Jump to content

Gas Piston


stid2677

Recommended Posts

Looking back on Steve's original post and recalling how my R1 was fouling in a similar fashion, I think the problem is coming from the way the R1 piston assembly traps hot gasses and attempts to hold them under pressure in the assembly.

 

The Browning releases the gasses quickly and allows for much more rapid cooling.

As you can see, all of the heat and pressure are applied to the top of the piston in the Browning, just like an internal combustion engine.

There is no sealed chamber between two cylinders to concentrate and retain the hot gasses.

 

It's a bit ironic that Benelli, a company which has built a stellar reputation for offering an alternative to the dirty gas piston systems in shotguns, has built their rifle on that exact design. :confused:

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Replies 68
  • Created
  • Last Reply

Top Posters In This Topic

I bought my R1 in .300wsm 2 years ago. It failed on me at the worse possible time. (in the middle of a herd of elk) I contacted the factory and sent it in after the season. They said they couldn't see what was causing it and replaced the barrel. I got the rifle back and re-mounted the scope and went to site it in this season. It worked fine for the 8 shots I needed to site it in. I went out yesterday to fine tune it (hunting season starts in 4 days) It jammed after 2 rounds. The shell would eject, but the bolt would hang up when the new round was trying to chamber. I came home and stripped it and found the piston all carboned up. My question is-what is the best way to clean this crap off the piston and bore? I see pits in the bore as many of you have stated. How many rounds can you actually shoot before you need to worry about this? I have to tell you , i am very dissapointed in this gun, it shoots nice (when it works) and looks good but if I have to wonder if it will work when I need it then it really isn't much good to me. I have shot a total of 40 rounds through this gun so far. Does the type of ammo matter, is some of it better then others for an auto loader> I am shooting Winchester Accubond ammo. I have heard nothing but good things about Benelli guns over the past 30 years so decided to buy 1, not sure I made a good choice here. Could have bought 2 brownings for the price.:(

 

I found that I had to clean mine after each and every firing. I found that the gas piston would corrode and get stuck between firings if I did not clean it after each use. You can remove the front grip and pull the bolt to the rear, the gas piston should move freely, it will get sticky as it fouls up. When it starts to get sticky, take it down and clean it. I hunt bears with mine so I don't mind cleaning it, has never failed me in the field.

 

Steve

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Not sure about the R1, but with my M1A which is a piston gun I clean the piston after shooting the weapon. This is the most important part of the weapon and without it functioning correctly there will be problems. With many piston guns you have to be careful what powder you use, if you reload, as to slow a powder can damage many of them. I use power with a medium burning rate, and don't know if you always use factory loads and if you ever clean the piston.

 

I don't care what the manufacturer says about not needing to clean a weapon (you name the part) I always do it. I have hunted in Alaska, Africa and many other places and don't need to face the elephant with a weapon that goes click when it should go bang....

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 3 weeks later...
OK. All of this talk of pistons got the best of me. So I grabbed my Browning BAR and took it apart.

 

This rifle has about 200 rounds through it, and I don't think I have ever had the piston out of it completely until today.

It's a bit of a pain to get out, due to some advanced disassembly work, but it's not too technical.

Just follow the guide in the manual and pay attention to what you're doing, and you'll be fine.

 

The piston is about as simple of a design as it gets.

Gasses from the barrel are imparted to the top of the piston.

The piston then pushes an inertia block rearward, which drives the dual action bars.

A very simple and efficient design. (note: inertia block has been removed in the photo)

 

The piston below was removed and wiped off with a lightly oiled rag, then wiped dry.

There was just a light powdery sooty coating on it, and it required no solvent to get clean.

 

Browning states in the manual to never oil the piston, but to merely wipe it down with a lightly oiled cloth.

 

There are no o-rings in the assembly.

 

 

Tucker,

 

They don't want you placing oil on the assembly, because then burning powder will stick and gum up the assembly really quick.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

once again the r1 failed me in the middle of an elk hunt. I had striped it and cleaned it very good before going out and it shot great 6 times then locked up again. It would shoot, eject, then the slide wouldn't go all the way back in. If I pulled the lever back and let it go it worked, but in the heat of hunting you are ejecting 1 live round per clip. I took the gun apart when I came home and it wasn't very dirty either so now I am really scratching my head. I e-mailed Benelli customer service 2 weeks ago and haven't heard a word from them.:mad:

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Tucker, you said that you sold your R1, did you feel guilty selling it to someone? I'd like to sell mine, but I'd feel guilty putting it on someone else. I e-mailed Benelli one time and ask them if they'd buy it back and I didn't get an answer.

 

Al

Edited by parachute
Link to comment
Share on other sites

I just want to make it clear that I really enjoy hunting with my R-1. Once I learned how to properly care for it, it has always fired when I pull the trigger. I spent 47 days in the field with it this year in some of the worst weather I have ever tried to hunt in. This is a buck I took with it on Kodiak Island, Alaska, we had near freezing rain and were operating from a salt water based boat. I just clean it after each hunt, takes only minutes and I have never had a problem with it loosing its zero. Always dead on after reassembly.

IMGP2255.jpg

 

Steve

Edited by stid2677
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Guest D.foece

If it aint broke dont fix it I never had a problem with the gas operiating system on any of my ARs... One day I would at least like 1 gas piston upper in 5.56 but I dont see the huge benifit for the price. My 2 cents... In the end - if it makes you happy - GO FOR IT

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 3 weeks later...

