Thank God these things are JAMMO-MATICS! The guy I bought mine from said he "Just didn't like it" as his reason for selling it. Along with the original box and accessories, he included the 20 round rotary mag and 1/2 half a box of Winchester Walmart 7 1/2 shot target loads. He claimed he couldn't afford the ammo for it. He cut me a super deal and I couldn't wait to get it home to disassemble it for a "Tune&Lube". After the bench work, I headed out to the back 40 to give 'er a try, Man is this thing FUN! Ran great even with a couple early stovepipes which did go away after 20-30 rounds, I saved the 7 1/2's for skunks and used Elcheapo 2 3/4 1200 fps buckshot loads with the light gas block in place. The amount of Terra-Firma this gun sends airborne is amazing. Hows about someone includes the Earth moving abilities of this gum in a video? Definitely worth subscribing and up-thumbing to.The only problem I have when shooting fast action Earth moving sessions is my inability to stop LMFAO!
I took possession of my VR80 06-2022 (No Mods) and I did a disassemble and inspection (no burrs/scars/cross threads) clean, oil and reassemble. I used Federal Tactical Buck 50 rounds, Fiocchi Bird 50 rounds and Sterling rifled slugs... No Problems. Another disassemble and inspection... clean as can be. Thanks mleeber!
A couple notes: -Lub/Oil the buffer spring if you're having a rough time and you're constantly getting stove pipe malfunctions. -Some, but not all VR80'S come with mags that have "Rabbit Ears" that grind on the bolt. File it down if you have those mags or you'll have shaving residue and a scratched bolt. -High brass is your friend (According to many owners). Edit: the taccom buffer system works, but don't think it'll ride well without malfunctions. It'll cycle better, but will require a break In still; just not as deep into rounds as without.
✊🏼Two very important points for any box fed semi-auto shotgun, especially the VR80. LUBRICATION and BREAK IN done properly. Well said Mark good job sir. "Shall Not Be Infringed" 🇺🇲Stay well. Go in peace.
I just kept the bolt locked back for 2 weeks and lubed it and it ran the light loads just fine. A buddy of mine had to drill his gas ports out a little bit all 3 ports had burrs in them and was filling the gas piston with plastic and jamming the gun. It runs fine now but each gun needs a thorough cleaning out of the box and properly lubed before the first round is fired.
I wanted to add my experience with the VR80 - I know they vary. I bought the gun on 9/19/21 but wasnt able to shoot it until yesterday 9/25/21. I was very concerned after reading all the reviews regarding break in an unable to break in video's. Middle of the week I took the gun apart and lubed as show by mleeber & Red Leg Patriot - greased/oiled as described. Also left the bolt open. I took it to shoot yesterday. I used Winchester "00" 1325 2 3/4 shells. I also took some Federal 2 3/4" 1200 fps 8 shot to test the low brass. I have to say - either the lubrication and take down worked or I just got a really good one..or both - but I didnt have one failure all day long. Not one. I took about 40 shots with the Winchester & noticed that all my shells were landing about 20 feet away from. I know I read that a good barometer to measure by is how far the discharged shells are landing from the gun. They were launching. So I shot a couple of magazines (still only have the 5 rounders - the 9's are on their way) of the Federal low brass -- again no issues. Just awesome. All in all it was a great day of shooting. Especially when you are expecting failure after failure and you get what I got. As far as recoil goes - lets just say it was another pleasant surprise as it was VERY manageable. In fact I have a Mossberg Shockwave 20 gauge that has more recoil than than the VR80 12 gauge. All together I put 160 rounds through the VR80 without one FTE or FTF with relatively low recoil. I couldnt ask for more than that.
You guys don't need to waste hundreds of rounds of ammo to "break in" your VR80. The tried and true method is to lock your bolt back and let your gun sit for a month. It will weaken the (too strong) spring enough to cycle well. If by any chance it still have issues, then look at the edge of your magazine. Sometimes you can see wear where the bolt hits because the edge its too high. You can file it down and it should solve the problem. You're welcome.
That approach may allow the spring to "take a shorter set" but it does not allow the moving parts to bed to one another and smooth out. The spring is not the only issue preventing smooth and consistent operation of the action. You may have been lucky enough to get a gun in which all the parts all fit nicely together, the next gun out the door may have some tolerance issues or tolerances that are all on the plus side of the engineering specifications. If the gun will run a full mag of soft shells after 50 rounds then it is an early win but if it takes 250 before you can dependably run the light loads then it is still a win.
@@mleeber who the hell does not want to put a lot of rounds down range anyways. lol if you dont put at least 1000 through it then it should not have been a purchase. guns are made to be shot.
Thanks for the video & info Mark!... I made the investment of the VR80 & 5 of the 9 round mags... Got it last year but wasn't able to take it out yet... Went to my range yesterday & had a frustrating day with it... Knew it wud need a break in, didn't oil it tho... Gave up early...lol... I'll clean & oil it & try again!... Thanks again & God bless.
TOOK MINE TO THE RANGE YESTERDAY FOR THE FIRST TIME, RAN 375 ROUNDS THROUGH IT. HAD QUITE A FEW PEOPLE COME DOWN TO SEE WHAT ALL THE RACKIT WAS ABOUT, SOOOOO EVERYBODY WHO SHOWED UP GOT TO SHOOT IT. I DID ABOUT 200 MY SELF, OTHER PEOPLE DID THE REST. YEP MY SHOULDER HURTS TODAY. I COULD HEAR THE ACTION SMOOTHING OUT AN CYCLE BETTER AS WE SHOT IT. LOVE IT . GET ONE
Sorry for the delay, for some reason my gmail notifications have stopped. 3 inch shells will not fit well in the magazine so you need to stick with 2 3/4. For break-in I use the hottest shells I can find that are reasonably priced which typically are the 1325 winchesters that are plated shot.
I watched a lot of VR 80 videos before I bought one. I have the FDE version. Every video expressed the same issues. FTF, FTE, constantly. I’ve never ha d to use more than 50 rounds to break in any of my firearms. First thing outta the box, I take it apart as far as possible and totally clean it. I could not believe all the crap that came out of this thing. Then I inspect every part looking for burrs, nicks, and imperfections on mating surfaces. I must say that this was nasty. There were burrs on all of the gas ports and the gas piston. It was not smooth, the piston had aa big burr on the inside corner. A little 320 crocus cloth all the burrs are gone. On the inside of the receiver where the bolt slides on the receiver an burr could be felt, it was removed and the bolt slid much better. I will being talked it to the range this weekend to Break it in. I’ll report back what it took. My suspicion is it will be fine.
I suspect you are correct Sir! The 250 round break-in is really intended to heat the gun up and knock off the burrs and high spots. Good luck and keep us posted! Thanks!
Mine runs fine with low recoil ammo even after 30 rounds but the bolt will not always chamber the round completely. I'll keep working on cleaning and break in. I also had a couple of light primer hits.
@mieeber your break in technique was on point ... however for some reason my magazines will not seat... they fall out ...I gave the California version .. when I reinsert the mag pin the magazine has not caught on something to stay in place ....
Hi Golden Gate! Unfortunately I have never had a CA version in my hands. I know several folks who had them and had them modified so that ejecting and inserting mags did not require you to open the receiver. If you look inside an empty mag well do you see the mag catch encroaching into the space the magazine occupies? Look into the mag well while pressing and releasing the mag release button and look for movement. Sounds like the Mag catch may need to be adjusted but I honestly dont know what they did to the CA gun to make it "compliant." Thanks! Mark
@@mleeber fixed it!!! Needed adjustment... I took it apart and reinstalled/assembled using the instruction sheet for your spring replacement... your install instructions are fantastic ... especially when you say when you depress the mag release the latch should be outside the well ... vr80 breakin complete ... used 75 rounds of 1500 FPS #4 birdshot and 175 rounds of 1350 FPS #4 birdshot ... thanks for sharing the lubrication tips!
