- 01: Introduction
- 02: History
- 03: Propellants, Firearms, and Ammunition Development
- 04: Modern Firearms Manufacture
- 05: Small Arms Ammunition
- 06: Evidence Handling Procedures
- 07: Equipment and Instrumentation
- 08: Examination of Firearms
- 09: Cartridge and Shotshell Examination
- 10: Characterization and Evaluation of Fired Projectiles
- 11: Bullet Comparison and Identification
- 12: Gunshot Residue and Distance Determination
- 13: Toolmark Identification
- 14: Communicating Results
- Resources
Cycle-of-Fire Steps
Home > Examination of Firearms > Cycle-of-Fire Steps
Before examining any firearm, the examiner must thoroughly understand the cycle of fire. This refers to the steps involved in discharging a firearm. Regardless of action type or design, the operation of all firearms follows the steps outlined in the cycle of fire.
The steps in the cycle of fire are as follows:
The elements of these steps can be traced in the firing of any breech‑loading weapon. In lower velocity firearms, some of the steps may be simplified or combined, but are nevertheless present in principle.
