Course & Exam Feedback for Newbies

762mm

762mm

CGN Ultra frequent flyer
Rating - 100%
35   0   0
Location
The Maple Carneyval
Hello all,

A few weeks ago I've posted that I signed up for the RPAL exam in Lachine and many have given me some important pointers (thanks everyone for your help once again). :) Along with the Restricted firearms safety course & exam, I have also challenged (and successfully passed) the Non-Restricted exam the same day.

My original thread: http://www.canadiangunnutz.com/forum/showthread.php?t=274377&page=3



Here's some interesting things and pointers I've learned from the experience. This should be useful for all beginners who may not know what to expect:

1) You need to succesfully pass BOTH exams to get a handgun licence: Non-Restricted and Restricted. In each exam, the passing mark is 80% (4 exams in total - 1 written and 1 practical for each of the two firearm classes).

2) You need to take the COURSE (and not just the exam challenge) for Non-Restricted firearms if you plan on going hunting with a gun. As the instructor has put it, if you plan on going hunting, then (quote) "just challenging the exam is pissing money away" (lol!)

3) If you take the Restricted course, you can challenge the Non-Restricted exam on the same day at the end of the session (speak to the instructor about it first though). MAKE SURE to download, read and understand the Non-Restricted firearms safety training manual prior to taking the challenge (see bottom of post for appropriate manuals).

4) The Restricted and Non-Restricted exams are extremely similar - the only diffrence is that the Non-Restricted concentrates on shotguns a LOT plus the diffrent long gun action types (bolt, lever, pump, break, semi-auto), whereas the Restricted does not mention much about them, as it's mostly handgun-only. You will have to know the diffrent handgun types though (revolver, semi-auto, bolt, etc..) plus what single and double action stands for in a handgun.

5) If you never handled a handgun before, don't worry - the instructor will manipulate it in front of you and help you out if you can't figure out some part of the mechanism during the practical test. Know and concentrate on your ACTS and PROVE, and the practical exam will go just fine.

6) Important things to remember: Know that you can't interchange black & smokeless powder, know the diffrence between caliber and gauge, know how to TELL a caliber on a gun (the firearm info "tag"), know how to read the bullet caliber on the bottom of its' base, know the diffrence between centerfire and rimfire. Safe storage and transportation are another important thing you will be tested on. And of course you have to know your ACTS and PROVE by heart and in order.

7) Cheating and/or copying on the exam will not be possible. Each person has a diffrent color exam (with questions mixed up diffrently on each) and the instructor is right there in front of you. Besides, if you can't pass the exam without cheating or copying, maybe you should consider something less dangerous like shooting cans with BB's or playing airsoft instead! :p

8) The waiting period to receive your successful course/exam completion letter(s) is about 3 weeks. Those letters are to be photocopied (you have to make sure to keep the original in a safe place) and mailed with your permit application. The Restricted licence (both classes) can be obtained without being a member of a shooting range, but you will have to get a membership at a range once you wish to buy your own handgun (instead of renting the range handguns). Just a suggestion: buying your own handgun is always a good idea, but wait until you receive your RPAL from the government before signing up to a range, as the processing of the permit can take months (this way you save a few months of your yearly range membership).

9) The instructor at the Lachine Hunting Club in Montreal (André) is a great guy, very understanding and fairly easy going (ie. he's not there to make you fail), plus his courses are offered both in english or french. On top of it all, he is very anti-liberal it would seem... Which is always a good thing! :D

Official Non-Restricted and Restricted Course Manuals ---> This is what you absolutely need to read in order to attempt an exam challenge (in .pdf format):

http://www.canadiangunnutz.com/forum/showthread.php?t=39054

Good luck! ;)
 
Last edited:
Edward Teach said:
Not in BC you don't. But you DO of course need CORE to hunt.
Click to expand...

Quebec is always diffrent bud.. we're a "distinct society", haha...

The hunting regulations are provincial (not federal) so it's very possible that other provinces may have diffrent ways of applying it. Still, simply challenging the exam may not be sufficient in some cases.
 
762mm said:
5) If you never handled a handgun before, don't worry - the instructor will manipulate it in front of you and help you out if you can't figure out some part of the mechanism during the practical test....
Click to expand...

If the examiner is doing the test as it is supposed to be done, you had better be worried! If you get one of the examiners who coach people through the test, you're probably ok as long as you don't point a gun at them. They'll talk you through it and ignore most errors. If your examiner asks you to explain how you would do something, it's probably because he is skipping having you actually do parts of the exam. There's no part of the practical test that requires an explanation.

The federal training standard for examiners is that they say nothing but the exact script for the questions once the test has started. The only thing an examiner is supposed to say that isn't on the exam is 'thank you' after the candidates' responses. Examiners are not supposed to coach students during the exam - they're not even supposed to explain ACTS & PROVE after starting the instructions for the exam.
 
dHb said:
The federal training standard for examiners is that they say nothing but the exact script for the questions once the test has started. The only thing an examiner is supposed to say that isn't on the exam is 'thank you' after the candidates' responses. Examiners are not supposed to coach students during the exam - they're not even supposed to explain ACTS & PROVE after starting the instructions for the exam.
Click to expand...

