So I know this is going to get me shamed but I feel I need to share.

I just got a new shotgun. I broke it down for cleaning as well as my old gun. I removed the magazine spring from the old one and replaced with a new one I had ordered.
When I got it put back together, I "tested" the limiter to make sure it would only hold 2 shells in the mag tube. I then unloaded the old one and put it down. I then loaded up the new one to make the same checks. I then "unloaded" it...

Fast forward...

I have always(and now never will again) take the safety off(It was on while cleaning and handling) and pull the trigger to make sure the gun is unloaded. I don't know why I do it, I just do, and I never will again. I also always point the muzzle into the bed when I do this and praise the lord I did this time too.

Somehow in the process of switching guns, I completely didn't unload the new gun at all. In my head it was empty... I pulled the trigger with the muzzle in the mattress and the freaking gun went off.

I won't lie, it freaked me the hell out and I vowed right then and there that I will never EVER put a cartridge in my gun again while in the house. I am totally embarrassed of myself and ashamed.

I wanted to post this to remind everyone to make absolutely sure that you check everything every time. It could have been so much worse. Thankfully I have always followed the golden rule of "treat every gun as if it's loaded". That is why I pointed it into the bed.


I'm still totally beside myself and so embarrassed.


Am I the only one on here who's ever done this???

Man that’s a tough lesson glad nobody got hurt. By rule no loaded guns in the house (young teens). Weapons secured in one location, ammo secured in another. No weapons are hot until on the range or in the field.

Glad no one was hurt....lesson learned...

Lesson definitely learned. I really am torn up over this because I freaking know better.

Glad no one was hurt.

I think in addition to not loading a gun in your house again, you need to ad the extra step of ensuring the gun is clear before putting your finger on the trigger.

I get wanting to do a function check after cleaning, but I make it a point to ensure the gun is empty before touching the trigger.

Thanks for sharing, you may save someone else from the embarrassment or worse.

On a different note. What type of new mattress are you going to get?

Funny thing is, my wife has been wanting a new bedset for some time now. Wish it was on different terms.

To answer, no idea...

Really glad your okay sir. I lost a cousin who was cleaning a shotgun, and failed to keep the muzzle in a safe direction.

Thank you. I feel fortunate and stupid at the same time!

I am glad to see the responses civil and not being hard on the guy. Brave enough to come on here and admit what he done is pretty amazing. Like everyone else glad no one was hurt.

Man that was a close call. I am glad no one was hurt. You are a man coming on here and let's hope this reminds people about these things.

Glad to hear nobody was injured! An experience like that will remind you and a few who read your story to be a little more attentive forever. Thanks for sharing!

Purple mattress.

Had a guy I worked with set his shotgun on his tailgate after dove hunting, only to proceed in blowing a hole in the back of his brand new truck. Swore it was unloaded and on safety. Needless to say never hunted with him.

Correct answer is whatever she wants.

Make up some dummy rounds. Spent shells, a piece of 3/4" dowel sanded a little to fit, remove spent primer. I jam the dowel in and the cut off the crimp and excess dowel.

It was an accident, it happens, be thankful nobody was hurt. Think of it as a learning experience.

I applaud your courage to put it up on the board. I am harder on myself than anyone. So I say go ahead, beat yourself up for a while. Then stop, learn, move on!

That's exactly where I am mentally right now.

Thanks for ya'lls kind words.

What Hopedale said. Thank God nobody was hurt! One of the first steps in all gun safety courses is to make sure the chamber is clear. I'm not piling on at all, just something that was beaten over my head from day one.

I've personally never been behind the trigger of an accidental discharge, but there was an old fella on a deer lease many years ago that decided to wait until he got back to camp to unload. We're hangin' around the camp fire and his rifle goes off about 10 yards from us. I made it a point to try not to be there at the same time as him from then on. Not more than a minute after that happened my brother and his daughter came walking up directly from where he fired. Real eye opener.

Glad it wasn’t worse and thanks for sharing. My shotgun has a procedure in the manual to function test. Do most shotguns have this? Or is there a reason to not trust that and load it to test function?

If you don’t mind me asking, what did the mattress look like after and did any shot make it through? I’m just curious what a point blank shotgun would do to a mattress.

Glad you’re ok!

I bet you needed a new pair of underwear lol.

What kind of gun? One thing I don't like about pumps is that on some it is hard to tell if they are loaded. Easiest is a double barrel. I break open my double barrel guns every time I pick them up. Instant verification that they are unloaded. With my semi-auto, it is fairly simple to check by trying to eject the round from the chamber. If there is no round in the chamber, the action will stay open and you can look right into the chamber to see it is empty. I leave my semi-auto open like that.
I'm guessing you don't live in an apartment. That would have involved a visit from law enforcement.

Not any harder to tell if a pump is loaded than it is a semi-auto. Pull the forearm down and look at the open chamber. This is how I store pumps in the safe.
I have a rule in my house and there are no loaded firearms allowed and actions are open. I started this when we always had a lot of friends down using my house as a base to hunt out of during duck season. Kids were little and guns were usually leaning against the wall in my office after rainy hunts so it made it really easy to just look and see if anything was not how it was supposed to be.

Same here...rack it back and take a peek....

My oldest brother was killed by a young man that was not safe with a 12 ga. #4 shot. About 10 feet. I always try to be aware of other people with a gun. No second chance.

My best friend took an unloaded AR out of his safe to show me and another guy. Proceeded to send a round right between us. I was beyond upset. Other guy thought it was a prank.

Years ago in New Mexico, one of my friends was cleaning his pistol and shot a hole in their water bed....helluva funny story. He was one of the most careful guys I know, but we still made sure to ask him from then on if he was "loaded".