FSC Practice Questions & Answers

Sample questions from every chapter of the California FSC study guide, with answers and explanations.

Free CA FSC practice questions

These are real questions from our California Firearm Safety Certificate practice test. Each one is based on the DOJ's published 2025 FSC Study Guide and has an explanation and a page citation. Try each question before you open the answer.

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The real FSC written test has 30 multiple-choice questions drawn from six chapters, and you need 75% (23 correct) to pass. Jump to a chapter for an overview of what it covers:

  1. Chapter 1: Firearm Safety Rules
  2. Chapter 2: Firearms and Children
  3. Chapter 3: Firearm Operation and Safe Handling
  4. Chapter 4: Firearm Ownership
  5. Chapter 5: Prohibited Transfers and Straw Purchases
  6. Chapter 6: Firearms Laws

Chapter 1: Firearm Safety Rules

1. What is the first of the six basic firearm safety rules?

  1. A Treat all firearms as if they are loaded
  2. B Store ammunition separately from the firearm
  3. C Never load a firearm indoors
  4. D Always engage the safety before handling
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A. Treat all firearms as if they are loaded

Rule one is to treat all firearms as if they are loaded — always assume a firearm is loaded even if you think it is unloaded. Study guide p. 4

2. Where should your trigger finger rest until you are ready to shoot?

  1. A Off the trigger and outside the trigger guard
  2. B On the trigger, but only if the safety is engaged
  3. C Wherever is most comfortable
  4. D Resting lightly on the trigger
Show answer

A. Off the trigger and outside the trigger guard

Always keep your finger off the trigger and outside the trigger guard until you are ready to shoot. Even though resting your finger on the trigger may feel comfortable, it is unsafe. Study guide p. 4

What Chapter 1 covers, and more on firearm safety rules →

Chapter 2: Firearms and Children

3. Whose responsibility is it to make sure a child cannot gain access to firearms?

  1. A The child's parents only
  2. B Local law enforcement's
  3. C The firearms dealer's
  4. D The firearm owner's — and it is mandated by California law
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D. The firearm owner's — and it is mandated by California law

It is a firearm owner's responsibility to take all possible steps to make sure a child cannot gain access to firearms. This responsibility is mandated by California law. Study guide p. 7

What Chapter 2 covers, and more on firearms and children →

Chapter 3: Firearm Operation and Safe Handling

4. How does a revolver hold its ammunition?

  1. A In a detachable box magazine
  2. B Directly in the barrel
  3. C In a tubular magazine under the barrel
  4. D In a rotating cylinder containing a number of chambers, usually five or six
Show answer

D. In a rotating cylinder containing a number of chambers, usually five or six

A revolver has a rotating cylinder containing a number of chambers, usually five or six. Study guide p. 10

5. A cartridge, commonly called a "round," is made up of which four parts?

  1. A The bullet, the barrel, the chamber and the case
  2. B The case, the primer, the propellant and the bullet
  3. C The bullet, the casing, the powder and the magazine
  4. D The primer, the powder, the wad and the shot
Show answer

B. The case, the primer, the propellant and the bullet

A firearm cartridge is a single unit of ammunition made up of four parts: the case, the primer, the propellant and the bullet. Study guide p. 22

What Chapter 3 covers, and more on firearm operation and safe handling →

Chapter 4: Firearm Ownership

6. How often should a firearm's barrel be cleaned?

  1. A After every use
  2. B Only before long-term storage
  3. C Once a year regardless of use
  4. D Only when it visibly jams
Show answer

A. After every use

The barrel should be cleaned after every use. Accumulated moisture, dirt or grease can interfere with the efficient and safe operation of a firearm. Study guide p. 26

7. How does a trigger lock work?

  1. A It removes the firing pin
  2. B It encases the entire firearm in metal
  3. C It is typically a two-piece device that fits around the trigger and trigger guard to prevent access to the trigger
  4. D It loops a steel cable through the action
Show answer

C. It is typically a two-piece device that fits around the trigger and trigger guard to prevent access to the trigger

Trigger locks are typically two-piece devices that fit around the trigger and trigger guard to prevent access to the trigger, locked by a key or combination. Study guide p. 27

What Chapter 4 covers, and more on firearm ownership →

Chapter 5: Prohibited Transfers and Straw Purchases

8. What is a straw purchase?

  1. A Purchasing a firearm at a gun show
  2. B Buying a firearm for someone prohibited by law from possessing one, or for someone who does not want their name associated with the transaction
  3. C Buying ammunition in bulk to resell
  4. D Buying a firearm and returning it the same day
Show answer

B. Buying a firearm for someone prohibited by law from possessing one, or for someone who does not want their name associated with the transaction

A straw purchase is buying a firearm for someone who is prohibited by law from possessing one, or buying a firearm for someone who does not want his or her name associated with the transaction. Study guide p. 30

What Chapter 5 covers, and more on prohibited transfers and straw purchases →

Chapter 6: Firearms Laws

9. After a dealer submits the DROS, how long is the mandatory waiting period before the firearm can be delivered?

  1. A 30 days
  2. B 10 days
  3. C 3 days
  4. D 24 hours
Show answer

B. 10 days

There is a mandatory 10-day waiting period before the firearms dealer can deliver the firearm to the purchaser. Study guide p. 31

10. To obtain an FSC, you must score at least:

  1. A 90%
  2. B 75% on the written test
  3. C 60%
  4. D 50%
Show answer

B. 75% on the written test

To obtain an FSC you must score at least 75% on an objective written test pertaining to firearms laws and safety requirements. Study guide p. 32

What Chapter 6 covers, and more on firearms laws →

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Practice tool only — not affiliated with the California DOJ. Question content is derived from the publicly published DOJ Firearm Safety Certificate Study Guide (2025).