Last season issues with my Benelli M1

Mark W

Mark W

Well-known member
I've had this gun for many years and it has been about as reliable as you can ask of a hunting gun. I used to have issues with ejecting light load wheels once in awhile but that was fixed by keeping the butt stock spring cleaned and taking it to a gunsmith a few years back who gave it a good once over.

Last season I had the same problem happen 3 times and I am at a loss as to what may be the cause.

I take a shot and the next shell loads into the chamber. Pull the trigger and nothing happens. This used to be the symptoms of the breech not closing all the way and was easily fixed by pulling it back and slamming it shut. This time however, the breech was locked shut solid, almost like it was welded shut. There was nothing I could do to open it up and get the shell out.

After fiddling with it for several minutes, the breech would open and the shell would eject. There wasn't anything special I did when it finally opened, it was like the gun had a mind of it's own and was only going to open up when it wanted to.

It is n uncomfortable situation as I and fearful something could go wrong with the gun loaded and the trigger pulled.

Any thoughts on what this problem could be?

Mark W
 
I have observed this once with a friend and his Benelli. When he attempted to unload the bolt would not open, finally he decided to discharge the gun and what we found was the brass was crimped and creating an obstruction in the chamber. Brass seems to be getting thinner than the good old days and if you load and unload the same shell a few times like run and gun turkey hunting that is something to be on the look out for. Also in my 11-87 my charge bar broke when I was unloading my last round after a sucessful goose hunt. In that case a discharge would have been catastrophic at least to the gun since the broken bar prevented the bolt from cycling back and I had to pull the gun apart to diagnose and fix.

Good luck.
 
Mark take the gun apart, disassemble the bolt and clean the firing pin the inside of the bolt and the spring that goes around the firing pin, while it's apart clean the rest of the gun real good, and lightly oil the bolt rails and any where else you see wear to the parts. Then take it out and shoot a box of your duck loads through it.

I would also get a can of gun scrubber and wash out the entire trigger group.

If you do all that and it still gives you issues get a hold of Jeff Hajjar at SRM arms in Meridian Idaho, he and his gunsmiths can go through your gun and get it running. They do great work.

Jeff also makes the sure cycle spring kits for auto guns, he also does magazine spring kits and new plugs.

Best

Fred
 
I tried looking SRM on the internet, and was not able to find a contact. Could you provide more information? Having trouble with a SBE.
Thanks in advance
Sonny
 
I agree on the cleaning. Strip it down to the firing pin and then take out the trigger assembly and soak it or blast it. I've never had that exact issue but it sounds like something is hanging up, either through a dirty assy or a foreign object. I had #8 lead pellet fall into the trigger assy of my SBE one time and had to take it into the gunsmith to get it removed as I couldn't find it. Turned out it was behind the trigger someplace.

I have had an issue with springs in the past and the first time I went with the SureCycle set ($100) and they worked fine for a 5-6 years but eventually needed replacement again. This last time I went with Wolff springs and the whole set - recoil, magazine and trigger springs were only $25 and appear to be working fine.

The issue with the brass on shells expanding is something that I have run into with reloads as after 8-10 loadings the brass rim can expand enough to jam - haven't ever had it happen in my SBE though. All those issues were resolved when I got a MEC Supersizer for each gauge that I reload. They resize all the way down to and including the rim.

If you find the answer to your problem let us know please.
 
Mark;

With that many seasons of use, your mainspring in the stock could be getting a little tired.

I put a Wolff +25% spring, (#16095 $12.99) in my SBEII this year, and noticed that the bolt went home faster and with more authority than with the stock spring, and it stayed in the locked position even if you bumped the gun vertically on the recoil pad. It is advertised that felt recoil is reduced with the stiffer spring........I can't really say I noticed a big difference. Mine did not shoot light 1 1/8 trap loads reliably until after a season of breaking in the new +25% spring.

The "Bennelli click" will be a thing of the past

Gibby.
 
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Mark~

When you say "nothing happens" - does the trigger move and the firing pin strike (do you hear a click) ? or neither? I am just wondering if you might have a head space problem. I would take it to a smith in either event.

All the best,

SJS
 
Mark~

When you say "nothing happens" - does the trigger move and the firing pin strike (do you hear a click) ? or neither? I am just wondering if you might have a head space problem. I would take it to a smith in either event.

All the best,

SJS
Click to expand...

No firing pin movement that I can tell. The trigger freezes as well as one time I thought I had a bad shell and tried to pull the trigger and it too was locked.

I only shoot new shells one speck ally Kent Fasteel ( the higher quality ons). I figured now is the time to be fixing this verses 2 weeks before hunting season.

Mark
 
I have owned by Benelli M1 since 1995. Each and every time I took it to Sask for very long watefowling hunts, it needed Expert gunsmith work when I returned, and was even sent back to the factory once. I can tear the gun down in my sleep, inspect and clean, every part. The spring in the stock is most always the culprit. It's JUNK, and must be kept super clean. Why they built such a wonderful shot gun, with inferior Spring, baffles the hell out of me. Use as little lubricant as possible on all parts, if not they tend to Freeze up, big time. I use Clenzoil. Every time the gun gets soaking wet, the plastic stock holds water and your ----ked. The gun will need tore down and cleaned.
 
Sure cycle. What's another $150 to keep your favorite gun going for many more years. I have one in mine. Only time I've had a click was when I didn't let the bolt slam shut after peaking to make sure if it's loaded and closing it back easy.
 
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