PAL study guide: key rules on all 12 topics

Free CFSC / PAL study guide: 301 key points from the Canadian Firearms Safety Course Student Handbook (RCMP Canadian Firearms Program) in plain words, organised by topic, each topic linked to its practice questions.

By the Canada Exam Prep Editorial Team · Updated October 17, 2026

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This study guide collects our notes on every topic of the Canadian Firearms Safety Course (CFSC) Written Test – PAL on one page: 301 short points in our own words, grouped by topic and by handbook section. Read it from top to bottom before your first practice test, or jump to a topic from the list below.

Each topic ends with a link to its practice questions, so you can check what you just read straight away, and a link to the official chapter for the full wording. The notes summarise the Canadian Firearms Safety Course Student Handbook (RCMP Canadian Firearms Program) from the Royal Canadian Mounted Police – Canadian Firearms Program; they do not replace it, and where our notes and the official source differ, the official source wins.

Study these notes as flashcards →

Firearm history, parts and classes

How firearms evolved from the matchlock to the modern cartridge, the three major parts of a firearm, the firing sequence, long-gun action types and the three legal classes of firearms.

Practise Firearm history, parts and classes questions Flashcards Official chapter

Module 1, The evolution of firearms

Explosive powder is believed to have come first from China, where it was used in fireworks and rockets.
Early cannons fired a ball by igniting powder behind it; the expanding gas pushed the ball out of the barrel.
The matchlock (1400s) was the first hand-held muzzleloader; its burning wick failed in wind and rain.
The wheel lock (1600s) made sparks like a lighter, but it was complex, costly, slow to wind and its spring often failed.
The flintlock (1600s) struck flint against steel; it was lighter, simpler and cheaper, and became the standard for centuries.
The percussion cap (early 1800s) was a small metal cap holding a compound that explodes when struck.
Early muzzleloaders were slow to reload and gave one shot per barrel; early breechloaders leaked gas at the breech.
Mid-1800s metal cartridges combined projectile, powder and primer; the case expands on firing and seals the breech.
Cartridge advantages: easy to load at the breech, no gas leak, largely weatherproof and more reliable. They made repeating firearms practical.
Shotgun shells hold the shot, powder and primer plus a wad that separates powder from shot.

Module 3, Major parts and firing sequence

A modern firearm has three major parts: barrel, action and stock.
The barrel is the tube the bullet or shot travels through; its open front end is the muzzle.
The data stamp is the cartridge information the maker marks on the barrel.
The action holds the parts that chamber, fire and eject cartridges. Trigger, safety and magazine are part of the action.
The trigger guard is a rigid loop that protects the trigger from being touched by accident.
The stock is the handle; it is shaped so your finger lines up with the trigger, which is why you must keep the finger out of the guard when picking a firearm up.
Firing sequence: trigger releases the mechanism, firing pin strikes the primer, primer flame ignites the powder, expanding gas drives the bullet or shot down the barrel.
The two common non-restricted long guns are rifles and shotguns.
Six basic action types: muzzleloader, hinge (break), bolt, lever, pump and semi-automatic.

Classes of firearms in Canada (2024-08-19) and Specific types of firearms

Canada has three classes of firearms: non-restricted, restricted and prohibited. Prohibited firearms are most tightly controlled.
Non-restricted means any firearm that is neither restricted nor prohibited; most ordinary rifles and shotguns are non-restricted, with exceptions.
Restricted includes handguns that are not prohibited and certain semi-automatic centre-fire firearms with barrels under 470 mm.
A firearm that can be fired when folded or telescoped to under 660 mm overall is restricted.
A rifle or shotgun sawed or cut down to under 660 mm overall, or with a barrel under 457 mm, is prohibited. So are automatic firearms.
An air gun is a firearm under the Firearms Act only if it exceeds both 152.4 m/s muzzle velocity and 5.7 joules muzzle energy.
The course teaches that every air, spring or gas gun should be handled with ACTS and PROVE, whatever its power.
Reproductions of flintlock, wheel-lock or matchlock long guns made after 1897 are antiques; percussion-cap reproductions are non-restricted firearms that need a licence.

