Loading the SBE II, or I should of read the owners manual

**Lee Woiteshek** · 10-08-2005, 03:22 PM

Bought this gun this March, assembled it, and put it in the safe. I read this forum just about every day, but not having actually shot the gun, I didn't have anything to say. So there I was Virginia's duck opener this Thursday, Woodies flying all around me, and I can't load the shells in the magazine. I opened the action, shut it with a shell in it using the button, and simply cannot load another shell in the mag. While the fault is completely my own, I thought the SBE II would function like any other auto. Drop a round into the receiver, push the button, and load two in the mag. I had a 1400 dollar one shot auto. That said both days I hunted I limited out on Woodies before 0700. So it wasn't a total loss. The SBE II is a sweet shooting soft recoiling gun. I was shooting Winchester Supreme Hi Velocity 3 inch shells, and barely felt them. I did manage on the second day to drop the recoil pad in the swamp after it caught on my rain coat. Also when I went to empty the gun, I couldn't get the shells to cycle through the reciever and used the carrier release. It had such a strong spring it kicked the shells right out of the gun. So my question is, is there and easier way to load, and unload the SBE II? Tom Knapp didn't seem to have a problem on the commericals. I would go into the exciting experience of cleaning the gun, and watching the bolt and carrier fly across the room, but I'll save that for another day [img]smile.gif[/img]

**tucker301** · 10-08-2005, 06:23 PM

There is a raised tab on the end of the carrier.
This tab is supposed to fit into a slot on the bottom of the bolt, but on some guns it will hang slightly when pushed straight up.
I had the same problem when I first got my SBEII, and I kept having to push the shell to one side slightly to get the carrier to go up all the way.
I finally fixed it through a combination of carefully bending that tab inward and wearing it in a bit through repeated loadings.

When unloading, use the silver release button on the trigger guard to allow another shell to cycle through from the magazine.

[ 10-08-2005, 05:24 PM: Message edited by: tucker301 ]

**Commando** · 10-09-2005, 02:03 PM

I dont know about you but if you need to bend something to make it work there is a problem. I have no problems loading and unloading. Read your manual make sure you assembled your gun correctly. Its important to know your weapon prior to the hunt. Take it out to the trap range a few times and take it apart enough when cleaning and you will be familar.

I have owned and shot many shotguns but I found it is important to read your manual and be familar with the product you will use in the field.

Good luck..

**Lee Woiteshek** · 10-09-2005, 04:54 PM

Thanks Tucker, I'll take a look at it. Commando, my only pathetic excuse I can offer is I thought the SBE II would chamber and unload like a Browning, or Remington or an Ithaca. I never once thought the manual of arms would be different.

**tucker301** · 10-09-2005, 05:48 PM

While I agree in spirit with Commando that such things should not be, in reality sometimes the best made products could use a simple tweak.

And the fact that you can do the tweak yourself in a matter of seconds vs. Benelli doing it in a matter of weeks... Well, it just makes sense, doesn't it?

**PLUMMER** · 10-11-2005, 06:42 PM

I too came across this problem, and hence solved it. Well I took some pics and tried to reconstruct your problem. In the 1st pic notice the bolt location, this is just after pressing the side button and closing the chamber. then notice the bolt location in the 2nd pic. The bolt has been slowly shut or slightly pulled back then closed,,,,BUT not with full force. Then note the jammed shell. Thats as far as it will go with the bolt not fully shut. However if you pull bolt all the way back and let it slam normally it closes just like the 1st pic and it loads fine. I hope this is what you had happen, becasue I couldn't come up of a way, back engineering your problem. I sure wish we had more woodies here in South East Michigan.

[ 10-11-2005, 07:57 PM: Message edited by: PLUMMER ]

**Lee Woiteshek** · 10-13-2005, 02:58 PM

Plummer your last pic is what my gun looked like in the field. For the life of me I could not load a single round in the mag. I thought I had played with every combination in an attempt to load it while the birds were flying to no avail. I chambered the first round in the barrel using the button on the reciever to close the bolt. Then attempted to load the weapon normally. Second day a had a bit better luck but still had to mess with the gun far longer than I would have liked. What finally worked every other attempt or so was loading the mag first, by pushing the red button. If I could get the mag loaded the one in the tube was easy. Still real uneasy with loading it. I just don't have time to mess with it back at the residence, and the wife frowns on me loading and unloading a shotgun in the house....

**Lee Woiteshek** · 10-13-2005, 02:59 PM

Meant to add, I'll trade some of our October woodies for your Mallards...

**mudhen** · 10-13-2005, 04:33 PM

I would guess the gun is not cleaned right or oiled right or just a bit new and needs some breaking in.

All of my Benellis will not load if the bolt is not closed all the way.

Some of my Benellis have taken some break in time to lock up all the way.

I always check the chamber mouth areas to make sure the lock up area is clean, smooth, and just a bit oily.

I may recall some dipped guns needing a little scraping or cleaning in that area.

Shame on you for not shooting the gun - most modern semis need some break in time......

mudhen - CA

**Lee Woiteshek** · 10-14-2005, 05:26 PM

Mudhen, I am ashamed. I was also advised to go out and break it in first thing when I signed in on the board earlier this spring. I didn't and this is the result.