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First Benelli - a few questions about getting started (cleaning and ammunition)


pheasunthunter

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Hello all,

 

After fifteen years of hunting with a 12G Browning BPS, my wife surprise me with a new 12G Montefeltro for Christmas.

 

I am extremely excited to take it out this weekend but have a few questions. I have been reading everything I can find about this gun via Google, which lead me to this forum.

 

1) Some suggest field stripping and cleaning the "factory oil" off the gun. From what I can tell, this means running some rem oil through the barrel and receiver, perhaps removing the bolt and wiping it down.

 

Is this a real thing, or just a wives-tail?

 

2) Ammunition. Since it's an inertia driven gun, many suggest running some hotter loads through it to start. I picked up a few boxes of:

 

a) Winchester AA Lite Handicap Target: 7 1/2, 1oz, 1290 (3 1/4d) fps - Expensive

b) Remington Game: 8, 1oz, 1290 (3 1/4d) fps - Cheap (dove on the front of the box)

 

I've read stories about how the cheap stuff is going to shoot dirty and that many people only shoot the good stuff through their benellis.

 

Are the loads I picked up hot enough to break the gun in?

 

Should I be concerned about the cheap remington ammo and buy something else?

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As a rule of thumb. All new firearms should be cleaned of all factory preservatives and lubricated according to the use manual.

Personally, after the break in period of a few hundred rounds, I start to lightly grease the contact areas showing the most wear. On my Benelli M4, I use Weapon Shield grease on the reciever slots that the bolt rides in.

 

Someone else will have to ring in on the ammunition, since I do not have first hand knowledge on the subject.

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Remoil is a bad way to start. Get rid of it.

Get some Breakfree CLP or use the Benelli CLP that shipped with the gun. Apply to all working parts and metal surfaces. Then wipe, leaving a very light film only.

 

Break-in can be helpful, but you don't have use expensive ammo, just high velocity ammo.

A couple of boxes should do it.

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I use carb cleaner on the metal parts and lube with a product called EEZOX. The stuff is fantastic.

 

I have some cheap federal target loads that are 3dr eq and 1-1/8oz shot as I recall. It cycles them fine, but high power rounds are said to be best reliability. I believe that my first round cycled the tube did not feed, but after that it was fine.

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2) Ammunition. Since it's an inertia driven gun, many suggest running some hotter loads through it to start. I picked up a few boxes of:

 

a) Winchester AA Lite Handicap Target: 7 1/2, 1oz, 1290 (3 1/4d) fps - Expensive

b) Remington Game: 8, 1oz, 1290 (3 1/4d) fps - Cheap (dove on the front of the box)

 

They actually tell you not to use the 1 oz loads. I just bought a Monte a month ago. I have shot 1 1/8 loads and 1 1/4 oz loads through it with no problem. For Sporting Clays I have been shooting Federal target loads 1 1/8 oz 7 1/2 shot with absolutely no problems.

 

I'd take those cheap 1 oz dove loads you bought and shoot them to see if it cycles. I expect if it's cleaned and lubed it should function properly. If it does not, get a couple boxes of 1 1/4 oz loads and run them through the gun, then run the 1 oz loads through and see if the situation improves.

 

My brother's SBE would not cycle the Winchester Super-target 1 oz 8 shot loads at the clays range. But after we stripped it, cleaned and lubed it, it would even cycle these light loads. Me, I'll stick with the 1 1/8 oz target loads.

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Remoil is a bad way to start. Get rid of it.

Get some Breakfree CLP or use the Benelli CLP that shipped with the gun. Apply to all working parts and metal surfaces. Then wipe, leaving a very light film only.

 

Break-in can be helpful, but you don't have use expensive ammo, just high velocity ammo.

A couple of boxes should do it.

 

 

Why don't you like Rem Oil?

I use it on my Benelli's when the temps get sub freezing with great results so am curious why no love for Rem Oil???

 

Pat

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Rem Oil is mineral spirits and petroleum.

Break Free and similar CLP products are synthetic or synthetic blend.

 

Rem oil has a relatively low flash point of 105 degrees, whereas the synthetics usually go to around 200 degrees and up.

 

Heck, some say that Mobil 1 is even a better choice.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=271x1301

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  • 2 weeks later...

Hello all, newbie here first post. Pheasanthunter, I also just bought a new benelli, an M2 in twenty gauge. I read a lot of info about these guns not necessarily cycling light loads. I took the gun out of packaging and wiped it all down with Mobil 1 synthetic that I use in my bike and on all my firearms. Went to the range and shot a case/250rnds of 2 3/4, 7/8oz, #8 shot with not one failure.( except missing some clays! Not the guns fault though.) I read about a lot of guys having trouble with this light of load. Just try what you have. If they don't work, try something else. It's early in the game for me but I would not have a problem buying those loads again. Even going to try the 3/4oz loads next. Super comfy to shoot. Good luck.

Edited by Ricjr76
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Why don't you like Rem Oil?

I use it on my Benelli's when the temps get sub freezing ???

 

 

Well its gonna take sub-zero temperatures to get that stuff thick enough to do anything! Otherwise its like water, evaporates by the time it gets into the field!

 

To the original poster- it is common practice to clean & oil a new firearm before use. There are numerous reasons for this, ranging from dirty factory test firing, poor quality lubes, extended time in warehousing, etc. Clean & lube the gun as you see fit - as you have read we all do it differently!

 

The only real problem shells are Winchester-Walmart. The problem is not that they shoot dirty, they're just junk that has a tendency to get stuck in the chamber.

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It doesn't look like the OP has been back to give us an update. FWIW, I completely disassembled my Montefeltro, and although it didn't look that dirty, because it was a new factory gun, I cleaned it with Gun Scrubber and then lubed everything with Break-free CLP. I haven't shot it that much but it seems to cycle fine with both 1 1/8 and 1 oz target loads. That seems better than the SBE I shot at the clays range that absolutely would not cycle the 1 oz loads.

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Recently got an M2 12-ga field, haven't had it out of the case yet... too much work, not enough play.

 

But I've tried a wide assortment of loads in my super vinci and it would cycle everything except my ultra-light 7/8-ths oz Cowboy Action handloads. I expect (hope) my M2 will run very much the same as the S-Vinci.

 

For me, scrubbing new shotguns is optional; rifles / handgun pre-use cleaning is not optional (again, for me). --CC

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