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Beretta 1301 Competiton - Problem loading


WNC Seabee

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I have a brand new Beretta 1301 Competition. I ran ~50 shells through it (just 7.5 shot, Estate Target loads) before a local 3 Gun match yesterday.

I'm having trouble with loading that first shell from the mag tube. For the match, we pre-load the tubes in a staging area then chamber when we get to the line.

I could not get that first shell to load onto the carrier so I could rack it in. I'd hit the little button and nothing would happen. Well, maybe once out of a dozen tries did the shell. If I held the bolt open and forced a shell onto the carrier through the ejection port it would cycle fine through the stage.

Being that this gun is new to me, I don't know if I'm doing something out of sequence or if there's a defect. The manual isn't helping.

I've tried these steps in various combinations:

- empty chamber, rack it, pull trigger, safety engaged, fill tube, hit the button (not the bolt release).

does anyone have the definitive answer to what series of steps are involved making the Beretta happy?

Thanks!

Edited by WNC Seabee
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I have a brand new Beretta 1301 Competition. I ran ~50 shells through it (just 7.5 shot, Estate Target loads) before a local 3 Gun match yesterday.

I'm having trouble with loading that first shell from the mag tube. For the match, we pre-load the tubes in a staging area then chamber when we get to the line.

I could not get that first shell to load onto the carrier so I could rack it in. I'd hit the little button and nothing would happen. Well, maybe once out of a dozen tries did the shell. If I held the bolt open and forced a shell onto the carrier through the ejection port it would cycle fine through the stage.

Being that this gun is new to me, I don't know if I'm doing something out of sequence or if there's a defect. The manual isn't helping.

I've tried these steps in various combinations:

- empty chamber, rack it, pull trigger, safety engaged, fill tube, hit the button (not the bolt release).

does anyone have the definitive answer to what series of steps are involved making the Beretta happy?

Thanks!

Yup interested in this too. Just picked one up today and noticed this issue loading with dummy ammo. It appears to involve the small square button at the aft end of the shell lifter but I am unsure how to use it correctly for pre-load and top-off.

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I've seen this problem on a couple of new 1301's recently. The lifter is not dropping down far enough to release the shell stop. On a working 1301 when you press the shell release button and the lifter drops down it releases the tail of the shell stop to swing out pivoting the shell stop away from the magazine tube releasing a shell from the magazine. I didn't get a chance to take the trigger group out of either of the guns to see what was causing the problem, or to try pulling the lifter down to see if that would make it release a shell.

Both shooters just loaded 8 rounds in the tube and THEN AT LOAD AND MAKE READY, THEY LOCKED THE BOLT BACK, DROPPED THE 9TH SHELL ONTO THE LIFTER AND RELEASED THE BOLT TO CHAMBER THE 9TH ROUND. The shotguns ran fine for the matches other than not loading the first round from the tube.

EDITED TO CLARIFY THE DESCRIPTION OF THE LOADING PROCESS.

Edited by Ming the Merciless
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I sent mine back that was doing this. They will see you've modified a stock gun and will put factory parts back on it and if it works they send it back untouched. If it doesn't they will get the shell catch "back it spec" and it will be better than it was, but still not 100%.

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I don't own a 1301 Comp since I'm not a competitor, but I do own the Tactical. Moving from a Mossberg 930 SPX, the manual of arms on the 1301 was kind of quirky for me at first. The 1301's are based on Beretta's hunting shotguns, where you start out loading the chamber, then the magazines tube.

In order to load the first round into an empty chamber from the magazine, the gun needs to be cocked, bolt closed and, obviously, on safe. You then load the magazine tube with the number of rounds desired and when ready to chamber a round, you then push the carrier stop (the small square silver button at the back of the carrier), this will release a round from the tube onto the carrier. You then pull the charging handle back and let it go, chambering the first round. You can then top off the magazine tube if desired and go to "work".

Or... as Ming the Merciless said, throw one in the chamber and close the bolt.

I have a brand new Beretta 1301 Competition. I ran ~50 shells through it (just 7.5 shot, Estate Target loads) before a local 3 Gun match yesterday.

