VR80 Break-in Success

This video is about Breaking in the VR80

[@williamfender661]

All I did was lock the bolt back for 2 weeks so the recoil spring could take a set and it ran like a champ. Didn't have to waste 250 rounds of good ammo.

[@renelopez2244]

Same

[@xmdbd552]

Same

[@Treesapped]

Same

[@prinayautar4387]

Thanks guys I saw that somewhere too, got my new VR80 couple days ago and now the bolt is locked back. 2-3 weeks and to the range it is.

[@jamesdavidson1036]

@@prinayautar4387let us know how it goes ! I have one now and it’s been locked back for two weeks. Thanks

[@danperry3116]

Short and to the point. Bravo, well done

[@mleeber]

Thank you!

[@danperry3116]

You are most welcome

[@jamesdelong6401]

Good morning, Mark. Thank you for these videos. I'm most definitely, writer everything down on this. I know I'm looking forward to getting my VR80 soon

[@mleeber]

Glad you like them! I need to do some more and refresh some of the older ones.

[@JR-ii5ld]

Outstanding. Short and sweet. No nonsense, straight forward break-in vid. Bottom line: use 250 rds of 1350fps. Then your good to go. Really liked the keep it wet advise.

[@mleeber]

Thank you!

[@GunsNGames248]

yep

[@akajd5907]

👍🏼Very good point about "break in". It's a must if you want to have a smooth running semi-auto shotgun. I always remind new owners of the VR80 that if they "break it" in properly she'll run like a 💋hooker at a 🙏🏼baptist revival. "Shall Not Be Infringed" 🇺🇲Stay well. Go in peace.

[@armenta719]

I love the analogy! Thanks

[@akajd5907]

@@armenta719 thank you sir

[@henryramirez5627]

Thanks again boss! Just installed my magpul stock and hogue grip. Looks and feels badass can’t wait to hit the desert and shoot it

[@mleeber]

Glad you got it all set up! They are a blast to shoot! Keep us posted on your success.

[@henryramirez5627]

mleeber took it to the desert this weekend. Felt so natural, even the wife shot it this time since in her words “it’s more compact and nice looking” haha thanks again I love my vr80 now

[@Taenamo]

Now make sense why when I took my VR80 for the first time at the range it keeps jamming. Thought it was the ammo

[@austinforst3055]

I love my VR80.. with that being said, poor job by rock island with the choice of the buffer spring. Shot 200 rounds through it and still wouldnt function. those rounds were 1300 fps and higher. bought a $100 buffer tube setup for it through different supplier which came with different buffer bolt, spring, and tube (commercial type) and it sat for a week. now it will run 1150 fps bird shot flawless. it is a blast to shoot.. although I have never bought an AR style firearm that wasnt ready to perform IMMEDIATELY. so, stock firearm Id rate 3/5 just because looks. performance straight out of box, 2/5. put 2-300 rounds through it with stock parts, no idea. I was fed up with the lack of performance with the money I had already put into this gun. i have other AR frame guns. this was the worst performing. And now, once I got it to perform, it is the funnest to plink with. RI should have perfected the original parts FIRST. Be prepared to dump another $200 in it with the price of ammo currently. Which is why I purchased the after market buffer tube system, of course. still looks pretty B A with a 20 rd drum on it, optics, and foregrip! Then, I lost it in the lake nearby. all for nothing :(((((

[@justicemccann7916]

Question, how the hell do you lose a shotgun like this in a fucking lake

[@weloveyoumon4182]

I’m having trouble with mines it’s no cycling.... I’m not sure what’s wrong I think I have the wrong bullets

[@renelopez2244]

Own it ... Love it

[@joerizzo30]

My VR80 only shoots 1 shell at a time. I gotta manually pull the charging handle every shot. Im using 1200ft per second ammo. You think thats the problem

[@nikhilkhan]

The manual specifically states min. 1250 FPS. Try high brass heavy shot with at least 3dram eq and 1300 FPS

[@joerizzo30]

@@nikhilkhan thank you. I will try that.

