Effective November 18, 2009, the North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission changed their guidelines for distance learning. Students are now required to spend a minimum amount of time on each course page before proceeding to the certification exam.

Click here to go to the latest version of the Today's Hunter in North Carolina online course—the official hunter education course of the North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission.

The following course material is for reference only. Please go to the new course to complete your North Carolina certification.

Magazines

In repeating firearms, the magazine is the place that stores the ammunition that has not been fired. When you work the action, a cartridge is picked up from the magazine and placed in the chamber ready to be fired.

A magazine shown with a semi-automatic handgun

Magazines are designed with a spring and follower that push against the cartridges to move them into the action. When checking a magazine to make sure it’s empty, you must be able to either see or feel the follower; if you cannot see or feel the follower, there may be a cartridge jammed in the magazine, which can be dangerous. Tubular magazines require close attention to make sure a cartridge is not jammed in the magazine.
Magazines may be detachable or fixed.
- Detachable magazines allow you to remove extra ammunition from the firearm simply by removing the magazine.
- Fixed magazines require the ammunition to be removed manually from the gun itself. These include tubular, hinged-floorplate, and revolving magazines.