The Vital Four ACTS and PROVE it safe

The four basic rules of firearm safety (ACTS), the five PROVE steps for confirming a firearm is unloaded, direct control and passing firearms open and unloaded.

Practise The Vital Four ACTS and PROVE it safe questions Flashcards Official chapter

Introduction, The Vital Four ACTS

ACTS is a memory aid for four basic rules; nearly every firearm incident breaks at least one of them.
A — Assume every firearm is loaded. Treat any firearm as a possible danger.
C — Control the muzzle direction at all times. Find the safest available direction and keep the muzzle there; never point it at yourself or anyone else.
T — Trigger finger must be kept off the trigger and out of the trigger guard, especially when you pick the firearm up.
S — See that the firearm is unloaded: PROVE it safe. Do not handle a firearm you cannot PROVE safe.
Check both the chamber and the magazine every time you handle a firearm, for any reason.
Only pass or accept a firearm that is open and unloaded.

PROVE it safe (Modules 3.1.7 and 6.4.1)

P — Point the firearm in the safest available direction for the whole procedure; nothing should touch the trigger; safety ON if the firearm allows it.
R — Remove all ammunition. With a detachable magazine, take the magazine out first, then open the action to clear the chamber, so the action cannot feed a new round if it closes.
Leave the action open.
O — Observe the chamber or chambers: no cartridge and no empty case.
V
E — Examine the bore for lubricant, rust or obstructions, visually or with a rod, every time you pick up a firearm.
A PROVEd firearm stays "safe" only while it remains in the direct control of the person who PROVEd it.
Direct control means the firearm is within that person's sight and/or an arm's reach.
When a firearm leaves your direct control, ACTS and PROVE apply again before anyone handles it.
ACTS and PROVE apply to every class of firearm, including air guns.

Basic safety practices and your target

Loading only for actual use, obstacles and vehicles, never relying on the safety, identifying your target and what lies beyond it, ricochets, scopes versus binoculars and secure locking devices.

Practise Basic safety practices and your target questions Flashcards Official chapter

Module 4.2, Firearms and ammunition safety practices

You are responsible for every firearm and all ammunition under your control 24 hours a day.
Firearms are safer locked during storage and transport (trigger lock, cable lock or locked container).
Keeping firearms and ammunition out of sight in storage and transport reduces theft and use by unqualified people.
Keep firearms and ammunition away from unsupervised children. Unlawful storage is a criminal offence.

Module 4.2.2, Load only for actual use

Load only when you intend to shoot and only where you can shoot safely and legally; otherwise keep it unloaded.
At a range, load only at the shooting area when ready, and unload completely before leaving it.
Unload before you pass a firearm to anyone or let it leave your hands; leave the action open when possible.
Never accept a loaded firearm from anyone.
Never run, climb, cross an obstacle or jump a ditch with a loaded firearm; never toss a firearm across a ditch or fence.
Never lean a loaded firearm against a vehicle, tree or wall: it can fall and fire.
Carry only unloaded firearms in a vehicle or boat; many incidents happen while loading firearms into or out of vehicles.

Module 4.2.3–4.2.4, Be sure before you shoot

Examine the bore before loading, and use only the ammunition the firearm was designed for.
Carry only the type of ammunition you intend to shoot.
Never rely on the safety: safeties wear and can fail, and a loaded firearm can fire with the safety on.
Positively identify the target. Never shoot at movement, colour, sound or shape.
Check for a clear field of fire and a safe area behind the target.
A rifle scope is not a substitute for binoculars when identifying people, animals or objects.
Bullets and shot can ricochet off hard surfaces and water and can travel far past the target.
Do not shoot at a target near a building or on top of a hill, and only shoot when no one is ahead of you.

Module 4.3 and Table 8 (10.5)

Secure locking devices stop a firearm from firing; they only work if correctly installed and suited to the firearm.
The most common are key or combination trigger locks and chain or cable locks.
Hazard: access by unauthorized users — disable the action, lock firearms out of view, store ammunition separately, supervise unqualified users.
Hazard: unintentional discharge — control the muzzle, unload when not in use, open the action, finger off the trigger, safety on, no horseplay, keep the firearm maintained.
Hazard: wrong target — identify it, know what is behind it and make sure the backstop is adequate.

