Firing with a bore obstruction can happen easily or so it seems, especially with repeater. About 10 years ago I was goose hunting with a young man only a few years out of HS. He was using an 870. We had a flock of geese decoy nicely and I gave the go ahead to take them. In spite of the excitement and focus on my own target I heard his 2nd shot to be a squib load. Some how with birds on top of us I had the presence of mind to yell STOP, STOP, DON'T SHOOT and he didn't fire again even though geese were still within 25 yards of us. Upon examination the wad from his second shot was lodged firmly in the choke of the barrel. We were laying/sitting about 3 to 4 feet apart when firing and I was close enough to get hit by any shrapnel. It all happened in a couple of seconds and I am pretty sure a disaster of some sort was narrowly averted.
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