Semi auto, love em / hate em.

[westley]

Same with my 3.5 franchi.
Hoping to get down to 24grams with some internal treatments but will see how it plays out.
Just now sublime handling with minimal recoil on 28g Fiocchi ones...

Why bother going to 24 gram, unless you have to. Although my gun will cycle 21 grams, I feel happier in the knowledge that the 28 gram WILL cycle without a hitch.

 

[philpot]

Why bother going to 24 gram, unless you have to. Although my gun will cycle 21 grams, I feel happier in the knowledge that the 28 gram WILL cycle without a hitch.

Perhaps a cost benefit.

 

[westley]

For the peace of mind of not having a poorly cycling gun, I would sooner pay the extra fiver !

 

[westley]

I do use 24 and even 21 gram in my 303 auto, but usually for first timers and youngsters where I am only loading 1 cartridge anyway.

 

[Stigger]

I find with my Maxus that the gram does not have much affect on the cycling, it is the cartridge length that is more important. 65mm cartridges have the odd miss feed, 67mm rare miss feed and 70mm never miss feeds. On clays I tend to use Fiocchi lightspeeds that are 26 gram and 70mm in the Maxus. I do like my Maxus and my 525, and will use either for most things.

 

[Yorkshire Clay Shooting]

I have a Franchi from the 1970’s the inertia driven one and it is the oddest and best semi auto odd due to the barrel moving back to cycle the cartridge and best because I got it from guntrader for £50 I have had it 18 months and shot maybe 400 cartridges and it hasn’t missed a beat. I use it as my rainy day gun and it’s been great

 

[spartina]

Why bother going to 24 gram, unless you have to. Although my gun will cycle 21 grams, I feel happier in the knowledge that the 28 gram WILL cycle without a hitch.

Fair points.
Perhaps I should say since I militec'd the block slides and internals, Interflon Fin super'd the removable block internals and mag tube/spring, and Waffen gun oiled the outside of mag tube and recoil spring/mechanism [sits under the fore piece, wet lubed for wet weather] the lock time seems both louder/snappier on bolt release [I know, but seriously, it slams home even more so] and working the whole action just seems smoothly sublime. Only thing not "lube tuned" was the entire trigger mechanism which was removed and put aside 'cos I ain't that daft!
So next up is a quick skeet round then try out of a nominal 24g load and see if that leads to 21g or not.
I'll post results. All the Best.

 

[FESkent]

Benelli for me, very reliable and no gas port etc to clean.

 

[philpot]

Benelli for me, very reliable and no gas port etc to clean.

Same with my Browning A5

 

[PhilR]

Back in the mid eighties I used to shoot DTL and being left handed a semi auto user on my left side, ie shooting before me was a right nuisance.
One day shooting at Nottingham Gun Club I had a SA shooter join our squad on my left after three rounds of being clattered by his empties I had my revenge.
On the final round I'd retained my empties from the previous round and when SA was ready to shoot I lobbed an empty in his direction, did it about half a dozen times. When we changed pegs he asked me what I was playing at, I said he was getting the same treatment his SA gave me every time he fired it.
He was totally oblivious to what his gun was doing and very apologetic.
After that I always shot in a regular squad of OU users.

 

[etonwick]

I'm really uncomfortable being on a shooting line with someone using a semi auto or pump action. I can't see them broken so I can't be sure they aren't cocked and loaded. Worse still, semi auto users too often seem oblivious to swinging their gun muzzles across other individuals. Very bad form!

 

[AW13]

@etonwick
Just as a counterpoint to the above.
I shoot with many people who use semi auto's some prefer them some for softer recoil etc.
I can honestly say I cannot remember the last time I saw someone swing a barrel around or move onto or off the stand without a flag in the action.

If anyone did they would be politely remined, but that has not been necessary for as long as I can remember

 

[etonwick]

@etonwick
Just as a counterpoint to the above.
I shoot with many people who use semi auto's some prefer them some for softer recoil etc.
I can honestly say I cannot remember the last time I saw someone swing a barrel around or move onto or off the stand without a flag in the action.

If anyone did they would be politely remined, but that has not been necessary for as long as I can remember

@AW13
Absolutely - I'm sure there are MANY good, considerate, safe users of SA's and I didn't mean to tar them all with the same brush. Should have phrased my comment more thoughtfully. Thanks for the feedback.

 

[vmax1010]

I'm more worried about game shooters that turn up about now to try to get their eye in ready for the game season who haven't picked up a gun since February last year

 

[Will Hewland]

@etonwick
Just as a counterpoint to the above.
I shoot with many people who use semi auto's some prefer them some for softer recoil etc.
I can honestly say I cannot remember the last time I saw someone swing a barrel around or move onto or off the stand without a flag in the action.

If anyone did they would be politely remined, but that has not been necessary for as long as I can remember

Have seen it loads at some little shoots. Pretty good behaviour at registered events though.

 

[DolphinCTC]

The 'clunk, click' every shot is something that is far more noticeable on some guns more than others. My 2 old Beretta guns with wood stocks and forends, I hardly notice any mechanism noise or sensation, however I did have a Winchester X3 that was 'plastic' and it rattled and echoed like nothing I had ever used. I won't have a recoil operated mechanism for the same reason. I often feel that a touch of snobbery backs the prejudice against semi auto guns and I get sick of hearing about 'how dangerous' they are.

I reiterate what I have said before, I have shot for over 60 years and also ran a shooting ground for 17 of them. ALL of the 'accidents,incidents,' dress them up however, have involved break open guns. Even the most recent incident, 2 weeks ago, involved an O/U. I think that most users of semi auto or pump action guns are aware of their bad publicity and take a lot more care to avoid further animosity.

Really one of the best systems for shooting ever invented due to the recoil reduction. Just a shame that a lot of the modern guns are so light and hence not ideal for clays.

 

[Mike]

Really one of the best systems for shooting ever invented due to the recoil reduction. Just a shame that a lot of the modern guns are so light and hence not ideal for clays.

I really agree with your post because of the recoil reduction and the ease of shooting one. I have a 1980 Beretta 391 Gold with some weight added so it now weighs 7lb 10oz.

My O/U is a Browning which weighs 8lb 6oz which handles and shoots very well but at my age I'm thinking of using my auto more

I do have a telescopic magnet too

 

[Mike]

I had a go with my auto today for a change, to be honest my O/U is a lot better to shoot

 

[General Skanky]

I'll resurrect this thread.

I love my semi autos. I shoot so much better with them and find the O/U trickier.

I am massively safety conscious and have never had or seen any issues on the grounds I shoot at.

I was searching cartridge catchers as it were and saw a comment further back.

I'm looking for this but it seems only in the USA? -

https://www.beretta.com/en-us/produ...l-catcher-for-a400-xcel-12-gauge-BRSCA40012GA

 

[thebigH91]

i have an A400 Excel which send the empties well out (i also carry a telescopic magnet stick) i looked into catchers and as far as i know the mentioned catchers only catch 1 shell, fine for american trap or single shot stuff but we generlly shoot 2 shots at a time. Theres loads of threads on this subject to be found on the web. Due to the positioning of the rib on my A400 i was advised that a cable tie would stop the empties flying too far, it does, but to be honest i dont anymore as i mainly shoot Skeet and Sporting where flying empties isnt a bother except for the cleaner and as i clear up after myself its not a problem.