Ammunition, calibre and gauge

Rifling and calibre, rim-fire and centre-fire cartridges, cartridge and shotshell components, head stamps and data stamps, shotgun gauge, chokes, shell length and the 20-gauge-in-a-12-gauge hazard.

Practise Ammunition, calibre and gauge questions Flashcards Official chapter

Module 5.1–5.3, Rifling, calibre and cartridges

Rifling is the set of spiral grooves inside a barrel; the raised metal between grooves are the lands.
Rifling spins the bullet so it is stable in flight and more accurate.
Calibre is the bore diameter, given in thousandths of an inch or in millimetres. Inch sizes are usually land to land; metric sizes groove to groove.
A cartridge is the ammunition for a rifle or handgun. Its four parts are bullet, powder charge, case and primer.
The case, usually brass, holds the other parts. The primer explodes when struck and ignites the powder.
Hunting bullets often have soft or hollow points that expand on impact; target bullets are often lead alloy.
Rim-fire: priming compound sits inside the rim of a thin case and is crushed when the pin strikes the rim. Common examples are .22 and .17 HMR.
.22 Long Rifle and .22 Magnum are not interchangeable.
Centre-fire: the primer sits in the centre of the case base. It is used in higher-power firearms.
Dry firing (running the firing sequence on an empty chamber) can damage a firearm.

Module 5.3.3, Matching ammunition

The single most important check: the cartridge name on the head stamp must match the data stamp on the barrel.
Cartridges with similar numbers but different names (for example .303 Savage and .303 British) are not interchangeable.
The head stamp can show the cartridge name, calibre, maker and whether it is magnum.
If a firearm has no data stamp or may have been altered, have a qualified person check the chamber before using it.
Do not use reloaded cartridges unless you know they were made correctly.

Module 5.4–5.7, Shotguns

Shotgun bores are sized by gauge: the number of bore-sized lead balls that weigh one pound. Twelve balls = 12 gauge.
The .410 is the exception: it is measured as a calibre.
Choke is a narrowing at the muzzle that controls shot spread: full gives the tightest pattern, cylinder bore the most open.
Many modern shotguns use interchangeable screw-in choke tubes. Rifled shotgun barrels spin slugs for better accuracy.
Shotgun shells are centre-fire and have five parts: shot, wad, powder, hull and primer.
The wad separates powder from shot, seals the gas and protects the shot from the barrel.
Shot can be lead, steel, bismuth or tungsten-iron. Steel shot can damage some barrels; check the manual.
Common 12-gauge shell lengths are 70 mm (2¾ in), 76 mm (3 in) and 89 mm (3½ in), measured after firing.
Never use a shell longer than the chamber length on the data stamp; the barrel can burst.
A 20-gauge shell can slide into a 12-gauge barrel and lodge in the forcing cone; firing a 12-gauge shell behind it can burst the barrel.

Ballistics, misfires and ammunition storage

How far projectiles travel, trajectory, misfires, hangfires and squib loads, the 60-second wait, jams, and how to store and carry ammunition safely.

Practise Ballistics, misfires and ammunition storage questions Flashcards Official chapter

Module 5.8–5.9, Ballistics and trajectory

Ballistics is the study of projectiles in flight.
Shot can travel farther than the length of a football field; some rifle bullets can travel more than five kilometres.
Know the dangerous range of your firearm and ammunition; you are responsible for where the projectile stops.
Trajectory is the curved path of the projectile. Gravity, air resistance, velocity and mass all affect it.
The muzzle is raised slightly to make up for gravity, so the path crosses the line of sight twice.
Only shoot at targets within effective range and think about how far the shot may go beyond the target.

Module 5.10–5.11 and 6.13, Hazards and malfunctions

Misfire: the cartridge does not fire. Do not reuse it; dispose of it properly.
Hangfire: the primer is struck but ignition is delayed; the round may fire seconds later.
Squib load (primer pop): a cartridge with no powder fires only the primer, with little noise or recoil, and may leave the bullet stuck in the barrel.
Firing another round behind a stuck bullet can rupture the barrel.
If you pull the trigger and nothing happens, keep the muzzle pointed safely and wait 60 seconds before opening the action.
Then unload and PROVE the firearm, checking the bore for an obstruction.
A cartridge that goes off after it has been removed from the chamber can rupture and cause injury.
Jammed firearms with a round in the chamber are hazardous; get a qualified person or gunsmith to help.

