Beretta 1301

moderate
Shop tier 2
high confidence
Shotgun
semi auto shotgun
gas operated
fast cycling
duty
tube magazine

field strip ~4 min · reassembly ~6 min · detail strip ~25 min

Before you begin Verify this firearm is unloaded. Remove the magazine or empty the cylinder or tube, lock the action open, and check the chamber both by sight and by touch. Keep the muzzle in a safe direction and remove all live ammunition from your work area.

Beretta limits owner disassembly The maker's own procedure goes as far as: Field strip and cleaning breakdown: fore-end, barrel, breech bolt assembly (bolt, operating rods, recoil spring) and trigger plate removal; the gas valve is not to be stripped.. Beretta says never to strip or disassemble the gas valve assembly (contact a competent gunsmith if necessary), and that any alterations or adjustments to the operating mechanism should be done by Beretta or its authorized distributor. (Beretta Semiautomatic Shotgun User Manual (A400, A350, 1301) — Beretta, p. 34 dam.beretta.com [1])

Specifications

Manufacturer: Beretta
Origin: Italy
Category: Shotgun
Action: Gas, short-stroke piston
Calibers: 12 gauge
Capacity: 4+1 or 7+1 depending on configuration
Production: 2014–present (in-production)
Also known as: 1301 Tactical, 1301 Comp

Model-specific safety

The 1301 uses Beretta’s BLINK gas system with a rotating bolt head. It cycles very fast, which is the point, but it also means the gas system fouls quickly and needs regular cleaning.
Unloading a tube magazine takes several cycles. Verify both the chamber and the tube.
The magazine cap must be fully tight.
The 1301 Tactical has an oversized bolt release and charging handle. They are easy to operate by accident as well as on purpose — mind your hand position.
NEVER strip the spring of the gas valve or the valve retaining nut. Beretta states the valve device is self-cleaning and requires no maintenance; if something is wrong with it, that is a gunsmith's job.

If it will not go back together

Common ways this firearm resists reassembly, and what is actually wrong. Forcing a part that will not seat is how firearms get damaged.

The cocking handle will not pull out of the breech bolt.

Why The bolt head is not pressed far enough for the groove on its neck to line up with the edge of the bolt body.

Fix Press the bolt head in until that groove aligns, hold it there, and pull the cocking handle straight out — once it is aligned it comes free with a firm tug.

Forcing it If it feels immovable, it is not aligned. Levering at it bends the handle.
The barrel will not come off, or the piston fell out with it.

Why The carrier stop pin was not pressed down first, or the piston was not held inside the gas cylinder.

Fix Press the carrier stop pin all the way down, pull the breech bolt back so it stays open, then hold the piston in the gas cylinder as you draw the barrel off.

Under spring tension

Recoil spring in the stock tube
Magazine tube spring
Hammer spring

Easily lost parts

Gas piston and seals · Bolt handle · Trigger group pin

Tools

No tools required for the field strip.

Shop difficulty

Shop tier 2 Tier 2 — moderate among shotguns, for the full job: strip to the parts that get coated and put it back together working. Gas gun with the recoil spring on the magazine tube (no buttstock tube to fight), a trigger plate that drops out on one pin, and a do-not-touch gas valve. The traps are moderate: bolt, rods, spring and piston stop stacked on the tube together, a trigger plate that needs the hammer cocked and the release held, orientation of gas parts, and the cocking-handle groove. Low Tier 2.

No sourced part count yet.

Bench time: about 45 min to strip, 60 min to rebuild (estimate). Strip of bolt (cocking handle, head, firing pin), operating rods and recoil spring on the magazine tube, piston and seal, trigger plate and stock bolt; gas valve left alone.

What comes off for coating

Barrel / gas: magazine cap, fore-end, barrel, piston and elastic piston seal (direction noted), piston stop, recoil spring, operating rods with sleeve
Receiver: trigger plate retaining pin and trigger plate, breech bolt assembly, bolt release / carrier latch
Bolt: cocking handle, bolt head and cam pin, firing pin retaining pin, firing pin and spring, extractor
Trigger plate: hammer, sear, trigger and springs (only if coating the plate)
Stock: recoil pad, stock bolt, spacers and drop/cast shims (Kick-Off unit left sealed) — long stock-bolt socket

Special tools

Long stock-bolt socket on extension — Stock bolt
Punch set — Trigger plate and bolt pins

