Tech Tip - Boito/FIE Side-by-Side - The Firearms Forum

CountryGunsmith · 11-01-2003, 07:11 PM

First, before you begin to work on one of these, have a grown man wearing golf shoes stomp you in the groin. That should prepare you for the job at hand.

The problem is that these will work well for a while, then develop the nasty tendency of doubling and/or failing to cock one or the other barrel. The parts are not hardened well AT ALL, and the critical bearing surfaces wear out of spec pretty quickly.

The sear is generally the culprit on the doubling. These are tensioned by long wire springs, so be sure these are still providing adequate pressure. Better idea, since you've already got the buttstock off just figure on replacing the springs. Dont try bending and retempering, they just wont take it. Most likely, you will find the sear to have worn just enough at the tip to allow the hammer notch to jump off in recoil. Yep, they hardened the hammer notches - but every sear I've seen is unhardened. Brilliant folks, those Brazilians. Love that Carnivale and all the bare boobies in Rio but they can keep their shotguns.

The cocking lever is the problem with the failure to cock. It's softer than the cocking rod, and after a while it will just not push the rod back far enough to cock the hammer past the sear shelf. These parts are very hard to come by (GPC may or may not have them at any given time, and even if they do there is no guarantee they're any better than the ones you have) so I sat down with a nice Amaretto to figure an alternate plan. Simple enogh to turn an overlength cocking rod with the lathe, but the customer has already sunk enough money into this thing without adding machine-hours. So, I made a few small adjustments in some spring stock and now the cocking rods are spring-loaded. The gun reliably cocks both barrels without too much of an increase in cocking effort. The leading end of the cocking lever centers the spring in the hole, and the cocking lever no longer directly rubs against the hardened cocking rod, so hopefully further wear will be greatly reduced.

What a deal.

Almost forgot, DO NOT take the top snap spring and guide out if you dont have to. It requires two grown men, one small donkey, and a midget wrapped in Saran Wrap to get it back in.

4 eyed six shooter · 11-24-2003, 12:07 AM

Thanks for the tip. One question though, where did you get the midget wrapped in the Saran Wrap, can't find one in the Brownells catalog anywhere

Good shooting, John K

Xracer · 11-24-2003, 08:30 AM

Hey Doc....why don'tcha tell us how you really feel about this gun?

FN_Project90 · 11-25-2003, 10:30 PM

I would like my shoe apptment at 7 tomorrow please

0311InfantrySir · 01-16-2012, 01:49 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by CountryGunsmith

First, before you begin to work on one of these, have a grown man wearing golf shoes stomp you in the groin. That should prepare you for the job at hand.

The problem is that these will work well for a while, then develop the nasty tendency of doubling and/or failing to cock one or the other barrel. The parts are not hardened well AT ALL, and the critical bearing surfaces wear out of spec pretty quickly.

The sear is generally the culprit on the doubling. These are tensioned by long wire springs, so be sure these are still providing adequate pressure. Better idea, since you've already got the buttstock off just figure on replacing the springs. Dont try bending and retempering, they just wont take it. Most likely, you will find the sear to have worn just enough at the tip to allow the hammer notch to jump off in recoil. Yep, they hardened the hammer notches - but every sear I've seen is unhardened. Brilliant folks, those Brazilians. Love that Carnivale and all the bare boobies in Rio but they can keep their shotguns.

The cocking lever is the problem with the failure to cock. It's softer than the cocking rod, and after a while it will just not push the rod back far enough to cock the hammer past the sear shelf. These parts are very hard to come by (GPC may or may not have them at any given time, and even if they do there is no guarantee they're any better than the ones you have) so I sat down with a nice Amaretto to figure an alternate plan. Simple enogh to turn an overlength cocking rod with the lathe, but the customer has already sunk enough money into this thing without adding machine-hours. So, I made a few small adjustments in some spring stock and now the cocking rods are spring-loaded. The gun reliably cocks both barrels without too much of an increase in cocking effort. The leading end of the cocking lever centers the spring in the hole, and the cocking lever no longer directly rubs against the hardened cocking rod, so hopefully further wear will be greatly reduced.

What a deal.

Almost forgot, DO NOT take the top snap spring and guide out if you dont have to. It requires two grown men, one small donkey, and a midget wrapped in Saran Wrap to get it back in.