[@mleeber]

Keep the light piston in the gun abd break it in with 250 rounds of 1350 or better. Sometimes 1325 is all I can get my hands on and it will usually work too. Oil it up well before break-in.

[@Jeff-uf3cv]

@@mleeber if using 3" shells the heavy piston , 2 3/4 light piston, according to manual regardless of fps .

[@756766]

Hi Mark, Can you tell me the name of the grip and stock used on that VR80? Thank you, and great video.

[@mleeber]

Sure! That is the Magpul CTR with the .75 butt pad and the Hogue Overmold 15000 grip. My preferred upgrades for a VR80.

[@756766]

@@mleeber Thank you, Sir.

[@rbrass59]

@@mleeber Do you recommend replacing the buffer tube?

[@mleeber]

@@rbrass59 no, I use the factory commercial tube that is under the stock. Just make sure you choose a stock that is commercial dimensions. Thanks!

[@rbrass59]

@@mleeber Thank you Sir for getting back to me so quick. I asked because I actually have a mil-spec CTR in a bin leftover from another upgrade. If I were to swop out the tube for a mil-spec tube, what buffer and spring would you recommend?

[@carlbloecher4757]

Which gas ring (heavy or light) were you running for the 250 break in period, please?

[@mleeber]

Hi Carl. The light one is the one I used when I broke in the gun. I suspect I will never use the heavy.

[@BigBarnV1]

mleeber the heavy is used for the 3 inch shells. It’s in the book and I think on the ring itself.

[@unitedwestanddividedwefall3521]

@@BigBarnV1 is it best not to change the ring?

[@BigBarnV1]

@@unitedwestanddividedwefall3521 I haven’t and it works fine. I have some 3 inch I will have to see if changing the ring makes it not hit as hard. But mine works fine with the normal ring in it.

[@SkyBrigidRain]

@@BigBarnV1 Using the light piston with 3" shells increases wear and tear on the gun and makes the recoil harder. I just watched videos on that today. I'd make sure to use the right ring for the ammo.

[@joshuaburke411]

Is anyone else having light primer strikes issues with their vr80? Before I upgraded the trigger to a tooth and nail trigger I was getting 60 percent light primer strikes now I’m down to about 25 percent with the tooth and nail. Shooting high brass 1300+FPS. Have not had one single failure to feed or failure to eject but the light primer strikes are even worse. I feel like the bolt release metal in the gun is getting in the way of the hammer to strike the pin enough? I’m going to be taking a Dremel to thin the inside of the metal on the bolt release a little bit but I feel like these guns are more work than they are worth. Let me know what you guys think. Seems like everyone is getting mixed results with these vr80’s

[@mleeber]

I have never had or seen light strikes with the factory springs. However, some of the aftermarket "drop-in" triggers and gunsmiths who do custom trigger jobs improve the trigger in these guns by modifying the hammer to accept the JP Enterprises AR15 trigger/hammer spring set. The 3.5lb JP set WILL fail after about 100 rounds and the 4.5lb set will fail after about 300. If the modifications to the hammer are done correctly the 4.5lb JP springs will last but many of the self proclaimed smiths out there do not do it right. Check your original springs, if they are anything but steel color they are aftermarket. Tooth an Nail does use the JP springset in their drop in triggers so you may need the next heavier set.

[@joshuaburke411]

@@mleeber so the red and yellow painted springs I get from tooth and nail are going to fail and it costs 150 dollars? Lol. This gun isn’t worth the money needed to fix all the issues that come with it. I feel like the factory springs that came with it were much weaker than the tooth and nail. A couple of guys on different KZbin videos have told me that once they removed their bolt release the light primer strikes have stopped. Everyone gets different issues with these shotguns and the quality control is terrible. After putting all the money into it people put into it they could have bought a Benelli m4 that works right out of the box lol

[@mleeber]