Module 5.12 and 9.2.3, Ammunition storage and handling

Keep ammunition out of children's reach and away from flammable materials.
For non-restricted firearms, ammunition must not be within easy access of the firearm unless it is in a securely locked container (with or separate from the firearm).
Ammunition must not be displayed with the firearm it fits.
Store ammunition cool and dry, ideally in a vented container; an unvented container can become an explosive hazard in a fire.
Natural Resources Canada guidance allows reasonable quantities of sporting ammunition for private use, not resale.
Carry ammunition only for the firearm you are using, ideally in its original box.
Never use old or corroded ammunition or experiment with unfamiliar ammunition.
Never mix up smokeless powder and black powder.
Keep ammunition clean and dry; oil, sand or dirt can damage the firearm or jam the action.
Heat and long-term vibration can make powder decay and behave unpredictably.
Penetrating oil harms primers: never wipe ammunition with an oily rag.

Actions, safeties and magazines

The six action types, how safeties work and why they can fail, slide/tang, cross-bolt, wing, trigger-block and half-cock safeties, action releases and box and tubular magazines.

Practise Actions, safeties and magazines questions Flashcards Official chapter

Module 6.1, Action types

Firearms are mainly classified by action type; there are six basic types.
Muzzleloader: loaded from the muzzle with black powder or a substitute.
Hinge (break) action: opens near the breech like a door hinge; usually one or two barrels.
Bolt action: works like a door bolt; very strong and most common on rifles.
Lever action: a metal lever behind the trigger opens the action.
Pump (slide or trombone) action: sliding the fore-end back and forth cycles it; most common on shotguns.
Semi-automatic: uses part of the gas energy of each shot to eject the case and chamber the next round; one shot per trigger pull.

Module 6.2, Safeties

A safety blocks part of the firing system (trigger, sear, hammer or firing pin) to reduce the chance of an unintentional shot.
Safeties are mechanical and can fail; a hard blow may fire some firearms with the safety ON. Use it, never rely on it.
The person holding the firearm is always the most important safety device.
Common types: slide/tang, pivot/lever/rocker, wing, trigger block/lever, cross-bolt or button, and the half-cock notch.
Slide/tang: often on top of the receiver of shotguns and the right side of rifles; moved with the thumb.
Wing safety: a lever on the bolt of many bolt-action rifles.
Trigger-block safety: on some lever actions, the firearm will not fire unless the lever is squeezed fully against the stock.
Half-cock: the hammer has forward, half-cock and full-cock positions. Half-cock is "safe" only on firearms designed that way.
A hammer resting fully forward on the firing pin can fire the firearm if it is struck.
Lowering a hammer is risky: it can slip from under your thumb and fire.
Cross-bolt: a push-button that blocks the trigger or hammer. A visible red band usually means the safety is OFF (ready to fire).
There is no single standard for marking safeties; learn the ON position from the owner's manual before loading.
Action release: a lever or button that must be moved before the action opens or closes; its location varies by model.

Module 6.8; RCMP Maximum permitted magazine capacity (current)

A repeater has one chamber but holds extra rounds in a magazine; the shooter cycles a new round by hand (except semi-autos).
Two common magazine types: box (fixed or removable) and tubular (under the barrel or in the stock).
Ammunition can hang up inside a tubular magazine; always see or feel the follower to confirm it is empty.
Pointed centre-fire bullets in a tubular magazine can set off the primer of the round ahead if jarred.
Most magazines for semi-automatic centre-fire long guns are limited to 5 cartridges; most handgun magazines to 10.
Magazines that exceed the legal limit are prohibited devices for individuals.
Hunting laws may also limit how many cartridges a magazine may hold while hunting.

Loading and unloading by action type

The general unloading and loading procedures, checking the bore for obstructions, and the key steps for hinge, bolt, lever, pump and semi-automatic actions.

