Marine Corps Knowledge Practice

Which action should be taken first during the immediate action for a weapon jam?

1. Bang

2. Rack

3. Tap

4. Charge

The correct answer is: Tap

In dealing with a weapon jam, the immediate action procedure is crucial for quickly resolving the issue and ensuring the weapon is ready for use again. The first step involves tapping the base of the magazine to ensure it is properly seated in the weapon. This action helps to confirm that the ammunition is correctly positioned and can feed into the chamber. Properly seating the magazine can often resolve issues caused by a misaligned or partially inserted magazine, which might prevent the weapon from cycling correctly. Following this, the subsequent actions typically involve racking the slide (which helps to clear any existing rounds or malfunctions), followed by assessing whether the weapon is charged and ready to fire again. It is important to remember that jumping straight to racking the slide or charging without confirming proper magazine seating may overlook a potential cause of the jam and lead to further complications. Thus, tapping is the foundational first step in this immediate action sequence.