I'm having trouble with loading that first shell from the mag tube. For the match, we pre-load the tubes in a staging area then chamber when we get to the line.

I could not get that first shell to load onto the carrier so I could rack it in. I'd hit the little button and nothing would happen. Well, maybe once out of a dozen tries did the shell. If I held the bolt open and forced a shell onto the carrier through the ejection port it would cycle fine through the stage.

Being that this gun is new to me, I don't know if I'm doing something out of sequence or if there's a defect. The manual isn't helping.

I've tried these steps in various combinations:

- empty chamber, rack it, pull trigger, safety engaged, fill tube, hit the button (not the bolt release).

does anyone have the definitive answer to what series of steps are involved making the Beretta happy?

Thanks!

Yup interested in this too. Just picked one up today and noticed this issue loading with dummy ammo. It appears to involve the small square button at the aft end of the shell lifter but I am unsure how to use it correctly for pre-load and top-off.

Edited by BBossman1
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I don't own a 1301 Comp, since I'm not a competitor, but I do own the Tactical. Moving from a Mossberg 930 SPX, the manual of arms on the 1301 was kind of quirky for me at first. The 1301's are based on Beretta's hunting shotguns, where you start out loading the chamber, then the magazines tube.

In order to load the first round into an empty chamber from the magazine, the gun needs to be cocked, bolt closed and, obviously, on safe. You then load the magazine tube with the number of rounds desired and when ready to chamber a round, you then push the carrier stop (the small square silver button at the back of the carrier), this will release a round from the tube onto the carrier. You then pull the charging handle back and let it go, chambering the first round. You can then top off the magazine tube if desired.

Or... as Ming the Merciless said, throw one in the chamber and close the bolt.

The loading process as you described was followed with both of the guns with the loading problem. Empty chamber, bolt closed, hammer cocked, safety on, magazine loaded, and when the carrier release was pushed the lifter (carrier) would drop down to release the shell but did not drop down far enough to release the tail of the shell stop. I could not tell if the problem was with the lifter or the shell stop. One thing we did not try was seeing if it would load the first shell with the safety off to see if possibly the safety was interfering since the gun fed shells just fine while shooting.

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Hmm... thats not right. I don't know enough about this thing yet to offer any solution. I like to tinker, maybe if I get a chance, I'll pull the lock work and see if I can determine the exact sequence that has to happen, and then try and make it malfunction, if only for my own education.

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In order to load the first round into an empty chamber from the magazine, the gun needs to be cocked, bolt closed and, obviously, on safe. You then load the magazine tube with the number of rounds desired and when ready to chamber a round, you then push the carrier stop (the small square silver button at the back of the carrier), this will release a round from the tube onto the carrier. You then pull the charging handle back and let it go, chambering the first round. You can then top off the magazine tube if desired and go to "work".

This is what I've done, and it doesn't work.

The only 'modification' I've done to the gun was to reverse the safety for left handed use.

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OP,

Does the problem occur only with a full mag tube and max pressure on the interceptor latch? Or does the problem also occur with just 1 or 2 rounds in the magazine (less mag spring pressure)?

If it operates fine with one or only a few rounds in the mag tube then it sounds like the pressure on the interceptor latch may be too much with a full or nearly full mag tube. Do you have a mag tube extension on this shotgun and if yes did you trim the xtra long mag spring down? Another thing that might help is to polish the nose of the interceptor latch so that it slides off the shell base easier.

Jeff

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OP,

Does the problem occur only with a full mag tube and max pressure on the interceptor latch? Or does the problem also occur with just 1 or 2 rounds in the magazine (less mag spring pressure)?

If it operates fine with one or only a few rounds in the mag tube then it sounds like the pressure on the interceptor latch may be too much with a full or nearly full mag tube. Do you have a mag tube extension on this shotgun and if yes did you trim the xtra long mag spring down? Another thing that might help is to polish the nose of the interceptor latch so that it slides off the shell base easier.

Jeff

Great minds think alike....I had that same thought yesterday. I removed the Nordic extension and replaced with the factory spring and magazine cap. No luck, same issue.

Problem stays the same with a single shell in the tube or a full tube.