Nice Video. Sounds like your mags aren't dragging on the bolt, and need the 2 front "ears" filed as many VR80's have. Those mag clearance issues, seems to cause these extended break ins and those folks also end up with a scratched bolt. I have seen other "experts" who do VR 80 competition shooting recommend to do a disassemble and clean after only 100 rounds, especially the gas piston. I guess it depends on the ammo being shot and how dirty the powder used is. Also many have reported burrs on the gas ports. The more of us shooting and using these will get to see a better picture emerge for these "break in" numbers I suppose. At least now we know what to look for,( the gas port burrs and magazine dragging on the bolt slowing it down and prevent full chambering as well as scratching the bolt.) I Just picked up 10 - 9 round mags so I am going thru them 1 by 1 and checking.
Thanks for a simple to understand and good solid info. on this video. I just purchased the 20 ga version today. I was glad to see how EZ it is to do some basic care & oiling BEFORE I take it out for its first run. The gun store where I bought the shotgun recommended using "Winchester super X 20 gauge / 3 inch/ 1500/ 7/8 oz. 4 shot in the shotgun. I bought 3 boxes. Do you agree with this selection of ammo? I heard that using the underpowered or wrong ammo will make the gun jam up. Thanks and I look forward to more of your videos. Ron
That is great ammo for breaking the gun in but it will likely take 7-10 boxes. After that the soft stuff should run well. Underpowered ammo is usually only a problem in a gun that has not been properly broken in. The other option is to always shoot the hot stuff and not worry about breaking it in. The VR82 is a great gun and lots of fun, you will enjoy it!
Thanks for the informative video! I just picked up my VR80. Will be sure to lube as recommended. Question: do you recommend using 250 2 3/4 1oz slugs with 1550 fpg rounds (Mili) for break in? New to this weapon and want to break it in the right way. Thanks in advance! Subscribing to your page!
Hi George and congrats on picking up a VR80! Slugs will work well for break-in, the only reason I dont use them is that they are so scarce and pricey right now. Walmart used to carry some 1325FPS Steel Shot stuff that was cheap and worked fine for break-in but I have not been in a Walmart in a while. Pick up some of the Federal Breast Cancer Awarness shells, they are about 1150FPS and after every 50 rounds of break-in ammo try a 9 round mag full of those. If the 1150s run without a hiccup you are all set and can consider the gun broken in. I suspect with 1550 slugs it will only take 100-150 rounds. Thanks!
Hey Mark, not sure if my other reply went to the right place. I’m using the two 5 round mags that it came with. I’ve seen a few videos to sand here/there which I’ve tried. I also saw somewhere that you can buy tuned up magazine, IDK. Can the magazine be why I’m having intermittent FTF??
I have had a couple folks tell me that they have had one magazine out of 5 or 6 that just don't feed as well as the others so they take a light file or sandpaper to the feed lips and adjust them so the round angles upwards more at the front. That said if both of your mags are not feeding the chances of both being bad are low. And usually the guys filing on and tweaking the mags are using 10 or 19 round mags not the 5 rounders. Do you know anyone you can borrow a mag or two from to see if it is the mags? The only other thing I can think of is that the mag catch is allowing the mags to sit too low in the gun and that is causing the problem. If you can have someone take a video and email that to me that may help.
If you smear grease on the bottom of the BoltBuffer you'll see if the magazines are rubbing it, preventing cycling. I had to sand the paint off the mag lips and front ears. I think thats the real problem. They have too thick of paint coating on the magazines.
Hey Mark, I may have relied to the wrong place but your saying that the magazine may now be the issue that I'm having now regarding my FTF at times??? I have read and seen some videos about sanding down the tabs which I've tried, I also heard of "tuned up magazines" that I can buy?? thanks for your time, Rick
Hi Rick! Without seeing the gun it is hard for me to tell you exactly what is wrong. 7 times out of 10 the barrel slips out of the receiver a little or the gun has not been broken in but these were not your issue. I personally have never had a magazine on a VR80 that I have had to tune but then I have only handled a small percentaage of the total sold. I am suggesting that the magazines are the next most logical choice based on some feed back I have had. It would be great if you knew someone close to you that had a VR80 and could loan you their mags to test. I also personally rarely use 5-round mags in favor of 9/10 or 19 round mags and I find the 9/10 round mags to be more dependable because the spring is not quite as tight as the 5-round. I wish I had a better answer but without having the gun in front of me I can only offer you a few suggestions that may not be the problem at all. Thank you! Mark
Rick, I am also not familiar with these "tuned" mags first hand. I have tuned pistol mags mayself for race guns but never had a need to for the VR80. I would suggest that there is enough variability in the tolerances of the VR80 that even a tuned mag that works pefectly in one gun might not do so in a different gun with tighter or looser tolerances or even one that has had more rounds through it.
So lubing up the gas ring doesn't clog the gas ports ? New to this style of gun or semi autos in general heard that was a big no on lubing up gas ring or tube
No, the oil does not cause blockage of the gas ports. I only use RemOil or Mobil 1 5W30 (mostly Mobil 1). I suspect stuff like froglube and some of the thicker more viscous lubes will partially flash off leaving sludge behind that may cause problems.
Hi Rick! What I do every few months is clean the mags. Take the Base Plate off and gently remove the spring and follower together. Take your time and do it over a table. I try not to reorient the follower or spring from the direction that has been working. When I first diassemble a mag I will use a sharpie to color the front top portion of the spring just in case I drop it on a subsequent cleaning. I use a magbrush and brush out the inside of the mag body and then I brush off the spring and follower. I will also hit all of it with compressed air. Then I take pure solicone spray and I spray the inside of the magazine body, the outside of the follower and the spring. Then reassemble. Silicone is slick and it is inert so it will not get into shotgun shells. I do not usually mess with the feed lips, that is far too much kool-aid for a nickel!
Mark great video!!! Any help on how to get the 19 round mags to work flawlessly. Shooting 3 gun i keep getting hang ups with my 19rounders only..?? Any ideas??
Get some Silicone spray from the local auto parts store. Take the magazine apart and run a rag through the mag body and wipe all the parts down. Then spray the inside of the mag and all the internal parts down with the silicon spray and reassemble. Make sure you get the pure silicon spray. Do that before each match and you should be good.
Just got mine , what oil are you using on the piston and rail ? Also you said steel shells are ok for break in ? What kind of velocity would they need to be ? I’m finding steel but I read that it should be high brass ? Thanks for a great video
I am use either RemOil or Mobil 1 5w30. In that video I am using Mobil 1. Does not have to be high brass, I have found thta Walmart has some steel shot at 1315 FPS that is low brass steel shot and that works well.
I use Mobil 1 5w30 and Rem Oil exclusively. Rem Oil for colder weather and tight tolerance parts and Mobil 1 for hot weather and looser tolerances. I am not a fan of CLP.
Hey mark would i be pushing my luck breaking it in with rio buck at 1345fps???? know you said 1350 but thought id ask because a deal i saw online. My next option was federal or black ace slugs at 1600fps+( though i never tried the black aces yet). Would shooting the higher velocity still need that sweet spot of 250 rounds? Sounds like itd get extremly hott
Buckshot is usually much more expensive but you will not hurt anything other than your wallet using it to break in your shotgun. The slugs would work too.
@@mleeber i highly agree. Id just rather break my wallet firing 1345 buck than arm with 1645fps slug. Would i still need to fire 250 to your opinion????? Like one commentator said i wish i saw this long time ago too.
