I had my first negligent discharge last night. Started gutless method cleaning that pig in the woods before sundown. . Her piglets were still running around so I laid my rifle over out of the way but still loaded. It got dark and I finished up. Picked up my rifle to unload it, I cradled it pointing the opposite direction of John and worked the bolt. I usually short-cycle the bolt with my right hand by pushing it far enough forward to eject the round from the magazine, but not engaging the extractor, and then letting it fall into my left hand. Finished that, looked in the open bolt, saw no rounds in the mag. Closed the bolt and pulled the trigger. BOOM. I look at Jon with a big eyed surprise face. He's laughing going "Ohhhhhhhhhhh"
Best I can figure instead of falling in my hand one of them slid forward into the chamber. I think I would have noticed it didn't fall in my hand, but my hands were cold. IDK. I visually inspected the open bolt and mag and saw nothing but can't see the chamber face.
So a little readfirmarion, after 32 years of hunting and touching guns on a daily basis, the fundamentals of gun safety are equally important on day 11,000+ as they are on day 1. Always keep a firearm pointed in a safe direction and treated as though it loaded, because one day when you least expect it, it will be.