Well, my guy didn't explain or coach me. He just asked me to demonstrate the ACTS and PROVE with the diffrent revolvers he had, but he wasn't anal about the mechanical operation of the revolver iself (he did not explain anything at all, he was very quiet during the entire test... but said not to worry about the gun's mechanical side too much). What I meant to say is that people have nothing to worry about IF they study the book prior to taking the course like I did or, at the very least, pay extra attention during the course to what the instructor is teaching. Obviously he won't help you out if you have no knowledge of the basic rules of safe gun handling.

Hell, realistically speaking, if they really wanted to fail people for being unfamiliar with the gun, then they would have everyone do the exam on flintlocks! :runaway:
 
what DHB said is absolutely true , the thing is most instructors don't want to fail people they want as many people in the sport as possible , when you come for a course and are not prepared it really puts them on the spot (speaking from experience),rather than going into it blind why not try to get a little experience/instruction before going to the course , most people already know people who shoot if not try the club you plan to join , I know Ive given plenty of pre-course instruction.
 
762mm said:
Quebec is always diffrent bud.. we're a "distinct society", haha...

The hunting regulations are provincial (not federal) so it's very possible that other provinces may have diffrent ways of applying it. Still, simply challenging the exam may not be sufficient in some cases.
Click to expand...

well it's always something you can fix;););)
 
WHEN I DID MY NON RESTRICTED AND RESTRICTED I DID THEM BOTH ON THE SAME WEEKEND.BOTH MY INSTRUCTORS WERE GREAT GUYS.BOTH COURSES SHOULD BE STUDIED BEFORE GOING FOR YOUR TESTS.ALSO,ANY LICENSED GUN OWNER SHOULD BE MORE THEN WILLING TO HELP OUT WITH PRE TEST Q@A TO WHO EVER NEEDS THE HELP,TO ME IT'T AN OBLIGATION AND I'M HAPPY TO DO IT.THE TESTS ARE BASICALLY COMMON SENSE BUT IF YOU'RE NOT FAMILLIAR WITH FIREARMS STUDIING IS A MUST AS WELL AS ASKING QUESTIONS FROM LICENSED GUN OWNERS,USING THESE FORUMS IS A GREAT IDEA AS WELL.IN ONTARIO AS FAR AS HUNTING IS CONCERNED A POL/PAL IS NOT A LICENSE TO HUNT:YOU ALSO NEED A HUNTER SAFETY CERTIFICATE TO GET A HUNTING LICENSE.IT'S ALL ABOUT MONEY BUT YOU CAN NEVER BE TO SAFE WHEN IT COMES TO FIREARMS......:dancingbanana:
 
ouchh! my eyes! CAPS hurts. ;)

I'm happy to have found that thread with the links to the PAL-R manual. I'm going to the Lachine course on the 14th of december.....the course is in english so wish me luck. :D

Thanks again for the links.
 
Last edited:
Kosmic said:
ouchh! my eyes! CAPS hurts. ;)

I'm happy to have found that thread with the links to the PAL-R manual. I'm going to the Lachine course on the 14th of december.....the course is in english so wish me luck. :D

Thanks again for the links.
Click to expand...

Good luck dude! You're probably gonna pass your course with André, the same instructor I've had. He speaks very decent english and, although he looks like a tough instructor at first, he is very nice and approachable... especially after he goes through the manual with the class.

But... read the manuals before going there as it will be helpful and he'll definitely appreciate your efforts. If you read both, then you should be able to challenge the "other" exam without any problems. Cheers.
 
rpal is a freakin joke theres about 3 new lines from the pal book
common sense is the first and only guideline
 
Question: Do they phone your spouse for the restricted? Got the PAL. She wouldn't be pleased if I got it but if she thought it was part of the renewal?
 
I can't remember if they called my wife about it, but they did call my other references.
I think as long as you actually got your wife to sign your application they won't call her/him, and that's why I don't remember them calling mine. So in theory you could just tell her it's a renewal and get her to sign it... but of course you shouldn't do that... it would be unethical. ;)
 
I did my non-restricted course at crafm in lasal last year, does that mean i can go get my hunting liscence? or do i need to take another course specifically for hunting?
 
micSarfati said:
I did my non-restricted course at crafm in lasal last year, does that mean i can go get my hunting liscence? or do i need to take another course specifically for hunting?
Click to expand...

Give them a call (at Lasalle). To my understanding, you need the hunting course if you wanna pop some harmless herbivores. ;)

Had you simply challenged the non-restricted exam and not passed the non-restricted course, you'd need two courses right now (non-restricted + hunting). Like I said, give them a call... André gives the hunting courses/licenses too.

Personally I didn't go that way because I simply don't believe in killing anything that doesn't pose a direct threat.. but that's just me, lol! :D
 
Last edited:
In your point #2 you state that you have to take the non-restricted course to hunt with firearms? That's not true. In Ontario you have to take the hunter safety course if you have never had a recognized hunting license before, but there is no requirement to take the non-restricted firearms course.

seatux, In some provinces you have to pass the CSSA (or equiv) club level handgun safety course in order for the club to send away for your ATT. People shouldn't expect this to be free either as the instructor has to purchase certain things to teach you the course such as the handguns, the ammo, the targets and other minor things. I will not spend money to buy a single action, double action and semi handgun plus pay for ammo and targets and photocopy costs just so that you can get your ATT.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom