Semi auto shotgun

[doric_prince]

So I bought a semi auto , steel shot proof bought for wildfowling. Took it to clays yesterday to try it out and I hadn’t realised I already loaded two cartridges so put another in unbeknown to me I already had two in hit and so now had 3 65mm in the mag and one in the chamber. Now Shotguns on a normal shotgun ticket is 2+1 so now really I have this 3+1 managed to get three 21gm into the hold and 1 in the chamber.
Told the shop I got it from (bought yesterday) that it’s holding up to 3. Being told it’s due to the ability to hold Magnums, just want to be absolutely sure so asking on here too that’s all to be sure

What’s the thoughts here ?
I really don’t want to be fkd over by anything or anyone needlessly

Nothing to worry about- I have had 2 different 3.5” chambered guns and both will fit an extra cartridge if using 65mm.

It’s just a simple matter of physics. You won’t be in trouble simply having a gun that can do this as it is crimped for 2 of its max chamber size.

 

[Bowland blades]

Couple of comments.

1) case length is the length of the cartridge case when it is opened, ie it has fired a shot. Measuring the length of a unfired cartridge is misleading.

2) semi autos are designed with other terratories in mind where the 2 3/4” cartridge is the norm.

3) some of the lightly loaded 2 1/2” inch cartridges use a star crimp. Given that then have very little shot in there, they are not very long - a touch over 2”. So concievably a gun designed to take 2 31/2” cartridges, could fit 3 cartridges if you pushed in.

In my experience though the little lightly loaded cartridges don’t really run well in a semi.

And most clay grounds only like semis to be loaded with a max of two cartridges- one in chamber, one in magazine.

very true on recoil action , but a good gas gun should run everything that fits . I have a very much used SX3 Winchester 12 bore runs everything down the lightest clay loads . its far from new indeed it was a very early one from the first made . I had to get a new recoil spring of heavy/ frequent use wildfowling , all the is very much disappeared and its been on a few swims in the sea . I cannot remember any shell not functioning other the spring i killed from rust and thousands of shots and submersions in seawater , mud etc .
I cannot speak of the model of today , manufacturers tend to make something as best they can at the start and then when the others catch up and sell their new models cheaper and the bean counters take over the engineers with penny pinching

 

[Heym SR20]

very true on recoil action , but a good gas gun should run everything that fits . I have a very much used SX3 Winchester 12 bore runs everything down the lightest clay loads . its far from new indeed it was a very early one from the first made . I had to get a new recoil spring of heavy/ frequent use wildfowling , all the is very much disappeared and its been on a few swims in the sea . I cannot remember any shell not functioning other the spring i killed from rust and thousands of shots and submersions in seawater , mud etc .
I cannot speak of the model of today , manufacturers tend to make something as best they can at the start and then when the others catch up and sell their new models cheaper and the bean counters take over the engineers with penny pinching

I use a Franchi Affinity 3” which is an intertia operated like the Benelli. It needs a 28 gram load to run it. The little 21 gram don’t cycle it. Hardly an issue as its job is on the foreshore firing 3” loads of steel. Its great on the foreshore. But on clays it does feel rather plasticky.

 

[nic531]

this question has been around for many years. I bought a 31/2 chamber semi about 2009 and asked then. I was told that as long as it only took 2 of the size cartridge it was designed to hold that was fine...... go forward a few years and I have a few as a member of the family and in a discussion this came up and he agreed that everything he could find said it was ok.

 

[Bowland blades]

I use a Franchi Affinity 3” which is an intertia operated like the Benelli. It needs a 28 gram load to run it. The little 21 gram don’t cycle it. Hardly an issue as its job is on the foreshore firing 3” loads of steel. Its great on the foreshore. But on clays it does feel rather plasticky.

Absolutely

 

[Deerhunter22]

I use a Franchi Affinity 3” which is an intertia operated like the Benelli. It needs a 28 gram load to run it. The little 21 gram don’t cycle it. Hardly an issue as its job is on the foreshore firing 3” loads of steel. Its great on the foreshore. But on clays it does feel rather plasticky.

My semi auto is a 3” and had it all clarified, so long as it can only hold 2+1 of 3” cartridges the gun is perfectly legal.
If you was able to get 3+1 of 3” in it then it would not be at all for an shotgun License
So all is good as it can defo only hold 2+1 had that checked
Managed to run it on 24g 70mm absolutely fine

I haven’t bought it for clays was merely wanting to try it out and the clay ground is a 2min drive from the shop
Those 24g steel loads though certainly fire some will defo do the damage though think I’ll be going a lot heavier than that for geese on the foreshore this season