Dissecting the Benneli Kite

[B Lafferty]

I've begun the process. The screw (371Z) that holds the trigger guard and magazine coupling flange (356Z) stripped when trying to extract it. I purchased an inexpensive screw extractor from Amazon and it easily removed the screw. I suspect that the metal used for the screw is rather soft which is why the head stripped easily and the extractor worked so well.

So, on to removing the magazine coupling pin (357Z). Not an easy task. It would not budge with an adjustable spanner. It's a 19mm size. I put a 19mm socket on it, but my socket is too short to allow the driver to attach. I've ordered a set of deep sockets that will arrive on Tuesday. Hopefully, that will allow for its removal.

Has anyone opened up a Kite? I'm wondering if any of the internals are held together as a unit or if they are all loose inside. I plan to hold the Kite in a vertical position as I extract the innards. Any disassembly tips will be much appreciated. Thanks in advance.

[Gwhite]

I'm afraid you are in uncharted territory. Good luck, keep us posted and take lots of pictures!

[B Lafferty]

I'm afraid you are in uncharted territory. Good luck, keep us posted and take lots of pictures!

Perhaps I need a documentary film crew?

[spektr]

When you are taking apart screws of unknown torque, to prevent cam-out, use CA glue to glue the drive head into the recess.... It cleans off with acetone layer........

[william]

I'm afraid you are in uncharted territory. Good luck, keep us posted and take lots of pictures!

Perhaps I need a documentary film crew?

You can do better than documentary. Make a call and see if Martin Scorsese is available.

[B Lafferty]

I'm afraid you are in uncharted territory. Good luck, keep us posted and take lots of pictures!

Perhaps I need a documentary film crew?

You can do better than documentary. Make a call and see if Martin Scorsese is available.

It's too bad Sergio Leone is no longer alive........

[william]

It's too bad Sergio Leone is no longer alive........

"There are two kinds of spurs, my friend. Those that come in by the door; those that come in by the window."

[B Lafferty]

Part 357Z is frozen in place. It will not unscrew with a deep socket on it. The piece just above it, 354Z, unscrews and comes out with no problem. I was able to blow air in to clean it out. It did not appear dirty.

Unless someone has a good suggestion for freeing part 357Z which appears to be a brass fitting screwed into an aluminum alloy body, that's it for me. I'll see if I can afford an LP2. If I can't, I'll likely buy an AP20 and an extra slimline cylinder for it with an eventual upgrade of to a Rink grip.

[B Lafferty]

It's too bad Sergio Leone is no longer alive........

"There are two kinds of spurs, my friend. Those that come in by the door; those that come in by the window."

This reminds me of some lines spoken by Raul Julia in Tequila Sunrise. He said "You can no more blame a man for where his penis goes than you can blame a compass for pointing North. But love......Love my friend is something entirely different."

[brent375hh]

I didn't happen to find a schematic for the kite to view.
Its not something as simple as those bastards using left hand threads?

[B Lafferty]

I didn't happen to find a schematic for the kite to view.
Its not something as simple as those bastards using left hand threads?

Having wrenched on Italian racing bicycles in the 1970's, I tried that. No go. Left or right handed, they are frozen.

[rmca]

Add oil, any kind, and let soak for a bit...
Get a larger spanner.
Clamp the body of the pistol in a vice with soft jaws.

You may need to use more force than you think.
Those are fine treads, and if there is some corrosion between the two parts, it is going to be a pain to get off...

If you think you are overdoing it, stop, add oil, and try again tomorrow. Time and pacience are your best allies...

Hope this helps

[B Lafferty]

Add oil, any kind, and let soak for a bit...
Get a larger spanner.
Clamp the body of the pistol in a vice with soft jaws.

You may need to use more force than you think.
Those are fine treads, and if there is some corrosion between the two parts, it is going to be a pain to get off...

If you think you are overdoing it, stop, add oil, and try again tomorrow. Time and pacience are your best allies...

Hope this helps

Thanks. I will try that. However, I'm going to give it a rest for a week or so and just shoot the Baikal.

[thirdwheel]

The coefficient of expansion is larger for alloy against brass, warm it up using a hair dryer but not a hot air gun, alloy spirits heat away fast so it will take a while to get the heat in and insulate the thing from the vice well as that will act as a big heat sink. Perhaps put the socket in the freezer so it takes the heat away from the brass part (if it in has a male thread) making it contract BUT try it first when both are warm, and as above post a little oil and let it soak over night, try a release fluid. No doubt there is a rubber O ring in that part so that is what you are trying to overcome and they initially grip like hell. Alloy on brass should not gall and that is why they are made from dissimilar metals.

Good luck

[Gwhite]

Soak the offending thread in Kroil for a couple days.

One other trick I've used to free up parts is to hit them with "spray freeze". Get a can of "duster" from a computer shop, and turn it upside down. The thermal shock can be enough to free up stuck parts. The spray is very localized, and will change the temperature fast enough that it's hard for heat sinking to keep up.

[spektr]

There is a chance there is a theead locker applied to the offending screw...... I have had to use a soldering iron to heat the end of a screwdriver while taking them out....,

[thirdwheel]

I've tracked down an exploded dia of the kite and the bit you are trying to extract will not be locked in with loctite it will be the general tightness and the O ring you will have to defeat, but heat is correct method for screws that have locking fluid on the and came across them on the K12. where is it leaking from and have you identified it using water or are you just going to have a stab at it? Couple of kites at my club and one had a big leak all of a sudden and was a simple fix, but we do have a Benelli tech in the UK. The super glue trick as mentioned above is also a good trick but any small screw really needs leaning on to stop camming out along with a quality driver.

Good luck

[B Lafferty]

Thank you to all for the suggestions. The plan will be to freeze the brass part with the spray from a wart freeze off can and then immediately heat it with a blow dryer. I'll probably do two cycles of that and then put a locking vice grip plier on it to hopefully unscrew the piece. I need to get a new pair of the said plyers which I will do in a week or so. I just had my first shot of the Moderna vaccine and will wait until my immunity is up a bit from that. The area of Vermont that I live in is filled with non-masking Stupids, especially at the hardware store.

Again, thank you all. Stay tuned......in the meantime, my Baikal 46 continues to function well.

[brent375hh]

If you happen to have a couple of boards, a towel, and a pair of C clamps, you can be good to go.

[B Lafferty]

If you happen to have a couple of boards, a towel, and a pair of C clamps, you can be good to go.

Indeed, I do. Having been raised Roman Catholic, I know there is a patron saint for everything. Who is the patron saint of shooting and who is the patron saint of frozen threads..........?

Saint Dirigentes and Saint Relatorum, perhaps?