FN SLP Mk I - Break in?

[Pro2AInPA]

Question for SLP owners - in your experience, does the SLP need to be broken in with heavy loads before it will run light loads reliably?

If so, what did you use to break it in, and how many rounds did it take?

After break in, what ammo are you getting good reliability with?

[CocoBolo]

I broke mine in with 3 dram equivalent and 1 1/8 and 1 1/4 oz shot loads. Not high brass. Before I shot it I tore it down and cleaned it and gave it a health dose of CLP. Most of the break in was in matches and it runs like a champ have trophy to prove it. Other break in was a night out by the chicken house. I still shoot the heavier loads after about 300-400 rounds, it doesn't recoil much, if you think it does shoot a pump.

Edited June 10, 2010 by CocoBolo

[Pro2AInPA]

I broke mine in with 3 dram equivalent and 1 1/8 and 1 1/4 oz shot loads. Not high brass. Before I shot it I tore it down and cleaned it and gave it a health dose of CLP. Most of the break in was in matches and it runs like a champ have trophy to prove it. Other break in was a night out by the chicken house. I still shoot the heavier loads after about 300-400 rounds, it doesn't recoil much, if you think it does shoot a pump.

I have a case of Federal 1 1/8oz 8 shot at home. Hopefully it runs on that. Thanks for the input!

[MikeFoley]

Mine is not running out of the box with Nobel Sport Trap Gold 3 dram 1 1/8 oz 7 1/2's using the light gas system. I think I am going to avoid the bad karma altogether and send it to Surecycle SRM for the Daniel Horner package.

[Pro2AInPA]

Mine is not running out of the box with Nobel Sport Trap Gold 3 dram 1 1/8 oz 7 1/2's using the light gas system. I think I am going to avoid the bad karma altogether and send it to Surecycle SRM for the Daniel Horner package.

Certainly not what I wanted to hear.

Why isn't there a single shotgun ready to go out of the box?

[MikeFoley]

Many will tell you there is. An unmodified Benelli works for most people, but not for me. Remington works for some, but I break them with regularity. I tried the FN because I heard it was the best freakin' shotgun in the whole world by people with some talent. I am currently using my Benelli, dealing with the occasional jam. I want 100% reliability at top speed for me, so I am going to spend the $300 to make this thing like Horner's. Not much different than sending your Benelli to Benny for the same reasons. If my life depended on a shotgun, I would use a pump, and I really mean that.

Edited June 10, 2010 by fomeister

[usp45ss]

What all does the "Daniel Horner" package entail? I sent Surecycle an email last week about the gas piston. They will seal it for a pretty cheap and send it back.

Edited June 10, 2010 by usp45ss

[MikeFoley]

Well, they told me they would seal the gas system, install the SRM, work the bolt and receiver over. For a little more, they will open up the receiver for easier loading. Not really sure what they actually do, this is a new platform for me, but I am not going to half-ass it, I simply don't have time to go at this the hard way.

[rc601962]

I have two. I cleaned them very thoroughly when I brought them home. Neither one has ever had a malfunction from day one.

[MikeFoley]

I cleaned mine first thing, then 75 rounds, no more than 5 without a malfunction. I never seem to get that out of the box love that you speak of, and it isn't like I am not astute at this whole gun thing.

[Pro2AInPA]

I'll have mine on Monday. We'll see if I get lucky. I have a case of Federal 1/18oz shells at home .. hopefully they run.

Edited June 10, 2010 by Pro2AInPA

[PHolsted]

First weekend I had it went out and ran about 250 rounds in one sitting even before cleaning the gun ran like a champ! not one problem and used bulk Federal and Winchester! Great gun can wait to get a little more practice and then get it into a match to see how it goes.

[MikeFoley]

You guys make me ill with your "ran out of the box" stories. Why me? Why me?

[ausshooter]

Guess I'll rub it in too.. my first day out with walmart bulk winchester 1 1/8 loads... 50 in a row as fast as I could pull the trigger on a plate rack without a problem. Sounds like you got a lemon, might think about 86'ing it and trying another one ... (or send it back to FN)

A

[00bullitt]

Mike....I've seen about a 50/50 rate of the FN's run good out of the box. My SX3 ran 100% out of the box but the group of us bought 3 of them and the other two were not 100%. Now granted...mine did run into some trouble that I had to work out 2500 rounds into it. But I have figured these platforms out pretty good. as for any shotgun running 100%. Its just not gonna happen for what we demand from these guns in our use. There is always going to be a quirk when you least expect it. Hopefully its a minor quirk. And contrary to popular belief...Benellis are not totally reliable. What they are,are very simple in operation compared to any other gas gun.

Can you explain the jam you are experiencing?

Shoot me a PM if you want.

[Pro2AInPA]

Let's say I hit the range on Monday and have issues cycling 1 1/8 oz loads.

What would you guys recommend I shoot through it, and how many of them, as a break in before trying the light stuff again?

[MikeFoley]

Todd, I am getting three different malfunctions. 1. short strokes without ejection, 2. cycles and loads the next round about half way, and 3. cycles completely and shoots a round onto the lifter (it will usually cycle that round, but you cannot reload with it there). I am running the light gas system. I haven't had a lot of free time between work, shooting, and rookie 7-8-9 year old baseball to really dive into this gun. That is why I considered sending it out.

[00bullitt]

Todd, I am getting three different malfunctions. 1. short strokes without ejection, 2. cycles and loads the next round about half way, and 3. cycles completely and shoots a round onto the lifter (it will usually cycle that round, but you cannot reload with it there). I am running the light gas system. I haven't had a lot of free time between work, shooting, and rookie 7-8-9 year old baseball to really dive into this gun. That is why I considered sending it out.

