Semi auto question.

5

5RWill

New member
While duck hunting the other day before all the snow had melted down south, my maxus took a decent beating. I was breaking more ice than usual falling down and using the gun as leverage to get back up and such. Well the gun had water all in it, which i'm guessing is the result of what happened. Now i have to say it never failed to fire. Which i'm still tickled about. So far she has a perfect track record out in the field never missing a beat. But i noticed i would press the bolt release and the action/bolt would seem to be meeting resistance while trying to feed the shell in the chamber. It still did so but almost in a slow motion manner, as compared to the usual quick "shing" you here of the action slamming forward. Is this cause of buildup+water+cold or what?
 
It could be that or it could be damage to the gun. If you clean it and lube it up and it doesn't fix the problem, then something in the gun could be bent. The cold could also be jelling up the lube that is in the gun. What have you done to diagnose the problem so far (cleaned it, warmed it up, anything)?
 
Strip the gun down to nothing, take it completly apart and wipe it all down and then oil everything up real good, clean the barrel out real well to to keep rust build up from accuring
 
The action spring and tube in the stock were wet and possibly freezing. That will cause the action to close slowly. Ive had the same problem on my Beretta autos. Salt water corrosion caused me to put a Sure Cycle kit in my 390. Theyre a good investment for a waterfowler.
 
Using a shotgun as a lever to get up ...in and out of water ...is never a great idea in my opinion .....( especially if its loaded ) ....but its really hard on the gun as well !!

You have to completely strip the gun - clean, lube it --- and let it completely dry out before you store it.

I'm impressed it didn't fail ...while its intended to be a solid " all weather" gun ...immersing it in water is a really bad idea ....
 
I have had the same thing happen on a skeet range in extreme cold. It is fixed with some extra oil and getting it warmed up with shooting. It is most likely caused by the oil getting thicker in the cold.
 
I went out with my Maxus the other week in VA. It was cold, about 20 when we started and the wind was blowing pretty good until we got down below the fields. Didn't have any issue but didn't get it all wet either. Something to try....MilTec 1 gun oil. Every time someone mentions issues with oil I recommend it. It got pretty cold in Iraq (yes we had snow) and it was real hot 130+ at times. Never had an issue with dirt sticking to that oil. One good thing is that it only take a real light coat. You can order it on line.
 
I dont think Ive ever been on a really good duck hunt where my gun didnt get at last a little wet. One of the best days Ive ever had was last season at the OBX. The wind was blowing 20 kts and waves were chest high when we were retrieving birds. But there were thousands of Broadbills and Redheads on the move and they were in our dekes by the dozens. Limits were killed quickly and you had to hustle out of the stake blinds to make your retrieves before they drifted off. My 390 went under several times and kept on shooting. I used it Saturday to break ice on a beaver pond while getting to the blind so it wouldnt cut my neoprene waders. It cycled perfectly allowing me to take a brace of woodies. If a shotgun cant take getting wet it has no business in a duck blind.
 
I forgot to mention it works fine. I took it right when i got home and stripped it, let it air out for 2 days, then cleaned it. I was just wondering what was causing it out in the field. I had thought it was water in the action spring cause obviously that side of the gun was submerged. But it was about 35, do freezing couldn't be it.

I'm impressed it didn't fail ...while its intended to be a solid " all weather" gun ...immersing it in water is a really bad idea ....
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Well the immersion was to keep me from falling in. Wasn't that i got tired and was using it as a walking stick or a prop. Problem being our land is made up of a good bit of swamp, so this includes beaver runs, pot holes and the sort. And it plain sucks to walk through the hole we were hunting. But it's our best hole lol, every other step is like going up and down a hill, very frustrating. But even though it's dangerous so far this gun hasn't skipped a beat, it's performing right with my 870 although haven't dropped the Maxus completely in the water. On a duck hunt 2 years ago before i bought my maxus i fell in a beaver run and lost my 870, i was already wet so i figured "no way i'm losing my shotgun" went back under and got it and continued to shoot after draining it. IMO humble opinion that is the most durable shotgun on earth along with a mossberg 500. A friend and I have abused 870s to the point of need to replace parts and yet they never fail. Of course they were made back when remington was "remington".
 
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A drop of water can freeze at that temp, if you spray your porch down in 34-35 degrees it will glaze to a slush with slippy surface. Mostly do to air flow but its possible to do.
 
Ah didn't know that, temperature rose also to almost 40. Probably the explanation. When i would load shells i could see the action getting "slower" so to speak and i kept thinking "there goes my maxus's perfect track record" Of course my friend would give me hell if this had happened, because i still wont let go that his benelli didn't fire at -14 degrees and my maxus did :). Not bashing benelli, we just joke around but it was also a benelli Nova.
 
Yea, water were begin crystalizing at like 36. something or other but 40 woulda been good. Ive had my 11-87 slow down before due to just moisture and muck in it. Never had a misfire but I did blow the ejector out the side one day rabbit hunting I tangled in some brush and actually laid it down in the snow to break a path and the next shot went off and the action went back but the ejector and shell stayed.
 
Yea, still got 2 before I had any issues. I have a freind thats got a Browning Gold Semi and he has flawless results. They are doing some good things over at Browning plus bringing the A Bolt shotgun line back out
 
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