Beretta A400 Cycling Issues

Sniffer said:
Could they really fully block in under 250 rounds though? Or are they blocked from not being lined up a certain way (ie need rotated a little)?

Here is a better picture:

View attachment 1090475
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Something I learned today.

The ring that lives behind those holes CAN be turned. It is under spring tension and is basically a flat washer against those holes. The spring is held on the muzzle side by a locknut type device that is keyed and cannot be turned (guessing it is set to a specific tension so that the washer behind the holes moves / opens at a specific pressure to bleed off excess gas).

I know it is working / opening as I see residue where gas has bled off inside the hand guard.

It is now clear to me if this was dirty / blocked the gun would cycle stronger (as no gas could be bled off) and may even become overgassed. Conversely if it is opening too early for some reason there wouldn't be enough gas to send the action back and cycle the gun effectively (or lock the action back on the last round).
 
reddog said:
Now I remember why I am switching to two holers
:)
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Indeed, I am still pondering what to pickup for sporting clays and similar games, was thinking of another A400 Excel Multitarget but unless things turn around that ain't happening, I will be joining the over / under gang instead.
 
I bought a used multi target and it cycles everything
The prev owner replaced all the springs and firing pin in it so I’m guessing it has a few rounds through it but it’s in great shape and works as it should so I’m happy with it
 
Deathrawt said:
I bought a used multi target and it cycles everything
The prev owner replaced all the springs and firing pin in it so I’m guessing it has a few rounds through it but it’s in great shape and works as it should so I’m happy with it
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Is the Multitarget a 3" chamber or 3.5"? From memory it is a 3"?

I strongly suspect that the gas ports from on 3.5" gun are smaller than a 3" gun and that may be why your runs and mine does not.
 
Just circling back to this as my woes are not over yet.

Ran the gun again on Friday after an extensive inspection / clean / lube. Everything looks good and I could see zero issues but it will not cycle or lock back.

I tried Federal Top Gun and some Rio ammo I have had really good luck with but not on this occasion. Both would not cycle.

Pretty sure the gun is under gassed based in what I am seeing.
 
brybenn said:
Run 100 rounds of 3.5" waterfowl loads thru it. Its what is recommended for break in. Shooting light loads wont break it in
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Not sure if you have read the entire thread but I did run 3" and 3.5" through it already - did not help.
 
A couple of thoughts…
-Challenger target loads are probably among the cheapest/worst shells made…inconsistently light and known to cause issues cycling in semi-auto’s.
-The Beretta A400 3-1/2” is a very robust design. It’s made to shoot 10’s of thousands of heavily loaded hunting rounds. I’m not sure 100 light/medium rounds is going to break the gun in to any significant degree. Be patient and cycle medium/heavier loads through the gun. If you get to 500 rounds and it still won’t cycle low quality target loads, then start looking for other issues.
- How are you mounting the gun? A tight shoulder weld and solid stance will help the gun cycle. A loose hold, will hurt. It’s the same as “limp-wristing” a semi-auto handgun. My semi-auto cycles target loads 100% but when my very slightly built 13 YO neighbor shot doubles with the gun, it failed to cycle target loads about half of the time.
 
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Sniffer said:
Not sure if you have read the entire thread but I did run 3" and 3.5" through it already - did not help.
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I read it. You used light loads in a new 3.5" chambered gun that wasnt broken in yet. You said you fired 25 3.5" shells and it locked opened then you went back to light target loads.
Fire 100 3.5" water fowl loads thru it and let the gun get hot. That's how they beak in. Keep using light loads and you will just keep clogging the piston and valves until its broken in properly.
 
TJCote said:
A couple of thoughts…
-Challenger target loads are probably among the cheapest/worst shells made…inconsistently light and known to cause issues cycling in semi-auto’s.
-The Beretta A400 3-1/2” is a very robust design. It’s made to shoot 10’s of thousands of heavily loaded hunting rounds. I’m not sure 100 light/medium rounds is going to break the gun in to any significant degree. Be patient and cycle medium/heavier loads through the gun. If you get to 500 rounds and it still won’t cycle low quality target loads, then start looking for other issues.
- How are you mounting the gun? A tight shoulder weld and solid stance will help the gun cycle. A loose hold, will hurt. It’s the same as “limp-wristing” a semi-auto handgun. My semi-auto cycles target loads 100% but when my very slightly built 13 YO neighbor shot doubles with the gun, it failed to cycle target loads about half of the time.
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Agreed on the Challenger. They are bottom of the barrel IMO and I have shot other ammo I consider better (Rio / Federal etc etc).