Known pain points

The trigger plate goes back only with the hammer cocked and safety on, the release button held down while the plate is rotated in, and the retaining pin inserted only when the holes are centred. (reassembly)
Source: Beretta Semiautomatic Shotgun User Manual (A400, A350, 1301) — Beretta dam.beretta.com [1] — “Hold the release button down firmly and turn the trigger plate until it is inserted into the receiver (fig. 41).”
Breech bolt, operating rods with sleeve, recoil spring and piston stop are stacked on the magazine tube and pushed in together, which takes some juggling on a flat surface. (reassembly)
Source: Beretta Semiautomatic Shotgun User Manual (A400, A350, 1301) — Beretta dam.beretta.com [1] — “fit the breech bolt assembly, operating rods with sleeve, recoil spring and piston stop on the magazine tube (fig. 42).”
The self-cleaning gas valve assembly must not be stripped; Beretta sends it to a gunsmith. (disassembly)
Source: Beretta Semiautomatic Shotgun User Manual (A400, A350, 1301) — Beretta dam.beretta.com [1] — “NEVER DISASSEMBLE the valve assembly (fig. 32). If necessary, contact a competent gunsmith.”

See also 2 documented reassembly problems and their fixes.

Fit or check on rebuild

Gas valve not disturbed — Beretta forbids disassembling the self-cleaning valve; leave it assembled and mask it.
Source: Beretta Semiautomatic Shotgun User Manual (A400, A350, 1301) — Beretta dam.beretta.com [1] — “NEVER DISASSEMBLE the valve assembly (fig. 32). If necessary, contact a competent gunsmith.”
Stock drop/cast spacers returned as fitted — The spacer set determines the customer's fit; mark and refit them as removed.
Function check: safety, trigger/sear release, disconnector and feeding with dummy rounds — Standard after any detail strip; a mis-assembled sear or disconnector can double or fail to fire.

This is Pew-Takedown's rating, not the manufacturer's. How tiers are rated. Forum reports are owners' experience, not specifications.

Procedures

Clear and Make Safe

Clear & Make Safe

Point the muzzle in a safe direction and keep your finger off the trigger.
Engage the crossbolt safety.
Pull the bolt handle rearward to eject any chambered shell and lock the bolt open.
Removed at this step: Chambered shell, if present
Cycle the action repeatedly, catching each shell as it ejects, until no more shells feed from the magazine tube.
With the action open, inspect the chamber and look up the magazine tube with a light.
WarningThe chamber AND the tube. A shell hung up in the tube is easy to miss.
Physically confirm the chamber is empty and remove all live ammunition from the work area.

Field Strip

Complete the Clear and Make Safe procedure, inspecting through the ejection port, the loading gate and the chamber. Check that the hammer is decocked.
TipWork over a table. Beretta advises it so components are caught if they drop.
Check that the carrier stop pin is pressed all the way down. If it is not, push it down.
TipThis comes first, before anything is unscrewed. It is the step the generic shotgun procedure leaves out.
Pull the breech bolt all the way back so that it stays open.
Unscrew the front cap of the fore-end anticlockwise.
Removed at this step: Fore-end cap
Holding the shotgun by the barrel, pull the fore-end straight out toward the muzzle.
Removed at this step: Fore-end
Pull the barrel out of the stock and receiver assembly while holding the piston inside the gas cylinder.
TipHold the piston as the barrel comes off, or it comes with it and lands on the floor.
Removed at this step: Barrel
Stop here for routine cleaning.
WarningNEVER strip the spring of the gas valve or the valve retaining nut. Beretta states the valve device is self-cleaning and requires no maintenance; if something is wrong with it, that is a gunsmith's job.

Reassembly

Install the trigger group into the receiver and insert its pin fully.
Slide the bolt assembly into the receiver, engaging the link with the recoil spring plunger.
Install the bolt handle into the bolt.
Reinstall the gas piston and seals in their correct orientation.
WarningReversed components will not seal and the gun will not cycle correctly.
Set the barrel into the receiver with its extension seated fully and its ring over the magazine tube.
Install the forend and thread the magazine cap on, hand-tightening firmly.
WarningA loose magazine cap causes malfunctions and lets the barrel move. Check it before every use.
Cycle the action several times and perform the function check.

Breech bolt stripping

Detail Strip

Beretta's own procedure, needed only to clean the bolt's components.

