When you pull the trigger from a shotgun, rifle, or handgun, which event occurs first?

• A. The firing pin strikes the primer, causing it to explode and ignite the gunpowder, generating gas that drives the projectile(s) through the barrel
• B. The safety disengages and triggers the bolt
• C. The barrel rotates and ejects the cartridge
• D. The shooter manually pushes the projectile with their hand

Answer: (A)

When the trigger is pulled, the first thing that happens is the firing pin is allowed to strike the primer. That strike detonates the primer, which then ignites the gunpowder in the cartridge. The powder’s rapid burn creates high-pressure gas that drives the bullet down the barrel. This ignition of the powder is the initiating event that sets the whole firing sequence in motion. The safety mechanism, bolt action, or anything else like manually pushing a projectile would not initiate the shot at that moment; those parts operate or change state after the shot is fired, not at the instant the trigger is pulled.