At this point it is probably around the 350 rounds mark and it is still not in a good place.

Loose hold is not an issue for me. I literally pull the gun into my shoulder. The way I see it I can do that proactively which helps to better manage the recoil or the gun will take itself there anyways. From the tests I have watched before buying the gun this advice seemed much more relevant to inertia guns (which if not shouldered correctly can malfunction) and not so much for gas guns (Target Focused Life does the "Over the head" test where he fires the gun totally unsupported and generally the gas gun works and the inertia gun doesn't).
 
brybenn said:
I read it. You used light loads in a new 3.5" chambered gun that wasnt broken in yet. You said you fired 25 3.5" shells and it locked opened then you went back to light target loads.
Fire 100 3.5" water fowl loads thru it and let the gun get hot. That's how they beak in. Keep using light loads and you will just keep clogging the piston and valves until its broken in properly.
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It didn't lock back consistently even with 3.5" but it did lock back (think that is literally the only time it did). It also would not feed with 3.5" (not a single round fed).

The piston and valves definitely are not clogged. I have already stripped it and cleaned it (looked like new) so I could check for any issues.
 
Sniffer said:
I am running the 3 1/2" version, pardon my ignorance but I am still learning shotgun ammo however google suggests 3 dram is 1 1/8 load which is what I ran through the gun last and it didnt cycle well at all:

First day out I ran 100 2 3/4" 1 1/8 rounds through it - did not run good (wouldn't cycle and bolt would not lock back). I also had a box of 2 3/4" buckshot and that ran better but not perfect from memory (would cycle but would not lock the bolt back).

Second day out I ran the following:

1) 20 3" shotshell (gun seemed to run / feed better on these and I think it locked back)

2) 25 3 1/2" shotshell (wouldn't feed - seemed too long to get onto the gate properly but would lock the bolt back every time)

3) 20 3" shotshell (same as point 1 - gun seemed to run / feed better on these and I think it locked back)

4) 25 S&B 2 3/4" 1 1/8 - didnt cycle well and would not lock the bolt back

5) 25 Challenger 2 3/4" 1 1/8 - didnt cycle well at all and would not lock the bolt back

Regarding the holes at the bottom of the gas cylinder I assume you are referring to these?

View attachment 1089909

I am still figuring out how this gun works but I imagine these holes bleed off gas forwards against the spring pressure which is closer to the muzzle. It says in the manual this is factory set and should not be adjusted but if it was set incorrectly (too little tension) then the valve would open too soon and let too much gas bleed off leaving too little to cycle the action? Or am I thinking about it incorrectly?

I dont plan to play with this, just trying to work out where the issue might be.
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I would get a chamber brush and brush out the chamber.
Next would be to use some carb/brake cleaner and try and spray out those gas ports.
Pull a thin wire from a wire brush or even a welding/torch tip brush and ream out those ports and blow them with the carb/brake cleaner.
Sometimes a gun needs to be "shot in" to polish edges from the factory.
But, I aint a machinist nor a gunsmith so take it for what it is, just my opinion.
Rob
 
FLHTCUI said:
I would get a chamber brush and brush out the chamber.
Next would be to use some carb/brake cleaner and try and spray out those gas ports.
Pull a thin wire from a wire brush or even a welding/torch tip brush and ream out those ports and blow them with the carb/brake cleaner.
Sometimes a gun needs to be "shot in" to polish edges from the factory.
But, I aint a machinist nor a gunsmith so take it for what it is, just my opinion.
Rob
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I did another deep clean over the weekend. Everything is pretty much as clean as new.