@@joshuaburke411 I did not say anything bad about Tooth and Nail. They did a very good job of redesigning the hammer so that coils of the spring actually contract rather than binding on the hammer boss and bending the legs of the spring. I merely suggested that if you are having light strikes with a Tooth and Nail trigger that you may need stronger springs. In fact Tooth and Nail is the ONLY aftermarket trigger I recommend for the VR80. What I was critical of are the the KZbin expert gunsmiths who have a dremel but no idea where the power in hammer spring comes from and then proceed to do more harm than good blaming the gun or manufactuer when they mess it up. You said the original trigger in the gun failed more than the Tooth and Nail and not knowing if you got your VR80 new at a gun store or from someone on the web after they did some Hack-Foo gunsmithing I was merely suggesting that if your original trigger springs were not steel colored that they were not origianl springs. As for a Benelli working out of the box, the Benelli trigger is not that much better than the VR80 out of the box and every competitive shooter I shoot with who runs a Bennelli, including me, has well over $1500 in add-ons and custom work to make the Benelli really work. And the last variable: God only knows where the primers are coming from in many of these shells; a buddy in the freight business just delivered a container of S&B primers to Federal for use in their ammo so even the big guys are using whatever they can get; maybe the primer cups in your last lot of ammo are a bit harder. As for the gun not being worth the money, they work fine out of the box just like a Honda Civic. The wide rims and low profile tires just make the gun yours.

[@joshuaburke411]

@@mleeber Mark thanks for the response and the thorough thought. I did buy the gun brand new from a gun shop so it was OEM springs that I changed out with tooth and nail. The tooth and nail spring seems to be rubbing against the inside walls of the gun where the magazine rests. I am by no means a gun expert but I feel like If the spring looks like it’s rubbing against the side of the mag well it’s slowing it down. But anyways. I think you are right with the quality of ammo right now has to be down because the profit they can make throwing anything together right now and selling it is astronomical I’m sure so you aren’t wrong there either.

[@mleeber]

​@@joshuaburke411 The other thing to check is the allen-headed screw that holds the barrel in. If it gets loose and the barrel slips forward then it would manifest itself as light primer strikes because the bolt would go farther forward but the travel on the hammer/firing pin would be impeded. Remove the plastic dust cover from underneath the handguard and loosen the allen-headed screw that holds the barrel in. Put the buttstock on a table and push the barrel into the receiver and then tighten the screw. When done look at the chamber end an make sure the extractor groove is still aligned. That may solve your problem.

[@tao265]

Hey Mark - when you say “hot” are you referring to anything above 1350 fps AND 3 inch? I’m about to buy one and want to break it in correctly. Thanks in advance.

[@mleeber]

Yes, ideally "Hot" is 1350 or faster but I have made 1325s work. 1350s are still pretty scarce so I usually end up using 1325s which are usually available at walmart. The 1325s I get have plated shot but the payload does not matter.

[@tribalism_is_toxic1989]

Great video. I have about 150 rounds thru still failing to eject pandemic price & availability make it expensive to impossible to break this gun in.

[@martinaraujo8146]

Just lock the bolt back for a couple weeks that should do it

[@seantheinnerbright]

Just got this gun. About to break it in. I have some knowledge but this gun is new to me. Wondering more about break in. Anything else to know? Should i have a gunsmith break it in? When running wet. What am I oiling, upper, internals? Do I need to take it apart to do so? Am I using oil only? Or grease as well? Just want to break it in and run it correctly and clean and maintenance it well as well. Any pointers, tips, or knowledge would be greatly appreciated.

[@paultoth7853]

I kept every moving part absolutely dripping with oil when I shot the first rounds thru it. Literally dripping with lube. If you don't get sprayed in the face after each shot then add more oil. Used all heavy birdshot, buckshot or slugs. Empty a magazine, re oil firearm, let it cool then repeat. If I want I can shoot low brass target loads without a bit of problems. I did not drill out anything or lock the bolt back for a month or any of that.

