A U.S. navy SEAL is on life-support after he accidentally shot himself in the head.

The 22-year-old man, whose name has not been released, brought a woman home from a bar late Thursday night and was showing her his guns, reports the San Diego Union-Tribune.

To prove the weapons were safe, he put a pistol he believed to be unloaded to his head and fired, Officer Frank Cali told the paper. A neighbour called 911 around 2 a.m., and the sailor was rushed to hospital.

A navy spokesman said the man had completed SEAL training just last week and was assigned to a West Coast-based team, according to the report.