Benelli MP95E Feeding Issues

[Will Shortly]

Bought a new Benelli MP95E in the fall, have been very happy until recently when I have had major feeding issues with all my magazines. Load five rounds, first four feed and fire no problem, will not pick up last round, hits about mid case and jambs open.

Magazines are not dirty, magazine springs do not appear to be weak, pistol has been thoroughly cleaned. Does it with a variety of ammunition.

Any ideas?

[PFribley]

Have you tried a .25 cal brass brush in the breech???

[Will Shortly]

Have you tried a .25 cal brass brush in the breech???

No I haven't, willing to try most anything. If it is a dirty chamber issue why does it only occur on the last round in the magazine?

[Spencer]

Don't know if it applies to the Benelli, but this type of problem can occur in a number of semi-autos if the magazine spring is installed upside down (comparitively easy in many) and/or back to front (not so easy, but can be done).

[Will Shortly]

Don't know if it applies to the Benelli, but this type of problem can occur in a number of semi-autos if the magazine spring is installed upside down (comparitively easy in many) and/or back to front (not so easy, but can be done).

I wondered about that but the magazines worked initially and I haven't disassembled them since new (September 2010). I thought that possibly the follower wasn't raising the rear of the cartridge enough to get picked up, leading to the bolt crushing the case about midway in it's length.

Might also be temperature related as the range has been cold (shooting area heated/down range unheated) but again wonder why that wouldn't cause issues with earlier rounds.

[shaky]

My Bennelli had the same problem. The breech face of the slide would pass over the rim of the 5th round, strike it in the middle of the case, and drive it forward at an angle so that the bullet lodged against the top of the chamber opening. While I was at Camp Perry, I talked to someone behind the counter at Larry's and he told me to stretch the magazine spring a little bit. I stretched all three ( all three magazines had this 5th round problem) out to 3 and 5/8 inches and the problem went away for several hundred rounds. I seem to recall that I started to get the same type of failures again and switched to my Marvel. I suspect that the Bennelli magazine springs have returned to their former length.

[Will Shortly]

My Bennelli had the same problem. The breech face of the slide would pass over the rim of the 5th round, strike it in the middle of the case, and drive it forward at an angle so that the bullet lodged against the top of the chamber opening. While I was at Camp Perry, I talked to someone behind the counter at Larry's and he told me to stretch the magazine spring a little bit. I stretched all three ( all three magazines had this 5th round problem) out to 3 and 5/8 inches and the problem went away for several hundred rounds. I seem to recall that I started to get the same type of failures again and switched to my Marvel. I suspect that the Bennelli magazine springs have returned to their former length.

Will give it a try but hope this won't be a continuous routine. I may try a Pardini mag spring and see if that changes anything. Thanks for the help.

[Trooperjake]

I have a benelli 95 and a Walther GSP in 32 wadcutter.
I have had the same problem.
I think most of the answers you got are all wrong,
I went through the same things.
First of all, if you use Fiocchi factory ammo, do you still have the problem?
Second if you haven't tried it yet get a box.
I went crazy because I had no problems with the Fiocchi ammo.
Third do you roll crimp or taper crimp?
I started with a roll crimp and had all kinds of problems.
When I switched to a taper crimp, the problem reduced a lot.
It also helps to sort your brass by make and try each brand.
Hope this helps...
Please let me know if you resolve the problem..
Marty

[Trooperjake]

While at perry I had Larry's gunsmith work on mine 3 times, I still had the problem when I got home. He milled the back of the barrel/chamber and worked on my magazines. None of it worked till I changed my ammo.

[fast shooter]

I've had my Benelli for about three years, had the same problem you discribe. Sent it to Larry's twice came back with the same results.
I started using a few drops of oil on bullet rims of loaded magazines and have not had an alibi since. My magazines have been feeding without the oil latey. I think something is "off" in the forming process of the magazines and they have to wear in.

[Trooperjake]

I tried the oil on the round, and it did not work.
I am now shooting a Walther GSP.
What did work for a while, I forgot to mention this is:
I loaded rounds with VVn310 at 1.0 grains, I had a reply to my
problem that the load of 1.4 or 1.5 grains is too hot for the Benelli, it is picking up the next round too fast causing the jam. Larry's gunsmith did say this is a possible correction, he had ground my mags slightly to release the
bullet faster. I have put aside the Benelli for now, will try the load that I use
in the GSP, the only difference is my old loads used a roll crimp and the new rounds use a taper crimp die.

[know]

Exactly the problem I had. It seems it's a question of bad craftsmanship: the magazine is made from bad quality steel sheet and after several hundreds rounds it cracks at the back of lip base. The lip bends out and do not feeds the round correctly. For a time, it is enough to squeeze lips a bit.

[RoyalWulff]

I know this thread is over 5 years old at this point but I am having the same issue described here with my Benelli MP95 and need some help as I love this gun and don’t want to give it up!
About 15-20 percent of the time it won’t properly feed the 5th round into the chamber. When I purchased the gun it came with 2 magazines and only 1 of them had the problem. I purchased a new magazine and didn’t have any issues with it until a few weeks ago and now it is doing the same thing. I’ve tried a fair amount of different ammo. I’ve tried stretching the springs in my magazines. I have good luck sometimes at the range and think I’m in the clear and then on league night I’m shooting a 4 shot alibi...
I try all the mags during slow fire but can’t trust them in timed or rapid anymore.
I’ve emailed Larry Carter and haven’t gotten any response. In all the prior postings and threads I’ve discovered it seems he is aware of the issue but has no solution.
Surely someone out there has found the remedy to this longstanding Benelli issue...
Anyone?

[fc60]

Greetings,

Try these guys...

https://www.benelli.it/en/contatti

They make the pistol.

