Canadian Firearms Glossary — Key Terms & Definitions
A complete reference glossary of Canadian firearms terms, acronyms, and legal definitions used in the CFSC and CRFSC exams and the Firearms Act.
ACTS
Assume, Control, Trigger, See — the core safe handling protocol from the CFSC.
ATT
Authorization to Transport — permit required to transport restricted or prohibited firearms.
CFO
Chief Firearms Officer — the provincial official who administers the Firearms Act.
CFSC
Canadian Firearms Safety Course — required for a non-restricted PAL.
CFP
Canadian Firearms Program — RCMP department that manages licences and registrations.
CRFSC
Canadian Restricted Firearms Safety Course — required for a restricted PAL (RPAL).
EAV
Entity-Attribute-Value — a framework for describing firearm facts (e.g., CRFSC duration = 4–6 hours).
Firearm
Under s.2 of the Criminal Code, a barrelled weapon that can cause serious bodily injury.
Hangfire
A delayed ignition after the trigger is pulled. Keep muzzle downrange 30+ seconds.
Malfunction
A failure in the firing cycle — includes misfire, hangfire, squib, and failure to feed.
Misfire
A cartridge that does not fire after the primer has been struck. Wait 30 seconds, eject carefully.
Non-Restricted
Firearm class covering most rifles and shotguns. Requires non-restricted PAL.
OIC
Order-in-Council — government regulation that can reclassify firearms. 2020 OIC banned ~1,500 models.
PAL
Possession and Acquisition Licence — the federal firearms licence issued by RCMP.
Prohibited
The most restricted firearm class. No new licences issued. Grandfathered owners only.
PROVE
Point, Remove, Observe, Verify, Examine — protocol for verifying a firearm is unloaded.
Restricted
Firearm class covering most handguns. Requires RPAL, registration, and ATT for transport.
RPAL
Restricted Possession and Acquisition Licence — covers both non-restricted and restricted firearms.
Safe Direction
A direction in which an accidental discharge would not injure anyone. Typically downrange or at ground.
Squib
A cartridge that fires with insufficient power to clear the barrel. Do not fire next round — inspect bore.
Standing ATT
An automatic ATT issued with your RPAL covering standard transport to range, gunsmith, and CFO.
Trigger Lock
A device that prevents the trigger from being pulled. Required for storage of all licensed firearms.