Pennsylvania Hunter-Trapper Education Course Practice Exam

Which part of a firearm loads, fires, and ejects the shells or cartridges?

1. The barrel

2. The action

3. The stock

4. The trigger mechanism

The correct answer is: The action

The barrel is incorrect because it is the long and cylindrical metal tube that the projectile travels through and does not involve any loading, firing, or ejecting of shells or cartridges. The stock is incorrect because it is the part of the firearm that is held by the shooter and is not involved in loading, firing, or ejecting shells or cartridges. The trigger mechanism is incorrect because it is responsible for initiating the firing sequence, but does not directly load, fire, or eject shells or cartridges. It works in conjunction with the action. The action is the correct answer because it is the moving mechanical parts of a firearm that include the bolt, breechblock, hammer, and related parts that load, fire, and eject shells or cartridges.