center portion 50 of the face 46 indicated by a broken line is preferably free of protrusions except to the extent that any protrusion is of a height no greater than that of other protrusions located outside the center portion if any centrally located protrusion has a height no greater than that of at least one protrusion located outside the center portion the off center protrusion will prevent the centrally located protrusion from firing a shell inadvertently loaded backward in the magazine the diameter 51 of the center portion 50 should be at least 5 mm and may preferably be between 7 mm and 10 mm because the primer exclusive of its retaining shell of a typical shotgun shell is approximately 5 mm in diameter a center portion 50 free of protrusions that is 7 to 10 mm in its diameter 51 insures that no protrusion can contact the primer and discharge the shell the smaller diameter rear portion 38 of the follower 28 fits inside the spring 36 freely enough for the spring to extend easily and preferably has a length 55 great enough to encounter the far end of the magazine and prevent the spring from being damaged by an attempt to load too many shells the protrusions 44 are spaced apart from each other around the center portion 50 in the follower 28 shown in fig5 and 7 there are four generally cylindrical similar protrusions 44 in the follower 28 the surface of the smaller diameter rear section 38 of the follower together with the rear end of the large diameter body section 32 defines a circumferential groove 70 the groove 70 allows more room for the compressed spring 36 in order to better accommodate.