[@mleeber]

Lock the bolt open and oil the gas piston through the holes in the handguard, really soak it. Then the rails that the bolt reciprocates with, most easily oiled if you separate the upper and lower. A little oil in the back side of the chamber wont hurt (shiny side you see when bolt is locked back. Like Paul said if you are net getting oil on your shooting glasses fir the first few tounds there is not enough. I oil it up once before break-in and then before each use after that. Subsequent oilings dont need to be as wet. Carbon cannot stick to well oiled surfaces so keeping the piston oiled will reduce the amount of cleaning needed. I shoot 500-1000 rounds before any serious cleaning.

[@EdgardoArgueta-vt3zy]

@@paultoth7853 What ammo did you use ? To break it in

[@GunsNGames248]

has anyone used 2 3/4 hot loads all the time with the heavy piston. I'm talking 1400 fps to 1610 fps.

[@mleeber]

I know a few folks in the northeast who use their VR80s exclusively for deer hunting in Slug only counties and all are running 1560FPS "Slugger" slugs using the havy piston.

[@GunsNGames248]

@@mleeber ok.cool. ima try it out

[@edrife]

Love for you to do a video of you oiling the VR80

[@mleeber]

I will put it on the list, shouldnt take too long. Thank you!

[@edrife]

@@mleeber Thanks Mark

[@leslieguerra4598]

Any update on the video how you oiled the gun and and which oil use for the gun?

[@leslieguerra4598]

@mleeber Hello I’m having problems with my VR 80 cycling and ejecting shells any update of a video how to clean and make not jam or can I just send you the gun?

[@tyronesmith3835]

@@leslieguerra4598 o.o

[@bpalez]

Mark, Question, What gas ring would you use after the VR 80 is broke in for 1600 velocity Rifle Slugs. Also I recently replace the Stock with the Battltlelink Utility stock from advanced Tactical, but used the stock buffer tube and stock spring. I noticed after about 2 magazines the gun would not fire, even though there was a shell in the chamber. I was using Winchester rifle slugs, 1600 velocity. Any suggestions or ideas?

[@mleeber]

On the gas piston, if you are consistently using 1400-1600 FPS rounds I would try the Heavy piston and see if it cycles dependably. If it does it will save your shoulder and there will be less peening of the internal parts. As for the not firing, first thing is to check the barrel and make sure it is all the way in the receiver. There is a set screw that has been known to come loose and allow the barrel to move forward thus the firing pin doen nto impact the primer. Check that first. If that is not it I have heard of firing pins and hammers breaking but have never had it happen to me. If the hammer breaks you will know it because there is no trigger reset. Firing pin is a different story. Is there any kind of dimple in the primer? If not it may be the firing pin. In some of my early trigger jobs I would modify the hammer and use JP AR15 reduced spring sets but found that after about 500 rounds the springs gave up. I beleive that the tempering process what wrong or missed altogether but JP denies any problem. There may be a problem with your hammer spring. Dry fire the gun and you should be able to feel the force of the hammer strike through the gun. if it feels weak or soft you may have some incorrectly treated springs. I would contact RIA for both bad springs and broken parts as they will replace them for free and very quickly, RIA support has been very good.

[@bpalez]

Mark, Thanks for the info. I will take look at all the suggestions you made. Appreciate the suggestions.

[@GunsNGames248]

@@bpalez question is it says heavy piston for 3 inch only. I dont know why no one says anything about that when they suggest using the heavy load in 1600 slugs. is it still 2 and 3/4

[@yurka23]

The manual says the break in period is 500 rounds

[@mleeber]

I have never had an issue after 250 rounds.

[@yurka23]

@@mleeber yeah I'm only 200 rounds in and I haven't had any issues with mine

[@bluebeastsrt]

Where do you get 250 rounds at right now? Asking for a friend.

[@vicariousjohnson9823]

Wal Mart

[@cynicsupreme]

What ammo did you use to break it in specifically? Thanks

[@mleeber]

It was something from Winchester but I do not recall the "Sub-brand" however it was 1350 FPS.

