Benelli MP90s cleaning, and Ammunition Question

[Rudi]

Good day helpful shooters.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dEZkRq6DqbQ

In this video around 1:50 he can be seen disassembling the slide. In reality, how often would this need to be done? I can't image that often.

A second question about ammunition. Seems to be many folks happy with CCI SV, and the Aguila Standard, whereas guns like the Hammerli sp20 or Walther SSP from the reactions at my club don't do well with Aguila, but happily eat up CCI. Everyone that uses SK (pistol match or flat nose basic can agree to consistent results with most pistols) For 10 meter shooting where I'm currently hitting 42 or 43 out of 50 averages, could there really be "better" results with more expensive ammo like the SK or Eley or RWS, or should I further refine my shooting with cci or Aguila, and take it from there?
I come from an Olympic Style Air pistol background (still shooting my walther LP400), so my technique is pretty decent but I'm still working on the mental focus techniques, where nerves or excitement let me down with the odd 6/7 point "flyer".

If I can sneak in a third question, Mr White, in your amazing cleaning videos you can be seen first scraping out around the breach with a tooth pick, and where the ejector slot is, and then cleaning the breach with a brush to get rid of lead buildup or powder residue. I guess it doesn't matter much, but could it be advisable to do the 90 degree brush first, and then the tooth pick around the breach?

Thanks again!

[Gwhite]

Taking the bolt apart is really rarely necessary unless something happens (busted firing pin is a common cause). The recoil spring & tube are well removed from most fouling, so they can run for years without anything more than a light oiling. It's a good idea when you have the bolt out to make sure the firing pin isn't gunked up. It's free floating, and it should rattle back & forth if you give the bolt a shake. Most of the time a little oil and cycling back & forth is all it needs. If you don't want to take the bolt apart, an aerosol cleaner will help as well. The extractor should pivot smoothly, and a drop of oil on that every once in a while is a good idea. I don't do it as part of a regular cleaning.

If you have to take the bolt apart, I have a tool that makes it pretty easy. I made a bunch with the intention of offering them for donations to the team I help coach, but I haven't gotten around to figuring out shipping costs. It's also turns out there are different bolt designs, and that complicates matters.

Here's a description:

Benelli MP90-95 Bolt Tool.pdf

(105.27 KiB) Downloaded 144 times

PM me if you are interested.

Any modern .22 ammo that cycles the pistol reliably is fine. I've never noticed any significant accuracy difference. Aguila is inexpensive, VERY reliable, has milder recoil than a lot of other brands, and is relatively clean burning. CCI has a slightly different recoil characteristic, and may cycle better in a fussy pistol. Some people feel better spending money on more expensive ammunition, but that's far more mental than demonstrably results based. Even in free pistol, the vast majority of shooters' wobble swamps any minor difference in accuracy.

As far as when to use a toothpick to clean out the extractor slot & breech face, I don't think it makes a difference. I generally tend to start with the chamber & bore so I can let solvent do its thing while I work on the rest of the pistol, but it's hardly critical. My cleaning process is designed to minimize wear & tear on the bore, and over time (> 10K rounds), lead can build up & you will start to see minor keyholing. That when I get out the Bore Tech Rimfire Blend & give it a more thorough cleaning. Based on my recent experience with stubborn chamber fouling (viewtopic.php?f=4&t=62600), I will probably increase the frequency of that process.

[Rudi]

Taking the bolt apart is really rarely necessary unless something happens (busted firing pin is a common cause). The recoil spring & tube are well removed from most fouling, so they can run for years without anything more than a light oiling. It's a good idea when you have the bolt out to make sure the firing pin isn't gunked up. It's free floating, and it should rattle back & forth if you give the bolt a shake. Most of the time a little oil and cycling back & forth is all it needs. If you don't want to take the bolt apart, an aerosol cleaner will help as well. The extractor should pivot smoothly, and a drop of oil on that every once in a while is a good idea. I don't do it as part of a regular cleaning.

All great info as usual! the Pistol was bought second hand within two minutes of seeing at appear on the seller's facebook page, they simply don't appear for sale much here in the Netherlands. It shot beautifully on the test, and has since (5 months) been stored there until I could pick it up, I was able to do a basic wipe down during that time, but it was already pretty dirty and since I've no idea of the history before it reached the store I thought it might be a good idea to strip it down to that level at least now.

