Benelli M3 ?

[toothandnail]

Some ? about my M3. I bought it used , I don't know if it's been modded or broken?

What is the lever beside the trigger guard for? The only thing mine does is release a shell from the tube onto the lifter. why/when would this be needed?

On most other pump guns this lever allows you to cycle the action without firing . correct?

[Jadeslade]

It's to put a shell on the carrier for semi auto mode. You just rack it to load the gun and fire.

[toothandnail]

It does it automatically when the action cycles in either mode.

If I'm understanding you right.

I haven't been able to find any other function of that lever.

It will cycle the action in pump mode at anytime without any other action other than moving the foreend.

[Jadeslade]

Start with an empty chamber.

[toothandnail]

It makes no differance whether the shell is on the carrier or in the tube , it loads the shell into the chamber the same.

That's why I was wondering if mine is operating correctlly? Or is the ?? so stupid no one bothers to answer

BTW ,I asked this same ?? on a Benelli forum , no one there had an answer either

[whiskey1]

M2 and M4 Benellis will only drop a shell onto the lifter when (a) the trigger is pulled or ( you manually do it by using the lever next to the trigger guard. I have no experience with the M3 but I'll bet that if you load the mag tube, and cycle the action without pulling the trigger you will find it does not feed a shell into the chamber. This feature is used to temporarily make the gun safe when hunting, etc. without completely unloading the magazine. It can also be used to change the round in the chamber to a different type without removing a shell from the magazine. Hope this helps.

[SinistralRifleman]

The button on the side of the trigger guard to release a shell onto the carrier functions the same way as on the other Benellis. The fact the Benellis do not drop a shell onto the carrier when the action is cycled without the trigger being pulled, makes it easier to select load, or just clear out the chamber when you're climbing over fences or whatever when hunting as someone else mentioned.

The action selector is on the front of the M3. Going to pump mode is an immediate action drill, simply reach forward, rotate it and start pumping. This is only a back up feature for using lighter loads, breaching rounds, or tear gas (cop stuff). You probably don't want to run your M3 in pump mode all the time because you will put excessive wear on those parts. In pump mode it is faster than a lot of other pumps, the action spring is helping you snap back all the way forward.

[toothandnail]

That's why I'm wondering if mine is malfunctioning in some way.

The only way mine WONT drop a round on the carrier is by pushing the button on the side of the receiver just below the ejection port.

I don't see the purpose of putting a shell on the carrier by activating the lever on the trigger guard, it does it automatically reguardless