Get a couple boxes of 1150fps birdshot. Usually the Remington Gun Club or Winchester AA 2 3/4 dram equivalent stuff. Shoot 50-75 rounds of the buckshot and then try a mag full of the light stuff. If the whole mag works you are likely good to go. I usually test it with a 9-round mag full of light stuff to be sure.
@@mleeber that makes sense. Greatly appreciated. I don't own a vr80. I have a gen 12 but dealing with the same process to break it in. Really appreciate your time and detail video. Glad i didnt pull the order on those slugs before coming across your video.
I have a rock island vr80 with no modifications I want to go out to shoot clays what is the size ammo that I can get that will not harm anything with this shotgun I have the modified choke in it now.Any help would be appreciated please
For trap and skeet I use #7.5 shot in 1200 FPS loads. For sporting clays I use #6 shot and 1300 FPS loads. I dont think you will "harm" the shotgun using any factory available load. However until the gun is broken in it may not feed the 1200FPS shells reliably. The shot size on most Trap, Skeet and Sporting Clays fields are restricted by the gun club management so I would check with the facility before buying a lot of shells they may not allow. Also, the "traditional" shotgunners may give you an unapproving stare when you show up with a mag fed shotgun in a sport where break-open guns are the norm. All that said I enjoy shooting moving clays and you should have a great time using the VR80. Thank you!
Send me a picture of the primer after a light strike and let me take a look. Has there been any trigger work done to the gun? Most light strikes are caused by trigger jobs that try to use a Hammer Spring designed for an AR-15. The Boss on the hammer on VR80 is much bigger than the boss on a standard AR-15 hammer and the AR-15 spring may look like it fits but it does not allow the coils to actually coil and uncoil, the legs of the spring just bend and over time you get light strikes.
Thanks for getting back to me , I will take a pic of the shell next time I get a light primer strike .. and as far as the trigger and trigger spring it’s all oem .. thanks again..
Good day , What is your email or contact info? , I took my vr80 out this past week and was able to take a pictures of the light primer strike on the shell.. Thank you
Just got mine and did what you said. 2 things. Since when is running 250 rounds out of this incredible awesome and supper fun gun a chore ? Second. How do you spend the time making this video and have these idiots argue with you ? Thanks for the awesome video.
right now I'm breaking it in (40 rounds so far) and all I could get was 1600 FPS slugs and I left my light piston in. Should I change it to the heavy piston using the same slugs for break in? I don't plan to use the 1600 down the road, it's the only ammo I could get before I went to the range that day
In terms of break-in, should I use 2 3/4” or 3” shells? Does it matter? Also, do they need to be high brass? I’ve read some reviews of people claiming low brass shells don’t feed well before the gun is broken in…
Hi Dylan! It does not matter as long as they are 1350 FPS or so. Low Brass or High Brass does not matter nor does the payload, slug, buck or birdshot. I have never had problems with low brass even during break in but some of the low brass shells are a bigger pain to load in the mags bc the brasson the one you are inserting catches on the one in the mag which is why I developed the mag loaders.
No, I do not use it as a lubricant. WD40 is a penetrating oil, very thin for getting into tight spaces and does not have the proper lubricity characteristics for lubricating moving metal on metal parts. I might use it to displace water on a gun that has been in the rain but not to lubricate moving parts.
Hi Mark, I have a friend that has a vr 82 he has run quit a few rounds through it and having all kinds of ftf*fte, I am wondering if the gas ports are undersized, bolt wont even lock back. would you know what size the gas ports are supposed to be... by the way, I had my vr80 out for the second time a few weeks ago, rand 175 rounds through it. what I found out is my gun does not like to run 100 percent cold. once I get it hot 10/15 rounds through it runs like a champ. kind of weird, but when its hot I can shoot what ever I want in it an it runs. any thought on that..
Sorry, no I do not know the default gas port size on the vr82 but I will see what I can find out. There is quite a bit of variance among 20GA rounds sothey may just be too soft. On your cold VR80 it may have something to do with the lube you are using. If you are in a colder climate especially. I use either REMOil or Mobil 1 5w30. The RemOil is a nice thin viscosity oil that works well in colder climates. I know a lot of folks use the Lucas products and while I do like Lucas in warmer climates and for automotive applications it is too thick in my opinion for cold climates and firearms. I am sure that will get some responses :-).
@@mleeber okay , thank you. All I have ever used for gun oil is Lucas gun oil, an you make a point I never considered, I have some other oil never used it, ill give it a try. thanks for the help. I did manage to get my hands on said VR 82 what I found out, was the guy took the gun straight out of the box an shot it ,didn't clean it, the oil in the barrel, and the gas ports had some ungodly burrs, all three ports, must have used bad bits to drill holes, there was some chunks in the barrel. The burrs had been scraping the shot hull an completely plugged all 3 ports.( why it didn't work no gas) got the ports cleaned out, it took quit a bit of time an some creative thinking, finally got the burrs out an everything smoothed out, oh yea and cleaned all the oil off it, I'm sure it will work now, I have a brand new vr82 still in the box from Christmas so I wanted to compare them. Yep that barrel had huge burrs in it also. so i took care of them also. what shitty quality Controle from maker of the gun
@@laurafreeze2861 Glad you got it figured out. Indeed I have heard of the gas ports having burrs and the burrs picking up plastic from the wads and clogging.
I'm having some light strike's on my rounds so I'm wondering if I need to replace the firing pin spring. I've completely broke it down and cleaned/lubricated everything. I have less than 200 rounds thru it. Any thoughts or recommendations??? thanks Rick
Hi Rick! I assume the trigger group in your gun is stock. If so the first thing to check is the barrel seat in the receiver. Sometimes the barrels on these guns dont get secured as well as we like and they "ease" out of the receiver. Take the handguard off and there is an allen key set screw underneath the front of the upper receiver. There are acutally two in there, one is supposed to secure the other. They are metric, 4mm I think but don't hold me to that. Take the first one out, put the butstock of the shotgun on a table and loosen the remaining one while pushing the barrel towards the table and then retighten the set screw and add the second one. In every case that has been sent my way this has fixed the light strike. It is less about the speed or force of the hammer or firing pin and more about the primer being too far forward because the barrel is not seated properly. If that does not fix it shoot me an email with a photo. Thanks! Mark
@@mleeber thanks for getting back to me so quick. So how tight should the first screw be?? I have it completely broken down to look at the spring and the firing pin. That would be awesome if it that’s the fix, very easy and won’t cost me a penny 😊
So did check both screws and I tightened down the first one a bit then the second one and finally had time to go to the range and had mixed results. I shot about 25 X-TREME 2 3/4oz slugs, 1300FPS with some FTF. Then I had 5 Federal 2 3/4oz slugs, 1600FPS and had no FTF, then I shot about 20 Remington OOBK 9 pellets 2 3/4oz 1352 FPS and seemed to have FTF in every mag sometime 2. I'm using the light load choke. This gun is just is just for fun of home defense, not hunting. Would changing out the choke give me better results??? thanks for your help!! @@mleeber
@@rickcrainger2846 So is the light strike issue resolved? That was the original issue for which we reseated the barrel. It sounds like it is firing fine now but is not feeding consistently which is interesting, those rounds should be plenty hot enough to cycle the gun without issue. When you say the light load choke I assume that you mean the light gas piston. The heavy piston just bleeds off more gas so the action does not beat up the receiver with heavy loads so the heavy piston would not work any better. And the choke should not impact cycling either. How many mags where you using? If you were using one I would suggest that the feed lips are deformed and dragging on the bolt but if you were using several different mags that is unlikely.