( I have one of the Boito BR2 12 Guages and I have a question. It states 2 3/4 in shells on the barrel so that is all it is rated to shoot, however, would it handel more? Say 3's or 3 1/2 MAG's? I know, I know. It is just a question, I have this for home defense and it has, well, a length challenged barrell. But that makes it perfect for what its intended purpose is, I just want to know if it would hold together if I let loose with two 3 1/2 in MAG shells? I haven't had the desire to test it "which is probably good" since it would most likely handle it once or twice and then come apart. It is a very well maintained gun, shot very little over the years and has a great close range pattern but the larger shells would definately make this one formidible weapon for home defense. Not that 2 3/4 are not deadly or anything. Just a question, also, do you take the back ends and do your mod to these for people, this sounds like something I would love to have done to the one I have. I would also like to find a full length barrell for it that is in as good of shape as the one I have.

Thanks,

Semper Fi.

StoneChimney · 01-16-2012, 04:44 AM

The chambers are not cut for the longer shell. If you managed to jam one in there somehow it would be wedged into the forcing cone. There would be nowhere for the shell crimp to expand into and the pressures would go up considerably, causing a potentially dangerous situation. Do not do it.

We will not modify the chambers on the Boito to accept 3" Magnum and absolutely consider 3 1/2" Magnum to be unsafe in this gun.

11-01-2003, 07:11 PM	#1
CountryGunsmith Advanced Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2003 Location: Deep Piney Woods of East Texas Posts: 5,116	Tech Tip - Boito/FIE Side-by-Side First, before you begin to work on one of these, have a grown man wearing golf shoes stomp you in the groin. That should prepare you for the job at hand. The problem is that these will work well for a while, then develop the nasty tendency of doubling and/or failing to cock one or the other barrel. The parts are not hardened well AT ALL, and the critical bearing surfaces wear out of spec pretty quickly. The sear is generally the culprit on the doubling. These are tensioned by long wire springs, so be sure these are still providing adequate pressure. Better idea, since you've already got the buttstock off just figure on replacing the springs. Dont try bending and retempering, they just wont take it. Most likely, you will find the sear to have worn just enough at the tip to allow the hammer notch to jump off in recoil. Yep, they hardened the hammer notches - but every sear I've seen is unhardened. Brilliant folks, those Brazilians. Love that Carnivale and all the bare boobies in Rio but they can keep their shotguns. The cocking lever is the problem with the failure to cock. It's softer than the cocking rod, and after a while it will just not push the rod back far enough to cock the hammer past the sear shelf. These parts are very hard to come by (GPC may or may not have them at any given time, and even if they do there is no guarantee they're any better than the ones you have) so I sat down with a nice Amaretto to figure an alternate plan. Simple enogh to turn an overlength cocking rod with the lathe, but the customer has already sunk enough money into this thing without adding machine-hours. So, I made a few small adjustments in some spring stock and now the cocking rods are spring-loaded. The gun reliably cocks both barrels without too much of an increase in cocking effort. The leading end of the cocking lever centers the spring in the hole, and the cocking lever no longer directly rubs against the hardened cocking rod, so hopefully further wear will be greatly reduced. What a deal. Almost forgot, DO NOT take the top snap spring and guide out if you dont have to. It requires two grown men, one small donkey, and a midget wrapped in Saran Wrap to get it back in. __________________ The autonomic nervous system provides for involuntary muscle function - the work of breathing, digestion, and so forth. On some folks, that's a pure waste of ingenuity. -->

11-24-2003, 12:07 AM	#2
4 eyed six shooter V.I.P. Member Join Date: Jun 2003 Location: Teton Mountains, Idaho Posts: 91	Thanks for the tip. One question though, where did you get the midget wrapped in the Saran Wrap, can't find one in the Brownells catalog anywhere Good shooting, John K __________________ www.savagegunsmithing.com Anyone worth shooting is worth shooting more than once! Stop crime, shoot back! EARTH FIRST! We'll hunt the rest of the planets later

11-25-2003, 10:30 PM	#4
FN_Project90 Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2003 Location: Atlanta, GA, USA Posts: 803	I would like my shoe apptment at 7 tomorrow please __________________ Things n' Stuff

01-16-2012, 04:44 AM	#6
StoneChimney Advanced Senior Member Join Date: Nov 2010 Posts: 1,087	Re: Tech Tip - Boito/FIE Side-by-Side The chambers are not cut for the longer shell. If you managed to jam one in there somehow it would be wedged into the forcing cone. There would be nowhere for the shell crimp to expand into and the pressures would go up considerably, causing a potentially dangerous situation. Do not do it. We will not modify the chambers on the Boito to accept 3" Magnum and absolutely consider 3 1/2" Magnum to be unsafe in this gun. __________________ Full service gunsmithing and firearm manufacturing shop. Licensed FFL 07/02 Manufacturer. Visit our website!

11-24-2003, 08:30 AM	#3
Xracer TFF Admin Staff Mediator Join Date: Feb 2001 Location: Minn-eeee-sota, ya, sure, you bet! Posts: 9,144	Hey Doc....why don'tcha tell us how you really feel about this gun?