Can You Answer These Basic Questions About Firearms?

By: Gavin Thagard
Estimated Completion Time
3 min
Can You Answer These Basic Questions About Firearms?
Image: Yuri_Arcurs/E+/gettyimages

About This Quiz

By now, we have accepted as a species that firearms are not toys that should be played with, and for gun owners, it's much better to understand way too much about firearms than to know too little. From information on different types of rounds to the various gun styles, how much do you know about firearms? Take this quiz and discover that for yourself! 

Since their creation, firearms have created a lot of controversy, particularly among those who want to keep the peace. There's good reason for their controversial nature, however, as firearms can cause mass devastation.

Of course, now, we live in a world where firearms have been around for hundreds of years, and technology has a tendency to go forward, not backward. Therefore, it's much better to understand firearms and firearm safety than to ignore guns altogether, and if you're a firearm owner, this understanding is that much more vital. 

Do you think you're an expert on firearms? Are you ready to test your knowledge on some of the most important firearm questions that every owner should know? Here's your chance. 

When you're ready, give this quiz your best shot and see if you're truly an expert! 

What part of the gun strikes the primer on the round?
Trigger​
Firing pin
Slide stock
Hammer
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Firing pins can help determine which gun was used in a crime because the pin leaves an imprint on the cartridge of the round when it is fired. However, firing pins can be swapped out, and the imprint wears down over time​, meaning this method is only partially reliable.

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How many shells does your standard over and under shotgun hold?
1
2
3
4
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Though they only hold two rounds, over and under shotguns are some of the most reliable guns around. These shotguns have few moving parts, which make them easy to maintain and clean, resulting in a gun that will last a long time.

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Where do you load the ammo in a revolver?
Breach
Clip
Magazine
Cylinder
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

The name revolver comes from the revolving cylinder that holds bullets in the gun. The invention of the revolver allowed handguns to hold more than two bullets for the first time.

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Which of the following rounds has the largest projectile?
.17 HMR
.223
10 mm
.22 LR
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

The FBI started using 10mm rounds after the 1986 shootout in Miami where two FBI agents were killed. However, the rounds were hard to control because of their recoil power and were eventually abandoned.

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What goes into a cartridge that causes the bullet to fire?
Powder
Ammo
Oil
Baking soda
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

The Chinese discovered gunpowder and its effectiveness as a chemical explosive around the 8th century. However, the original use of the powder was for fireworks.

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Which of the following is the most popular law enforcement handgun?
Smith & Wesson
GLOCK
Ruger
Taurus
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

The GLOCK brand was founded in Austria by Gaston Glock. The company has one production facility in the United States which is located in Smyrna, Georgia.

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Which firearm manufacturer has been around for over a hundred years?
GLOCK
Heckler & Koch
Colt
Ruger
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Samuel Colt was an inventor who patented the revolver in 1836 after developing the idea while at sea. His company learned how to construct​ the gun at a rapid rate, and within 25 years of the company's existence, hundreds of thousands of revolvers had been built.

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What do you refer to the basic breakdown of a firearm as?
Rebuild
Field strip
Checkup
Maintenance​
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Military members have been trained to field strip a weapon as quickly and efficiently as possible. They are even taught to perform the practice in the dark in case a scenario arises where they need to repair their gun without seeing it.

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You should treat every gun as if it were what?
Gold
Loaded
A child
Your last
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

A gun should never be taken for granted, even if you're confident it's not loaded. When a gun is being passed around, the barrel should always be aimed away from the other person.

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What causes night sights to have their glow?
Tritium
Helium
Copper
Argon
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

In gas form, tritium is odorless and colorless. However, the element is more likely to be found in its liquid form, which has a chemical formula of T2O.

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What holds rounds in a semi-automatic handgun?
Clip
Barrel
Magazine
Stock
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Many states have high-capacity magazine bans which means magazines can only hold a certain number of rounds. For example, California defines high-capacity as any magazine that holds over 10 rounds.

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Which of these is a rifle?
Remington 870
Mossberg 500
Browning A-Bolt
Beretta A-400
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

The Browning A-Bolt is a popular gun used for hunting, especially in the United States. The gun is hailed for its accuracy, since it has an effective firing range of 1,000 m.

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Which type of optic helps you see at night?
Thermal
Red dot
Holographic
Reflex
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Thermal optics are particularly great in areas with heavy amounts of snow. The extreme cold creates a disparity between the snow and the heat source a gun operator is seeking out.

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How many rounds traditionally fit into a 1911 magazine?
4
5
6
7
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

The 1911 handgun gets its name from the year 1911 when it was adopted by the United States Army. The original design for the handgun came from John Browning and was named the Model 1911.

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What do you carry your firearm in on your hip?
A belt
A holster
A strap
An insert
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Holsters are critically important when it comes to gun safety, particularly for those who carry. The most important thing a holster should do is cover the trigger. Otherwise, the gun is left vulnerable and can easily fire.

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What does IWB mean when it comes to a holster?
Inside the weight band
Inside weighted bullet
In the waistband​
Improved weighted bullet
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Holsters should easily fit guns without any functional issues. An owner should be able to draw and reholster a gun without the gun catching or snagging on the holster.