Practise Loading and unloading by action type questions Flashcards Official chapter

Module 6.4, General procedures

Every unloading starts with ACTS and the five PROVE steps.
Before loading, check the barrel and chamber for obstructions, ideally by looking through from the breech end.
Only look from the muzzle end after confirming the firearm is unloaded with the action open and chamber empty.
A bore light or a rod with a patch can also be used; a patch only finds an obstruction if it fills the bore.
Loading steps: PROVE it safe, clear any obstruction, point safely, nothing touching the trigger, safety ON if possible, load the correct ammunition by matching data stamp to head stamp, close the action, safety ON.
A loaded firearm needs continuous attention until it is unloaded.
Read the owner's manual for the exact method on your model; the course steps are general.

Module 6.6–6.7, Hinge and single-shot bolt

Hinge action: push the action release (the safety may need to be off), break the barrel open; extractors partly lift out cases; remove any left by hand.
The safety on a hinge action is usually a top tang safety or an exposed hammer that must be down or on half-cock.
To load a hinge action, place the matched shells in the chambers and close it firmly.
Bolt action: lift the bolt handle and pull it back to extract and eject; close by pushing forward and down.

Module 6.9–6.12, Repeaters

With a detachable magazine, remove the magazine before opening the action to clear the chamber.
For tubular magazines, remove the inner tube if possible and let the rounds fall out; otherwise cycle the action repeatedly.
Cycling rounds through the chamber puts the firearm in a ready-to-fire condition each time, so take extra care with the muzzle.
Lever action: move the lever down and forward to open; many have an exposed hammer used as a half-cock safety.
Pump action: press the action release and slide the fore-end to the rear to open.
Semi-automatic: remove the magazine first, then work the cocking handle or bolt to clear the chamber; lock the action open.
Some semi-automatics have a magazine disconnect that prevents firing without the magazine in place.
After unloading any repeater, check the follower is visible or can be felt.

Muzzleloaders and black powder

Black powder grades, why smokeless powder is never used in a muzzleloader, checking whether a muzzleloader is primed or charged, the marked ramrod, cleaning, and when a muzzleloader counts as loaded.

Practise Muzzleloaders and black powder questions Flashcards Official chapter

Module 2.1, Black powder

Black powder comes in grades: Fg (coarsest, large-bore muskets), FFg (shotguns and big-bore rifles), FFFg (most common, cap-and-ball revolvers) and FFFFg (finest).
FFFFg is priming powder for flintlock pans only; never use it as the main charge.
Use only black powder or an approved substitute such as Pyrodex in a muzzleloader; never smokeless powder.
Never use black powder in a modern cartridge firearm that was not designed for it.
Black powder is an explosive: heat, friction, static or a sharp blow can ignite it. Keep it away from flames, sparks and cigarettes.

Module 2.2, Muzzleloading firearms

Powder is poured down the muzzle, then a patch and ball, bullet or shot; a flash through a vent ignites the charge.
In a flintlock, the flint held by the cock strikes the frizzen; in a percussion gun, the hammer strikes a cap.
Most modern muzzleloaders are reproductions; have any old original examined by a gunsmith before firing.
To check that it is not primed: point safely, finger off the trigger, hammer not at full cock, look for a cap or primed pan and remove it.
It is hard to tell whether the barrel holds a charge; a ramrod marked at the empty-bore depth shows if it is loaded.
Always measure powder with a separate volumetric measure; never pour straight from the horn or flask.
Wipe oil and grease from the bore before loading, and seat the ball firmly on the powder.
Treat a misfire as a hangfire: keep the muzzle pointed safely for at least 60 seconds.
Wear eye and hearing protection when firing.
Never lean over or stand in front of the muzzle.
Do not carry a primed muzzleloader at full cock unless you are ready to fire.
On a double-barrel muzzleloader, remove the cap from the other barrel before loading one barrel; recoil can push the second charge forward, so re-seat it.
Never store a muzzleloader with powder in it. Under the storage rules a black-powder firearm counts as loaded when powder or a ball is in the barrel.
Subject to provincial rules, a loaded muzzleloader may be moved between hunting sites if the cap or flint is removed.

Module 2.2.2, Cleaning

Clean a black-powder firearm after every session: the residue is corrosive and attracts moisture.
Poor cleaning leaves carbon build-up ("coking") that can hold a glowing ember and ignite the next charge.
Use black-powder solvent or hot soapy water, a close-fitting rod and patches, starting with wet patches.

