A shooting patent is the first document to be obtained on the way to a firearms license for sports purposes. The exam is also the biggest obstacle on this path. Therefore, in this article, you will learn what the theoretical and practical exam for a shooting patent look like, how to prepare for them and what to expect.
Before the exam
As you probably know, before a gun owner can take the exam, he or she must enroll in a shooting club. At the club, after paying the registration fee and the annual membership fee, you can sign up for training courses preparing for the exam. And you should do exactly that, because their cost will always be lower than the cost of the next approach to the exam.
Theoretical exam
The shooting patent theoretical exam is a multiple-choice test consisting of 10 questions. The first four questions are within the scope of the Weapons and Ammunition Act and you can’t make any mistakes in them. The remaining 6 questions deal with the issue of sports rules. This time participant has the right to make one mistake.
How to prepare for it? There are two ways. Install the NTS Quiz mobile application and learn from it or use the pool of questions for the shooting patent exam and tests available on the PatentStrzelecki.eu website – both options are equally effective. One hour of exercise for 2-3 weeks should do the trick. You need to know Polish, though. Or get it translated, and bring your own translator to the exam. It can be done.
If the theory test is passed, it is halfway to success because then, even if the candidate fails any of the three parts of the practical test, he / she is entitled to a correction. Which means that he does not have to pay one more time for the entire exam, but only PLN 100 per failed category (pistol, rifle, shotgun).
Practical exam
You can prepare for the practical exam for only with the help of club coaches who will explain the applicable rules and procedures, show the correct shooting techniques and correct your errors. Trainings are also carried out with the use of the same weapons as will be used in the exam. It should be noted that any training with the use of other weapons, especially combat type, will only make it difficult to pass the exam, as they may lead to the acquisition of bad habits.
The practical exam for a shooting license consists of the three parts mentioned. Usually, there is no set order of passing, and you approach the positions by standing in one of three lines – the pistol, rifle or shotgun.
Pistol
The handgun examination requires the shooter to place 4 out of 5 shots in a 15 cm diameter circle on a target 25 meters away. It doesn’t matter where the holes are on the target, as long as they are close enough to each other. The gun will be a Soviet Margolin caliber .22 Long Rifle. It is characterized by a gentle resistance of the trigger mechanism and highly visible iron sights.
The shooting technique depends on your preference. Both hands frontal posture or one-handed sideways posture shooting is normally allowed. As long as safety rules and shooting procedures are followed, the rest is up to you.
Rifle
During the rifle-shooting test, the test taker must demonstrate the ability to fit 4 out of 5 shots in a 5 cm circle on a target 50 meters away. Again, the accuracy itself does not count, it is shooting for precision.
Shooting is carried out from a single-shot bolt action rifle, same caliber. The cartridges are loaded into the chamber one at a time. The posture is lying with a support. The aiming device is a so-called diopter, that is, two circles to be aligned together on the target.
Shotgun
Passing the shotgun exam requires the shooter to hit 4 out of 5 times on a metal reactive target 15 meters away. The key is to hit the upper part of the target with as many pellets as possible, because this is the only thing that guarantees the target’s proper deflection and a successful shot.
Shooting is carried out from a double barrel shotgun, with the barrels arranged vertically Only one barrel is to be loaded at a time. Standing posture. Aiming devices in the form of a sight rail with a front sight.
It is also possible to pass the shotgun exam in the so-called simplified trap (flying targets), but it is much more difficult and it makes no sense to use this option. However, if someone should think of it, the number of required hits is the same.
Summary
In short – study diligently for the theory test, because if you fail, it will expose you to expenses. Practice shooting in the club, not with friends and not at random shooting ranges without a coach. With proper preparation, passing the exam is not difficult, and after all, the path to a sports gun license is wide open. It is only a matter of time before you clutch your red ID.
