Hello all. I have a favour to ask

[ironllama]

Hi all.
At the end of the month (March 29) I will be taking the course and exam for my PAL. I have always had an interest in firearms but have never owned or even shot one. I want to get a .22 to target shoot with.

So, I have read the CFSC manual and taken a free practice exam online and did some homework on ballistics and other firearm knowledge, but I am wondering if everyone who feels like it could put down some of their takeaways from their own experience with the exam/course.

I am wondering about the following:

-could all the answers to the exam questions be found in the CFSC manual and in the course instruction?
-is the practical part done in front of the class? (I have bad nerves!)
-what particular questions did you find hard (if you can remember)?

I apologize if a similar thread has been posted already. Any help I can get here would be great.

Thanks!

Eric

[newcoyote]

I just did the course (RPAL) and passed the tests with 100%. If you have read the book and pay attention to the course instructor, you should be fine. Read the test questions carefully but they are not that hard.Just give each thought before answering. No, the practical is not done in front of the class. When I took it, they took us in pairs. They specified they split family members/ friends to avoid coaching. Also if you're watching others do the practical exam, that would kind of give it away. The most important thing to remember during the practical is DO NOT pull the trigger, keep the firearm pointed in the designated safe direction. Always do your ACTS/PROVE. Don't get too wound up about it. It's pretty easy.

[bertn]

Just finished mine a few weeks ago with only one mistake in each section.

-The course alone should be enough, so don't worry. Especially since you already read the manual.
Everything is in there.

-Practical exam is was not done in front of the class in my situation.
Make sure you know your a.c.t.s. and p.r.o.ve. !
Trigger out of the guard and pay attention to muzzle direction!! mistakes here will cost you extra points.

Good luck!

[ironllama]

Thanks guys. Always hated exams so i tend to worry a bit too much lol

[relic38]

To add to what has been said, the practical exam is done one-on -one with the instructor. The Practical course component is done in the class in groups. This is the part where you handle deactivated firearms. It's not hard but the main rules are A.C.T.S. and P.R.O.V.E.
You may get buddied up with someone for the practical course part. So if you are going alone, talk to your class neighbours in the morning so you are more comfortable when the time comes to handle the guns.
Relax, be calm, breath in, breath out, all that good stuff. Good luck and have fun. I did.

[3strokes]

If you're asked to cross over a fence when you have a rifle, after you put it down, cross and pick it up again, do NOT FORGET to ACTs and PROVE it again. Never mind that it was out of your hands for only a few seconds and that an ant colony did not have time to build an anthill in the barrel.

[ironllama]

Thanks relic. I noticed your location and I too am in Barrie. Im looking to join the Collingwood gun club if all goes to plan. Barrie gun club would be too expensive I think as I only plan to target shoot once in a while. Have you been to the Collingwood range?

[Magellann]

If you pay attention during the course you should have no problems at all with the exams, it was a one on one practical exam back when I did mine.

[silverfoxdj]

Thanks guys. Always hated exams so i tend to worry a bit too much lol

Burn ACTS & PROVE into your brain till it's automatic..

[llO0DQLE]

I am wondering about the following:

-could all the answers to the exam questions be found in the CFSC manual and in the course instruction?
-is the practical part done in front of the class? (I have bad nerves!)
-what particular questions did you find hard (if you can remember)?

1. Yes
2. Yes
3. None

The course is a joke, at least the one I took. Of course, if you didn't read the manuals, then at least some important points are covered, such as safe storage, transportation etc. My practical exam was easy. Although I feel that the other applicants still went away not very well versed with safe handling of firearms, i.e. trigger finger off the trigger and pointing the muzzle in a safe direction. The practical was so regimented and felt like it was just made for people to breeze through it it was so easy. We were told "This wall is the 'safe direction' you can point it here, here here as long as you don't point it there (to classmates)." etc etc

If I was the instructor, I would've made the practical more dynamic. Put a pistol on a table in the middle of the class, have people stand around, get the student to pick it up and ACTS PROVE it. Just like how the real world is, people are standing around. I would also drill students on how to hold and pick up the firearms. Get used to picking it up with that index finger out as far as you can, touching the ejection port if you can (in a handgun). But then again, I grew up with firearms. What helped was that I also have an airsoft pistol that I "handle" around the house and I treat it as I would a real handgun. I do dry fire practice with it with grip, sight alignment and sight picture.. Helps with the muscle memory, including ingraining that trigger finger to be off the trigger at all times, and muzzle awareness!