Spike100

Thanks for the reply. I'm going to follow your advice. Your method matches what Benelli suggests in the Owners Manual for the Montefeltro. I think the light oil coat you suggest will provide less friction and overcome the junk that get's into the receiver and bolt-slide. --Spike

My favorite for quail is my 20 gauge SKB side-by-side double barrel with a straight grip and splinter grip. But that is pretty much for esthetics. The best solution is a 20 gauge Benelli Montefeltro. The low recoil allows easy doubles, and you have the extra shell if you are going for a triple. I use 7 ½ shot for quail. --Spike

I was an early buyer for the Montefeltro so I have been using this model for a number of years now. I love my Benelli Montefeltro, but I do experience stoppages even when trying hard to maintain the gun properly during my pheasant hunts in SD. I clean the gun daily during my hunts, but even just a single seed that finds its way into the receiver seems capable of stopping the gun’s function (that happened to me just yesterday, and it has been a problem in the past). My fix is simply having two guns available during the hunt. In fact, that is wise by any measure. Apparently you should apply oil to the Montefeltro’s bolt. During the pheasant season in SD, I remove the oil and dry clean the bolt so it does not attract debris that seems common in SD. I’m thinking that might be my problem. Here is my question: Should I apply oil to the bolt (Benelli recommends doing this) and not worry about “field debris?” Certainly an oily surface will attract and hold more debris, but an oily surface also provides a better-lubricated slide for the bolt. I guess it’s a trade-off. I’m interested in opinions from the participating members. Thanks, --Spike

14, 18, and 11 gauge rounds are the rarest of all the shells for a shotgun. If you have any of these gauges, you probably produce your own shells (i.e., you have the appropriate reloading equipment). --Spike

If you are shooting lead shot: I used 4’s for years, but had more “runners” with this load. 7 ½ loads are too light for pheasants. You can kill with this load at close range, but the shot remains inside the flesh so eating the meat requires very careful chewing. I’ve had the best results using 5’s and 6’s and a modified or IM choke on pheasants. Pheasants are tough birds and not easily killed with a single shot. Shooting 6’s punches more holes in the bird. You want to cut as much of the” wiring” in their nervous system as possible. If you break a wing and a leg, and you have a dog, you will probably get the downed bird. If you are hunting on a Preserve requiring steel shot (Preserves often require steel to limit carry-range): Go with 4’s and an IC choke. You get more pellets with 4’s and higher velocity with steel loads than comparable lead loads, so you are throwing a lot of shot at the bird. Steel loads remain tight and result in more pressure on your barrel. You should not go past a modified choke when shooting steel or any hard load. --Spike