Barrel & chamber was cleaned with brush, patches & Boretech Carbon remover. The gas piston housing was cleaned with carb cleaner and the piston was cleaned with ultrasonic (water and Dawn soap). I can literally see through the gas ports into the barrel if I try so they are good but before that I could push a straw (the size you would attach to an aerosol can) through the port quite easily.

I plan to run the gun again and film what the bolt & lifter are doing when fired with slow mo camera and go from there. The gun feeds great when dry firing so that is a puzzle. I sometimes find rounds chewed a little on one edge as if they didnt quite get high enough before the bolt rammed them forward when shooting real ammo. The last round hold open works perfectly when racked but it will not work when running the gun.

I am a clean freak by nature (all my guns get cleaned and inspected to some degree after each range trip) so I doubt they will ever get dirty enough to cause problems but I frequently read about people running these guns for thousands of rounds and they never miss a beat. Something doesn't add up here.
 
Sniffer said:
I did another deep clean over the weekend. Everything is pretty much as clean as new.

Barrel & chamber was cleaned with brush, patches & Boretech Carbon remover. The gas piston housing was cleaned with carb cleaner and the piston was cleaned with ultrasonic (water and Dawn soap). I can literally see through the gas ports into the barrel if I try so they are good but before that I could push a straw (the size you would attach to an aerosol can) through the port quite easily.

I plan to run the gun again and film what the bolt & lifter are doing when fired with slow mo camera and go from there. The gun feeds great when dry firing so that is a puzzle. I sometimes find rounds chewed a little on one edge as if they didnt quite get high enough before the bolt rammed them forward when shooting real ammo. The last round hold open works perfectly when racked but it will not work when running the gun.

I am a clean freak by nature (all my guns get cleaned and inspected to some degree after each range trip) so I doubt they will ever get dirty enough to cause problems but I frequently read about people running these guns for thousands of rounds and they never miss a beat. Something doesn't add up here.
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Hi Sniffer, when I wrote my comments I had not read All of the previous posts/comments and do not discredit any of them, no do I discredit any of yours... well maybe running 3.5 in shells as I think they are useless in today's world.

That is just me though ... I am stumped as are you and maybe stumped is not the right word ?

The A400 is a good gu and prolly a Great Gun compared to my 1100 20, but I still think there is a small issue glarring issue that will be resolved and there will be a face palm moment,lol.

I say this in jest and look forward to the moment of truth because there are many guys who shoot the very same gun.

Rob.
 
Sorry to hear about this.. so is the company denying warranty? Im sure you can send it in for inspection at least. Take videos of the issue and email it to them.
 
FLHTCUI said:
Hi Sniffer, when I wrote my comments I had not read All of the previous posts/comments and do not discredit any of them, no do I discredit any of yours... well maybe running 3.5 in shells as I think they are useless in today's world.

That is just me though ... I am stumped as are you and maybe stumped is not the right word ?

The A400 is a good gu and prolly a Great Gun compared to my 1100 20, but I still think there is a small issue glarring issue that will be resolved and there will be a face palm moment,lol.

I say this in jest and look forward to the moment of truth because there are many guys who shoot the very same gun.

Rob.
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All good.

I like the gun. Will like it a lot more when it runs as it should :D

Beretta state that the gun should run on any ammo and from the experience mentioned on this thread that has been the case for some but not for others (some guns seem to eat anything and others not so much but even the fussier guns seem to still run on more powerful ammo and only struggle with the lower power 2 3/4" - I have an enigma that wont run on anything)

In some ways it makes sense that 3.5" guns don't like low power ammo as they need to be setup so as to not be overgassed when running 3.5" and damaging themselves which may leave them a little under gassed when running lower power 2 3/4" ammo.

One frustrating this is lack of parts. I purchased some new piston rings (I wanted some as spares and I figured that would be a good first move) but when I received them I found that they were incorrect as there is a multitude of different piston versions for these guns (rings I got were way too small). Note these were literally the only option on the whole site and clearly mentioned they were compatible with an A400. I was able to return them and will pick up the correct rings when they show up but for now there is zero pistons or rings available to purchase so trying some of these to rule them out as the issue is not possible.
 
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