Clearing a semi-auto shotgun?

1911Alaska · July 26, 2012, 04:32 AM

Ok guys important question here. So I currently own a Weatherby SA-459 shotgun. I love it its a great gun but clearing it is weird and I was wondering if all semiautos are the same.

So its not like a loaded rifle, where every time you pull the action? open a round shoots out until its clear.

For my shotgun when its loaded with one in the chamber. You pull the action and the one in the chamber pops out, but you still have 4 in the tube (magazine?). To get these out to clear it. I have to PULL the trigger so the next shell pops into the chamber. Once this happens I have to pull the action to clear it then pull the trigger again to get the next one into the chamber then pull the action to get it out of the gun and continue this until there are no more shells in the gone.

Is the how all semi auto shotguns are? This seems extremely unsafe to me. I have always been super careful when taking the shells out and doubling checking it 100x it seems before I pull the trigger. Unfortuenntly last night a military trained friend of mine put a hole in my wall because he was not sure how to work it. Luckily no one got hurt and I learned my lesson to not let any one empty it but me but I was wondering if this is really the way it is supposed to be. Just seems unsafe to me

impalacustom · July 26, 2012, 05:43 AM

No that isn't how none of my semi auto's work. Everytime I pull the bolt it ejects and feeds a new round, bolt stays open on empty so I know it's empty.

Sounds like Weatherby has a messed up system or something is acting as a cartridge stop and it shouldn't be. I don't know I have never shot a Weatherby semi auto. Is there anything in the manual about the function? There should be instructions on how to unload it.

1911Alaska · July 26, 2012, 05:57 AM

I actually bought the gun used and the pawn shop

I got it from did not have a manual for it or anything. Good to know though. Thanks! I have tried to do some research online but could not find anything. Maybe I will take it to a gunsmith and see if he can fix it some how.

mete · July 26, 2012, 06:21 AM

Different countries can has different rules therefore different design. However to have to pull the trigger to clear the gun is dumb and a safety hazard !!!

maybe someone took it apart and reassembled it wrong -check the manual !

dcobler · July 26, 2012, 06:43 AM

http://www.weatherby.com/support/ownersmanual

Maybe this will help.

Sport45 · July 26, 2012, 08:26 AM

I don't know about the Weatherby, but my 1100 and 870 don't even require chambering rounds to clear them. Pull the bolt back and the live round ejects from the chamber. Turn the gun on its side and the next shell falls out. Allow the bolt to close then pull it back and tip the next shell out. Repeat as needed.

I know that works with the 870, but I'll have to admit I've never had to unload my 1100 that way so it's something of an assumption on my part.

Barber2678 · July 26, 2012, 08:55 AM

I'm guessing there is a button (or something similar) on the side of the receiver, at the rear of the loading gate, or around the trigger guard that will release the shells from the magazine. Get some dummy shells and start pushing things.

TheKlawMan · July 26, 2012, 12:29 PM

With an 870 pump (I don't know about semis) you do have to pull the trigger to release a shell form the magazine UNLESS you push in the action bar lock. The 870 will eject live rounds, as long as it is pushed in, as fast as you pump it WITHOUT NEEDING TO PULL THE TRIGGER. In fact, it is better done with the safety on.

If you look at the manual you can find by following the link provided by dcobler, under "UNLOADING THE SHOTGUN" it explains how you have to depress the carrier lock button, located on the left side near the trigger guard, each time before cycling the bolt.

1911Alaska · July 26, 2012, 03:07 PM

Thanks for the link dcobler! That solves my problem right there, boy am I embarassed

and now I have a hole in my wall that was totally avoidable to ughhhh lol

zippy13 · July 26, 2012, 04:19 PM

From the owner's manual:

UNLOADING THE SHOTGUN

ALWAYS UNLOAD YOUR SHOTGUN IMMEDIATELY AFTER YOU FINISH SHOOTING.

Keep the muzzle of the shotgun pointed in a safe direction, and keep your fingers out of the trigger guard and
away from the trigger at all times.

Move the manual safety button to the "SAFE" position (refer to Manual Safety Operation, page 6).
To unload a shell from the chamber, pull the operating handle rearward to extract the shell.
To unload the magazine, lock the carrier by pressing the carrier lock button (located on the left side next to the trigger guard).
Cycle the bolt to feed the next shell into the chamber.
Press the carrier lock button again. Cycle the bolt to extract the shell from the chamber and feed the next shell into the chamber.
Repeat step 5 until the magazine is empty and the bolt locks open.
Visually confirm that there are no shot shells remaining in the magazine or chamber.

jmr40 · July 26, 2012, 04:32 PM

On my Benelli's I empty the chamber, leave to bolt locked open, turn the gun over with the loading port up. Then I depress the shell stop and pull the rounds directly from the magazine without feeding them into the chamber.

As far as I know this works with all repeating shotguns.

dcobler · July 26, 2012, 10:10 PM

The good thing is that nobody got hurt. The better thing is that now you can prevent such instances in the future. And your more than welcome.

