[gggdallas]

Just picked up one heck of a deal last night for a field gun.

Camo HD version of i12 with new emblems on the side 12/28" for a great price (and this is the only one, dont ask....). I have seen retail prices from the mid 700's to almost 1K on the website? What gives there?

a few questions:

1) How do I identify this gun as waterfowl or other? is the waterfowl version the only one that is camoed? Is there any material difference in the guns?
2) How reliable will this be compared to a Benelli supersport (just sold mine and loved it, just did not fit for clays)?
3) Do I need to care for this gun any differently than one that is blued? (I am betting yes obviously)
4) What brand extended chokes would be suggested for this gun. i do not like internal as I want to change quickly and easily.
5) any other advice?

Thanks !

 

[evbutler]

Though you have a good gun, it is the equivelant of the Stoeger 2000, same innards, different exterior. I like the 2000 as the Benelli shims work in it. The Stoeger 2000 runs in the mid-$400 range in price and is basically the same gun as the I-12. The I-12 runs new about 50% more than the Stoeger 2000.

Gun Tests Magazine comparison testing of the I-12 and the 2000, had the 2000 as the winner. The I-12 is a pretty gun that has some parts similar to the Benelli Inertia Driven action, but it is not a Benelli. Of course, it doesn't cost as much.

I wish you well with your purchase. It should outlast you if taken care of.

 

[gggdallas]

Ev,

I appreciate the response, but could you help a bit on these questions, it appears you have a good knowledge base on this gun.

1) How do I identify this gun as waterfowl or other? is the waterfowl version the only one that is camoed? Is there any material difference in the guns?
2) Do I need to care for this gun any differently than one that is blued? (I am betting yes obviously)
3) What brand extended chokes would be suggested for this gun. i do not like internal as I want to change quickly and easily.

Further, I went out a burned a box of birdshot and it had severe Fail to Eject and Fail to Feed.......I cleaned it last night. I assume, a couple of boxes of mangums will fix all this?

I had a few fail to feeds early on with my Benelli but it cleared up after 100 rds or so...

 

[evbutler]

These guns are very simple to work on. I will copy a post from another site where a guy tuned up his Stoeger 2000, which is basically the same gun as the I-12.

The chokes are another matter. I use a PolyChoke II. It screws in and out if you ever need to change it. Otherwise, I'd contact Carlson Chokes for advise.

I am sending you this from another poster who I borrowed it from:

(Quote)
Bought a Stoeger 2000 a few weeks ago. After the fisrt 100 rounds, I had the common initial problems:

Light Primer Stikes
Failure To Eject
Failure To Load New Round, But the Bolt Closes
Bolt Fails to Lock Back After Last Round Fired

I was pretty disapointed, so I called customer support. They said to run some heavy stuff through it, to break it in.
Obviously, there are some rough edges that are slowing the action down and preventing it from cycling properly. The heavy loads have enough power to cylce the action and smooth out the rough edges.

I ran 30 Magnum 00 Buck rounds through the gun. It cycled better, but I still had light primer strikes.
Break-In" Your 2000 Without Firing Heavy Loads

Instead of firing a bunch more rounds to smooth the edges out, I decided to smooth the edges with some polishing stones and sandpaper.

I am not a gunsmith, so do the following at your own risk.

1. Bolt - The cam surface had burs on every edge. Smooth those out. It will help the bolt face to lock up.

2. Bolt Head - Round all of the leading edges on the locking lugs. Don't mess with the thickness of them. That will mess up your head space. Just smooth the leading edges.

3. Bolt Carrier - Smooth all of the edges. Mine had alot of rough edges to slow it down as it traveled in the receiver.

4. Firing Pin - I sanded it up a little.

5. Drop Release Leaver - I had to file the tab down a little and smooth the rough edges. When the hammer moves forward, there is a tab on the clevis (looks kind of like a wishbone, and has the spring on it), that hits the tab on the drop release lever. The tab on the drop release lever was too long and was hitting the hammer. I think that took up a lot of hammer energy.

6. Hammer Spring - I filed a washer to put between the spring and the trigger group frame. This gives the spring a little more pretension. You can get the same thing by stretching the spring, but the washer isn't permanent.

I hope these help. Maybe someone can get their gun working well without spending $100 dollars on "break-in shells".

I have since fired about 800 sport loads with no problems.

(Unquote)

I will conclude by stating that these economy guns don't have the Quality Control that the Benelli has. The buyer does his own tune up if it needs it. I have had good luck with mine.

Any thing you do to it can void the one year warranty.

 

[gggdallas]

Very good......I experienced this to a much lesser degree with my Benelli supersport. It was mainly fail to fire based on the bolt not closing totally.......along with some minor cycling and feed issues at the start. The SS shoots great now and I will miss it.

I will take the advice and 'clean' up the edges.....then pump some old magunum loads thru it for fun anyhow.

 

[evbutler]

The Model 720 is the Waterfowl gun and is chambered for 3.5" loads to reach out and touch the geese. The I-12s are all chambered for 3" and are classified by me as upland guns but with 3" loads will suffice as waterfowlers. Even magnum 2.75" loads will work on ducks and geese if the shooter does his part.

The actions are made in Turkey at the Stoeger SSA factory. Although they are close, the bolt on the Stoeger is attached to the action bars like the system in the 6 and 700 series Franchi gas guns. The bolt assembly in the I-12 is a two piece unit where the bolt rides in a notch in the action bars. No difference in the way it works.

Darned if I know why a gun should leave the factory needing to be broken in but it seems to be the way things are these days. None of my Remingtons or Winchesters ever needed to be broken in.

That famous Benelli "click" is caused by the bolt not being in battery, either because it has not been used enough to have the bolt lugs and bolt head mated or because something has touched the charge handle and knocked it out of battery.

Stoeger 2000 is assembled in Turkey. The I-12 is assembled in Italy. I think Stoeger is now making all the barrels for the Benelli family of guns and many actions parts. IMHO, the last dependable semiauto made by Franchi was the 48-AL made prior to 1998 when Luigi Franchi & Co sold out to Beretta.

I wish you well with your new gun. It may take awhile but you have to have the patience to break it in right. Then you won't have to worry about it failing you.

Check with Carlson Chokes about extended chokes or buy a PolyChoke II from PolyChoke for around $100.

 

[evbutler]

gggdallas, keep us informed on the new gun, OK?