The breech bolt assembly only needs to come apart in order to clean its components. Beretta says so explicitly.
Keeping the index or middle finger of your left hand on the cocking handle, press the release button and let the breech bolt move forward slowly until it stops.
WarningControl it with a finger on the cocking handle. Letting it run forward is how parts get damaged.
Press the head of the breech bolt until the groove on its neck lines up with the edge of the bolt body.
TipThe cocking handle will not come out until that groove is aligned. If it feels immovable, the head is not pressed far enough.
Keeping the head depressed in that position, pull the cocking handle out of the breech bolt — forcefully.
Removed at this step: Cocking handle
Working over a flat surface with the ejection port pointed upwards, pull forward on the breech bolt assembly, the operating rods with sleeve, the recoil spring and the spring holder together, to force the breech bolt out of the receiver.
TipEjection port up, and all of it forward as one. This is not a rearward extraction.
Removed at this step: Breech bolt assembly Operating rods with sleeve Recoil spring Spring holder
If you also need the trigger plate out: engage the safety with the hammer cocked, press the carrier stop pin if it is not already pressed, drive out the trigger guard retaining pin with a pin punch or awl, and remove the trigger plate by pressing on the trigger guard toward the barrel first.
TipBeretta notes the trigger plate only needs disassembly to clean the trigger mechanism.
Removed at this step: Trigger plate

Torque specifications

Use a calibrated torque driverValues are the manufacturer's, shown in the unit it gives first; conversions are calculated and rounded. Tighten to the stated value — not "until it feels right" — and follow any sequence noted.

Fastener	Torque	Sequence, notes and the source's words	Where it comes from
Stock retaining nut (13 mm) When changing stock drop and cast	9–11 N·m 80–97 in-lb · 6.6–8.1 ft-lb	Front and rear spacers must carry the same drop and cast values. Beretta gives this figure in the tools list for the drop-and-cast procedure, beside the 13 mm tube spanner that removes the stock retaining nut. “Torque wrench with a 13-mm pipe extension recommended. Tightness torque 9-11 N/m”	Beretta Semiautomatic Shotgun User Manual (A400, A350, 1301) — Beretta, p. 50 dam.beretta.com [1]

Fastener

Torque

Sequence, notes and the source's words

Where it comes from

Stock retaining nut (13 mm)
When changing stock drop and cast

9–11 N·m
80–97 in-lb · 6.6–8.1 ft-lb

Front and rear spacers must carry the same drop and cast values. Beretta gives this figure in the tools list for the drop-and-cast procedure, beside the 13 mm tube spanner that removes the stock retaining nut.

“Torque wrench with a 13-mm pipe extension recommended. Tightness torque 9-11 N/m”

Beretta Semiautomatic Shotgun User Manual (A400, A350, 1301) — Beretta, p. 50 dam.beretta.com [1]

Notes: From Beretta's semiautomatic shotgun user manual (A300, A350, A400, 1301), which prints the unit as "N/m"; in a torque specification that can only mean newton-metres.

Reported by other sources — not the manufacturer

Not a manufacturer specificationThese values come from the people and publications named beside each one, not from Beretta, and where they differ from the manufacturer's values above, the manufacturer wins. They are recorded with who said them and their exact words so you can judge them — not as a recommendation. Confirm any of them with the manufacturer or a licensed gunsmith before you put a wrench on your firearm; a wrong value can crack a stock, strip a thread or loosen a muzzle device.