July 26, 2012, 04:32 AM	#1
1911Alaska Senior Member Join Date: April 23, 2012 Posts: 139	Clearing a semi-auto shotgun? Ok guys important question here. So I currently own a Weatherby SA-459 shotgun. I love it its a great gun but clearing it is weird and I was wondering if all semiautos are the same. So its not like a loaded rifle, where every time you pull the action? open a round shoots out until its clear. For my shotgun when its loaded with one in the chamber. You pull the action and the one in the chamber pops out, but you still have 4 in the tube (magazine?). To get these out to clear it. I have to PULL the trigger so the next shell pops into the chamber. Once this happens I have to pull the action to clear it then pull the trigger again to get the next one into the chamber then pull the action to get it out of the gun and continue this until there are no more shells in the gone. Is the how all semi auto shotguns are? This seems extremely unsafe to me. I have always been super careful when taking the shells out and doubling checking it 100x it seems before I pull the trigger. Unfortuenntly last night a military trained friend of mine put a hole in my wall because he was not sure how to work it. Luckily no one got hurt and I learned my lesson to not let any one empty it but me but I was wondering if this is really the way it is supposed to be. Just seems unsafe to me

July 26, 2012, 06:21 AM	#4
mete Senior Member Join Date: June 14, 2004 Location: NY State Posts: 6,575	Different countries can has different rules therefore different design. However to have to pull the trigger to clear the gun is dumb and a safety hazard !!! maybe someone took it apart and reassembled it wrong -check the manual ! __________________ And Watson , bring your revolver !

July 26, 2012, 06:43 AM	#5
dcobler Senior Member Join Date: December 30, 2008 Location: Oklahoma, America Posts: 286	http://www.weatherby.com/support/ownersmanual Maybe this will help. __________________ "Be kind, be courteous, and have a plan to kill everybody you meet."

July 26, 2012, 08:26 AM	#6
Sport45 Senior Member Join Date: May 25, 1999 Location: Too close to Houston Posts: 4,196	I don't know about the Weatherby, but my 1100 and 870 don't even require chambering rounds to clear them. Pull the bolt back and the live round ejects from the chamber. Turn the gun on its side and the next shell falls out. Allow the bolt to close then pull it back and tip the next shell out. Repeat as needed. I know that works with the 870, but I'll have to admit I've never had to unload my 1100 that way so it's something of an assumption on my part. __________________ Proud member of the NRA and Texas State Rifle Association. Registered and active voter.

July 26, 2012, 08:55 AM	#7
Barber2678 Senior Member Join Date: June 22, 2006 Location: Mud Creek, Texas Posts: 269	I'm guessing there is a button (or something similar) on the side of the receiver, at the rear of the loading gate, or around the trigger guard that will release the shells from the magazine. Get some dummy shells and start pushing things. __________________ When in doubt ..... mumble!

July 26, 2012, 05:43 AM	#2
impalacustom Senior Member Join Date: January 26, 2009 Posts: 492	No that isn't how none of my semi auto's work. Everytime I pull the bolt it ejects and feeds a new round, bolt stays open on empty so I know it's empty. Sounds like Weatherby has a messed up system or something is acting as a cartridge stop and it shouldn't be. I don't know I have never shot a Weatherby semi auto. Is there anything in the manual about the function? There should be instructions on how to unload it.

July 26, 2012, 05:57 AM	#3
1911Alaska Senior Member Join Date: April 23, 2012 Posts: 139	I actually bought the gun used and the pawn shop I got it from did not have a manual for it or anything. Good to know though. Thanks! I have tried to do some research online but could not find anything. Maybe I will take it to a gunsmith and see if he can fix it some how.

July 26, 2012, 12:29 PM	#8
TheKlawMan Junior member Join Date: June 23, 2009 Location: Orange County, CA Posts: 2,149	With an 870 pump (I don't know about semis) you do have to pull the trigger to release a shell form the magazine UNLESS you push in the action bar lock. The 870 will eject live rounds, as long as it is pushed in, as fast as you pump it WITHOUT NEEDING TO PULL THE TRIGGER. In fact, it is better done with the safety on. If you look at the manual you can find by following the link provided by dcobler, under "UNLOADING THE SHOTGUN" it explains how you have to depress the carrier lock button, located on the left side near the trigger guard, each time before cycling the bolt.

July 26, 2012, 03:07 PM	#9
1911Alaska Senior Member Join Date: April 23, 2012 Posts: 139	Thanks for the link dcobler! That solves my problem right there, boy am I embarassed and now I have a hole in my wall that was totally avoidable to ughhhh lol

July 26, 2012, 04:19 PM	#10
zippy13 Senior Member Join Date: August 23, 2008 Location: SoCal Posts: 6,442	From the owner's manual: UNLOADING THE SHOTGUN ALWAYS UNLOAD YOUR SHOTGUN IMMEDIATELY AFTER YOU FINISH SHOOTING. Keep the muzzle of the shotgun pointed in a safe direction, and keep your fingers out of the trigger guard and away from the trigger at all times. Move the manual safety button to the "SAFE" position (refer to Manual Safety Operation, page 6). To unload a shell from the chamber, pull the operating handle rearward to extract the shell. To unload the magazine, lock the carrier by pressing the carrier lock button (located on the left side next to the trigger guard). Cycle the bolt to feed the next shell into the chamber. Press the carrier lock button again. Cycle the bolt to extract the shell from the chamber and feed the next shell into the chamber. Repeat step 5 until the magazine is empty and the bolt locks open. Visually confirm that there are no shot shells remaining in the magazine or chamber.

July 26, 2012, 04:32 PM	#11
jmr40 Senior Member Join Date: June 15, 2008 Location: Georgia Posts: 10,805	On my Benelli's I empty the chamber, leave to bolt locked open, turn the gun over with the loading port up. Then I depress the shell stop and pull the rounds directly from the magazine without feeding them into the chamber. As far as I know this works with all repeating shotguns.

July 26, 2012, 10:10 PM	#12
dcobler Senior Member Join Date: December 30, 2008 Location: Oklahoma, America Posts: 286	The good thing is that nobody got hurt. The better thing is that now you can prevent such instances in the future. And your more than welcome. __________________ "Be kind, be courteous, and have a plan to kill everybody you meet."