Weatherby Element

[Ofdscooby]

Ok now that both my kids are shooting I just picked up a third Weatherby semi auto. I bought the fist one in 2018 and it has cycled everything flawlessly. I bought my son a SA-08 youth two years ago and it does pretty well but can be picky with the lighter dove loads. Which brings me to the third my daughter just got her new gun a Weatherby Element which is an intertia gun. This this was super picky all weekend. Sometimes she could rip off three shots and then at times it wouldnt eject the lighter loads.

I took apart my daughters Element yesterday and was looking at the piston in the stock. I'm guessing/ hoping that this is the culprit. I'm sure that in their engineering they wanted it to cycle the heaviest loads easily and so it comes up a little short with the light stuff.

I called Weatherby yesterday and they said they have to be a minimum of 1300 fps which sucks when 20 ga shells aren't that plentiful as it is.

I was wondering if I take some weight off of the piston little by little I could get it to cycle the light stuff no problem. like changing the buffer weights in an AR.

What say you? I'm not gonna start hacking at this thing just yet just trying to do some research.

 

[180ls1]

I'd consider it depending on how readily available that replacement part is and what it costs.

It may just take more bracing/weight from your daughter to push against, unfortunately.

 

[Ofdscooby]

I'd consider it depending on how readily available that replacement part is and what it costs.

It may just take more bracing/weight from your daughter to push against, unfortunately.

I considered that and at one point I put it up again my thigh leaned into it and tried to rip off three shots and it didn’t cycle

 

[NBK]

Try shouldering it and shoot 3 shots. Super important to shoulder the shotgun firmly. The thigh technique is not optimal for testing.

 

[Ofdscooby]

We tried both it didn’t work consistently either way. Weatherby said the shells need to be 1300 fps. Well I have three cases on the shelf that are 1200. I want the thing to shoot lighter loads.

Standing by for a load joke.

 

[GUNDOGLOVER49]

We tried both it didn’t work consistently either way. Weatherby said the shells need to be 1300 fps. Well I have three cases on the shelf that are 1200. I want the thing to shoot lighter loads.

Standing by for a load joke.

Nope, won't say it.

 

[HATCHET1]

Somebody say Load?

 

[GUNDOGLOVER49]

Somebody say Load?

Like the lady on the plane, lost her load.

 

[HATCHET1]

O

 

[Ofdscooby]

Found this place and I ordered a couple Benelli springs in hopes they would be the same size. My friend just spent a crap load on his daughters forever gun and it wont even cycle the light stuff but this $12 spring should do the trick.

https://www.gunsprings.com/

 

[parkermann]

I don’t know much about it but I have a 20 gauge franchi affinity that has similar issues. I have an affinity in 12 gauge that has never had an issue. I have shot hundreds of light loads through it without cleaning and zero issues.

The 20 gauge Out of the box wouldn’t cycle light loads. I read that sometimes they need to be “broken in” and after 100 or so rounds it seemed to work good. But now I can clean it and take it to the range and after 100 or so rounds sometimes less it seems to start having cycling issues like it’s dirty. It will cycle the shell but the action won’t close all the way. It does this with my reloads but also with factory shells including 3” duck loads last season. The gun is still fairly new with so I’m trying to figure it out. Maybe a heavier spring would help? Or maybe it just needs to stay clean? Either way it can be frustrating

 

[ilovesprig]

Granted, I shoot Benelli's for the most part and have never had a recycling problem...One reason may be is, I NEVER use oil (Including Rem) on my inertia driven guns...Dry silicone spray and I even dry that down.

I don't get the 1300 fps answer...20 gauge guns are designed for lighter loads...The indication would be that the spring is TOO stiff...I know a friend purchased some off brand 20 gauge auto...He broke it in per the instructions and has not had any problems with the lightest of 7/8 oz shells.

Start over...Remove trigger mechanism and blow out everything inside with Gun Scrub...Then light spray silicone spray...2 cents

 

[Wildgame]

My mossberg SA-20 suggests 1oz shells..but I never shot 1oz. Thankfully it has cycle all kinds of speeds.
I actually thought about buying a Weatherby but if I remember correctly to go from 2 3/4 to 3" shells one had to switch pistons. That is too laborious for me.

 

[Ofdscooby]

that's only on the gas gun not the inertia. i have 2 of those ones and its pretty easy.