For break in the payload in the shell does not matter. Walmart used to have some Winchester 1325s that were steel shot, not quite the 1350 but I used them with good results for break in. Granted that was over a year ago now. I will poke around and see what my distributors have, it may be time for me to stock shotshells for break in purposes. Thanks!
@@mleeber the local range I go to only allows slugs to be used on their range for shotguns. The range also has a "quirky" owner that does not allow Tula or Wolfe ammo to be used on other firearms. I think I may need to find another range that allows other types of ammo but the indoor range I go to is pretty convenient as it's literally 10 minutes away compared to the next closest range, indoor or outdoor, is 45 minutes away.
I am hearing more and more of this. I understand the Wolf and Tula ban because they are bi-metal jackets which translates to "metal of the month" and I have seen 308s from both companies go clean through steel range traps. And really those bi-metal jackets are terrible for your barrel; but not allowing birdshot seems a bit goofy. That said close trumps having to make a day trip to get to the range! Good Luck!
@mleeber good evening, mleeber. Thank you for the information. So, either of those will work for the VR80 stock buffer tube? I just made up an account with you A3G and the crew at - tooth and nail -. Both of you all know your stuff when it comes to VR RIA platform. I'll will look into both of those stocks. Do you know when you'll be starting to get restock on your inventory? I see your out on a lot of stuff
Yes Sir, both work with Commercial tubes but you must get the CTR in the commercial size as they make both. I have 2 CTRs in stock. The Hogues are on the way and I sell mfar more of those to VR80 owners with the Hogue 15000 grip. Both have a "rubberized" coating that reduce the shockwave on the VR series.Hogues should be here by Friday. Thank you!
Oh and I highly reccomend the Tooth and Nail trigger for the VR80. I have tried and carried them all and the two best choices for triggers in the VRs are a custom trigger job #1 and Tooth and Nail a close second. The Tooth and Nail while it appears pricey is much more cost effective than a custom trigger job on these guns.
@mleeber good morning, mleeber. Thank you for your time here and information. Yes. If the Hogue stock and grip work in conjunction and work with commercial buffer tube on the VR80 and with the kynshot hydraulic buffer. Then I'll get the Hogue. I'll be looking for it online Friday for it. 😎🤘🍻
Any break-in is better than none but it may take more than 250 rounds. I would buy or borrow as many mags as you can and try to shoot at least 100 rounds as quickly as possible, that will more effectively work the parts than slow fire. If you are limited in the mags you have take someone with you to load mags while you shoot. After a quick 100 rounds try a magazine of the 1150s and if it runs you are good. Just make sure you are in a safe area and expect the muzzle to rise as you shoot faster. You may have to do this with all 250 or even 300 rounds of 1200s so bring a friend if you need to borrow another shoulder. Make sure you lubricate the gun well before starting and it would not hurt to re-oil the gun a few times in a 300 round shooting session, especially the first 300 rounds the gun fires. Thanks!
I use 1600 slugs all the time but it said 2 3/4 for the light piston and 3 inch for heavy load even though i shoot very fast loads. I wanted to try out the heavy piston so see if it would work
@@mleeber so it doesn't matter if it's not 3 inch shells. lol no one ever mentions that. the manual says only 3 inch for heavy piston but I was wondering like well im shooting hot stuff maybe the heavy one will work but I'm still using 2 3/4... I use 1400 to 1610
@@GunsNGames248 I think this is how the RIA instruction manual tried to make it "easy" for some of the newer/younger shooters who don't have any idea what FPS means. Few 3" shells are less than 1500FPS and when buying shells the 3" magnums are perceived as high velocity no matter what the payload is. 90% of the 2 3/4" loads are 1150-1300 FPS so it is a safe bet for a manufacturer to use shell length for shotgun shells as the determining factor and it makes it easy for the younger generation most of whom did not grow up with a mentor who taught them about firearms and ballistics.
I don't understand anyone that complains about an excuse tongontonthenrange and put 250 rounds througbyour brand new shotgun. Why the hell did you buy it if you don't want to practice with it and use it? I think the 250 round "break-in" is just a genius excuse someone at the factory told their wife the first day they brought it home. "I had to buy the ammo and head to the range, Dear. It says so right in the owners manual." Although I have to say I did just that. Bought the VR80 and a bunch of 1350 buck shot went to my favorite spot I didn't have a single miss feed or or stovepipe in that 250 nor since.
Best video I have seen to-date. Everyone doesn't tell you about lubing and where. They just say 250 rounds. Thanks for the great video.
Thank you for the kind words! I am glad the video was helpful.
Thank God these things are JAMMO-MATICS! The guy I bought mine from said he "Just didn't like it" as his reason for selling it. Along with the original box and accessories, he included the 20 round rotary mag and 1/2 half a box of Winchester Walmart 7 1/2 shot target loads. He claimed he couldn't afford the ammo for it. He cut me a super deal and I couldn't wait to get it home to disassemble it for a "Tune&Lube". After the bench work, I headed out to the back 40 to give 'er a try, Man is this thing FUN! Ran great even with a couple early stovepipes which did go away after 20-30 rounds, I saved the 7 1/2's for skunks and used Elcheapo 2 3/4 1200 fps buckshot loads with the light gas block in place. The amount of Terra-Firma this gun sends airborne is amazing. Hows about someone includes the Earth moving abilities of this gum in a video? Definitely worth subscribing and up-thumbing to.The only problem I have when shooting fast action Earth moving sessions is my inability to stop LMFAO!
My vr80 runs flawless with any round after break in , nice informational video
Thank you!
Mark: “You need to break it in with 250 rounds”
Me: “Yes! LETS GO!”
My Wallet: “Calm down…”
I feel your pain!!! Maybe 500 rounds of the cheap federal from Walmart will work, LOL!
I took possession of my VR80 06-2022 (No Mods) and I did a disassemble and inspection (no burrs/scars/cross threads) clean, oil and reassemble. I used Federal Tactical Buck 50 rounds, Fiocchi Bird 50 rounds and Sterling rifled slugs... No Problems. Another disassemble and inspection... clean as can be. Thanks mleeber!
I'll get my vr80 out on August 26 or27, tax free day. Then do the rebate. It will only cost me$total, $499 dollars. Can't wait to shoot it.
@@ronhall4199 I just saw VR80's for $499.99 and a $100.00 manufacturers credit at Rural King Supply if U havent gotten one yet.
A couple notes:
-Lub/Oil the buffer spring if you're having a rough time and you're constantly getting stove pipe malfunctions.
-Some, but not all VR80'S come with mags that have "Rabbit Ears" that grind on the bolt. File it down if you have those mags or you'll have shaving residue and a scratched bolt.
-High brass is your friend (According to many owners).
Edit: the taccom buffer system works, but don't think it'll ride well without malfunctions. It'll cycle better, but will require a break In still; just not as deep into rounds as without.
Leave the bolt open for a month helps also.
✊🏼Two very important points for any box fed semi-auto shotgun, especially the VR80. LUBRICATION and BREAK IN done properly. Well said Mark good job sir.
"Shall Not Be Infringed"
🇺🇲Stay well. Go in peace.
I forgot to mention that I DID use both light and heavy load rings...
Thank you SO much for putting this video up! Just got my VR80 today and can't wait to get to the range with it.
Glad I could help!
I just kept the bolt locked back for 2 weeks and lubed it and it ran the light loads just fine. A buddy of mine had to drill his gas ports out a little bit all 3 ports had burrs in them and was filling the gas piston with plastic and jamming the gun. It runs fine now but each gun needs a thorough cleaning out of the box and properly lubed before the first round is fired.
Nice! Good info about checking those gas ports for burrs too!
I wanted to add my experience with the VR80 - I know they vary. I bought the gun on 9/19/21 but wasnt able to shoot it until yesterday 9/25/21. I was very concerned after reading all the reviews regarding break in an unable to break in video's.
