keeping your SG running

[bigbrowndog]

After having run a SG stage at the FB3G, and seeing all sorts of shotguns used and abused. I noticed that most people seem to neglect their guns, regarding routine and simple care and maintenance.

My observations revealed that Remingtons seemed to be the most popular and most problematic, with maybe one or two exceptions. Every Remington that I saw used on my stage sounded DRY and the action looked DRY. This is not a good way to run an auto shotgun.

Next most problematic was the Saigas and variants, I do not recall a Saiga being run on the stage without a problem, failures to feed, failures to extract, failures to eject, and failures to be familiar with ones equipment, seemed to be the biggest problem, Also lack of lubricant.

Third on the list was the Winchester,FN,and Browning variants they again appeared to be DRY and sounded DRY when the action was worked. Also to me both the Remingtons and these seemed to be extremely heavy, this requires a lot of muscle tension to get it moving, and to stop it from moving.

The Benelli's that I saw choke also appeared to be lacking lubricant, when you can easily watch a Benelli bolt cycle back and forth, something is wrong, it needs OIL particularly on the cam pin where the bolt and carrier are joined. a 50/50 mix of Lithium grease and oil works well in this area. It can also be that your action spring in the buttstock needs replacing or the tube needs cleaning out. I think the main reason people do not care for their Benelli's like they should is due to the minimal maintenance that is required, ......minimal maintenance becomes no maintenance

Pump guns also need OIL, while the vast majority of them all worked, many were lacking the slippery stuff, the difference between running a dry pump gun and a oiled one is LARGE. the action bars and the action all can benefit from the same 50/50 lithium and oil mix.

All in all, some simple maintenance and OIL in your shotgun, especially the gas guns, at the 50 to 100 round interval should make for happier guns.

Trapr

[busyhawk]

Trapr,

I was also told that some of the Benelli's at the FB3G had different oil but still puked...no common problem and the oils all seemed different. Some shooters thought the cold weather was possibility? I have yet to shoot my Benelli in real cold weather but you are suggesting a oil/grease combo for the cam pin, could this slow the system down in cold weather?

Now the Remington shooters shouldn't oil/lube the gas system up front should they? I just want to clearify that they should use the Rem-oil/other lube in the bolt/receiver only on these guns right?

No experience with the Sagia or the FN/Win guns.

Thank again,

I know...it's all about you man,

Scott

[-JQ-]

"Keep it lubed, mobil one 10w30" - Larry White

This is what Larry suggested when I bought my Benelli M1S90 from Triangle last summer. I'm not sure what all needs lubed, however.

[Chris Keen]

Routine and simple care and maintenance?

Hell, all I do is lock the bolt back, spray some Rem-oil in there, and put it back in it's case. That's all I've ever done to my Remmy. Works like a charm.

[StealthyBlagga]

After EVERY use, I part-strip my Rem 11-87, removing the mag extension, barrel, gas piston parts and o-ring, and clean them all by wiping with a cloth soaked in BF CLP. At this time I also inspect the o-ring for damage. The barrel I scrub with a bronze brush to remove any plastic fouling and verify a dry mirror bore finish. I clean off all the carbon from the mag tube using a bronze brush, then I apply a thin layer of BF CLP to the gas system components and reassemble. A couple of times a year I pull the bolt and clean it, and also clean the insde of the receiver (careful - its razor sharp in there) and mag tube. This has worked well for me for the last 12 years.

Edited December 15, 2008 by StealthyBlagga

[HSMITH]

It doesn't have to be hard. Just add some oil each time out. Shotguns that run are kinda like radial aircraft engines, when you can't see oil leaking out of it that is because it doesn't have enough. Douche them down with whatever oil floats your boat, more than you think it needs and an extra squirt or three. Clean it once every 3000-5000 rounds whether it needs it or not, or the next time you get caught in the rain with it. You can wash your hands and your shirt, I'd rather have guns that run than whine about a little oil on me.

EDIT, cleaning bores and chokes is a complete waste of time, the plastic fouling will shed when it gets too thick on its own and the carbon fouling in the bore won't hurt a thing, ever. If you are OCD and just cannot help it get a can of brake cleaner, it will hose out the plastic like magic and one pass with a swab will have it shining. If you ever pull the choke tube out add a good gob of grease to the threads and you are good to go.

