Savhmr Posted October 1, 2015 Report Share Posted October 1, 2015 Picked up a Beretta AL391 today, and checking it out, all looked fine except that the barrel was a little grubby. Got it home, stripped and cleaned the gun which looks pretty exceptional for the age inside and out. The barrel cleaned up fine and it looks unmarked all bar for two oblong-ish marks about 1/3 the way down the barrel (see photo). These correspond EXACTLY with where the under-barrel lug is brazed onto the barrel, but I wouldn't have expected to see anything from the inside of the barrel. Have other Beretta 300 series owners noticed this? I would hope the gun's safe to shoot and that this might just be a manufacturing quirk, but would be interested to hear from other owners. It's definitely not pitting or anything similar. It does look like a manufacturing issue. Should I be worried by this? It's located at the 5:30 position on the photo below inside the barrel Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wymberley Posted October 1, 2015 Report Share Posted October 1, 2015 I don't know what the mechanism of that gun is - recoil or gas - but is it a teensy weensey bit possible that those are the gas ports? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sako7mm Posted October 1, 2015 Report Share Posted October 1, 2015 Gas vent slots? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Savhmr Posted October 1, 2015 Author Report Share Posted October 1, 2015 Doh! Yes, of course. It is gas recoil operated. My first gas semi, so hadn't considered something so blindingly obvious! Thanks guys. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tiny tim Posted October 1, 2015 Report Share Posted October 1, 2015 yeh its the gas vents Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
samboy Posted October 1, 2015 Report Share Posted October 1, 2015 I made a plum of myself when i took my semi back to the shop to be told that they were gas vents. Live & learn. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul T Posted October 1, 2015 Report Share Posted October 1, 2015 Hey, I nearly made that mistake a few years back! The AL391 is a cracking semi - just keep the piston and rod clear of carbon build up and do not over-oil. It'll last forever and won't swap mine. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
littlerob Posted October 1, 2015 Report Share Posted October 1, 2015 Gas ports get a bit of wire or something to stick io through the metal ring and you will see them in the barrel Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GingerCat Posted October 1, 2015 Report Share Posted October 1, 2015 Defo gas vents,same on the 390. Get some pipe cleaners handy for them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Savhmr Posted October 1, 2015 Author Report Share Posted October 1, 2015 Thanks for all the feedback guys and yes, on the scale of 1 to 10? I feel like a grade 11 plum! Pretty impressed with the gun. Stripping is easy. Have cleaned and de-greased it, re-oiled the sliding breach and trigger and put a thin coat of oil over the outer magazine surface and a few drops into the end plug, but the rod and gas plug were de-carboned, cleaned up and left un-oiled before re-assembly. Must admit, it has a comforting feeling of being indestructible. Reminds me of my old service rifle! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pat g Posted October 1, 2015 Report Share Posted October 1, 2015 Thanks for all the feedback guys and yes, on the scale of 1 to 10? I feel like a grade 11 plum! Pretty impressed with the gun. Stripping is easy. Have cleaned and de-greased it, re-oiled the sliding breach and trigger and put a thin coat of oil over the outer magazine surface and a few drops into the end plug, but the rod and gas plug were de-carboned, cleaned up and left un-oiled before re-assembly. Must admit, it has a comforting feeling of being indestructible. Reminds me of my old service rifle! Ha yep thats exactly how my AL391 looks like mate bet you feel relieved now eh enjoy your new gun ATB, Pat Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sitsinhedges Posted October 1, 2015 Report Share Posted October 1, 2015 You'll need a 3.2mm drill to poke the dirt out of those gas ports. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dabbers Posted October 1, 2015 Report Share Posted October 1, 2015 Thanks for all the feedback guys and yes, on the scale of 1 to 10? I feel like a grade 11 plum! Pretty impressed with the gun. Stripping is easy. Have cleaned and de-greased it, re-oiled the sliding breach and trigger and put a thin coat of oil over the outer magazine surface and a few drops into the end plug, but the rod and gas plug were de-carboned, cleaned up and left un-oiled before re-assembly. Must admit, it has a comforting feeling of being indestructible. Reminds me of my old service rifle! just bought a semi atuo as well and yes i,ve been a plum as well ,still dont know where to oil,bit scared as i know someone who overdone the lubrication and now his gun wont cycle,,, Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
activeviii Posted October 1, 2015 Report Share Posted October 1, 2015 Dry oil, something like Teflon spray. I have microslick painted mine so never need the oils now. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
a303 Posted October 2, 2015 Report Share Posted October 2, 2015 (edited) They are unburstable, will never sell mine. Make sure the forend cap is well lubed as they can have a habit of seizing up. And if the history is unknown a new recoil Spring is well worth it. Coles gunsmith in the USA sell a gas valve Spring kit which is worth installing. Makes the gun a little bit smoother and cuts down on wear and tear. Edited October 2, 2015 by a303 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Savhmr Posted October 2, 2015 Author Report Share Posted October 2, 2015 Yup, plan to do the recoil spring in due course along with the magazine spring. Have already cleaned and lubed the forend cap. Will find out tomorrow whether it'll cycle some 65 & 67mm shells (I think they're meant to be 70mm for these) as that's all I have at the minute. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