Middle of the week I took the gun apart and lubed as show by mleeber & Red Leg Patriot - greased/oiled as described. Also left the bolt open.
I took it to shoot yesterday. I used Winchester "00" 1325 2 3/4 shells. I also took some Federal 2 3/4" 1200 fps 8 shot to test the low brass.
I have to say - either the lubrication and take down worked or I just got a really good one..or both - but I didnt have one failure all day long. Not one. I took about 40 shots with the Winchester & noticed that all my shells were landing about 20 feet away from. I know I read that a good barometer to measure by is how far the discharged shells are landing from the gun. They were launching.
So I shot a couple of magazines (still only have the 5 rounders - the 9's are on their way) of the Federal low brass -- again no issues. Just awesome.
All in all it was a great day of shooting. Especially when you are expecting failure after failure and you get what I got.
As far as recoil goes - lets just say it was another pleasant surprise as it was VERY manageable. In fact I have a Mossberg Shockwave 20 gauge that has more recoil than than the VR80 12 gauge.
All together I put 160 rounds through the VR80 without one FTE or FTF with relatively low recoil. I couldnt ask for more than that.
That is awesome! It is great when everything goes smoothly! Thank you for letting us know.
Thank you for a good vdo info Mark, I lube gas piston ring went to the range ran 20 rounds of 12 gauge Winchester Segmenting slug with no hiccup.
Excellent! Thank you!
@@mleeber mark I lost charging handle at the range came off does a3g have any in stock really need it
@@norindr1972 Sorry, no. I can order one but right now RIA is taking about a week to ship. I have been meaning to order a few but...
You guys don't need to waste hundreds of rounds of ammo to "break in" your VR80.
The tried and true method is to lock your bolt back and let your gun sit for a month.
It will weaken the (too strong) spring enough to cycle well. If by any chance it still have issues, then look at the edge of your magazine. Sometimes you can see wear where the bolt hits because the edge its too high. You can file it down and it should solve the problem. You're welcome.
That approach may allow the spring to "take a shorter set" but it does not allow the moving parts to bed to one another and smooth out. The spring is not the only issue preventing smooth and consistent operation of the action. You may have been lucky enough to get a gun in which all the parts all fit nicely together, the next gun out the door may have some tolerance issues or tolerances that are all on the plus side of the engineering specifications. If the gun will run a full mag of soft shells after 50 rounds then it is an early win but if it takes 250 before you can dependably run the light loads then it is still a win.
@@mleeber who the hell does not want to put a lot of rounds down range anyways. lol
if you dont put at least 1000 through it then it should not have been a purchase. guns are made to be shot.
@@jasonrhodes4825 Well said. Execellent point.
Ran perfect out of the box, 50rds in no issues
I would absolutely be buying a lottery ticket if I were you. I have had about 4 out of a hundred that did not need to be broken in.
@@mleeber I've usually pretty lucky when buying new guns. Freaked out over the issues online but it works phenomenal. Just waiting on my 20rd drum.
Great video Mark It help take care Vince
Thank you Vince! I have been meaning to do this for a long time. I feel like that headless chicken!
@@mleeber LOL VINCE
I just got mine and im about to clean it up. Thank you
Great news! I am sure you will love it!
Thanks for the video & info Mark!... I made the investment of the VR80 & 5 of the 9 round mags... Got it last year but wasn't able to take it out yet... Went to my range yesterday & had a frustrating day with it... Knew it wud need a break in, didn't oil it tho... Gave up early...lol... I'll clean & oil it & try again!... Thanks again & God bless.
Hang in there! It is a great gun and will work well once you get it broken in. Thank you!
Thank you Kind Sir. for Sharing your knowledge. You are a Blessing.
Thank you Mike! Glad to give something back to such a great group of folks!
Thanks for the info on oiling the gas piston. 👍
I wasn't sure if that needed lube during my last cleaning .
Great video! Fast and to the point
Thank you!
Wow this is a good video, its going to be helpful when I pickup mine on the 16th. Thanks for the info. First time shotgun owner.
TOOK MINE TO THE RANGE YESTERDAY FOR THE FIRST TIME, RAN 375 ROUNDS THROUGH IT. HAD QUITE A FEW PEOPLE COME DOWN TO SEE WHAT ALL THE RACKIT WAS ABOUT, SOOOOO EVERYBODY WHO SHOWED UP GOT TO SHOOT IT. I DID ABOUT 200 MY SELF, OTHER PEOPLE DID THE REST. YEP MY SHOULDER HURTS TODAY. I COULD HEAR THE ACTION SMOOTHING OUT AN CYCLE BETTER AS WE SHOT IT. LOVE IT . GET ONE
That is awesome!!!! I have plenty in stock. About to release the special “A3G Munitions” edition with lots of upgrades.
Do you recommend 2 3/4 or 3 inch shells or does it not matter as long as you are using 1325 for the break in?
Sorry for the delay, for some reason my gmail notifications have stopped. 3 inch shells will not fit well in the magazine so you need to stick with 2 3/4. For break-in I use the hottest shells I can find that are reasonably priced which typically are the 1325 winchesters that are plated shot.
Great Video, Mark. Thank you.
You are very welcome!
Thank you for the video glad i was able to follow your easy video...waiting for my muzzle break i ordered from you thanks again!
Great vid Mark, agreed on all points from what I've been seeing come through D&D Gunsmiths.
Thank you!
Locking the bolt open while in the safe helps break in on most guns. 250 rounds for break in is more than needed.
Very helpful information. I pick mine up soon, now I have some insight, definitely will subscribe.
I watched a lot of VR 80 videos before I bought one. I have the FDE version. Every video expressed the same issues. FTF, FTE, constantly. I’ve never ha d to use more than 50 rounds to break in any of my firearms. First thing outta the box, I take it apart as far as possible and totally clean it. I could not believe all the crap that came out of this thing.
Then I inspect every part looking for burrs, nicks, and imperfections on mating surfaces. I must say that this was nasty. There were burrs on all of the gas ports and the gas piston. It was not smooth, the piston had aa big burr on the inside corner. A little 320 crocus cloth all the burrs are gone. On the inside of the receiver where the bolt slides on the receiver an burr could be felt, it was removed and the bolt slid much better. I will being talked it to the range this weekend to Break it in. I’ll report back what it took.
My suspicion is it will be fine.
I suspect you are correct Sir! The 250 round break-in is really intended to heat the gun up and knock off the burrs and high spots. Good luck and keep us posted! Thanks!
@@mleeber they received the gun yesterday. I have yet to hear anything. Updates forthcoming
Mine runs fine with low recoil ammo even after 30 rounds but the bolt will not always chamber the round completely. I'll keep working on cleaning and break in. I also had a couple of light primer hits.
@mieeber your break in technique was on point ... however for some reason my magazines will not seat... they fall out ...I gave the California version .. when I reinsert the mag pin the magazine has not caught on something to stay in place ....
Hi Golden Gate! Unfortunately I have never had a CA version in my hands. I know several folks who had them and had them modified so that ejecting and inserting mags did not require you to open the receiver. If you look inside an empty mag well do you see the mag catch encroaching into the space the magazine occupies? Look into the mag well while pressing and releasing the mag release button and look for movement. Sounds like the Mag catch may need to be adjusted but I honestly dont know what they did to the CA gun to make it "compliant." Thanks! Mark
@@mleeber fixed it!!! Needed adjustment... I took it apart and reinstalled/assembled using the instruction sheet for your spring replacement... your install instructions are fantastic ... especially when you say when you depress the mag release the latch should be outside the well ... vr80 breakin complete ... used 75 rounds of 1500 FPS #4 birdshot and 175 rounds of 1350 FPS #4 birdshot ... thanks for sharing the lubrication tips!
