I bought a Beretta A303 20 gauge from a neighbor that is undergoing hard times. Since I've never owned a Beretta 303, I have a question: The magazine cap, how to remove it. It has a couple of slots in it toward the foreend. Do I push them in? I don't want to do anything to it until I get some replies. It is in 95% condition and looks like new. I want to give it a good cleaning before I fire it. Maybe someone can tell me how to download a owner's manual for it. Any help or comments appreciated.
_________________ Evan “The income tax has made more liars out of the American people than golf has.” Will Rogers “I figured out why Uncle Sam wears such a tall hat. It comes in handy when he passes it around” Soupy Sales
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Post subject: Re: Beretta A303-help!
Presentation Grade
Joined: Sun Mar 11, 2007 10:30 am Posts: 609 Location: between the prairie and mountains
I'm not certain if you want to know how to remove the forend nut that holds the forearm and barrel assembly together or if you want to dissasemble the magazine. My A303 12 gauge has a ribbed knob that holds the forearm assembly together and it's simply a matter of opening the action, unscrewing the knob from the end of the forearm, sliding the forearm ahead and off, and sliding the barrel ahead and off. Be carefull not to drop the gas piston on a hard floor when you remove the barrel. My magazine is pinned at the end and I've never had it apart because I see no reason to do so. If it works fine then I'd leave it alone personally.
OK, got that problem solved. The cap looks a bit different from my other guns. Next question: Will your 303 cycle dove loads? I took this one to the hunting club this morning and it did not cycle 1 oz loads. It is chambered for 3' loads.
_________________ Evan “The income tax has made more liars out of the American people than golf has.” Will Rogers “I figured out why Uncle Sam wears such a tall hat. It comes in handy when he passes it around” Soupy Sales
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Posted: Thu Sep 24, 2009 6:14 pm
Presentation Grade
Joined: Sun Mar 11, 2007 10:30 am Posts: 609 Location: between the prairie and mountains
My gun will cycle 1 oz dove loads loads but you have to remember that mine is a 12 gauge target gun. It was designed around light loads with a 2 3/4 inch chamber. I can't really say about your 20 gauge but it dosn't seem especially odd that it won't cycle the light loads since it has a 3 inch chamber. I can't say about the 303, but the Browning 2000 of a slightly earlier era had a 2 3/4 inch chambered barrel and a 3 inch chambered barrel. They had different gas port diameters so that the 3 inch chambered gun would not cycle light loads and the 2 3/4 chambered gun would cycle heavy loads a bit too energetically! Not saying that this is how the 303 was designed but I am suggesting that the do it all auto loader was not really invented yet. The A303 is one of the very best semi auto shotguns ever made so be carefull of the decisions you make concerning it's future! I'm sure someone who is more knowlegable than I about these things will be along shortly.
_________________ Evan “The income tax has made more liars out of the American people than golf has.” Will Rogers “I figured out why Uncle Sam wears such a tall hat. It comes in handy when he passes it around” Soupy Sales
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Post subject: Re: Beretta A303-help!
Tournament Grade
Joined: Tue Mar 31, 2009 4:48 pm Posts: 241 Location: St. Louis, MO.
The 3' will not cycle the lighter 2 3/4' loads reliably. But, I think it ought to cycle the dove loads. My 3' 12 guages will cycle 1 oz target loads and only have a FTFeed once in awhile. Try cleaning the gas ports on the barrell inside the sleeve. They will get clogged. I use drill bits and a needle nose pliers, starting with the small ones going up in size until it gets snug. I think my 12 ga will take a 7/64' without forcing it. You might try a 1/16, then a 3/32'. Since this gun is old, the crud and deposits are probably very hard in there and a pipe cleaner probably will not get them clean. I opened one of mine up using a drill bit because I won't be shooting 3' out of it ever. If someone should try with a heavy duck load, it would probably be catastrophic!