I'm embarrassed. Negligent Discharge.

...or a hammer extension that projects off to the side.

Along with everyone else here, glad you are OK but the real question.... What did you tell your spouse?

Scooter22 suggests:

Mount a piece of the glass over the fireplace or gun bench as a reminder.

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I had my ND about eight years ago. The spent shell is still sitting on my desk.

It's scary but it happens.

I put a 9mm round through my wall when I loaded a partial magazine into a Glock without looking.

I am in the habit of leaving the magazine out of my non carry guns when I finish at the range. I shoot all my magazines dry when I go and leave them in the bottom of my bag. When I get home, I generally give the gun a wipe down/cleaning, load an empty mag into the gun, drop the slide, point the gun in a safe direction, and dry fire it.

I did not notice the weight of the mag because it was only partially full with a couple of SD rounds. I had not shot the mag dry as I generally do. I believe by not shooting them all it would give me a full magazine count, but I neglected to thumb the remaining rounds out before tossing the magazine in with the empties.

Thankfully, my ND resulted in a small hole in the wall with no exit. Had I been paying attention like I should, I would have noticed the mag being loaded. Thankfully, the gun was pointed toward a wall instead of my foot.

I quadruple check now.

I'd like to extend my thanks to OP for this post. It was a post just like this one, and the generally positive attitude toward it, that convinced me to join this community years ago.

Fiv3r said:

I shoot all my magazines dry when I go and leave them in the bottom of my bag. When I get home, I generally give the gun a wipe down/cleaning, load an empty mag into the gun, drop the slide, point the gun in a safe direction, and dry fire it..

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why do this? No good reason I can think of. if you want the striker forward, clear the gun 2x, point in safe direction, dry fire, THEN insert an empty mag.

I know and understand the four rules, and do my level best to abide by them. Long before I learnt them, I got to shooting my bb gun over the head of a friend in the woods. He shot back, first shot got me in the right eye (note the thick right lens in my specs). At the hospital, my dad's only words were "What if it had been a 22?". My stomach still gets tight every time I think of that (likely the wisest words he ever said to me).

I had one when I was about 12. Winchester 1892 32-20. I closed the lever and it went bang. Left a pretty good crater on the gravel driveway not too far from my foot. I’m not sure if it was some sort of failure due to a dirty trigger or firing pin or if I hit the trigger. Regardless I don’t close the chamber on anything if it’s pointed at anything I don’t want a hole in.

When I was a little kid 7 or 8. Dad took me dove hunting. I had a single **** 410. He made me sit with it open, when birds came I was to close it and when I took aim cock the hammer. If I didn’t fire it I had to uncock the hammer and open the breech. There was lots of discharges, I guess they weren’t an accident because we pretty well knew there was a 25% chance my thumb wasn’t steady enough to decock the thing. Needless to say I was good at pointing it a safe direction. I debate if I should teach my boys on that dang thing or just let them use my 2nd gun 870.

I carry everything loaded unless it comes in the house for storage. (kids) so my guns are always loaded. That makes it real easy to follow rule #1. I think that’s a life advantage to have the mentality that everything is always loaded vs the mentality of following rule #1. Plus it really pisses me off if I hand a buddy a gun to shoot something and later I go to shoot something and hit an empty chamber. I really got tired of guys ejecting my loaded rounds out the window so I’ve learned to tell people “ it’s loaded” when I hand them a gun.

I forgot the sear spring when putting a mk2 back together. I put in a full magazine to check feeding and when I let go of the bolt it slamfired 3 rounds into the floor before jamming. Scared the crap out of me.

Racked a round in a Makarov and put a hole in my in-laws' living room window 10 years ago. This was before I was married but they just came out and shrugged it off. It was my fil's pistol and I hadn't yet read of the problem with stuck firing pins.

Thanks for sharing. It's a good safety reminder.

Cudos for posting. We learn from others mistakes. Open the door next time........
My wife past away about a month ago, I haven't touched one of my guns since. I don't trust myself right now to even handle a loaded gun. My mind is else where right now.

Sauer Grapes writes:

My wife passed away about a month ago, I haven't touched one of my guns since. I don't trust myself right now to even handle a loaded gun. My mind is else where right now.

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I'm sure you aren't actually a danger to yourself, even if you had a loaded gun on the table in front of you. I'm really sorry for your loss. Remember that she loved you for many things, and that strength was likely one of them. Be well.

My condolences to Mr Grapes. Take it one day at a time to settle in. The time you had was not wasted.

MedWheeler said:

I'm sure you aren't actually a danger to yourself, even if you had a loaded gun on the table in front of you. I'm really sorry for your loss. Remember that she loved you for many things, and that strength was likely one of them. Be well.

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I took it as he doesn't have the focus he thinks he needs and understandably maybe not the desire yet.

Why gun games have redundant safety measures in place.

After the shooter is finished, he or she unloads and shows clear.

At that point, they unload the firearm and look into the chamber.

Next, they position the firearm so the RO can look into the chamber and confirm that the firearm is unloaded.

Next, the shooter is ordered to aim the firearm at the berm and drop the hammer.

I would like to say I have never heard a round go off at that point but it has happened so many times now, I have lost count.

Glad your ok.

Also, I am thankful to people here and elsewhere that have to courage to talk about their ND mistakes. We are all human, and for me it’s a good reminder (that I take to heart) to keep my ego in check and not get over comfortable and to stay sharp.

Glad no one was hurt and only glass was damaged.

I might suggest that you add a hammer extension to your Henry lever gun.I've had one on mine for several years because of the same hammer/scope interference that caused your issue. https://www.cheaperthandirt.com/pro...s&refType=&from=fn&ecList=7&ecCategory=118415

Orion8472 said:

I know this is a bit of an off topic, but are the newer Winchesters in the same boat in this case? I was thinking about getting an 1873, but was wondering how I would handle a "cease fire" call at the gun range and I had just loaded up the tube. :-/

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Generally you just open the lever and put the rifle on the bench. The open lever ejects the round from the chamber and leaves it empty and open for inspection.

Shooting underlever rifles at gallery rifle events in Bisley, the show clear method has always been to cycle the action a few times with the RO watching over your shoulder.

Orion8472 said:

Unfortunately, the range I'd be going to expect it to be completely unloaded.

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Then they will wait while you work the lever,
or have you use a chamber flag.