@@goldengate8287 Glad to hear that it is fixed and broken in! And thanks for the kind words!!!
THANKS !!! Really Great Stuff.
Glad you liked it!
Nice Video. Sounds like your mags aren't dragging on the bolt, and need the 2 front "ears" filed as many VR80's have. Those mag clearance issues, seems to cause these extended break ins and those folks also end up with a scratched bolt. I have seen other "experts" who do VR 80 competition shooting recommend to do a disassemble and clean after only 100 rounds, especially the gas piston. I guess it depends on the ammo being shot and how dirty the powder used is. Also many have reported burrs on the gas ports. The more of us shooting and using these will get to see a better picture emerge for these "break in" numbers I suppose. At least now we know what to look for,( the gas port burrs and magazine dragging on the bolt slowing it down and prevent full chambering as well as scratching the bolt.) I Just picked up 10 - 9 round mags so I am going thru them 1 by 1 and checking.
Thanks for a simple to understand and good solid info. on this video. I just purchased the 20 ga version today. I was glad to see how EZ it is to do some basic care & oiling BEFORE I take it out for its first run. The gun store where I bought the shotgun recommended using "Winchester super X 20 gauge / 3 inch/ 1500/ 7/8 oz. 4 shot in the shotgun. I bought 3 boxes. Do you agree with this selection of ammo? I heard that using the underpowered or wrong ammo will make the gun jam up. Thanks and I look forward to more of your videos. Ron
That is great ammo for breaking the gun in but it will likely take 7-10 boxes. After that the soft stuff should run well. Underpowered ammo is usually only a problem in a gun that has not been properly broken in. The other option is to always shoot the hot stuff and not worry about breaking it in. The VR82 is a great gun and lots of fun, you will enjoy it!
Thanks for the informative video! I just picked up my VR80. Will be sure to lube as recommended. Question: do you recommend using 250 2 3/4 1oz slugs with 1550 fpg rounds (Mili) for break in? New to this weapon and want to break it in the right way.
Thanks in advance!
Subscribing to your page!
Hi George and congrats on picking up a VR80! Slugs will work well for break-in, the only reason I dont use them is that they are so scarce and pricey right now. Walmart used to carry some 1325FPS Steel Shot stuff that was cheap and worked fine for break-in but I have not been in a Walmart in a while. Pick up some of the Federal Breast Cancer Awarness shells, they are about 1150FPS and after every 50 rounds of break-in ammo try a 9 round mag full of those. If the 1150s run without a hiccup you are all set and can consider the gun broken in. I suspect with 1550 slugs it will only take 100-150 rounds. Thanks!
Steel or lead 👍exactly the answer i was looking for
I am glad the video was helpful! Thank you for the thumbs up!
Thank you. Very helpful.
You're welcome!
Hey Mark, not sure if my other reply went to the right place. I’m using the two 5 round mags that it came with. I’ve seen a few videos to sand here/there which I’ve tried. I also saw somewhere that you can buy tuned up magazine, IDK. Can the magazine be why I’m having intermittent FTF??
I have had a couple folks tell me that they have had one magazine out of 5 or 6 that just don't feed as well as the others so they take a light file or sandpaper to the feed lips and adjust them so the round angles upwards more at the front. That said if both of your mags are not feeding the chances of both being bad are low. And usually the guys filing on and tweaking the mags are using 10 or 19 round mags not the 5 rounders. Do you know anyone you can borrow a mag or two from to see if it is the mags? The only other thing I can think of is that the mag catch is allowing the mags to sit too low in the gun and that is causing the problem. If you can have someone take a video and email that to me that may help.
If you smear grease on the bottom of the BoltBuffer you'll see if the magazines are rubbing it, preventing cycling. I had to sand the paint off the mag lips and front ears. I think thats the real problem. They have too thick of paint coating on the magazines.
Thank you
You're welcome
Hey Mark, I may have relied to the wrong place but your saying that the magazine may now be the issue that I'm having now regarding my FTF at times??? I have read and seen some videos about sanding down the tabs which I've tried, I also heard of "tuned up magazines" that I can buy?? thanks for your time, Rick
Hi Rick! Without seeing the gun it is hard for me to tell you exactly what is wrong. 7 times out of 10 the barrel slips out of the receiver a little or the gun has not been broken in but these were not your issue. I personally have never had a magazine on a VR80 that I have had to tune but then I have only handled a small percentaage of the total sold. I am suggesting that the magazines are the next most logical choice based on some feed back I have had. It would be great if you knew someone close to you that had a VR80 and could loan you their mags to test. I also personally rarely use 5-round mags in favor of 9/10 or 19 round mags and I find the 9/10 round mags to be more dependable because the spring is not quite as tight as the 5-round. I wish I had a better answer but without having the gun in front of me I can only offer you a few suggestions that may not be the problem at all. Thank you! Mark
Rick, I am also not familiar with these "tuned" mags first hand. I have tuned pistol mags mayself for race guns but never had a need to for the VR80. I would suggest that there is enough variability in the tolerances of the VR80 that even a tuned mag that works pefectly in one gun might not do so in a different gun with tighter or looser tolerances or even one that has had more rounds through it.
So lubing up the gas ring doesn't clog the gas ports ? New to this style of gun or semi autos in general heard that was a big no on lubing up gas ring or tube
No, the oil does not cause blockage of the gas ports. I only use RemOil or Mobil 1 5W30 (mostly Mobil 1). I suspect stuff like froglube and some of the thicker more viscous lubes will partially flash off leaving sludge behind that may cause problems.
Great info, thank you!
Thank you!
Can you reccomend the exact "heavy" rounds to shoot the 250 thru it? There's a ton of choices!
The Winchester 1325 Steel shot is a good choice and inexpensive if you can find it. Walmart is the best place to look in my experience.
Do you any tips on the magazine tune ups??? I’ve read there may tips to help feed issues 🤷🏼♂️
Hi Rick! What I do every few months is clean the mags. Take the Base Plate off and gently remove the spring and follower together. Take your time and do it over a table. I try not to reorient the follower or spring from the direction that has been working. When I first diassemble a mag I will use a sharpie to color the front top portion of the spring just in case I drop it on a subsequent cleaning. I use a magbrush and brush out the inside of the mag body and then I brush off the spring and follower. I will also hit all of it with compressed air. Then I take pure solicone spray and I spray the inside of the magazine body, the outside of the follower and the spring. Then reassemble. Silicone is slick and it is inert so it will not get into shotgun shells. I do not usually mess with the feed lips, that is far too much kool-aid for a nickel!
Mark great video!!! Any help on how to get the 19 round mags to work flawlessly. Shooting 3 gun i keep getting hang ups with my 19rounders only..?? Any ideas??
Get some Silicone spray from the local auto parts store. Take the magazine apart and run a rag through the mag body and wipe all the parts down. Then spray the inside of the mag and all the internal parts down with the silicon spray and reassemble. Make sure you get the pure silicon spray. Do that before each match and you should be good.
Just got mine , what oil are you using on the piston and rail ? Also you said steel shells are ok for break in ? What kind of velocity would they need to be ? I’m finding steel but I read that it should be high brass ? Thanks for a great video
I am use either RemOil or Mobil 1 5w30. In that video I am using Mobil 1. Does not have to be high brass, I have found thta Walmart has some steel shot at 1315 FPS that is low brass steel shot and that works well.
@@mleeber thanks !!
What type of oil exactly are you using? Do avoid using CLP on the Piston?
I use Mobil 1 5w30 and Rem Oil exclusively. Rem Oil for colder weather and tight tolerance parts and Mobil 1 for hot weather and looser tolerances. I am not a fan of CLP.
