I'm still puzzled as how the air got by the sabot and bullet and still passed through the nipple. Thank God the gun didn't go off. I always unload and clean and if in doubt drop the ram rod and listen for that familiar plinking sound as it hits the breach. I remember once I bought a muzzy at an online auction and it was delivered to me loaded.[:-] I first checked to see by using the ram rod and when I heard a dull thud I knew I was in trouble. I pulled the breach and out came two pellets and a 300 gr bullet. Something about being in the woods and deer hunting makes us all forget a little safety.