Sounds like you are getting the brist of all the problems combined. I have worked on a few like that. It can be fixed. Honestly...with that much wrong....I would send it back to FNH.

It needs a new shell latch spring, the recoil tube is probably binding or bent. The recoil spring rate could be too heavy, the magazine tube could be installed in the gun off center causing piston bind. The piston spring may be broke. And the chamber needs a light polish near the extractor groove area.

The SRM Sure Cycle could solve the recoil tube problem because they replace it with a new stainless assembly. Sealing the piston would eliminate the piston spring from ever breaking because they remove the spring and replace it with a spacer. They also lap the bolt in the receiver to smooth it up. Let them know to check some other issues with it that I mention and you may be good to go. But keep in mind. Their upgrades are meant for hardcore waterfowl hunters. We are a little different breed.

Chris Patty had his SX3 done by SRM and could not tell much difference and still has occasional issues with his SX3.

If there is anyway I can help...let me know.

[MikeFoley]

Thanks a million Todd!

[Alan Adamson]

Mike....I've seen about a 50/50 rate of the FN's run good out of the box. My SX3 ran 100% out of the box but the group of us bought 3 of them and the other two were not 100%. Now granted...mine did run into some trouble that I had to work out 2500 rounds into it. But I have figured these platforms out pretty good. as for any shotgun running 100%. Its just not gonna happen for what we demand from these guns in our use. There is always going to be a quirk when you least expect it. Hopefully its a minor quirk. And contrary to popular belief...Benellis are not totally reliable. What they are,are very simple in operation compared to any other gas gun.

Can you explain the jam you are experiencing?

Shoot me a PM if you want.

And yet... I have one of the said SX3's that *were not 100%* and I've shot it now it 2 shotgun only matches and it's run 100% for me... Plus some range time all 100%. I have recently got it back from SRM with the "horner" package - they actually don't call it that, but it's got a surecycle, piston fix and been lapped and tuned (what they actually call the service).

Tod, for some reason the tube that Rob was running didn't match the receiver, SRM called me when they had my SX3 there and they said that there was a mis-match in the mating surfaces where the extended tube met the lower end, it allowed for a slight gap to exist between the surfaces that would upset the feeding of shells coming back into the loading mechanism and you can imagine what would/could happen if the spring got bound in that grove that existed. They fixed that, matted them up perfectly and that should solve the any feed issue it might have had. I did put a Nordic clamp on it as well to stop any undo flex in the magazine tube as it was fully unsupported prior.

But life and spring pistol matches have gotten in the way and I've not shot it since it came back from SRM and it bot a shorter barrel ...

Alan

[LT45]

I broke mine in with 3 dram equivalent and 1 1/8 and 1 1/4 oz shot loads. Not high brass. Before I shot it I tore it down and cleaned it and gave it a health dose of CLP. Most of the break in was in matches and it runs like a champ have trophy to prove it. Other break in was a night out by the chicken house. I still shoot the heavier loads after about 300-400 rounds, it doesn't recoil much, if you think it does shoot a pump.

I have a case of Federal 1 1/8oz 8 shot at home. Hopefully it runs on that. Thanks for the input!

I ran 200 rounds of the WalMart Federals through mine to break it in and had numerous malfunctions, mostly failures to feed. I will only run those in my 590 pump now.

The ammo that has worked 100% so far has been the Winchester AA Super Handicap AAHA127VP, 12 Gauge, 2 3/4 in, 1 1/8 oz, 1250 fps, #7.5 Lead Shot. The Winchester rounds have a smoother rounded over crimp that doesn't hang up on the sharp edges at the entrance to the chamber and they don't hang up when you're loading the feed tube.

[bushmeat]

Question for SLP owners - in your experience, does the SLP need to be broken in with heavy loads before it will run light loads reliably?

If so, what did you use to break it in, and how many rounds did it take?

After break in, what ammo are you getting good reliability with?

First, take the gun apart, clean it thoroughly and lube it wet. Then polish, flex and lube that little thingy on the tail of the bolt assembly that goes into the buttstock recoil spring. That is a little stiff as it comes from the factory and sometimes rough. Then lock the bolt back for a couple of days.

Run through a box of heavy dove loads before you try the 1 1/8 Federals. It should run like a champ.

Then, swap out the light piston and put the heavy one in and see if it cycles everything.

That's what I did, and yes, it does cycle everything - from slugs to light skeet loads. No other mods.

[Pro2AInPA]

Question for SLP owners - in your experience, does the SLP need to be broken in with heavy loads before it will run light loads reliably?

If so, what did you use to break it in, and how many rounds did it take?

After break in, what ammo are you getting good reliability with?

First, take the gun apart, clean it thoroughly and lube it wet. Then polish, flex and lube that little thingy on the tail of the bolt assembly that goes into the buttstock recoil spring. That is a little stiff as it comes from the factory and sometimes rough. Then lock the bolt back for a couple of days.

Run through a box of heavy dove loads before you try the 1 1/8 Federals. It should run like a champ.

Then, swap out the light piston and put the heavy one in and see if it cycles everything.

That's what I did, and yes, it does cycle everything - from slugs to light skeet loads. No other mods.

1. What did you polish the link with?

2. Why do you choose to use the heavy piston for everything?

[trickpony]

I've been wanting to try the FN but my Benelli M2 runs so dang good I can't seem to give it up yet... And FN hasen't given me a new shotgun I run the cheap wally world Federal ammo in the M2 with the 7/8 ounce Fiochi slugs.

From what I've seen with the SLP MK1, leave it alone and it'll run once it's broke in. There are a few reliability fixes that FNMAN can tell you about...

[releo 37]

Clean,lube and run the only problem mine has had is the wingnut on the trigger.