Hey mark would i be pushing my luck breaking it in with rio buck at 1345fps???? know you said 1350 but thought id ask because a deal i saw online. My next option was federal or black ace slugs at 1600fps+( though i never tried the black aces yet).
Would shooting the higher velocity still need that sweet spot of 250 rounds? Sounds like itd get extremly hott
Buckshot is usually much more expensive but you will not hurt anything other than your wallet using it to break in your shotgun. The slugs would work too.
@@mleeber i highly agree. Id just rather break my wallet firing 1345 buck than arm with 1645fps slug. Would i still need to fire 250 to your opinion?????
Like one commentator said i wish i saw this long time ago too.
Get a couple boxes of 1150fps birdshot. Usually the Remington Gun Club or Winchester AA 2 3/4 dram equivalent stuff. Shoot 50-75 rounds of the buckshot and then try a mag full of the light stuff. If the whole mag works you are likely good to go. I usually test it with a 9-round mag full of light stuff to be sure.
@@mleeber that makes sense. Greatly appreciated. I don't own a vr80. I have a gen 12 but dealing with the same process to break it in. Really appreciate your time and detail video. Glad i didnt pull the order on those slugs before coming across your video.
I have a rock island vr80 with no modifications I want to go out to shoot clays what is the size ammo that I can get that will not harm anything with this shotgun I have the modified choke in it now.Any help would be appreciated please
For trap and skeet I use #7.5 shot in 1200 FPS loads. For sporting clays I use #6 shot and 1300 FPS loads. I dont think you will "harm" the shotgun using any factory available load. However until the gun is broken in it may not feed the 1200FPS shells reliably. The shot size on most Trap, Skeet and Sporting Clays fields are restricted by the gun club management so I would check with the facility before buying a lot of shells they may not allow. Also, the "traditional" shotgunners may give you an unapproving stare when you show up with a mag fed shotgun in a sport where break-open guns are the norm. All that said I enjoy shooting moving clays and you should have a great time using the VR80. Thank you!
Thanks for a great video, my vr80’cycles great , but my mew issue is constant light primer strikes.. any ideas ..much appreciated
Send me a picture of the primer after a light strike and let me take a look. Has there been any trigger work done to the gun? Most light strikes are caused by trigger jobs that try to use a Hammer Spring designed for an AR-15. The Boss on the hammer on VR80 is much bigger than the boss on a standard AR-15 hammer and the AR-15 spring may look like it fits but it does not allow the coils to actually coil and uncoil, the legs of the spring just bend and over time you get light strikes.
Thanks for getting back to me , I will take a pic of the shell next time I get a light primer strike .. and as far as the trigger and trigger spring it’s all oem .. thanks again..
Good day , What is your email or contact info? , I took my vr80 out this past week and was able to take a pictures of the light primer strike on the shell..
Thank you
What type of oil do you use to oil this gun
Either RemOil or Mobil 1 5W30. If you are in a colder climate go with a thin light viscosity oil like RemOil otherwise Mobil 1 is my go-to oil.
I have some Birdshot that is 1350FPS. Would that be fine for the break in? I plan to shoot all 250 rounds of it.
Yes, that should get the job done.
Just got mine and did what you said. 2 things. Since when is running 250 rounds out of this incredible awesome and supper fun gun a chore ? Second. How do you spend the time making this video and have these idiots argue with you ? Thanks for the awesome video.
right now I'm breaking it in (40 rounds so far) and all I could get was 1600 FPS slugs and I left my light piston in. Should I change it to the heavy piston using the same slugs for break in? I don't plan to use the 1600 down the road, it's the only ammo I could get before I went to the range that day
In this case break it in with the piston you will use most of the time which is the light piston. Thanks for the question!
Can you reply with what mods you did . Grip, stock … thanks
In terms of break-in, should I use 2 3/4” or 3” shells? Does it matter? Also, do they need to be high brass? I’ve read some reviews of people claiming low brass shells don’t feed well before the gun is broken in…
Hi Dylan! It does not matter as long as they are 1350 FPS or so. Low Brass or High Brass does not matter nor does the payload, slug, buck or birdshot. I have never had problems with low brass even during break in but some of the low brass shells are a bigger pain to load in the mags bc the brasson the one you are inserting catches on the one in the mag which is why I developed the mag loaders.
Right on✊🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸
Can the 250 rounds be target rounds?
As long as they are 1350FPS or faster they can be anything you like, birdshot, slugs or buckshot.
What web site for orange chamber view flag, thanks.
They are nowhere to be found. I have been trying to order more but the manufacturer has gone dark. I will keep trying. Thanks!
Since I don't see any on the bench, what are your thoughts on WD40 on Turk shotguns. I am not a fan of it and use gun oil, which oil do you use.
No, I do not use it as a lubricant. WD40 is a penetrating oil, very thin for getting into tight spaces and does not have the proper lubricity characteristics for lubricating moving metal on metal parts. I might use it to displace water on a gun that has been in the rain but not to lubricate moving parts.
Hi Mark, I have a friend that has a vr 82 he has run quit a few rounds through it and having all kinds of ftf*fte, I am wondering if the gas ports are undersized, bolt wont even lock back. would you know what size the gas ports are supposed to be... by the way, I had my vr80 out for the second time a few weeks ago, rand 175 rounds through it. what I found out is my gun does not like to run 100 percent cold. once I get it hot 10/15 rounds through it runs like a champ. kind of weird, but when its hot I can shoot what ever I want in it an it runs. any thought on that..
Sorry, no I do not know the default gas port size on the vr82 but I will see what I can find out. There is quite a bit of variance among 20GA rounds sothey may just be too soft. On your cold VR80 it may have something to do with the lube you are using. If you are in a colder climate especially. I use either REMOil or Mobil 1 5w30. The RemOil is a nice thin viscosity oil that works well in colder climates. I know a lot of folks use the Lucas products and while I do like Lucas in warmer climates and for automotive applications it is too thick in my opinion for cold climates and firearms. I am sure that will get some responses :-).
@@mleeber okay , thank you. All I have ever used for gun oil is Lucas gun oil, an you make a point I never considered, I have some other oil never used it, ill give it a try. thanks for the help. I did manage to get my hands on said VR 82 what I found out, was the guy took the gun straight out of the box an shot it ,didn't clean it, the oil in the barrel, and the gas ports had some ungodly burrs, all three ports, must have used bad bits to drill holes, there was some chunks in the barrel. The burrs had been scraping the shot hull an completely plugged all 3 ports.( why it didn't work no gas) got the ports cleaned out, it took quit a bit of time an some creative thinking, finally got the burrs out an everything smoothed out, oh yea and cleaned all the oil off it, I'm sure it will work now, I have a brand new vr82 still in the box from Christmas so I wanted to compare them. Yep that barrel had huge burrs in it also. so i took care of them also. what shitty quality Controle from maker of the gun
@@laurafreeze2861 Glad you got it figured out. Indeed I have heard of the gas ports having burrs and the burrs picking up plastic from the wads and clogging.
I'm having some light strike's on my rounds so I'm wondering if I need to replace the firing pin spring. I've completely broke it down and cleaned/lubricated everything. I have less than 200 rounds thru it. Any thoughts or recommendations??? thanks Rick
Hi Rick! I assume the trigger group in your gun is stock. If so the first thing to check is the barrel seat in the receiver. Sometimes the barrels on these guns dont get secured as well as we like and they "ease" out of the receiver. Take the handguard off and there is an allen key set screw underneath the front of the upper receiver. There are acutally two in there, one is supposed to secure the other. They are metric, 4mm I think but don't hold me to that. Take the first one out, put the butstock of the shotgun on a table and loosen the remaining one while pushing the barrel towards the table and then retighten the set screw and add the second one. In every case that has been sent my way this has fixed the light strike. It is less about the speed or force of the hammer or firing pin and more about the primer being too far forward because the barrel is not seated properly. If that does not fix it shoot me an email with a photo. Thanks! Mark
@@mleeber thanks for getting back to me so quick. So how tight should the first screw be?? I have it completely broken down to look at the spring and the firing pin. That would be awesome if it that’s the fix, very easy and won’t cost me a penny 😊
@@RickGrainger I never put a torque wrench on one but I would say 45-55 inch lbs. I would also check it every time you clean it at least initially.
