# Benelli shotgun troubleshooting



## DallanC (Jan 13, 2009)

My Sons Benelli Montefeltro is having an odd issue. Its a nearly brand new gun, around 4 boxes through it. There's an issue where it hangs up, bolt retracted and the elevator raised up. It gets locked in this position. 

The bolt release does nothing. It can be pushed in, but does not release the bolt.

To unlock it, With one hand we have to pull the bolt back as far as it can go, then reach inside and push the elevator down by hand, then the bolt will move forward (without touching the bolt release). I haven't disassembled the gun yet to look for anything binding. I'm not familiar with the internals and workings of this gun yet. 

It happens frequently, and I'm not understanding why. I would expect the bolt release to work consistently when the bolt is locked back. I'm not sure if the elevator position is a symptom, a cause... or maybe even unrelated.

Any Benelli owners more familiar with the quirks and how these work?

-DallanC


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## MooseMeat (Dec 27, 2017)

Tear it apart, clean it out, lube it up and put it back together. Sounds like something might be in there that it’s hanging up on during the cycle. If it’s out of the box, might be packaging, cardboard, who knows. My benelli won’t operate for chit if it’s dirty (4 boxes is enough to get it to that point, depending on the shells being shot) and not lubed.


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## DallanC (Jan 13, 2009)

Ok i tore the gun down... I see a potential problem, Some pictures:

Here's the main problem, you can see the bolt back and elevator up. Its locked up right now, bolt release does nothing. If you pull back on the bolt and push down on the elevator from inside, it will unbind and the bolt will return to battery:










Here's where I think there might be a potential problem. The black arm (Benelli calls it a "Breech Bolt Latch") has a very sharp edge closest to the trigger control assembly. This can hit the raised line on the trigger control assembly.










It looks like the black arm should be able to move past the trigger control assembly freely. There is enough wobble that it can hit at times.










I could file off the sharp edge, make it rounder, then do the same to the vertical raised edge so they slip past each other without hitting.

Or should I send this back to Benelli?

-DallanC


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## Fowlmouth (Oct 4, 2008)

Send it in for repair. I hear mixed reviews with their customer service, so if you do send it in let us know how your experience is please. I saw a new M2 do the same thing, was sent in and repaired. Maybe goosefreak will chime in.


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## CPAjeff (Dec 20, 2014)

My M2 does it when I pull the bolt all the way back, let it slide forward a little bit, and then pull it all the way back again. Not sure if yours is the same. 

I’ve shot Benellis for the better part of two decades and my new M2 is the only one I can remember having this little hiccup. For mine, it’s a pretty easy fix.


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## JerryH (Jun 17, 2014)

Something is screwy. It is ejecting out of the wrong side of the receiver :smile:


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## DallanC (Jan 13, 2009)

JerryH said:


> Something is screwy. It is ejecting out of the wrong side of the receiver :smile:


You should see my Lefty AR15. 8) Guys to my left are not used to brass coming from their right /chuckle

Update: I rubbed the "Breech Bolt Latch" black bar thingy across the corner of the upraised line with my thumb and the sharp edge slowly shaved off the corner of the top of that line, angling it somewhat. The more I did it, the less it would snag up. I reassembled the gun and worked the action for a bit... I was able to get it into the weird locked mode again but its pretty infrequent. When I have more time I may try shaving that edge down some more and call it good.

The gun runs fine with ammo... not a hiccup. Its when we are unloading it or working the action after cleaning this seems to happen. When it does happen, the fix is easy, pull back the bolt and push down on the elevator then release the bolt.

I'm leaving it up to my son if he wants to pay to send it in and wait however long to get it back. He's leaning towards taking it out and shooting it some more to see if it just needs more "break in".

/shrug

On a sadder side note, I broke a part on my 40 year old Rem1100... and it looks like Remington has discontinued them altogether (F91658: fore-end support). I might very well be looking for a new shotgun for myself... at a time when there just aren't any guns available for purchase.

/sadface

-DallanC


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## JerryH (Jun 17, 2014)

DallanC said:


> On a sadder side note, I broke a part on my 40 year old Rem1100... and it looks like Remington has discontinued them altogether (F91658: fore-end support). I might very well be looking for a new shotgun for myself... at a time when there just aren't any guns available for purchase.
> 
> /sadface
> 
> -DallanC


Dallan
Check over at shotgunworld in the Remington forum. Somebody over there will have some info on finding that part.


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## DallanC (Jan 13, 2009)

I've found two, on two different auction sites. I'm going to win at least one of them by the weekend. Drop a nuke bid from orbit on'em. 

But I'll check out the Remington forum there. Oddly, I checked and Remington is still making the 1100... so you would think this part should still be made. It fits both the 12 and 16 gauge shotguns.

I really do love the 1100's. They can be persnickety at times if you dont keep'em clean but the fit and feel is just so nice. I still have a youth stock on mine, I love that it fits perfectly over bulky clothing. My gun has to have had over 8,000 shells through it over the 40 years I've had it... and most of those in my youth when I used to duck and goose hunt, but wasn't as diligent with the cleaning. Guns been on some rough hunts lol

-DallanC


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## JerryH (Jun 17, 2014)

I hope you get one. 

I better check my 1100 and see what kind of shape mine is in.


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## DallanC (Jan 13, 2009)

Ebay one crossed the $100 mark and I bowed out. I won the one on Gunbroker for $62... so I can at least get the old girl back to functional state. I've had that gun 41 years now and an uncountable number of great memories.


Going to work some more on the Benelli this weekend.


-DallanC


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