Hello all. I have a favour to ask

I

ironllama

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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
 
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.
 
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!
 
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.
 
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.
 
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?
 
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.
 
ironllama said:
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)?
Click to expand...

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!
 
ironllama said:
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?
Click to expand...

I took my course at The Wolf's Den, was happy with the course and instructors.
I like the guys in the store, real friendly and helpful, answered my questions. Lots of bows and an awesome archery range out back.
I looked at Barrie Gun club as well as ORA for outdoor competition shooting at Mons (Borden). Collingwood is too far for me (I'm south of Barrie), never been either.
 
For the practical - some things that caught out some folks on my course (including me on one)
- TAKE YOUR TIME - lots of people wanted to be really efficient, ended up rushing, and screwed something up. Slow down and be deliberate.

- WATCH YOUR BODY POSITION - more important for the RPAL, but it is easy to point in the wrong direction while checking the caliber markings - move your body, not your arm! I screwed this up in the RPAL, when I tilted the firearm in order to read the caliber. Lost some points.

- ANY TIME THE FIREARM LEAVES YOUR HANDS IT IS "LIVE" - if they do a fence-crossing, you need to ACTS and PROVES on both sides of the "fence", since the gun left your hands. Anytime you put it down and then pick it up again, ACTS and PROVES. This was the biggest thing that most people lost points on. When in doubt, ACTS and PROVES. If you do it even if you didn't have to, you don't lose points.

- YOU CAN "DO OVER" - if you communicate. An example illustrates this principle best - - doing ACTS and PROVES on a lever action, the first step is normally to push the loading gate out of the way to inspect the tube mag. On some rifles, you cannot do that once you rack the lever to open the action. In a rush, I picked up the lever action, racked the lever, and despite knowing my mistake and even articulating it, I just went on (essentially failing the ACTS and PROVES for that part of the test). The right approach given that error is to say "Oh, I wanted to check the tube mag but now I opened the action, so I will start over to ACTS and PROVES". Most instructors will accept this, and no points lost.

Everyone in our course passed, including some folks that weren't as attentive as they should be. Still, better to get 100%. Losing those points on the lever action ACTS-PROVES still grinds me today.

Good luck!
 
Geraldo said:
but it is easy to point in the wrong direction while checking the caliber markings - move your body, not your arm!

On some rifles, you cannot do that once you rack the lever to open the action.
Click to expand...

Thank you for that info! Based on what you said, here are two ways I might try checking the data stamp in a way where I dont tilt it up or away from the safe direction:

-rest the butt on the floor while leaning the barrel toward the safe direction, then walk around it while holding it with one hand, and pick it up again so I am near the data stamp?
OR
-rest it on the floor with action open, walk around it, prove it again when I pick it up and check the data stamp?

And thanks for that tidbit about the lever-action. I will check the mag first before cocking the lever.
 
ironllama said:
Thanks guys. Always hated exams so i tend to worry a bit too much lol
Click to expand...

Same here, tests have always given me super anxiety ever since I was a kid in school. I always worry that when the test starts my mind will go blank for some reason. Some people are better at written, some at practical. I am not a very good test taker in my eyes but scored in the high 90's (can't remember the exact score) on both tests and practicals. Firearms have not been a big part of my life either, I have shot quite a few though but was lacking in the other areas. Make sure you pay attention to your instructor, they will generally tell you what parts are important and are more that likely on the test. The only couple questions I got wrong were ones I knew but did not read the question completely or thoroughly and jumped into answering. You will be fine.
 
ironllama said:
Hi all.

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)?

Eric
Click to expand...

from my tests:
-All questions come from the manual (make sure you know A.C.T.S. and P.R.O.V.E)
- Practical test was done in a seperate room with instructor only.... (finger off the trigger, don't point it at them)
-None of the questions were hard, best way to prep for it is go to the range with a licensed friend and get him to go over proper handling prior to going... this will make the practical part a lot easier, and will help a bit with the written part.
 
That'd be finger out of the trigger guard. Think in terms of common sense.
Doesn't make much sense to drive to Collingwood if you live in Barrie. Cost you a fortune in gas. You could look into the CFB Borden Rod and Gun. I believe they still take civilians. Do 8 hours of conservation work per year gets you into the draw for an on base deer hunting permit too. Very big deer living on base. Shotguns only as I recall.
Crossing a fence is part of the Hunter's Safety test.
 
The course is easy. No need to get nervous about it. The instructors run these courses with all intent for you to pass. What's hard is learning about the sport of shooting there after... A lot of conflicting opinions, egos, and assorted marketing buzzwords out there. This forum is a great place to ask your newbie questions and get a feel for it, which can do wonders making up for a lack of practical experience.

Good luck, and have fun!
 
ironllama said:
Thanks all for the sound advice. Glad I joined this forum :)
Click to expand...

I can't really add much that hasn't already been added but I just wanted to say you will do fine at the course. I too tend to be a bit of a worryer when it comes to exams or performing practical exams infront of others but it turned out fine.

As long as you read the manual carefully, follow all the rules, and really drill yourself on the ACTS and PROVE (so never pointing the firearm in an unsafe position, keeping finger out of the trigger guard and always perform PROVE everytime the firearm leaves your hands) you should be fine.

As others have said be a bit more cautious with the RPAL if you go for it as it is a lot easier to accidentally point a handgun somewhere unsafe then it is to do with a full length rifle.

Good luck and have fun learning! This forum is a great place to ask these kinds of questions so post frequently. :)
 
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