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Witness Marks to Prevent the Dreaded Benelli/Franchi "click"

5K views 5 replies 4 participants last post by  Worc 
#1 ·
For my first post on the Franchi Forum...

I just purchased a really nice Bronze & Max-5 Franchi Affinity 3.5 (28") to replace a heavier black Benelli Nova, and I'm thinking it will be easier to operate from my 10' kayak which will double as a layout blind once I finish making the custom camo cover or blind for it.

I've read all about the dreaded "Benelli click" which then followed to every other maker who has followed Benelli's design, including Franchi. From what I've read, the causes of it seem to be (in no particular order):
* Dirty bolt head
* Dirty locking lugs
* Easing the bolt forward
* Checking if the bolt locked/chamber loaded (and easing it FW again)
* Dirty firing pin
* Dirty recoil spring
* Bumping the charging handle back
* Slamming the butt on the bottom of blind/boat (may cause above)
* Wrong lube, or lube gummed up

I won't debate the merits of all those, but they are the various causes I've gleaned from several hours of interesting research into this problem - which most posters say are "100% operator error" and not the fault of the gun or its design.

It has occurred to me that what's needed is a better way "to see if the click might occur" - and for that, I put this image together.

==>> Why not inscribe thin "Witness Marks" on the bolt head and body as shown?



--> When they align - the bolt is locked in battery.

XX And when they don't - the bolt is out of battery.

I'm open to your thoughts on this but I wanted to put this out there for comment.

Old No7
 
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#2 ·
OK, "nice try", but I don't think that idea of mine above will work...........

I just spent more time with my Affinity and found it takes a pretty good amount of backwards movement before the bolt head turns...

So that means those witness marks won't help...

It does make me question some of those other symptoms that other shooters (or is it "clickers"?) have experienced though.

I'll keep thinking about this I'm sure -- like every time I go to pull the trigger on ducks or geese -- and if I come up with anything else, I'll report back here.

Cheers.

Old No7
 
#3 ·
It's not difficult to know your gun and recognize if it's out of battery. I hope you get your preemptive idiot gauge to work. Maybe you can patent it.
 
#4 ·
Old No7 said:
I just spent more time with my Affinity and found it takes a pretty good amount of backwards movement before the bolt head turns.

It does make me question some of those other symptoms that other shooters (or is it "clickers"?) have experienced though.

I'll keep thinking about this I'm sure - like every time I go to pull the triigger
Have you shot it yet? A little trigger time should flesh out any of your concerns.
 
#5 ·
oldshotty said:
Have you shot it yet? A little trigger time should flesh out any of your concerns.
Yes! It shoots great!

I used 2+3/4" and some heavy 3" shells at the range the other day, and also bagged some ducks with it today (with 3" shells).

I guess that I was looking for a mechanical solution to a problem which isn't "mechanical" at all -- but is most likely "operator error" (keeping the gun clean and well lubed, or not bumping or futzing with the bolt handle).

Old No7
 
#6 ·
You have a pretty good idea actually and it might work better than you think. I would think a line at least 1/16" wide and that deep would work well. Your experiment was during the unlocking process. The thing is when it comes unlocked/out of battery it's always in the same position as it moves as far forward as mechanically possible. At this point the bolt won't go forward any further to lock into battery. The only way is to pull back slightly on the bolt and let it slam shut to lock.
The bolt can and will bounce out of battery at times. It will go back in and lock unless there is an outside influencer to slow down the bolts forward momentum.
 
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