Fastener	Torque	Who says so, and their words	Where it comes from
Grip adaptor collar nut (on M9 male-to-male fastener in rear of receiver), 1/4" hex Midwest Industries Beretta 1301 Stock (MI-SG-1301) on a Beretta 1301 / 1301 Mod 2 (not A300 Ultima Patrol)	40 in-lb 4.5 N·m · 3.3 ft-lb	Reported by Midwest Industries, Inc. Secondary — a parts or tool maker, or a gunsmithing publisher “Install grip adaptor into the back of the receiver. Use a ¼ inch allen wrench to fasten it using the collar nut and torque to 40inch lbs.”	Midwest Industries Beretta 1301 Stock (MI-SG-1301) — Instructions — Midwest Industries, Inc., PDF p. 1 of 2 midwestindustriesinc.com [2]
Grip-to-adaptor 8-32 flat head screws (6) Midwest Industries Beretta 1301 Stock (MI-SG-1301) on a Beretta 1301 / 1301 Mod 2	10 in-lb 1.1 N·m · 0.83 ft-lb	Reported by Midwest Industries, Inc. Secondary — a parts or tool maker, or a gunsmithing publisher “Slide the grip onto the adaptor and attach with the six 8-32 flat heads. Torque these to 10inch lbs.”	Midwest Industries Beretta 1301 Stock (MI-SG-1301) — Instructions — Midwest Industries, Inc., PDF p. 1 of 2 midwestindustriesinc.com [2]
Stock-to-grip 10-24 flat head screws (4) Midwest Industries Beretta 1301 Stock (MI-SG-1301) on a Beretta 1301 / 1301 Mod 2	10 in-lb 1.1 N·m · 0.83 ft-lb	Reported by Midwest Industries, Inc. Secondary — a parts or tool maker, or a gunsmithing publisher “Slide the stock into the grip and fasten the four 10-24 flat heads. Torque to 10inch lbs.”	Midwest Industries Beretta 1301 Stock (MI-SG-1301) — Instructions — Midwest Industries, Inc., PDF p. 1 of 2 midwestindustriesinc.com [2]
Handguard front ring screws Midwest Industries Beretta 1301 M-LOK Handguard (MI-1301-HG) on a Beretta 1301 Mod 1 / Mod 2 (not 1301 Comp or A300 Ultima Patrol)	30 in-lb 3.4 N·m · 2.5 ft-lb	Reported by Midwest Industries, Inc. Secondary — a parts or tool maker, or a gunsmithing publisher Torque evenly. Threadlocker: Vibra-tite, after degreasing “Degrease the provided screws. After drying, apply a drop of Vibra-tite to each front ring screw, install and torque evenly to 30inch lbs.”	Midwest Industries Beretta 1301 Handguard (MI-1301-HG) — Instructions — Midwest Industries, Inc., PDF p. 1 (single page) midwestindustriesinc.com [3]
Reflex sight mount to receiver (two metric flathead screws, factory rail holes) Mesa Tactical RMR-footprint reflex sight mount on a Beretta 1301 Tactical (not 1301 Comp)	approx. 15 in-lb 1.7 N·m · 1.2 ft-lb	Reported by Mesa Tactical Secondary — a parts or tool maker, or a gunsmithing publisher Threadlocker: Purple or blue thread locker recommended “For Benelli M2 Tactical and Benelli M4 use the three screws and washers. For Beretta 1301 Tactical use the two metric flathead screws. Tighten to about 15 inch-lbs.”	Mesa Tactical Reflex Sight Mounts Manual (46020 rev e) — Mesa Tactical, PDF p. 4 of 8 mesatactical.com [4]
SureShell carrier/reflex mount to receiver (two M4 x 10 mm Torx flathead screws) Mesa Tactical SureShell shotshell carrier with reflex mount on a Beretta 1301 Tactical	approx. 15 in-lb 1.7 N·m · 1.2 ft-lb	Reported by Mesa Tactical Secondary — a parts or tool maker, or a gunsmithing publisher Threadlocker: Purple or blue thread lock recommended “For Beretta 1301 Tactical use the two metric flathead screws. Tighten to about 15 inch-lbs.”	Mesa Tactical SureShell Carrier and Reflex Sight Mount Manual (46009 rev f) — Mesa Tactical, PDF p. 7 of 8 mesatactical.com [5]
SureShell carrier/ACRO mount to receiver (two screws, T20 Torx) Mesa Tactical SureShell carrier with ACRO sight mount on a Beretta 1301 Tactical (also A300; not 1301 Competition)	approx. 15 in-lb 1.7 N·m · 1.2 ft-lb	Reported by Mesa Tactical Secondary — a parts or tool maker, or a gunsmithing publisher Threadlocker: Purple or blue thread lock recommended “Use the two screws and T20 Torx wrench included in your zip bag hardware kit. Tighten screws to about 15 inch-lbs.”	Mesa Tactical SureShell Carrier and ACRO Sight Mount Manual (46028) — Mesa Tactical, PDF p. 7 of 9 mesatactical.com [6]

Function check

After every reassemblyPerform these checks on a verified-unloaded firearm. If any check fails, the firearm is not safe to fire — stop and see a licensed gunsmith.

