Hello,
I'm new to the forums. I just got started in duck hunting last year and I just recently acquired an S.P.A. Luigi Churchill Franchi Brescia Semi-Auto 12 gauge shotgun. This gun was made in 89 and from what I've been able to find out it was imported by the Ellet brothers of Chapin, SC. It is chambered for 3 inch shells and is gas driven. I'm currently having trouble with the gun jamming. After kicking the empty shell casing out it jams trying to chamber another shell to where I have to manually push the bolt forward to chamber it. Nothing seems to be getting caught. It's just lazy pushing the shell into the chamber. From what I've been told by a local gunsmith, that gas piston should be moving freely and it's not. It actually has a decent amount of friction on it. When the gun jams I can remove the forend cover and the piston is down in the rear position away from where it seats. I can push that piston up and then by cycling the action by hand it works like it should. It's only when firing the gun that it jams as if the friction on that piston is keeping it from cycling like it should. Maybe I'm looking totally in the wrong direction but I was hoping someone might know a little about this gun and could tell me if I'm on the right track and what I need to do to free that piston up. I know a lot of guns have a friction ring that can be turned around for lighter vs heavier loads being shot but this piston looks totally different than most. I would appreciate any help or suggestions anyone might have
I'm new to the forums. I just got started in duck hunting last year and I just recently acquired an S.P.A. Luigi Churchill Franchi Brescia Semi-Auto 12 gauge shotgun. This gun was made in 89 and from what I've been able to find out it was imported by the Ellet brothers of Chapin, SC. It is chambered for 3 inch shells and is gas driven. I'm currently having trouble with the gun jamming. After kicking the empty shell casing out it jams trying to chamber another shell to where I have to manually push the bolt forward to chamber it. Nothing seems to be getting caught. It's just lazy pushing the shell into the chamber. From what I've been told by a local gunsmith, that gas piston should be moving freely and it's not. It actually has a decent amount of friction on it. When the gun jams I can remove the forend cover and the piston is down in the rear position away from where it seats. I can push that piston up and then by cycling the action by hand it works like it should. It's only when firing the gun that it jams as if the friction on that piston is keeping it from cycling like it should. Maybe I'm looking totally in the wrong direction but I was hoping someone might know a little about this gun and could tell me if I'm on the right track and what I need to do to free that piston up. I know a lot of guns have a friction ring that can be turned around for lighter vs heavier loads being shot but this piston looks totally different than most. I would appreciate any help or suggestions anyone might have