Edited December 15, 2008 by HSMITH

[Chris Keen]

After EVERY use, I part-strip my Rem 11-87, removing the mag extension, barrel, gas piston parts and o-ring, and clean them all by wiping with a cloth soaked in BF CLP. At this time I also inspect the o-ring for damage. The barrel I scrub with a bronze brush to remove any plastic fouling and verify a dry mirror bore finish. I clean off all the carbon from the mag tube using a bronze brush, then I apply a thin layer of BF CLP to the gas system components and reassemble. A couple of times a year I pull the bolt and clean it, and also clean the insde of the receiver (careful - its razor sharp in there) and mag tube. This has worked well for me for the last 12 years.

..... and how many days does that take ya ?

J/K

Edit to add: He must be a Harley owner, seeing as how he likes to work on it more than shoot it! [insert DUCK from flying objects icon!]

Edited December 15, 2008 by CHRIS KEEN

[bigbrowndog]

the Lithium Oil mix was suggested because the lithium grease breaks down well in oil, but stays in one place well. As for cold weather use, whats cold??

in the weather that we shoot in you should have no problem, but if you are concerned you can always just use a good oil.

I see many good guns being abused thru lack of maintenance, the Benelli cam pin should really just be cleaned and oiled every month, or every 500 rounds. Guns have a very distinctive sound when they're dry as opposed to well oiled. As for where to oil, "wherever there is metal to metal contact, or on any O ring.

Trapr

Don't be like Oddball from Kelly's Hero's, and say, "I just drive them man!!! I don't know what makes them work"

Edited December 15, 2008 by bigbrowndog

[EkuJustice]

My 1100 gets the bolt out and cleaned after every match, as well as the gas tube clean and a VERY light coat of oil. Has always worked 100percent. Takes about 15 min to do

[Merlin Orr]

Mobil 1 10w30 works from ~-40 to light gray straw colored hot.

A wet gun is a happy gun. Pistols, rifles and shotguns. A good synthetic oil like Mobil 1 also makes the carbon wipe off instead of having to use a chisel point.

[AlamoShooter]

I used the Lithium lub on my bolt and cam in my near new Benelli. in the cold AM at Fort B. The gun ran better than I did.

[StealthyBlagga]

..... and how many days does that take ya ?

J/K

Edit to add: He must be a Harley owner, seeing as how he likes to work on it more than shoot it! [insert DUCK from flying objects icon!]

It's actually pretty quick as I get a lot of practice. Anyway, I multitask... clean shotgun, watch a movie and pretend to listen to my wife, all at the same time . I am anal about cleanliness, though; I clean my rifle after every use too. Funny, I rarely have a gun problem, shotgun or rifle - I must be lucky I guess (or, to paraphrase, "the more I clean, the luckier I get").

[d5357]

From Benelli web site.

Q: What causes occasional cycling problems with my gun?

A: A common cause of miscellaneous cycling issues is the lack of lubrication. The bolt rails (where the bolt rides in the receiver) and the recoil plunger assembly (where the tail of the bolt goes down into the stock) must be lubricated in order for the gun to function properly. We recommend a good synthetic gun oil be used on the internal parts. We do not recommend using WD-40, 3 in 1 oils or any kind of dry lube on the internal parts of our guns, they have a tendency to gum up over time.

Q: What oil should I use on my Benelli in cold weather?

A: During operations in cold weather, low-viscosity synthetic gun oil is recommended for lubricating your shotgun. Synthetic gun oil is less likely to congeal and cause cycling problems than regular gun oil.

[el pres]

We run an anual New Years Day 3gun match and last year my well oiled Benelli

ran like a champ in 7F, is that cold enough ?? The overtightened Nordic clamp was

a whole other story but the gun ran, appearently that tube can shrink !!

I look at the cam pin the same as a cam pin on an AR because they are the same, it's the

most lubricated part in the gun because it takes the most abuse !!

[jbullgpd]

Trapr,

I was also told that some of the Benelli's at the FB3G had different oil but still puked...no common problem and the oils all seemed different. Some shooters thought the cold weather was possibility? I have yet to shoot my Benelli in real cold weather but you are suggesting a oil/grease combo for the cam pin, could this slow the system down in cold weather?

Now the Remington shooters shouldn't oil/lube the gas system up front should they? I just want to clearify that they should use the Rem-oil/other lube in the bolt/receiver only on these guns right?

No experience with the Sagia or the FN/Win guns.

Thank again,

I know...it's all about you man,

Scott

For the remingtons they need the mag tube/gas piston area wet. Makes em run like a champ. Bolt only gets oil on the extractor and a small amount on the bolt itself. Primary lube points for remmy is action bars, extractor, and on autos the mag tube/piston area. This comes from the Remmy Armorer course.