Range rules, carries and field safety

Range commands and cease-fire, eye and hearing protection, firearms and vehicles, crossing fences and obstacles, zones of fire in a group and the six carrying positions.

Practise Range rules, carries and field safety questions Flashcards Official chapter

Module 7.1–7.4, Range safety

Typical range commands include "the range is active", "cease-fire" and "the range is no longer active"; commands vary, so ask the Range Officer.
Wear impact-resistant safety glasses with side shields to guard against cases, fragments and debris.
Gunshot noise causes hearing loss; wear earmuffs, and for the most protection wear earplugs and earmuffs together.
Muzzles always point down range; actions stay open except when actually shooting.
Load, unload and fire only at the firing line, and only after the Range Officer's command to load.
On "cease-fire": stop firing at once, unload, open the action, lay the firearm down pointing down range and step back behind the cease-fire line.
No one handles firearms or ammunition during a cease-fire; the Range Officer checks firearms before anyone goes forward.
Anyone may call a cease-fire in an emergency.
Minors and guests without a licence must be under direct and immediate supervision: the supervisor within arm's reach.
Ranges with regularly scheduled shooting need an approval from the provincial or territorial Chief Firearms Officer.
Courtesy: ask before handling another person's firearm, do not shoot others' targets, and shoot smoky black-powder firearms downwind of others.

Module 7.2.3 and 7.5–7.6, Vehicles and the outdoors

If you fall, your first action is to control the muzzle.
Blaze orange is recommended when hunting and required by law in some provinces.
Button collar and sleeves so a hot ejected case cannot make you flinch.
"Vehicle" can include boats, snowmobiles, ATVs, sleds and private aircraft.
Never have a loaded firearm in or on a vehicle unless the law allows shooting from it; unload before getting in, load only after getting out.
Secure the firearm in a vehicle so it cannot be dislodged or stepped on.
Protect the trigger and safety from twigs and branches while carrying.
Unload before crossing a fence, obstacle, ice or slippery, rocky or uneven ground.
Crossing a fence alone: unload, lay the firearm flat under the fence with the action open and muzzle pointed away, then cross.
In a group, one person holds the open, unloaded firearms while the others cross.
Hunting alone from a pit or blind: unload, place the firearm outside, enter, then bring it in.
Check the muzzle for dirt after laying a firearm on the ground.

Module 7.7–7.8, Groups and carries

In a group, appoint a Range Officer and set an informal firing line with a safe backstop.
Agree on each shooter's safe zone of fire before starting, and always know where your partners are.
Two-hand (ready) carry: the safest carry, with the best muzzle control.
Cradle carry: safe when alone; companions must stay on the side away from the muzzle.
Elbow (side) carry: for open terrain; not in bush and not with people ahead.
Trail carry: only when alone or standing still.
Shoulder carry: the least safe; never with a loaded firearm or with others around.
Sling carry: frees both hands, but not for dense bush, and dangerous to people in front if you bend forward.
Never use a carry that points the muzzle at another person.

Firing techniques and firearm care

Anticipating every shot, the four rifle shooting positions, aiming versus pointing, the master eye, breathing, trigger control and follow-through, acceptable targets and safe cleaning.

Practise Firing techniques and firearm care questions Flashcards Official chapter

Module 8.0–8.2, Marksmanship and positions

Good marksmanship is a safety skill: if you cannot predict where the bullet goes, the shot cannot be safe.
Anticipation means thinking ahead: where your group is, what could deflect the bullet, what lies over the hill, where a pass-through bullet will go.
The four rifle positions are standing, kneeling, sitting and prone.
Standing is the least stable; if you sway too much, rest the rifle on a support rather than shooting.
Kneeling is steadier than standing but less steady than sitting or prone.
Sitting is one of the steadiest; brace carefully so recoil does not drive you into the support.
Prone is the steadiest position, good for long shots when grass or brush does not block the view.
A sling can steady the rifle in several positions.
Left-handed shooters reverse the positions and may prefer left-handed firearms.