Verify the shotgun is unloaded — chamber and magazine tube — before each step.
Cycle the action by hand and confirm the bolt locks fully into battery.
With the hammer cocked, engage the safety and press the trigger. The hammer must not fall.
Disengage the safety and press the trigger. The hammer should fall.
Confirm the bolt locks open when retracted and releases with the carrier release.
Load two dummy shells into the magazine and confirm they feed and eject one at a time.
Confirm the magazine cap is tight.

Maintenance

Lubrication points

Bolt body and locking lug
Magazine tube exterior
Action bars or link
Hammer and sear pivots

Cleaning notes

Gas-operated shotguns foul their gas system quickly. Clean the gas ports in the barrel, the piston, the piston seals, and the magazine tube every few hundred rounds. Do not oil the gas piston area heavily — oil there mixes with carbon into a paste that stops the gun.

Suggested inspection interval: roughly every 500 rounds. This is a general guideline, not a manufacturer specification.

Wear parts to inspect

Gas piston and seals · Barrel seal O-ring where fitted · Action spring · Extractor · Link

Common issues

Symptom	Likely cause	What to do
Short-stroking with light target loads	Fouled gas system	Clean the gas ports, piston, and seals. Gas guns are load-sensitive when dirty.
Shotgun will not cycle after cleaning	Gas piston installed reversed	Check orientation against a parts diagram.

Also covers

The procedures above are reported to apply to: Beretta 1301 Tactical · Beretta 1301 Comp · Beretta A300 Ultima Patrol (related gas system). Verify against the manual for your specific model.

Similar manual of arms

Sourcing

Confidence: high — Cross-checked against a primary source such as the manufacturer's manual or an issuing military technical manual.
Verification: Checked against the manufacturer manual
Last updated: 2026-10-29

References

Every source this page draws on, with its web address so you can read it yourself. Numbers in brackets elsewhere on the page point here.

[1] Beretta Semiautomatic Shotgun User Manual (A400, A350, 1301) — Beretta manufacturer manual primary source
https://dam.beretta.com/content/dam/beretta-usa/user-manuals/semiauto_Manual.pdf (checked 2026-09-15)
[2] Midwest Industries Beretta 1301 Stock (MI-SG-1301) — Instructions — Midwest Industries, Inc. manufacturer manual secondary source
https://midwestindustriesinc.com/content/installation-instructions/Beretta-1301-Stock-MI-SG-1301-Instructions.pdf (checked 2026-10-11)
[3] Midwest Industries Beretta 1301 Handguard (MI-1301-HG) — Instructions — Midwest Industries, Inc. manufacturer manual secondary source
https://midwestindustriesinc.com/content/installation-instructions/Beretta-1301-Handguard_MI-1301-HG-Instructions.pdf (checked 2026-10-11)
[4] Mesa Tactical Reflex Sight Mounts Manual (46020 rev e) — Mesa Tactical manufacturer manual secondary source
https://mesatactical.com/content/manuals/46020_Reflex_Sight_Mounts_Manual_rev_e.pdf (checked 2026-10-11)
[5] Mesa Tactical SureShell Carrier and Reflex Sight Mount Manual (46009 rev f) — Mesa Tactical manufacturer manual secondary source
https://mesatactical.com/content/manuals/46009_Sureshell_Carrier_and_Reflex_Sight_Mount_Manual_rev_f.pdf (checked 2026-10-11)
[6] Mesa Tactical SureShell Carrier and ACRO Sight Mount Manual (46028) — Mesa Tactical manufacturer manual secondary source
https://mesatactical.com/content/manuals/46028_SureShell_Carrier_and_ACRO_Sight_Mount_Manual.pdf (checked 2026-10-11)

Notes: CORRECTED on 2026-09-15 against Beretta's semiautomatic shotgun manual, which covers the 1301 directly. The entry was a generic gas-shotgun procedure and missed four things Beretta specifies: the carrier stop pin must be pressed all the way down before anything else, the breech bolt is pulled back and left open first, the fore-end pulls straight out toward the muzzle, and the piston must be held inside the gas cylinder as the barrel comes off. Bolt stripping is now Beretta's own sequence — the cocking handle only releases once the bolt head is pressed far enough for the groove on its neck to align with the edge of the bolt body. Added Beretta's instruction never to strip the gas valve spring or its retaining nut, which is self-cleaning and not user-serviceable. Rated medium pending confirmation of gas piston and seal arrangement against the factory manual for your configuration.

Found something wrong? Corrections are the most valuable contribution to this project. Open an issue with the model, the step, and a source.