"Extra" hole in receiver of gas-operated semi?

[icecorps]

Help! - "Extra" hole in receiver of gas-operated semi?

I inherited a Beretta semi-auto trap gun, but have not fired it yet. There appears to be an "extra" hole in the left side of the receiver similar to the other ones which have pins or screws in them. Is this just a vent or something?

With the bold forward, I can see through the hole and out the other side of the receiver through the bold-handle slot. With the bolt back, it blocks the hole.

I have checked the manual, but I do not see it in any of the diagrams. This is an old (1960's?) "Golden Lark" gas-operated semi.

Please help. I don't want to have a catastrophic disassembly first time I try to shoot it.

Pics:

 

[Pete409]

My guess is that it has something to do with the ejection of the spent shell. It may be that the ejector was removed by drilling it out.

Trap shooters often don't want the guy to their left who is shooting an autoloader to throw his empties into them or their gun. Consequently, there are various ways of stopping the gun from throwing the empty out. This may be one of those ways.

I suggest loading an EMPTY shell into the chamber and then retracting the bolt vigorously. See if the empty shell is ejected.

 

[icecorps]

I have tried that with a dummy round, and it did eject. Thanks for the suggestion.

 

[rcmodel]

I believe there should be an action lock button & spring in that hole.

It either locks the bolt back when you want to leave it open for clearing, etc.?
Or it releases it after it is already locked back?

But I could be wrong!
Don't know that I ever looked at one.

Here is a schematic for a Silver Lark:
http://www.gun-parts.com/ber-sch/Lark Sc.jpg

Part #20 & 21

Bob's gun shop lists the parts for the Silver Lark, and I would imagine they also fit the Golden Lark.
http://www.gun-parts.com/index.html/

rcmodel

 

[Fred Fuller]

My guess is that it's an access hole to ease removal of the pin (Part # 18 in the diagram linked above) holding the bolt assembly together, to allow for a particular step in disassembing the gun.

In strong light, retract the bolt slowly and see if the pin lines up with that hole... looks as if the other end would come out through the slot for the bolt handle, if my guess is correct.

lpl/nc

 

[icecorps]

The pin lines up perfectly when the bolt is fully back, and I know the hole is also in line with the slot. Good call, thanks!

 

[Pete409]

It sounds like that could be a real bear to reassemble. If you have to punch the pin out while the bolt is still inside the receiver, then that means you have to put the bolt assembly back in the receiver and keep it lined up properly without the pin in place. You might also have to keep a link (aka connecting rod) lined up with a slot in the the bolt assembly too while trying to insert the pin.

That might be one of those guns which I would clean by removing the stock and then dunking the whole thing in a big pan of solvent.