Two Cold Soakers
Member
Running a 391 Dirty
Got a new 391 Sporting in 2000. My first gas gun - only because I needed a serious target gun and could not afford a stackbarrel. Shot the entire winter skeet league with it. (Plus some trap, sporting, patterning work, etc) Ran handloads, most with Green Dot (left some residue), some Clays (clean burn). Shot 200+ rounds weekly for 10 weeks.
I did wipe down the exterior metal, scoured out the wad residue and anti-siezed the choke tubes. That is all. Never tore it down to inspect the ports Never oiled the bolt. I abused that gun, it was a compromise because I couldn't afford a 682, and my SxS (that shot several 49/50) was "holding me back"
I was intending to see how much that gun could swallow before it choked.
Near the end of the season, my progressive reloader started to go out of adjustment, and was dropping some light powder charges. One of the guy on my team had an 1100 that would stovepipe on occasion with my loads. He quit shooting them.
That 391 never snagged a shell (some shells had 6-8 reload cycles and blown out crimps) Never hiccoughed. Not once. Below 10 degrees F, in the snow, in the rain, no oil, ran great. After the league, my first daughter was born. That gun hung in the basement for 6 months. I took it out in October and killed 2 grouse.
I've since cleaned the action and gas ports. It was a mess, but it never failed.
I say Beretta is a fine choice.
Got a new 391 Sporting in 2000. My first gas gun - only because I needed a serious target gun and could not afford a stackbarrel. Shot the entire winter skeet league with it. (Plus some trap, sporting, patterning work, etc) Ran handloads, most with Green Dot (left some residue), some Clays (clean burn). Shot 200+ rounds weekly for 10 weeks.
I did wipe down the exterior metal, scoured out the wad residue and anti-siezed the choke tubes. That is all. Never tore it down to inspect the ports Never oiled the bolt. I abused that gun, it was a compromise because I couldn't afford a 682, and my SxS (that shot several 49/50) was "holding me back"
I was intending to see how much that gun could swallow before it choked.
Near the end of the season, my progressive reloader started to go out of adjustment, and was dropping some light powder charges. One of the guy on my team had an 1100 that would stovepipe on occasion with my loads. He quit shooting them.
That 391 never snagged a shell (some shells had 6-8 reload cycles and blown out crimps) Never hiccoughed. Not once. Below 10 degrees F, in the snow, in the rain, no oil, ran great. After the league, my first daughter was born. That gun hung in the basement for 6 months. I took it out in October and killed 2 grouse.
I've since cleaned the action and gas ports. It was a mess, but it never failed.
I say Beretta is a fine choice.