Module 8.2.2–8.4, Aiming, pointing and fundamentals

A rifle is aimed precisely; a shotgun is pointed, because the pellets spread.
With a shotgun, keep both eyes open and watch the moving target, not the bead; mount the stock to the cheek, then the shoulder.
Shotgun shooters swing through and follow through; stopping the swing makes the shot miss behind.
Main sight types: open, peep, telescopic and electronic. Most shotguns have only a front bead.
Open sights need sight alignment of rear sight, front sight and target, which forms the sight picture.
Every firearm must be sighted in for its shooter before use.
Use your master (dominant) eye; find it by viewing a distant object through a triangle made with your hands and closing each eye in turn.
A scope's narrow field of view can hide a person stepping into the line of fire.
Release the shot in the natural pause at the bottom of a breath instead of holding your breath.
Rifle triggers are squeezed slowly and steadily so the shot is almost a surprise; shotgun triggers are slapped quickly but not hard.
Follow-through means holding the sight picture and position after the shot.
An acceptable target is positively identified, safe to shoot and legal to shoot.

Module 9, Care of firearms

Always unload and PROVE a firearm before cleaning or servicing it, with no ammunition nearby.
A firearm that does not work properly is unsafe. Users should only do basic cleaning and lubrication; repairs and modifications are for qualified gunsmiths.
Rust from moisture and build-up of residue are the two main threats; both can raise pressure and damage the barrel.
Clean the barrel after every use, and clean a firearm that was stored a long time or got wet or dirty before using it.
Some old military surplus ammunition is corrosive; clean right after using it.
Oil or moisture can freeze safeties and firing parts in cold weather; the firearm may fire later when it thaws.
Clean from the breech toward the muzzle when possible, using the right-size rod, brush, patches, solvent and light oil.
Repeat solvent and dry patches until a patch comes out clean, then run a lightly oiled patch.
Before shooting again, run a dry patch to remove oil from the bore.
Wash your hands after cleaning; acid from sweat can cause rust on metal parts.
Never let a loaded firearm into a building or living area, and give cleaning your full attention.

Owner responsibilities and licensing

The PAL and Minor's Licence, safety-course rules and exceptions, renewing and address changes, lending, pointing offences, lost or stolen firearms, warning signs of violence and the ethics of firearm ownership.

Practise Owner responsibilities and licensing questions Flashcards Official chapter

Safety courses (2024-10-23), Licensing information (2024-03-07), Canadian residents (2024-10-25)

First-time applicants must pass the Canadian Firearms Safety Course (CFSC) before applying for a Possession and Acquisition Licence (PAL).
After classroom instruction, the CFSC has a written test and a practical test.
Anyone 12 or older can take the CFSC; children under 12 may attend for education only and do not take the tests.
The PAL is the only licence available to new adult applicants (18+). It is renewed every 5 years.
The CFP mails renewal notices about three months before a licence expires.
Anyone who wants restricted firearms must also pass the Canadian Restricted Firearms Safety Course (CRFSC).
A firearms licence lets the holder possess and use firearms; a registration certificate identifies a restricted or prohibited firearm and links it to its owner.
You usually need a licence to possess a firearm even if you are not the owner and never handle it.
Licence holders must tell the Canadian Firearms Program within 30 days when their address changes.

Minors (2024-10-25)

A Minor's Licence is for ages 12 to 17 and requires passing the CFSC tests (minor sustenance hunters are an exception).
It allows borrowing non-restricted firearms for approved purposes such as hunting, target practice or instruction.
It does not allow acquiring firearms (even as a gift) or possessing restricted or prohibited firearms.
A parent or guardian must consent, and a Firearms Officer may interview them.
A minor without a licence may use a firearm only under the direct and immediate supervision of a person licensed for that firearm.
At 18 a minor must apply for a PAL.

Safety course exceptions (2024-10-23) and Classes of firearms (lending)

Some Manitoba and Quebec hunter-safety courses passed before 1995 count as the CFSC.
A Chief Firearms Officer may exempt someone who has owned a firearm continuously since January 1, 1979 and meets the safety standard.
After a court prohibition order ends, a person must retake and pass the safety courses before applying.
A borrower needs no licence if the owner directly and immediately supervises; otherwise the borrower needs a licence for that class.