Edited by WNC Seabee
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I have a brand new Beretta 1301 Competition. I ran ~50 shells through it (just 7.5 shot, Estate Target loads) before a local 3 Gun match yesterday.

I'm having trouble with loading that first shell from the mag tube. For the match, we pre-load the tubes in a staging area then chamber when we get to the line.

I could not get that first shell to load onto the carrier so I could rack it in. I'd hit the little button and nothing would happen. Well, maybe once out of a dozen tries did the shell. If I held the bolt open and forced a shell onto the carrier through the ejection port it would cycle fine through the stage.

Being that this gun is new to me, I don't know if I'm doing something out of sequence or if there's a defect. The manual isn't helping.

I've tried these steps in various combinations:

- empty chamber, rack it, pull trigger, safety engaged, fill tube, hit the button (not the bolt release).

does anyone have the definitive answer to what series of steps are involved making the Beretta happy?

Thanks!

Yup interested in this too. Just picked one up today and noticed this issue loading with dummy ammo. It appears to involve the small square button at the aft end of the shell lifter but I am unsure how to use it correctly for pre-load and top-off.

OK, mine works just like BBossman said. I had figured it out already but it is nice to get confirmation that I am not taking the long way around the barn to "load and make ready". I feel for you Seabee, I'm in the same boat, I wish the Beretta ran like Beretta but loaded like a Mossberg or Remington.

Good luck finding the fix for yours and thanks to BBossman!

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OP,

Does the problem occur only with a full mag tube and max pressure on the interceptor latch? Or does the problem also occur with just 1 or 2 rounds in the magazine (less mag spring pressure)?

If it operates fine with one or only a few rounds in the mag tube then it sounds like the pressure on the interceptor latch may be too much with a full or nearly full mag tube. Do you have a mag tube extension on this shotgun and if yes did you trim the xtra long mag spring down? Another thing that might help is to polish the nose of the interceptor latch so that it slides off the shell base easier.

Jeff

Great minds think alike....I had that same thought yesterday. I removed the Nordic extension and replaced with the factory spring and magazine cap. No luck, same issue.

Problem stays the same with a single shell in the tube or a full tube.

I field stripped mine last night and looked everything over and have pretty good idea how its supposed to work. Again mine works fine so I can't say definitively why some folks are having problems.

But... indulge me and try something out, field strip the gun and leave the trigger group in place, push the carrier stop (the small square silver button at the back of the lifter), this should release the lifter allowing it to pop up. Now try and push down on the lifter, it should move freely for about a 1/16" or so, only being stopped by the cartridge latch. Now, ignore the lifter and push on the bolt release and make sure it moves freely. If neither of these conditions exist, I think thats where the problem lies, a clearance issue. You could send it back to Beretta, of fix it yourself by adding a little clearance and polishing the parts.

Edited by BBossman1
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OP,

Does the problem occur only with a full mag tube and max pressure on the interceptor latch? Or does the problem also occur with just 1 or 2 rounds in the magazine (less mag spring pressure)?

If it operates fine with one or only a few rounds in the mag tube then it sounds like the pressure on the interceptor latch may be too much with a full or nearly full mag tube. Do you have a mag tube extension on this shotgun and if yes did you trim the xtra long mag spring down? Another thing that might help is to polish the nose of the interceptor latch so that it slides off the shell base easier.

Jeff

Great minds think alike....I had that same thought yesterday. I removed the Nordic extension and replaced with the factory spring and magazine cap. No luck, same issue.

Problem stays the same with a single shell in the tube or a full tube.

I field stripped mine last night and looked everything over and have pretty good idea how its supposed to work. Again mine works fine so I can't say definitively why some folks are having problems.

But... indulge me and try something out, field strip the gun and leave the trigger group in place, push the carrier stop (the small square silver button at the back of the lifter), this should release the lifter allowing it to pop up. Now try and push down on the lifter, it should move freely for about a 1/16" or so, only being stopped by the cartridge latch. Now, ignore the lifter and push on the bolt release and make sure it moves freely. If neither of these conditions exist, I think thats where the problem lies, a clearance issue. You could send it back to Beretta, of fix it yourself by adding a little clearance and polishing the parts.