IMHO, One of the issues is that cleaning fluid from the barrel cleaning gets into the gas piston. This mixed with powder residue causes fouling and corrosion. Once I started cleaning after each use I had no more problems. I have owned other semi autos, plus I used an M-16 for many years and they were all the same, they required cleaning to function properly. If you don't like cleaning your rifle, buy a bolt action they will operate with less maintenance. After you master the take down and reassembly it only takes a few minutes to clean it.

 

Steve

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Thank You okabenellir1 for the encouraging words... I have invested much into this rifle and feel sick every time I read a post debasing this rifle. I haven't even got to shoot it yet, so I lack my own experiences.

 

PLEASE don't get discouraged by this thread, or any of the others that describe problems with the R1. Just look at the thread just above yours, from the fellow in Canada.

 

I've had my R1 for over two years, have taken three nice deer with it, and shot about 250-300 rounds through it altogether, mostly trying to find the round it liked best for accuracy from 50 to 200 yds. Mine's a .308, and the round it likes best is the 150gr Hornady Custom SST, producing 3/4"x3/4" three-shot groups at 100yds and 200yds, betterr at 50yds. I've had zero failures, except at the very first when I used some MilSurp ball ammo that would not eject, which is typical of such ammo of unknown age and gosh-knows-where origin, and should not be used in anything but a bolt gun, at best - and I know better than that, but it was what I had and I wanted to get that first round down the barrel. It was a Xmas gift and all I wanted was for it to go "bang" when I pulled the trigger, so I could go home grinning and get past the "is it OK?" question.

 

I've seen many much more expensive gas autos have similar or other problems, as well as cheaper guns. Not to say that the R1 is cheap - far from it, which is why when there's a problem it seems worse. But this is a super piece of equipment. And I think the vast majority of owners don't have these problems, or if they do, they have quite good success dealing with Benelli directly.

 

Just enjoy it.

 

Uncle Russ

Edited by Uncle Russ
Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 1 month later...

I have a question for every one out there that has not had problems with this gun. What type of ammunition are you guys useing? I had a gun dealer tell me to try a different brand as some maufacturers use slower/faster burning powders. My gun is a .300 WSM and so far I have shot 50 rnds through it in 2 years and it has failed me 3 times. I am useing Winchester accubond amunition. Thanks for any help.:confused:

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Do you clean the rings only or do you also somehow clean the cylinder? As the cylinder is attached on the barrel I am not sure how to clean it...

 

You will need to break the rifle down, make sure to read back and know how to remove and clean the gas piston, making sure to remove and clean behind the rings as well. After I've cleaned the barrel, I clean the inside of the gas piston port on the barrel. I break mine down after each trip to the field and after firing. I never store it dirty, because I have had the piston get stuck inside the gas port. I also prefer to clean the barrel from the breach using a bore guide to save damage to the chamber. This also prevents cleaning fluids from being pushed down the barrel and into the action and helps prevent damaging the crown with the cleaning rod.

 

IMGP2435-1.jpg

 

IMGP2445.jpg

Link to comment
Share on other sites

You will need to break the rifle down, make sure to read back and know how to remove and clean the gas piston, making sure to remove and clean behind the rings as well. After I've cleaned the barrel, I clean the inside of the gas piston port on the barrel. I break mine down after each trip to the field and after firing. I never store it dirty, because I have had the piston get stuck inside the gas port. I also prefer to clean the barrel from the breach using a bore guide to save damage to the chamber. This also prevents cleaning fluids from being pushed down the barrel and into the action and helps prevent damaging the crown with the cleaning rod.

 

IMGP2435-1.jpg

 

IMGP2445.jpg

 

Steve, thanks for making the effort to share these pictures! I have the same green RCBS handle but I don't have the brush you have on it. What kind of brush is it? Do you use solvent on it to clear the cylinder?

 

I only had 80 rounds through mine R1 (all recent, within one weekend) yet it took me about an hour to scrub under the rings and especially the pin that goes inside of the piston. Do you clean that pin as well? I had to completely remove it from the receiver to clean it all up.

 

Regarding bore guide- I bought the same one you have but never used it because it is not tight enough to align the rod properly. I am getting a custom bore guide made that will keep the rod straight.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I believe the brush is from my shotgun set 12ga. I use breakfree to clean the gas port, the piston and the rings. I also remove the O-Rings then the piston and clean the rod that the gas piston rides on. When assembled I always pull the bolt back and I make sure that the gas piston moves freely. When it starts getting fouled, it will become hard to move and feel sticky. when mine does this the bolt will often fail to lock into battery and the firing pin will not strike the primer.

 

 

Sounds like you have a handle on it.

 

Enjoy your rifle

 

Steve

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 2 weeks later...

So what brand of ammunition are you fellas that don't have the fouling problem useing? I really like the way this gun shoots and feels and am not ready to give up on it just yet. I am in the process of assembling my gun again after an extensive cleaning and want to try a different brand of ammo this time just for a test. Thanks guys..:confused:

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 1 month later...

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Unfortunately, your content contains terms that we do not allow. Please edit your content to remove the highlighted words below.
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.


×
×
  • Create New...