Texas Hunter Education Certification Practice Exam

Which part of a firearm catches the empty cartridge case after it is fired and extracts it from the chamber?

1. The trigger

2. The barrel

3. The magazine

4. The ejector

The correct answer is: The ejector

The ejector is the component of a firearm specifically designed to catch the empty cartridge case after firing and drive it out of the chamber. When a round is fired, the forces generated within the chamber push the spent cartridge case back against the ejector. The ejector then engages with the case, providing the necessary force to remove it from the chamber and direct it out of the firearm's action. This is a crucial function for the smooth cycling of ammunition and ensuring that the firearm can chamber a new round after each shot. The trigger is responsible for firing the firearm, the barrel directs the projectile, and the magazine holds ammunition but does not interact with spent cartridge cases in the same way as the ejector. Thus, the ejector is essential for the proper functioning of semi-automatic and automatic firearms, contributing to their operational reliability.