Thanks for the effort! I'm heading out on a biz trip and won't get to it for a couple weeks. I'll try this at the first opportunity.

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This past weekend I experienced the same failure to feed from the tube as y'all are describing. It started after I installed a Nordic +2 on my 1301 Tactical. When I installed it, I elected to use the factory magazine tube spring as it was already a little over 12" past the extended tube. I'll assume its the correct length due to the 1301 Tactical being equipped with a +2 from the factory on the non-importable model (922r blah, blah, blah, which is neither here nor there for this discussion.)

This might lead one to believe the problem is too much spring pressure with the additional 2 cartridges for a total of 7, but wait... my Mossberg 930 had the same problem which was solved by polishing the face of the cartridge latch which contacts the shell (I believe that fix is described in one of the many 930 threads). Pulled it apart this morning and took a ceramic stone the the cartridge latch and problem solved.

So, theres that to consider.

Edited by BBossman1
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This past weekend I experienced the same failure to feed from the tube as y'all are describing. It started after I installed a Nordic +2 on my 1301 Tactical. When I installed it, I elected to use the factory magazine tube spring as it was already a little over 12" past the extended tube. I'll assume its the correct length due to the 1301 Tactical being equipped with a +2 from the factory on the non-importable model (922r blah, blah, blah, which is neither here nor there for this discussion.)

This might lead one to believe the problem is too much spring pressure with the additional 2 cartridges for a total of 7, but wait... my Mossberg 930 had the same problem which was solved by polishing the face of the cartridge latch which contacts the shell (I believe that fix is described in one of the many 930 threads). Pulled it apart this morning and took a ceramic stone the the cartridge latch and problem solved.

So, theres that to consider.

That is a good place to start.

I had a 1301 apart so I took a picture, note the shiny polished area on the front of the part

B93E8973-89B9-4C64-B5FF-91268F4E7A90_zps

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This past weekend I experienced the same failure to feed from the tube as y'all are describing. It started after I installed a Nordic +2 on my 1301 Tactical. When I installed it, I elected to use the factory magazine tube spring as it was already a little over 12" past the extended tube. I'll assume its the correct length due to the 1301 Tactical being equipped with a +2 from the factory on the non-importable model (922r blah, blah, blah, which is neither here nor there for this discussion.)

This might lead one to believe the problem is too much spring pressure with the additional 2 cartridges for a total of 7, but wait... my Mossberg 930 had the same problem which was solved by polishing the face of the cartridge latch which contacts the shell (I believe that fix is described in one of the many 930 threads). Pulled it apart this morning and took a ceramic stone the the cartridge latch and problem solved.

So, theres that to consider.

That is a good place to start.

I had a 1301 apart so I took a picture, note the shiny polished area on the front of the part

B93E8973-89B9-4C64-B5FF-91268F4E7A90_zps

I'm confused (not surprising BTW), did you do that to the part or was it that way from Beretta?

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This past weekend I experienced the same failure to feed from the tube as y'all are describing. It started after I installed a Nordic +2 on my 1301 Tactical. When I installed it, I elected to use the factory magazine tube spring as it was already a little over 12" past the extended tube. I'll assume its the correct length due to the 1301 Tactical being equipped with a +2 from the factory on the non-importable model (922r blah, blah, blah, which is neither here nor there for this discussion.)

This might lead one to believe the problem is too much spring pressure with the additional 2 cartridges for a total of 7, but wait... my Mossberg 930 had the same problem which was solved by polishing the face of the cartridge latch which contacts the shell (I believe that fix is described in one of the many 930 threads). Pulled it apart this morning and took a ceramic stone the the cartridge latch and problem solved.

So, theres that to consider.

That is a good place to start.

I had a 1301 apart so I took a picture, note the shiny polished area on the front of the part

B93E8973-89B9-4C64-B5FF-91268F4E7A90_zps

I'm confused (not surprising BTW), did you do that to the part or was it that way from Beretta?

Polished the radiused end of the part?

I did that when I had the part out of the gun.

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Nice! I think anyone using the 1301 could benefit from this just for peace of mind. Took me less than 15 minutes start to finish, most of that time was spent looking for my stone.

The real question is....did it work? Are you now able to load the way it's intended to work?

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