SBE 2 heavy load cycling problems

[Major146]

I had a problem with my SBE2 when shooting Skeet, in that it would not always chamber the second shell. The first one would fire OK and eject. Then second shell would come out of the magazine but then just sit in the bottom of the receiver. If I pushed up on the lifter (I think Benelli calls it a Carrier PN 60128) under the gun, the shell would go right into the chamber and the bolt would close. I can go threw 8 boxes without this happening but then I can get 2 – 3 in the same box.

I called Benelli today and asked them about the problem. They asked me if I was shooting factory loads and I told them I was shooing reloads. My reloads are:

Remington Gun Club hulls

Cheddite primer

19 gr. Promo

CB-1118-12 wad

1 1/8 oz. #9

This gives me about 1300 fps.

There answer was for me to send the gun in to them for them to try but he said that they would be shooting Factory 3 dram loads for testing. Also it doesn’t happen with any regularity and it doesn’t seam to matter if the gun is dirty or has just been cleaned.

When I load the second shell into the magazine I have been giving it a second push just to make sure that the shell was all the way into the magazine and this seams to have helped.

But I tried an experiment and pushed the second shell not quite into the magazine and once the carrier had slipped below the shell I let it go so that it would not be in the magazine but in the bottom of the receiver just above the carrier device and the gun cycled fine with this arrangement.

I shot 6 boxes for Skeet today with a semi-clean gun and from the first 4 boxes I had a problem with the second shell coming out of the magazine but just staying in the bottom of the receiver 5 times. I then shot 2 more boxes and it worked fine. I usually load one at a time for singles but load 2 shells for when I am doing doubles. A clean or dirty gun, doesn’t seam to make any difference.

 

Any one else had this same or simular problem?

Edited January 16, 2013 by Major146

[Major146]

I have sent it into Benelli and will report when I get it back.

[Major146]

Well, I got my SBE2 back from Benelli yesterday. I went to the shooting club last night and shot 2 rounds of Skeet. I usually only load 1 shell at a time when shooting singles but because I was having trouble with the 2^nd shell cycling I loaded 2 shells on every station.

My SBE2 worked perfectly every time. I even shot some shells that I had reduced the powder charge from 19.2 grains of Promo to 18.2 grains and they cycled fine. I took it out again this morning and again and it worked like a champ.

Benelli said that they depend the extractor cut, adjusted the magazine spring, replaced the follower and extractor. They also said that I should not oil the magazine tube but to leave it dry.

It was only gone for 10 days total and there wasn’t any charge for the repair. Great gun and a great company. I’m glad I purchased my Benelli SBE2 and highly recommend both the gun and the company.