Broken 912

[Capt Jay]

Hunting last week my 912 broke. The two bars that extend from the bolt forward to the cup that the spring fits into broke right at the forward cup. I was shooting high velocity 3 1/2 inch #2 winchesters at the time. Has this happened to anyone else or has anyone else heard of this malfunction?

Thanks Jay

[jimbop]

How old is the gun?

[Capt Jay]

I purchased the gun last year so this was only the second hunting season for it.

[TeddyBoy]

I have had my 912 for 3 years and shoot only 3 1/2" through it . Haven't had a problem like that.

[Capt Jay]

I've sent the gun back to Franchi and it doesn't sound as if there is any problem with them fixing it. They also said that it shouldn't happen again. Lets hope that it goes as smoothly as it sound as if it will. The customer service agent was very curtous and when I asked what caused it he said probably a manufacturing defect and to send in the gun and they'd fix it and go through the entire gun. I don't mind so much that it broke if they are willing to make things right. I'll post again and tell how the rest of the experience pans out.
Jay

[ 10-09-2006, 12:40 PM: Message edited by: Capt Jay ]

[KRL]

Sorry to hear about your 912, mine has been great , Much better than my SBEII so far. When your gun broke did you have the gas piston set on light loads with those 3.5" shells?

My gun is only about five months old now and it has functioned perfectly with every shell I have tried ( several limits of ducks will agree with that )

Let us know how Franchi's sevice is

Thanks Kurt

[mudhen]

Yes. I have seen numerous 912's come back to my local dealer with one bar or both cracked.

Franchi will likely fix as a warranty repair.

I don't like the gun, never have, but that's just my opinion from the broken guns I have seen...

mudhen - CA

[Capt Jay]

The piston was set correctly and was double checked after the malfunction.

Mudhen,
You say you don't and never did like the gun, why? Is it just that some have broken or other reasons. How has Franchi been on the warranty work?

[KRL]

912's actualy have a very good reputation, after lot's of research I have found that they are one of the least griped about 3.5" guns. The Franchi dealer here in anchorage highly recomends them along side of the top name guns, they sell them all.

Our guns up here dont alway's get babied up here and 912's so far have been holding up well from the reports of happy owners.

Well hopefully Franchi will get your gun back to you quickly so you can start to enjoy it!

Good Luck Kurt

[mudhen]

Originally posted by Capt Jay:
The piston was set correctly and was double checked after the malfunction.

Mudhen,
You say you don't and never did like the gun, why? Is it just that some have broken or other reasons. How has Franchi been on the warranty work? The guns all get repaired eventually by Franchi. Most end up on the used gun rack shortly thereafter.

I just don't equate the complete malfunction of broken welds and shattered steel versus the annoying, but relatively simple, malfunctions of brands like Benelli and Browning.

I strongly disagree that the 912 is considered a well made firearm by most in the gun industry. It might work fine for the weekend warrior, but the breakage is well known amongst gun industry professionals and hard core shooters.

Sorry, I just don't think it's a good gun, and I have seen more than enough broken 912's to base my decision upon...

mudhen - CA

[KRL]

The score for me as it stands today is 1 non functional SBEII ($1300.00) that replaced a very functional Xtrema 1 bad move on my part!

Against 1 Very functional 912 ($550.00) that has yet to skip a lick, same as the others I have seen hope the trend continues.

hope the SBE gets sorted out soon but it does not matter any more our season will be over before that happens Bummer!

55 Birds in the bag since Sept 1st it should be a good season once the migrators get to you
MudHen. By the way hows the hunting in the Valley these Day's?
I spent almost 20 years hunting the Butt Sink area
Tons of FUN!.

C ya Kurt

[mudhen]

Hey KRL,

Too bad you can't get your SBE II to work. I can't get mine to not work!

All my Benellis have worked pretty well over the last 17 seasons, so no need to make any changes there.

I have seen no less than seven (7) 912's come back broken in my area. To be fair, most got a tremendous amount of shooting before breaking. One guy shoots only 3.5" cheap steel at everything. His gave up the ghost after 3-4 seasons of hard refuge hunting.

No dealers here will touch them for the most part.

If thy were soooo good, why did they get disco'ed!

We'll see what the valley has to offer this year. We open Oct 21st and go 100 straight days with a bag limit of eleven (11) birds. I'll only get out 50 or so hunts, so I'll take what I can get.

Where did you hunt in the Sink?

mudhen - CA

[KRL]

Eleven!!! whats up with that? what happened to seven? I remember the day's of four all to well but it was always a good time anyway!

I used to lurk around Graylodge quite a bit & had some very good honey holes there believe it or not.
also hunted Sac. Del. Sutter and Lil dry creek and along the Feather River for Malards & Woodies and when things were slow Stealhead, Quail & Crows.
No more Woodies, Crows or Quail for me anymore they were a kick.

Sorry about the Butt sink comment that was an old inside joke.

I will try out the SBE again in the morning after the hunt is over, I will be taking a unfired virgen pre remchoke Mag Wingmaster in to the field launching bismouth 4's & 2's out of it's 30" fixed full, I just stumbled onto it this week and had to have it!

I think this just might be my last hunt for the Year I have a Little girl due on Monday!!! and we will be frozen up soon.

Good luck on the OPENER!

Kurt

[STINGER912]

my 912 is heading back to Pocomoke, MD service center for the 3rd time in 5 years ............ the first time it was the extractor .......... no big deal .......... no problems since with that ................ this time and the last time were the bars that connect the bolt to the magazine tube sleeve ................. except this time it broke at the bolt end ............ I love this gun as far as shooting ability and fit .............. but I am slowly loosing faith in it ............ for hardcore shooting ............... granted I've killed over 1500 waterfowl with it when you include all the haunts its been on for geese, teal, puddlers, divers, sea ducks, and snow geese ............... probably got in the neighborhood of 25 cases of steel and a case of lead through the p[ipes in that thing so its seen a fair share of rounds ............ but I still think it should fire relentlessly regardless of conditions ............. I'll see if I can't find a pic of my last problem

[STINGER912]

In this photo you'll see how the left rail has broke through the top there and has now made the whole rail guide setup out of rack not allowing the bolt to slide freely in the gun ................ Franchi has fixed this problem and I hunted the gun very hard at the end of last season ............ all through January for divers and sea ducks and through February and March for snows ............. the gun then started off w/ resident goose season and teal this year .......... made it through October and November splits, and December and all the way up til the second to last of Maryland's season this year before the other end broke completely clean away from the bolt ............. now it's outta commish again ...............



http://www.thehuntzone.com/images/profiles/stinger/0020049001170374913.jpg

[STINGER912]

this time it broke at this end where it meets the bolt .............. clean shear exactly where the rod meets the bolt itself ............



http://www.thehuntzone.com/images/profiles/stinger/0197890001170375737.jpg