Introduction and Module 10

Responsibilities come from federal law (Firearms Act, Criminal Code), provincial law (hunting rules such as blaze orange or distances from roads) and municipal by-laws (discharge bans).
Pointing a firearm at a person without lawful excuse is a Criminal Code offence, loaded or not.
Storing, displaying, transporting or handling a firearm contrary to the regulations is a Criminal Code offence; you may also lose the firearm and licence.
Report a lost or stolen firearm to the local police and to the Canadian Firearms Program (1-800-731-4000).
Keep an inventory with photos and documents, keep up with law changes, and do not advertise that you own firearms.
When violence or self-harm seems possible, remove firearms from the home, consider storing them elsewhere and contact police; the CFP line takes public-safety concerns.
Suicides and homicides are often impulsive; secure storage creates delay that can save lives.
Never use alcohol or drugs (including some prescription or allergy medicines) around firearms, and do not shoot with someone who has.
Get permission before shooting on any land; avoid firing near buildings or roads; keep your eyesight checked.

Storing, displaying and transporting firearms

The federal rules for storing, displaying and transporting non-restricted firearms and their ammunition, unattended vehicles, remote areas and predator control, and how the rules differ for restricted firearms.

Practise Storing, displaying and transporting firearms questions Flashcards Official chapter

Storing, transporting and displaying firearms (2024-11-12)

The rules apply to individuals; businesses have different rules.
Storage, all classes: unload the firearm. Store ammunition separately or lock it up; it may share the same locked container as the firearm.
Non-restricted storage: attach a secure locking device such as a trigger or cable lock (or remove the bolt) so it cannot fire, OR lock it in a cabinet, container or room that is difficult to break into.
Restricted and prohibited storage: a locking device AND a locked cabinet, container or room; or a vault, safe or room built or modified for firearm storage.
Transport of non-restricted firearms: they must be unloaded.
Transport of restricted and prohibited firearms: unloaded, locking device attached, locked in a sturdy non-transparent container, and an Authorization to Transport.
Unattended vehicle, any class: lock non-restricted firearms (and locked cases of restricted ones) in the trunk or a similar lockable compartment.
With no trunk: put firearms out of sight inside and lock the vehicle.
In a remote wilderness area where a non-restricted firearm cannot be locked in the vehicle: unload it, put it out of sight and attach a locking device unless it is needed for predator control.
Display at home: ammunition may not be displayed with the firearm or be accessible to it.
Non-restricted display: locking device attached, or locked in a cabinet, container or room that is difficult to break into.
Restricted and prohibited display: locking device attached AND securely fastened to something that cannot be moved.
Displays away from home (for example a gun show) may have different rules; ask the Canadian Firearms Program.

Module 11, Storage, display, transport and handling of non-restricted firearms

The law requires firearms to be unloaded except when in use.
Assume anyone untrained does not know how to handle a firearm safely, especially children.
Where discharge is legal, a non-restricted firearm kept for predator control may be stored unlocked for a time if unloaded and away from ammunition.
In a remote area where hunting might reasonably occur, a non-restricted firearm may be stored unlocked and near ammunition if it is unloaded.
Rural residents who need quick access for predator control should confirm with local officials which exemptions apply.
Before flying with a firearm, contact the air carrier for its rules.
Carry firearms in public in a case or opaque container.
You may load or handle a loaded firearm only where it is lawful to discharge it.
Prohibited ammunition (for example tracer rounds) and prohibited devices (for example silencers and over-capacity magazines) cannot be acquired by individuals.

Written in our own words from: Canadian Firearms Safety Course Student Handbook (RCMP Canadian Firearms Program)

FAQ

CFSC / PAL study guide: common questions

What is the best way to use this CFSC / PAL study guide?

Read one topic, then answer that topic's practice questions while the rules are fresh. Note the questions you miss, re-read those notes, and finish with a full practice test across all 12 topics.

Is this the official CFSC / PAL handbook?

No. It is our own summary of the Canadian Firearms Safety Course Student Handbook (RCMP Canadian Firearms Program). Use it to review, and use the official handbook when you need the exact wording of a rule.

Can I print the study guide?

Yes, with your browser's print command. For practice questions on paper with an answer key, use our printable questions and answers page instead.