So did check both screws and I tightened down the first one a bit then the second one and finally had time to go to the range and had mixed results. I shot about 25 X-TREME 2 3/4oz slugs, 1300FPS with some FTF. Then I had 5 Federal 2 3/4oz slugs, 1600FPS and had no FTF, then I shot about 20 Remington OOBK 9 pellets 2 3/4oz 1352 FPS and seemed to have FTF in every mag sometime 2. I'm using the light load choke. This gun is just is just for fun of home defense, not hunting. Would changing out the choke give me better results??? thanks for your help!! @@mleeber
@@rickcrainger2846 So is the light strike issue resolved? That was the original issue for which we reseated the barrel. It sounds like it is firing fine now but is not feeding consistently which is interesting, those rounds should be plenty hot enough to cycle the gun without issue. When you say the light load choke I assume that you mean the light gas piston. The heavy piston just bleeds off more gas so the action does not beat up the receiver with heavy loads so the heavy piston would not work any better. And the choke should not impact cycling either. How many mags where you using? If you were using one I would suggest that the feed lips are deformed and dragging on the bolt but if you were using several different mags that is unlikely.
Do the 250 round need to be done in a single range trip to break in the spring or can it be in a couple trips?
I prefer to do it all in one trip. Heating up the gun is part of the process. Just make sure you lubricate it really well before starting.
@@mleeber thanks for the info
That’s what I was wondering, thanks
250 break in at one time or can it be done on several sessions?
I try to do it all in one session. Take a friend or two and divide up the shoulder time :-), and the mag loading!
@@mleeber well time to find a store in CA (or even willing to sell me that quantity) that has 250 rounds of slugs that meet or exceed 1350 fps.
For break in the payload in the shell does not matter. Walmart used to have some Winchester 1325s that were steel shot, not quite the 1350 but I used them with good results for break in. Granted that was over a year ago now. I will poke around and see what my distributors have, it may be time for me to stock shotshells for break in purposes. Thanks!
@@mleeber the local range I go to only allows slugs to be used on their range for shotguns. The range also has a "quirky" owner that does not allow Tula or Wolfe ammo to be used on other firearms. I think I may need to find another range that allows other types of ammo but the indoor range I go to is pretty convenient as it's literally 10 minutes away compared to the next closest range, indoor or outdoor, is 45 minutes away.
I am hearing more and more of this. I understand the Wolf and Tula ban because they are bi-metal jackets which translates to "metal of the month" and I have seen 308s from both companies go clean through steel range traps. And really those bi-metal jackets are terrible for your barrel; but not allowing birdshot seems a bit goofy. That said close trumps having to make a day trip to get to the range! Good Luck!
What adjustable butt stock do you recommend to change out the stock VR80 model for when adding a kynshot hydraulic buffer?
Hi James! I recommend either the Magpul CTR or Hogue Overmold Collapsable Stock model 15050.
@mleeber good evening, mleeber. Thank you for the information. So, either of those will work for the VR80 stock buffer tube? I just made up an account with you A3G and the crew at - tooth and nail -. Both of you all know your stuff when it comes to VR RIA platform. I'll will look into both of those stocks. Do you know when you'll be starting to get restock on your inventory? I see your out on a lot of stuff
Yes Sir, both work with Commercial tubes but you must get the CTR in the commercial size as they make both. I have 2 CTRs in stock. The Hogues are on the way and I sell mfar more of those to VR80 owners with the Hogue 15000 grip. Both have a "rubberized" coating that reduce the shockwave on the VR series.Hogues should be here by Friday. Thank you!
Oh and I highly reccomend the Tooth and Nail trigger for the VR80. I have tried and carried them all and the two best choices for triggers in the VRs are a custom trigger job #1 and Tooth and Nail a close second. The Tooth and Nail while it appears pricey is much more cost effective than a custom trigger job on these guns.
@mleeber good morning, mleeber. Thank you for your time here and information. Yes. If the Hogue stock and grip work in conjunction and work with commercial buffer tube on the VR80 and with the kynshot hydraulic buffer. Then I'll get the Hogue. I'll be looking for it online Friday for it. 😎🤘🍻
All I can find is 1200 fps:( will that be ok to break in the vr?
Any break-in is better than none but it may take more than 250 rounds. I would buy or borrow as many mags as you can and try to shoot at least 100 rounds as quickly as possible, that will more effectively work the parts than slow fire. If you are limited in the mags you have take someone with you to load mags while you shoot. After a quick 100 rounds try a magazine of the 1150s and if it runs you are good. Just make sure you are in a safe area and expect the muzzle to rise as you shoot faster. You may have to do this with all 250 or even 300 rounds of 1200s so bring a friend if you need to borrow another shoulder. Make sure you lubricate the gun well before starting and it would not hurt to re-oil the gun a few times in a 300 round shooting session, especially the first 300 rounds the gun fires. Thanks!
@@mleeber thank you for the valuable info sir!!
@@unitedwestanddividedwefall3521 Glad to do it! Thank you for watching!
On mine, it won't eject the empty shell. Any suggestions.
What type of ammo are you running? Have you broken in the gun? Have you added any aftermarket parts?
@@mleeber standard bird shot and buck shot. I am trying to broken in the gun. No aftermarket parts
@@KAGAA-bv4yv Does the ammo box say how many FPS or Dram Equivalent the ammo is?
I use 1600 slugs all the time but it said 2 3/4 for the light piston and 3 inch for heavy load even though i shoot very fast loads. I wanted to try out the heavy piston so see if it would work
If all you shoot is 1600 FPS I would put the heavy oiston in and leave it in. Thanks!!!
@@mleeber so it doesn't matter if it's not 3 inch shells. lol no one ever mentions that. the manual says only 3 inch for heavy piston but I was wondering like well im shooting hot stuff maybe the heavy one will work but I'm still using 2 3/4... I use 1400 to 1610
@@GunsNGames248 I think this is how the RIA instruction manual tried to make it "easy" for some of the newer/younger shooters who don't have any idea what FPS means. Few 3" shells are less than 1500FPS and when buying shells the 3" magnums are perceived as high velocity no matter what the payload is. 90% of the 2 3/4" loads are 1150-1300 FPS so it is a safe bet for a manufacturer to use shell length for shotgun shells as the determining factor and it makes it easy for the younger generation most of whom did not grow up with a mentor who taught them about firearms and ballistics.
@@mleeber right so I should be able to shoot anything 1450 and above using the heavy piston in 2 and 3/4
I wish I saw this a long time ago...
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I don't understand anyone that complains about an excuse tongontonthenrange and put 250 rounds througbyour brand new shotgun. Why the hell did you buy it if you don't want to practice with it and use it? I think the 250 round "break-in" is just a genius excuse someone at the factory told their wife the first day they brought it home. "I had to buy the ammo and head to the range, Dear. It says so right in the owners manual."
Although I have to say I did just that. Bought the VR80 and a bunch of 1350 buck shot went to my favorite spot I didn't have a single miss feed or or stovepipe in that 250 nor since.
that shotgun got more oil than the middle east
They run better wet.
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