For the tool to dismantle the bolt, I have a small block of wood at the top of my cleaning station with a hole drilled, then I can keep the tension with two small nails pushed through half a wall plug (to protect the forks). Your third hand is very nicely done.

Thanks again for the advice.

[-TT-]

I completely agree with GWhite that the bolt rarely needs to be dismantled, and only slightly needs oiling. One area to inspect though is the little lengthwise slot below the tip of the firing pin. It often gets crudded up with wax and carbon, and can cause the pin to stick. When the pin fails to retract enough, that can cause the rising round to touch the pin and fail to rotate when leaving the mag. I use the point of a small knife to remove any buildup, maybe every 500 rounds or so when cleaning.

You mention SK flatnose, I have tried this and cannot recommend it in the Benelli. For one thing, it's a rifle round and it recoils rather sharply in the blowback pistol. This is hard on the buffer, and can slow your recovery in sustained fire courses. For another, the flat nose sometimes fails to enter the chamber properly, I experienced one or more failures to feed in some rounds. I shoot exclusively SK Pistol Match in mine, for all of 50 feet, 25 yards and 50 yards.

Be sure to clean out the inside of the frame, where the three polished lugs of the bolt ride. If it has been a long time since the gun was fired, the deposits can harden there. Some machine-tool marks on the inside of the frame are normal, and seem to actually help, but the ridges will catch debris over time. I use a synthetic gun grease called TW25B there, a tiny bit goes a long, long way.

[edit] one other response to your "pick or brush" question - brushing is all you may need if the buildup is light, I have a brush in my gun case which I use during long matches for quick maintenance. But if it's heavy, definitely pick it away first. Otherwise, it will foul your brush, and shove it into places you will need to soak it out of (chamber, extractor slot, etc).

[Rudi]

You mention SK flatnose, I have tried this and cannot recommend it in the Benelli. For one thing, it's a rifle round and it recoils rather sharply in the blowback pistol. This is hard on the buffer, and can slow your recovery in sustained fire courses. For another, the flat nose sometimes fails to enter the chamber properly, I experienced one or more failures to feed in some rounds. I shoot exclusively SK Pistol Match in mine, for all of 50 feet, 25 yards and 50 yards.

Be sure to clean out the inside of the frame, where the three polished lugs of the bolt ride. If it has been a long time since the gun was fired, the deposits can harden there. Some machine-tool marks on the inside of the frame are normal, and seem to actually help, but the ridges will catch debris over time. I use a synthetic gun grease called TW25B there, a tiny bit goes a long, long way.

Many thanks! Do you happen to know when Benelli does its runs of manufacture, or is it just when there is enough demand? I wonder how many are made at those runs. It seems that most of the supplies are making it to your side of the pond, the new market is scarce here (Netherlands), and the second hand market even less so.

[-TT-]

I have no idea when Benelli manufactures their pistols, or resupplies parts. The US supplier was a sole proprietor, who passed away almost two years ago. His business has since been reopened under a new owner, but the pipeline is not fully up. To my knowledge there are no new pistols being imported. Benelli has been pretty much silent on the topic of their pistol line, but the MP90S webpage, which had vanished from their site, reappeared for a time. Today, it is found only by searching, not linked by navigation: https://www.benelli.it/it/arma/mp-90-s- ... al-22-l-r-

[Rudi]

Today, it is found only by searching, not linked by navigation: https://www.benelli.it/it/arma/mp-90-s- ... al-22-l-r-

They are all still linked at the footer for he Italian page, for as long as i can remember

[-TT-]

If you have to take the bolt apart, I have a tool that makes it pretty easy. I made a bunch with the intention of offering them for donations to the team I help coach, but I haven't gotten around to figuring out shipping costs.

Thumbs-up on my newly received third hand.

The beveled extractor slot is a nice touch, and this tool will greatly reduce heartbreak when servicing that part, too! ;)

[Rudi]

If you have to take the bolt apart, I have a tool that makes it pretty easy. I made a bunch with the intention of offering them for donations to the team I help coach, but I haven't gotten around to figuring out shipping costs.

Thumbs-up on my newly received third hand.

The beveled extractor slot is a nice touch, and this tool will greatly reduce heartbreak when servicing that part, too! ;)


ToolExtractorSlot.jpg

NICE!