Washington State Hunters Ed Practice Exam

Which type of action allows for the highest rate of fire in firearms?

1. Single action

2. Double action

3. Semi-automatic

4. Manual

The correct answer is: Semi-automatic

The correct answer is semi-automatic. Semi-automatic firearms are designed to fire one round each time the trigger is pulled, automatically cycling the action to load another round from the magazine after each shot is fired. This mechanism allows the shooter to maintain a higher rate of fire compared to other types of actions because it does not require the shooter to manually operate the action between shots, as is necessary with single-action, double-action, and manual actions. In contrast, single-action requires the shooter to cock the hammer manually before each shot, slowing down the firing rate. Double-action can allow for quicker follow-up shots than single-action since pulling the trigger both cocks and releases the hammer, but it still typically involves a heavier trigger pull and potentially more time-consuming action than semi-automatic firing. Manual actions, such as bolt-action or lever-action, require the shooter to manually cycle the action, which makes them slower in terms of fire rate compared to semi-automatic firearms. Thus, the design and function of semi-automatic firearms enable the highest rate of fire among the options provided.