[grywlfbg]

Yep, I run my 1100 Tactical like I run my AR - wet, wet, wet! Wipe down everything mechanical (especially the piston area under the handguard) liberally with CLP. Never had a malfunction!

[ShooterSteve]

It doesn't help your shotgun, regardless of brand, if the RO clears your shotgun at dumps all your extra unfired rounds in that sticky sand at Ft Benning!!!! They should know better than that. I won't mention any names

[busyhawk]

Jbull: For the remingtons they need the mag tube/gas piston area wet. Makes em run like a champ. Bolt only gets oil on the extractor and a small amount on the bolt itself. Primary lube points for remmy is action bars, extractor, and on autos the mag tube/piston area. This comes from the Remmy Armorer course.

Jbull,

Wow, thank you for the information, and I was told the Remmys like the gas system dry! I will try the wet gas system and maybe that's why my 1100s don't work so good:-)

Now real cleaning after every day of shooting...no way...shooting matches like the MGM Iron Man will make you cuss the day of the gas gun for sure. Up at 05:45, breakfast, drive to range, start shooting NLT 07:30 and finish at NET 19:00 just to drive to town for a shower, food, wipe and lube guns down and sleep just to do it again for the next two days. That is why I have 3 tactical 1100s in the back of my safe and only shoot my Benelli M1! No, I don't carry a spare M1 either (this is either brave or stupid, your choice).

[CraigS.]

Busy hawk who has time to clean at the iron man match thats why I shoot an M1 benelli!

I once shot a 200rd shotgun match then a local 3-gun then the iron man and then halfway through the match at

Rocky mountain 3-G I took it apart finally to clean it.

It was far cleaner than my friends 1100 that he had just cleaned, he didn't believe me that it had been that long.

Bought a benelli and never looked back.

Craig

[bigbrowndog]

Shootersteve, who was that bastardo that did that to you???? those were penalty points for loading more rounds than you needed and not having the gun lock back on an empty bolt.

Besides Eric Lund didn't seem to have any problem using rounds that were dropped in the dirt, did he Mr. Romero?????????

trapr

[Mike P]

It may have been lack of lube, or that may have been a contibuting factor but for sure the sand clay stuff at Ft Benning isn't good for a SG, even a Bennelli. I know this because mine puked this past Friday after I picked up a couple of shells that had fallen from the sidesaddle into the red stuff and crammed them into my mag tube. This folly was of course immediatley (and appropriately) rewarded by a SG that pretty much quit working right. After cleaning out the tube AND oiling it, it worked without issue the rest of the match.

I may have to oil it down real well and stuff it full of clay and sand to see if it was the lack of oil or the addition of sand stuff to know for sure. Or Not.

Mike

[ShooterSteve]

Trapr, I may have come across a little strong at stage 2 and if I did I'm sorry. I know showing clear into the dirt wasn't anything that you would do to someone on purpose. Thanks for all the hard work you put in for all of the shooters.

[Merlin Orr]

Trapr, I may have come across a little strong at stage 2 and if I did I'm sorry. I know showing clear into the dirt wasn't anything that you would do to someone on purpose. Thanks for all the hard work you put in for all of the shooters.

Oh yea... He would do it on purpose..... Maybe not to you but certainly to those he knows....

Might have just liked you and that's the reason he did it....?

[ShooterSteve]

It was bad enough that he had just DQ'd me (a very legitimate DQ), so I was a little pissed at myself and the situation, and then he started racking my stuff in the dirt. I may have been done at FB3G, but those rounds will be going in my SG in the very near future, BUT...I may have said things a little harsher than needed, so that is why I apologized. Oh well, maybe that fine FB sand will help polish my chamber a little!

[Big Bore]

Ran an 11-87 for 5 years and 4 times at the Ironman, I always ran it it very wet with 10-30 Mobil 1, Broke it down at the end of the second day and wiped it off and oiled the shit out of it and didn't clean it until the Rocky Mountain 3 gun.

In 4 years I might have had 4 or 5 failures to go into battery.

Now I shoot a SX-2 which I run the same way, wet with oil and I have had very few issues with it. At the last 2 Ironmans I didn't bother to clean it I just took the forearm off and added some more oil and finished the last day. Iusually didn't clean it until the Rocky Mountain 3 gun.

Remember:

Lubrication is your friend.