ummm... before? hahaha! thanks for the replies. there's a gun ban now where i'm from, just got the m4 last friday. although i've fired a few, i'ts my first shotgun and i wanna practice with it at home (handling, maneuvering, loading and unloading etc.). i'm getting the hang of it, but once in the while i release the bolt freely or fire it after racking without my dummy shell. i'll get used to it soon, just hope that my learning curve isn't taking it's toll on the m4. hope this explains some things....