatic drop protection.
Q9: When clearing a double-feed malfunction (two rounds attempting to chamber simultaneously), the
first step is:
A. Rack the slide forcefully
B. Drop the magazine [CORRECT]
C. Tap the magazine base
D. Engage the manual safety
Rationale: In a double-feed, the magazine must be dropped first to relieve pressure on the cartridges
and allow clearance of the jammed rounds. Racking the slide with the magazine in place may worsen the
jam. The sequence is: drop magazine, lock slide back, clear rounds, reload.
, Q10: The difference between single-action and double-action trigger mechanisms is:
A. Single-action requires the hammer to be cocked manually or by slide cycling before the trigger can
fire the weapon [CORRECT]
B. Double-action always results in less accurate shooting
C. Single-action revolvers are safer than double-action revolvers
D. Double-action triggers cannot be used on semi-automatic pistols
Rationale: Single-action triggers release a pre-cocked hammer with a light pull, requiring the hammer to
be cocked first either manually or by cycling the slide. Double-action triggers both cock and release the
hammer with each pull. Both mechanisms are used across revolvers and semi-automatics.
Q11: A ".357 Magnum" revolver can safely fire:
A. Only .357 Magnum ammunition
B. .357 Magnum and .38 Special [CORRECT]
C. .357 Magnum, .38 Special, and 9mm
D. Any .35 caliber ammunition
Rationale: .357 Magnum revolvers can safely chamber and fire both .357 Magnum and .38 Special
cartridges because the .38 Special is the same diameter (approximately) but shorter and lower pressure.
The reverse is not true—.38 Special revolvers cannot handle .357 Magnum pressure.
Q12: The "tap-rack-assess" immediate action drill is performed in what sequence?
A. Assess the malfunction, tap the magazine, rack the slide
B. Tap the magazine base, rack the slide vigorously, assess the weapon [CORRECT]
C. Rack the slide, tap the magazine, assess the target
D. Tap the trigger, rack the hammer, assess the sights
Rationale: The tap-rack-assess drill sequence is: tap the magazine base to ensure proper seating, rack
the slide vigorously to eject the malfunctioning round and chamber a fresh round, then assess the
weapon to ensure it is ready to fire. This clears most common malfunctions.
Q13: The magazine capacity of a standard semi-automatic duty pistol is typically:
A. 5-6 rounds
B. 10-17 rounds depending on caliber and model [CORRECT]