clanchief Posted October 2, 2015 Report Share Posted October 2, 2015 Lol made me laugh there. On cleaning the gun taking the piston chamber and its two strange nuts and spring apart is a right pain, so beware. Also if you attempt to strip the varnish off id leave it alone, the coating is a special expoxy resin, no Nitromors will touch it, glass scrapers and hours of work and tears will do it though and then oil the stock to own something nice. Chiefy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul T Posted October 2, 2015 Report Share Posted October 2, 2015 Yup, plan to do the recoil spring in due course along with the magazine spring. Have already cleaned and lubed the forend cap. Will find out tomorrow whether it'll cycle some 65 & 67mm shells (I think they're meant to be 70mm for these) as that's all I have at the minute. It should cycle them - mine will cycle 21g CompX fine (a very occasional jam ejecting) and 28g of Hull Imperial Game (65mm) never miss. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
littlerob Posted October 2, 2015 Report Share Posted October 2, 2015 My urika never like 65mm cartridges would always jam loading the second shot would do the same on 67mm 28g but about 2 every 30 shots but perfect with 70mm 28g Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Savhmr Posted October 2, 2015 Author Report Share Posted October 2, 2015 As it happens I found that I had a fair few Clear Pigeon cartridges left amongst my cart stocks, and those are 70mm so happy days. Should work fine. One thing noticed on cleaning it was that the barrel gas port receiver area which the piston slides into (the part on the barrel with the spring attached to the front end) looked like it had never been cleaned. Port openings inside were about 50% clogged. Took an hour's patient work to clean it up. Noticed the locking nuts for the spring on the front end were none too tight and could be rotated by hand, and the end nut was only attached by about 2 threads! (I have just ordered the C spanner for those). Anyone know how tightly the spring should be wound down as the manual doesn't give any clues? I'm guessing that there should be a little give when pressed down, but that the end nut should be screwed fully onto the thread with perhaps a little protrusion past it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
a303 Posted October 2, 2015 Report Share Posted October 2, 2015 (edited) Gas Spring nut and locking nut get winched down fully. There is a shoulder on the lower nut that limits how far you can tighten it. Just nip em up tight. Make sure the 4 gas holes in the top of the barrel ring are clear as they are what vent excess gas via the gas valve. My teknys will cycle anything 65mm-67mm and 70mm up to 3inch mags. Only cart it doesn't like is 28g hull comp x fibre and the cycling gets noticeably slow but I have the heavy duty gas Spring which does vent a lot of gas. If your gas valve nuts are loose it can lead to weak ejection and very slow action movement. Just tighten them right up till they stop.i Also depending what u want to do with it and depending on which model you have, on mine I've added the 8oz stock recoil reduction gizmo and 6oz briley forend. It makes for an incredibly soft shooting auto. Not that the recoil gizmo works just adds lots of weight. Edited October 2, 2015 by a303 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Savhmr Posted October 3, 2015 Author Report Share Posted October 3, 2015 Thanks for that, useful to know. I'll tighten down the gas spring nuts then. The 4 holes seen in the top of the piston receiver are clear now but weren't when I first inspected them. They were buried by a 2mm crust of carbon fouling and look as if they've rarely if ever been cleaned. I'll take a variety of cartridges with me today and see what it'll cycle. All are 30 or 32g loads , 65mm or 70mm. Mine does have the recoil reduction thing but I don't know which one. The gun is a 1999 model. All I've ordered is a thinner butt pad and replacement recoil spring for now. Looks easy enough to remove the stock but I'm guessing that the spring retention nut might be a different matter! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
a303 Posted October 3, 2015 Report Share Posted October 3, 2015 Use 2 nuts (think the are 8mm) nipped up together on the recoil Spring tube nut shaft to undo it. You will need to heat it up to break the original loctite. Once it's warm enough it will unscrew easily just watch out as the spring is under a lot of pressure and it will eject out with considerable force. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Savhmr Posted October 3, 2015 Author Report Share Posted October 3, 2015 Good tip. I'll visit the hardware store and buy a couple of M8s. Getting the new spring back in under such tension sounds fun! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Savhmr Posted October 3, 2015 Author Report Share Posted October 3, 2015 Well, back from an outing with the 391. It cycled everything I put in it from 65mm to 70mm no problems. Didn't try any 28g loads, as they were all 30 or 32, but since 30g Nr 6 is what I normally use, I can see no problems. Not very pointable with the 30 inch barrel nor as nicely balanced and didn't lend itself to hide shooting as much as the 686. I reckon it'd make a great trap gun or driven bird gun but for me, the 686 will remain my everyday rough shooting gun. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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