Another Noob question...

[CicciLaPorta]

Don't laugh, I'm fairly certain I know the answer to this but I want to get confirmation: I would like to keep my HD shotgun (Rem M887 Tac pump action) loaded at night (magazine only, no chambered round). My spouse is worried it will accidentally go off.

I explained that a round would need to be pumped into the chamber, safety would have to come off (or fail somehow) and trigger be pulled (or firing pin somehow malfunctioning) in order to accidentally fire (an impossibility, or so I think).

Is it , at all, possible that a round from a loaded magazine (not fully loaded, just 3 or 4 rounds) can make it's way into the chamber somehow, bypass the safety somehow, and accidentally fire?

Do you recommend keeping a few rounds in your HD shotgun magazine at night?

[Bull's_eye]

Short answer, it will not go off. I would chamber a round and top off the mag tube.

[Gutz]

It won't go off. I'd do what ^^^^ that guys said though. Have kids that come into your room at night?

[jonc]

Gtg

[eman_308]

if you asked a liberal anti-gun fascist, they will tell you, it (shotgun) has a 99% chance of chambering itself and go on a shooting rampage

[Jet Setter]

No chance. Does your wife think the shells will just spontaneously explode in the magazine tube? You are GTG.

[scott_kart]

Guns do not fire accidentally, unintentionally yes, but not accidentally and in your scenario certainly not.

[eightmd]

If you have kids I would not have a round chambered, and I would put it up out of their reach. You should also lock it up when you are not at home. You probably know all that.

The only way a round would go off in the mag is if it was in a fire (not just a real hot day). At that point if you were anywhere near the shotgun you would be long dead, but the round going off wouldn't be a problem.

Borrow a 410 or 28 ga and take your wife out to the range and get her to shoot it and understand how it works. That knowledge will make the discussion much more rational.

[CicciLaPorta]

Thanks for the replies, guys. I do have a 3 yr old so I keep the gun hidden up high with the muzzle pointed up. I unload it and lock it down and lock the ammo when I leave he house.
My wife speaks from a position of ignorance. She's under the impression that it is dangerous to keep a loaded shotgun but she won't tell me why or what her reasoning is. In general it just makes her nervous.
I signed us both up for a shotgun class so she can learn. I tried inviting her to the range with me but she's scared to go until she has been through the training class.
In my opinion an unloaded weapon is useless in a crisis.