Cheers,

Dave

[oldcaster]

I believe that your loads are too hot in relation to the recoil spring. The Fiocchi ammo is pretty slow and the majority of loads you might find in any reloading book are fairly hot because they are for a revolver. I use 1.6 of #2 with a 100 grain bullet (about 680fps) and after a while I will have to get a new spring. Pulling it out will work but for a very short time.

[-TT-]

About 15-20 percent of the time it won’t properly feed the 5th round into the chamber.

Can you be more specific what "properly feed" means? Also, what ammo are you using?

In my MP90S, I've had a feed issue in a few cases:

1) Using Eley Edge, which has a semi-wadcutter type of nose. The rounds hit the edge of the chamber and don't always make it all the way into battery. My best results are with SK Pistol Match and Standard Plus.

2) When the buffer at the back starts to break apart. Chambering is more than a little random when this occurs. Larry's rock-hard replacement buffer fixes this.

3) Believe it or not, when the firing pin needs cleaning or replacement. If it hangs up and fails to fully retract, it picks up the round just a little too early, and the nose hits the chamber rim HARD, carving a little gouge in the lead. Then, the slide rides up over the trapped round and chomps a dent into the side of the brass. This isn't usually a 5th-round thing though, happens on any chambering (even the initial one).

Just some ideas, more info might help narrow it down.

Be patient with email to Larry's. You might want to call btw...

[RoyalWulff]

About 15-20 percent of the time it won’t properly feed the 5th round into the chamber.

Can you be more specific what "properly feed" means? Also, what ammo are you using?

In my MP90S, I've had a feed issue in a few cases:

1) Using Eley Edge, which has a semi-wadcutter type of nose. The rounds hit the edge of the chamber and don't always make it all the way into battery. My best results are with SK Pistol Match and Standard Plus.

2) When the buffer at the back starts to break apart. Chambering is more than a little random when this occurs. Larry's rock-hard replacement buffer fixes this.

3) Believe it or not, when the firing pin needs cleaning or replacement. If it hangs up and fails to fully retract, it picks up the round just a little too early, and the nose hits the chamber rim HARD, carving a little gouge in the lead. Then, the slide rides up over the trapped round and chomps a dent into the side of the brass. This isn't usually a 5th-round thing though, happens on any chambering (even the initial one).

Just some ideas, more info might help narrow it down.

Be patient with email to Larry's. You might want to call btw...

I am using Wolf Match Extra currently but have used CCI sv and Aguila Pistol Match in the past and had the issues with all of these.

The feeding issue: on the 5th and final round only, the bullet seems to be at too steep of an angle and jams into the top edge of the chamber and holds the bolt open. The bolt may be overriding this bullet and striking it in the middle of the casing causing this awkward angle. I have VERY thoroughly cleaned the gun and magazines several times and attempted to slightly stretch the springs on the magazines that have acted up and have made some different adjustments to the tops of the mags all to no avail.

I went up to Larry’s About 2 months ago and purchased a new magazine and spoke very briefly with him about the issue (I figured it was simply a faulty magazine and I would buy a new one and that would be the end of the story). The magazine I bought from him that day worked perfectly until 2 weeks ago. I also purchased buffers and replaced mine that day. While talking with him I mentioned another topic that I might want to follow up with him on and the woman working in the shop with him very explicitly told me NOT to call but only to email but I suppose I will have to phone as I am not getting any response.

Thanks for your thoughts!

[-TT-]

The feeding issue: on the 5th and final round only, the bullet seems to be at too steep of an angle and jams into the top edge of the chamber and holds the bolt open. The bolt may be overriding this bullet and striking it in the middle of the casing causing this awkward angle.

Well, that's the issue to a "T", but if it only happens on the 5th and final round, I agree it seems like more of a magazine issue. The fact that it stopped for a couple of months after swapping mags reinforces that. But I'll say, these guns are subtle, and the behavior can fool you. The gummy firing pin channel surprised me on mine, and I still wouldn't rule it out on yours. I found that using the shaft of a Q-Tip, soaked in cleaner, was nearly perfect for cleaning out the FP bore, and nothing short of going at it that way really cured my issue. That said, your gun could be something else.

Have you verified that the mag seats at about the same height? The trigger assembly has these little rubber bumpers at the front, which affect the position vertically. And the mag catch can maybe get a little wear that allows the mag to drop. Basically, the lower edge of the bolt pushes down on the upcoming round, this spring pressure is reduced when the mag goes empty and this affects the pickup. You could experiment by loading, say, two rounds, and gently pulling down on the mag while firing both off. If after ten tries you don't get a misfeed, then the position of the mag and the internal follower is at least part of the issue. Alternatively, try pushing up and see if the mag interferes with the bolt. IIRC one of mine did this and I had to touch the tip of the mag's ejector tab with a file to match the other 5.

CCI SV and Aguila are kind of dry, which I don't think help this gun. But Wolf should work well. Try some Norma Match, that stuff positively drips. :-) Seriously though, I'd stick to one ammo, ideally a European brand, at least for figuring this out. These are the regular 6-round mags, right? The 9-round one is kind of flaky in my experience.

The woman at the desk is probably DeAnna, so if she says email preferred well then I guess it is!

[RoyalWulff]

Thanks so much for your time and ideas TT.

I will experiment with the magazines as you suggested, see what’s up and report back any substantial news.

I may try the Norma ammo as well.

Thanks again!

[william novak]

I had a feeding problem with my MP-90 S when first purchasing it four years ago. I haven’t had a problem since then using Larry’s advice regarding cleaning the chamber with a .25 cal brush. He also gave me four new magazines at the time for free. No problems since. Your problem may be secondary to other factors as others mention. Mine wasn’t.