Franchi 612

[barriemiles]

I have just bought a Franchi 612 and have been told the piston can be put in either way round depending on load being used.AsI dont have a manual for this gun does any one know if this is the case and which way for light clay loads 28grm. Any help much apprieciated. Barrie

[chunk]

I`ve got a 612, and havent heard of that one. Theres nothing in the manual about it, and having just looked out of curiosity, i cant see how it can be done. The piston rings are one end, a spring the other. It just cant happen.

The gun is very forgiving with loads. I use 28gm clay loads and they cycle without fault. I`ve put a variety of different loads through mine over the years and they`ve all gone through it. In fact the only time its ever failed to cycle was when i left it dirty after a day at clays, then some pigeon shooting over consecutive days.

 

Cheers Andy.

[barriemiles]

I`ve got a 612, and havent heard of that one. Theres nothing in the manual about it, and having just looked out of curiosity, i cant see how it can be done. The piston rings are one end, a spring the other. It just cant happen.

The gun is very forgiving with loads. I use 28gm clay loads and they cycle without fault. I`ve put a variety of different loads through mine over the years and they`ve all gone through it. In fact the only time its ever failed to cycle was when i left it dirty after a day at clays, then some pigeon shooting over consecutive days.

 

Cheers Andy.

Thanks Andy When I Got the gun Idecided to clean it and the piston looked to be the wrong way round with the rings facing the spring and not in the cylider,as I am not familiar with Franchis I thought I had better check as I dont have a manual Thanks again Barrie

[sheepshed]

The 712 has a reversible piston for light/heavy loads, maybe this is what whoever mentioned this was thinking of ?

 

Actually, looking at the manual that came with my 712 it seems to suggest that the piston on the 612 CAN be reversed.

You need to take the barrel off then slide the piston off the end and put it back the other way round.

 

The standard position is with the end with the piston ring pointing to the front, for light loads, for continuous use of loads 36g and above it should be the other way round. I can confirm this works with the 712, maybe the same with the 612

[chunk]

Franchi Variopress system. An extract from the manual;

 

"The new semiautomatic Franchi 612-620 Variopress system presents a lot of new characteristics both on the 612 and the latest 620.

The two guns are lighter, but nevertheless they can shoot a wide range of ammunition, standard and magnum, from the lightest(24gm) to the heaviest available on the market, without any further adjustment."

 

Unique gas operating system.

"This technologically advanced and patented Franchi gas system is based on a piston which works as an absorber thanks to a spring which absorbs the excess of the gas of powerfull cartridges, while it does not affect the lightest ones."

 

Hope this clears it up. Cheers Andy.

[sheepshed]

Franchi Variopress system. An extract from the manual;

 

"The new semiautomatic Franchi 612-620 Variopress system presents a lot of new characteristics both on the 612 and the latest 620.

The two guns are lighter, but nevertheless they can shoot a wide range of ammunition, standard and magnum, from the lightest(24gm) to the heaviest available on the market, without any further adjustment."

 

Unique gas operating system.

"This technologically advanced and patented Franchi gas system is based on a piston which works as an absorber thanks to a spring which absorbs the excess of the gas of powerfull cartridges, while it does not affect the lightest ones."

 

Hope this clears it up. Cheers Andy.

 

Looks like there's 2 varieties of 612 about. An extract from my 612 manual (which is what I got with the 712)

 

"The new semiautomatic Franchi 612 Light Reverpress can shoot a wide range of ammunition ... If the shotgun is continually used with cartridges of more than 36g, it is advisable to set the piston according to picture B so as to reduce the breech bolt speed and the consquent recoil"

 

So is this the difference between the standard 612 and the 612 VS (Variopress) ?

I can see why Barrie's a bit confused if he hasn't gor a manual.

[chunk]

Franchi Variopress system. An extract from the manual;

 

"The new semiautomatic Franchi 612-620 Variopress system presents a lot of new characteristics both on the 612 and the latest 620.

The two guns are lighter, but nevertheless they can shoot a wide range of ammunition, standard and magnum, from the lightest(24gm) to the heaviest available on the market, without any further adjustment."

 

Unique gas operating system.

"This technologically advanced and patented Franchi gas system is based on a piston which works as an absorber thanks to a spring which absorbs the excess of the gas of powerfull cartridges, while it does not affect the lightest ones."

 

Hope this clears it up. Cheers Andy.

 

Looks like there's 2 varieties of 612 about. An extract from my 612 manual (which is what I got with the 712)

 

"The new semiautomatic Franchi 612 Light Reverpress can shoot a wide range of ammunition ... If the shotgun is continually used with cartridges of more than 36g, it is advisable to set the piston according to picture B so as to reduce the breech bolt speed and the consquent recoil"

 

So is this the difference between the standard 612 and the 612 VS (Variopress) ?

I can see why Barrie's a bit confused if he hasn't gor a manual.

 

Sheepshed, thats confusing. Think the crucial thing must be the design of the piston. If i turn mine around it sits on the lip of the cylinder with the bolt half open. If the piston on Barries enters the cylinder either way round, and has piston rings both ends then it must be the other system. My gun definately wont work with the piston reversed.

Cheers Andy.

[sheepshed]

Sheepshed, thats confusing. Think the crucial thing must be the design of the piston. If i turn mine around it sits on the lip of the cylinder with the bolt half open. If the piston on Barries enters the cylinder either way round, and has piston rings both ends then it must be the other system. My gun definately wont work with the piston reversed.

Cheers Andy.

Yes, I suspect that I may be confusing Barrie rather than helping him B) . On the 712 the piston has a raised ring about 2/3rds of the way along and this is what drives the action. If you reverse the piston to the heavy setting this ring still just goes inside the cylinder, on the light setting it goes a lot further in. The piston also has 'heavy' marked at one end and 'light' at the other end, which rather gives a clue. The pictures in the 612 Reverpress manual I have match what's inside my 712.

Does your action say 612 VS on the side rather than just 612 ?

[chunk]

Just sporting 612. No other indicating marks. Barries first reply to me he said he cleaned it and noticed the rings were facing the spring. If it was a variopress the bolt would be half open if the rings were facing the spring. It sounds like it could be the other system as it would be noticably not right otherwise.

[sheepshed]

Just sporting 612. No other indicating marks. Barries first reply to me he said he cleaned it and noticed the rings were facing the spring. If it was a variopress the bolt would be half open if the rings were facing the spring. It sounds like it could be the other system as it would be noticably not right otherwise.

Attached (hopefully) is a very poor quality scan of the relevant page from the 612 (Reverpress) manual that may help barrie out.

The right hand page shows the piston in light setting (left) and heavy setting (right)

[barriemiles]

Just sporting 612. No other indicating marks. Barries first reply to me he said he cleaned it and noticed the rings were facing the spring. If it was a variopress the bolt would be half open if the rings were facing the spring. It sounds like it could be the other system as it would be noticably not right otherwise.

Attached (hopefully) is a very poor quality scan of the relevant page from the 612 (Reverpress) manual that may help barrie out.

The right hand page shows the piston in light setting (left) and heavy setting (right)

Thanks for the info my gun has the piston as shown in your manual and it has 612vs on the receiver must try to get a manual for it Thanks again Barrie

[sheepshed]

Hope we haven't confused you too much Barrie. If you want a photocop of the 612 manual I have (and it's only a few pages repeated in multiple languages) PM me your address and I'll send it in the post.