[@faz3chicken751]

Break in with wat gas block heavy or light

[@mleeber]

Unless you are always going to shoot heavy Slug loads leave the light piston in it. Here is an updated video: kzbin.info/www/bejne/d4rHo6OkgNmLZtU

[@henryramirez5627]

Did you have to replace the oem buffer tube for that stock or is it still the factory one ?

[@mleeber]

No, that is the factory buffer tube and spring. I recommend that VR80 owners break in the gun with the factory springs, trigger group and without modifying the gas ports. I do change the non-operational parts like the stock (factory buffer tube is “commercial” size) and grip and then I just oil the bolt, bolt rails and gas system and break it in; after that if you want to tweak the gun with fancy springs, buffers and triggers you do so from a working baseline. This will be very important if you experience issues after doing upgrades. Frankly some of the upgrades are “too much Kool-Aid for a nickel.”

[@henryramirez5627]

mleeber thanks for the reply, took mine out to the desert a few weeks ago for the first time, fires 200 shells and not one problem. Only complain was the factory stock/grip just didn’t feel right. But I ordered the parts you mentioned in the video just now. Thanks again!

[@MegaDragon33]

any light primer strikes?

[@mleeber]

Never. Lights off every time.

[@lucasenjat9592]

Howuody , I really interested with your vr 80 shot gun. I m a malaysian, ( borneo man) I am a hunter. But I don't know how to order your Good.

[@mleeber]

Sorry, I cannot ship outside the US. I suggest you contact Armscor directly.

[@ozarkslifeoverland2283]

Should the gas system be ran wet or dry? Thanks.

[@mleeber]

Hi Shannon! I put a good coat of oil on the piston and lube the barrel above the piston and below it. Lock the bolt to the rear and pull the piston out of the collar to lube above it and then push it back in the collar to lube below it. In cold weather or cold climates make sure it is a very light viscosity oil. In more temperate climates I like Mobil1 5w30. The oil will help the piston work and prevent carbon buildup making it much easier to clean. The excess oil is burned off in 10-15 rounds but even after 400 rounds the carbon wipes right off the piston. Also the channel that the bolt carrier rides in are very easy to lubricate on this gun so while the bolt is locked back lube ahead of the carrier slides in the channel and then once you let the bolt forward lube the rear of the channel. I also lube the hood of the chamber where the bolt locks up. It is not unusual for me to get some oil splatter on my shooting glasses the first couple rounds after I lube the gun.

[@DeathsInverse]

Awesome, good to know that there's hope!

[@jaysongiroux9156]

@@mleeber p

[@valentinejules8672]

Ask for an I'd mark I need you here

[@borri68]

It took about $500 in premium ammo to break in a $700 shotgun. ROFL!!!

[@mleeber]

It has never taken me more than about 100 rounds and I stocked up on 1325s before the latest round of silliness but yes, if you are using 3" shells, buckshot or slugs it can get expensive! Hit your local walmart every once in a while and see if they have the Winchester 1325 steel shot, works well and is cheap.

[@SkyBrigidRain]

Yep, that guy's channel name is "Montana Johns outdoor adventures". If you wanted to check him out. He does NOT seem legit though so I'd avoid following any advice from him.

[@SkyBrigidRain]

I just got the VR60 and I'm doing the same. I just hit 201 rounds with it. Seems to be loosening it up a bit. Still gets stove pipes and failure to load as well as failure to fire. I'm gonna clean it and spray it down real good with Rem oil before firing it again. Also, there's this questionable guy on youtube that's charging $20 to show people how to "Fix your VR60" and make it work right out of the box without a break in. He says he's a gunsmith but I think he's just taking advantage of all the brand new gun owners for a quick buck. He doesn't show what he does because he's charging for the info, but he mentioned filing parts so I think his advice might be harmful to the gun in the long run. I'm sticking to RIA's break in instructions!!! Which he laughed at by the way.