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Which rifle is a civilian model of the M-4?
AR-15
AK-47
Howa 1500
SCAR 16-S
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Many gun critics often confuse the "AR" in AR-15 as standing for "assault rifle." However, it actually stands for "Armalite rifle," as assault rifles are banned from civilian use.

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What do you pull to fire your weapon?
The hammer
The trigger
The muzzle
The stock
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

The weight of the trigger pull can be altered on firearms to make the trigger easier or more difficult to pull, causing the gun to fire. However, a lighter trigger pull can often result in legal ramifications if the gun is used in self-defense​ as negligence can be cited more easily.

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Which part of the firearm do you shoulder?
The pistol grip
The foregrip
The receiver
The stock
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Bump stocks have become heavily criticized in recent years because they allow rifles to be fired at a quicker rate. A bump stock works by using the energy from the gun sliding back and forth to increase the rate of fire.

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What knife was commonly fit to the end of a rifle?
Bayonet
Katana
Sabre
Spear
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

European militaries started using bayonets as early as the 17th century. Originally, bayonets fit on the end of a muzzle in a way that wouldn't allow the gun to fire.

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What can you turn on to keep your firing pin from going off?
The safety
The muzzle
The breech
The hammer
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

The most common type of safety traditionally used on guns is a lever safety which requires manual operation. It must be flipped off in order for the gun to fire.

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When should you place your finger on the trigger?
When it's pulled from the holster
When it's in the holster
As you pull it from the holster
When you are ready to fire
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

The final step in firing a weapon is putting your finger on the trigger. As soon as your finger touches the trigger, you should be on your target and ready to fire, not pointed off somewhere else.

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What is it called when you carry your firearm hidden under your clothes?
Hidden carry
Concealed carry
Legal carry
Protected carry
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Most states require some type of permit for gun owners to conceal carry their weapon. However, some states, like Mississippi and Kansas, do not require a permit for guns to be concealed.

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Which type of safety do you have to firmly press down in order for the gun to fire?
Press safety
Hold safety
Grip safety
Push safety
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Grip safeties are useful because they require an operator to hold the gun properly before it will fire. If the gun is not held in the proper firing position, it will not go off.

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What do you refer to a solid projectile fired from a shotgun as?
Full metal jacket
Slug
Birdshot
Pellets
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Shotgun slugs are typically made of lead or copper. They are very beneficial in hunting larger game as they have a stronger force and impact when they hit the target.

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Which type of shotgun has a hinge where the barrel breaks, allowing you to load shells?
Pump-action
Single-action
Sawed-off
Break-action
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

The barrel of a shotgun is occasionally shortened in what becomes known as a sawed-off shotgun. Without​ the extended barrel, the gun becomes easier to carry and maneuver.

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Which type of shotgun has a sliding handle that sends a new shell into the chamber?
Pump-action
Bolt-action
Lever-action
Single-action
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Pump-action shotguns aren't known for their accuracy, which is why they are used in close quarters instead of at long distances. Often, they make great home defense weapons since you are more likely to hit your target when they are a few feet away with a shotgun.

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What year did John Browning design the first popular lever-action shotgun?
1808
1864
1887
1910
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

John Browning was one of the earliest American firearm designers. He was awarded over 100 firearm patents throughout his life as he helped usher in the era of automatic and semi-automatic weapons.

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Which of these is the unit of measurement for shotgun barrels?
Diameter
Caliber
Gauge
Meter
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Often confused, a smaller shotgun gauge means the shotgun bore is actually larger. The 12 gauge shotgun is the most popular shotgun in the United States, making up nearly 50 percent of the sales.

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What do you call the helical groove carved inside the barrel of a rifle?
Marking
Rifling
Soldering
Carving
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Rifles are designed for long-range targets, which is particularly useful in deer hunting. By rifling the barrel, bullets can stay on course for a longer duration.

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What is the name for the part of a round that actually fires forward?
Projectile​
Primer
Case
Propellant
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

One of the most popular and powerful handguns is the Smith & Wesson .44 Magnum, which was used by Clint Eastwood in the film "Dirty Harry." The gun carries a projectile with a diameter of .429 inches.

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Which type of round has a metal bullet encased in a harder metal?
Hollow point
Soft point
Special
Full metal jacket
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Full metal jackets are popular practice round bullets that you will find gun owners firing at the range. Their popularity on the range comes from the cheaper price they carry.

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Which type of bullet blooms out after it hits a target?
Hollow point
Soft point
Special
Wad cutter
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Since hollow point bullets expand when they hit a target, they have much more stopping power than a full metal jacket. With that stopping power, these bullets are more useful in home defense.

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Which type of ammo has a soft nose?
Easy point
Soft point
Half metal jacket
Light metal jacket
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Soft point bullets have much more stopping power than a full metal jacket which can be beneficial when hunting larger animals. However, they don't quite have the same stopping power as a hollow point bullet, which is why they aren't as popular.

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What does a double-action pistol do first before firing that a single-action doesn't?
Turns off the safety
Loads the bullet
Aims itself
Cocks
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Double-action pistols have a much stronger trigger pull than single-action pistols. The stronger pull allows the hammer to cock before it drops back and fires the bullet.

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