Gunsmith required for Target Shotgun

chris1038a

I'm looking to try Target Shotgun. I've a Benelli M3 and want to attach a scope or red dot sight.

I need to attach a top rail, any recommendation's on a gun smith to do the work.

And what rails people are using.

Grizzly 45

Must be an early model M3 like mine if it is untapped.:)
Easy enough job for any gunsmith to do.Whoever is most local to your part of the country. I use Fabian Connolly up in Letrim.Might be abit far?
I was going to do it,but in the end got for my 1100 and can interchange onto the top rail of the M3 a Hi-viz tri viz deer &turkey sight.

For the distance, you will be shooting slugs in Target shotgun. Unless you are going for the extreme long-range comps.it's fine

https://www.hivizsights.com/product/triviz/

chris1038a

Thanks grizzly 45. Yeah it's an early model, 25 years old. 1996

clivej

Try Dom Byrne

Zxthinger

clivej wrote: »

Try Dom Byrne

His prices seem very high..

cookimonster

Can you not pick up something like this:

https://www.amazon.com/TacStar-Tactical-Railmount-Slimline-Sidesaddle/dp/B06XG58WWX

clivej

Zxthinger wrote: »

His prices seem very high..

I didn't find that.
I've only found Dom to do quality work for me.

Scalachi

I could NOT recommend Dominic Byrne

Work he done for me was far from quality unfortunately.

Expensive, slow and very poor quality

BSA International

Scalachi wrote: »

I could NOT recommend Dominic Byrne

Work he done for me was far from quality unfortunately.

Expensive, slow and very poor quality

I had same experience.

jb88

I ve had a barrel changed, a rail drilled and tapped on a shotgun and a rail fitted and a bolt headspaced after being rebuilt by Dom.
Im sure ive had more work done as well, I just cant remember. He offered me some lifesaving advice to do with a shotgun one day so that ensured my long term viability ;-)

All of these had their own challenges to be fair, but I couldnt fault his work and he is a gunsmith I would recommend.
Thankfully im able to do most of the work on guns I need myself now, but I do have a project for an M1 Benelli shotgun to be drilled and tapped for a rail in the near future and I will use Dom.

It can take time, not the cheapest, but it usually works out in the end. Ive been happy so far and he is close enough driving wise. I guess I dont know anyone else in Leinster really I would trust, any recommendations??

tudderone

Isn't there a saddle mount that attached by screws already on the action ?

chris1038a

No. It's a per '97 gun. They weren't tapped for screws.

jb88

chris1038a wrote: »

No. It's a per '97 gun. They weren't tapped for screws.

I am almost sure you can get a cross bolt system that takes a mount, its a universal mount as standardised cross bolts are in many shotguns.

Post some pics ?

No need to drill and tap, but if its for slugs I recommend you get it drilled and tapped.

cookimonster

chris1038a wrote: »

No. It's a per '97 gun. They weren't tapped for screws.

If the action has two cross bolts / pins these are removed and the add on piece comes with corresponding bolts / pins that thread through from one side of the mount through the action and into the other side of mount.

My previous pump action ( early '90's) had similar retaing pins in the action body as does my relatively new semi auto gun.

cookimonster

cookimonster

Something like this....

Grizzly 45

Those pin on mounts won't work on the M3. It's a single pin trigger mech takedown.
The M3 is a bit freaky in parts and accessories compatibility with other Benelli models.

tudderone

There is literally nothing in drilling and tapping a couple of holes in an aluminium receiver top. Anyone near you with a bit of engineering experience (retired tradesman, model maker, etc) would have it done in 20 minutes.

clivej

tudderone wrote: »

There is literally nothing in drilling and tapping a couple of holes in an aluminium receiver top. Anyone near you with a bit of engineering experience (retired tradesman, model maker, etc) would have it done in 20 minutes.

Yes thats true, and you can buy a 12" blank of picatinny for small money.

I did it myself on my Mossberg 88. But then the Mossberg had 7 small groves on top of the action and was easy to find the action centre bore line, to centre punch drill hole centres before tapping 4mm threads.
You need to be very careful to make sure that any holes drilled out are perfectly in line with the barrel bore. If not and they are off by 1 degree, I.E 60 minutes of angle, then you will never get the scope zeroed for windage IMO.