Which term describes a firearm that can automatically cycle the next round after each shot?

• A. Semi-Automatic
• B. Single-shot
• C. Revolver
• D. Manual

Answer: (A)

When a firearm can automatically cycle the next round after each shot, it means the action uses the energy from firing to eject the spent cartridge and chamber a fresh one, so one trigger pull equals one shot and the gun is ready for the next shot without a manual re-load. This is the behavior of a semi-automatic firearm: you fire once, the mechanism automatically prepares the next round, and you pull the trigger again for the next shot.

It’s not a single-shot weapon, which must be reloaded manually after every shot. It isn’t a revolver, which feeds from a rotating cylinder rather than a magazine-fed, auto-cycling action. And it isn’t manual, where you have to operate the mechanism yourself to chamber each new round.