Recently bought a new Benelli M4, with plans to SBS it, with a factory 14 inch barrel. It would join the other 14 inch 870’s we use in Alaska for bear protection.
Out of the box, it wouldn’t run low brass bird shot or Remington 8 pellet OO Buck. I lubed it, tried again, and it still wouldn’t run either load reliably. While I primarily plan to use it with Brenneke slugs, I don’t view my initial experience as positive.
Is this normal for a new M4, or should it be going back to the manufacturer?
Also, I bought a factory collapsible stock, and the cheek weld is unusable with the aperture sights in the middle position (about 12.5 LOP) which works best for me, although OK at full extension. Since the stock that came with the M4 was way too long, I assume Mesa Tactical is the alternative.
Are you trying to run reduced recoil buck? Mine was finicky right out of the box but after running a few boxes of full power buck and slug through it I have had no other problems. I chalked it up to the gun being new and the system just needing to run for a bit. Give some full power loads a try.
As far as stocks go, I am a big fan of the Mesa Tactical Urbino stocks. I recommend that you get a GG&G sling mount and install it when you put the stock on.
You’ll have to run hot loads out of the gun for the first 1000 rounds at least. But it’s not a pump so you’ll have some issues at first when it comes to bird shot till the thing loosens up.
Thanks for the replies. I assume that the heavy loads will be breaking in components in the receiver, versus the barrel/gas system, and I won’t need another break in when I mount the 14 inch barrel?
Mine doesn’t run types of birdshot either. I use the red boxed Winchester value packs at Walmart, but the blue federal value pack stuff won’t cycle. I have only kind two brands my gun hates. Eats everything else though.
It still shoots the bad stuff, just hangs up during the ejection at times. I use it for malfunction practice. Not all for loss.
Mine would run slug, 00 and birdshot in regular and magnum right out of the box. However when i tried to use low recoil or less than lethal rounds it would fire the chambered round but not load the next one from the tube. It currently has somewhere around 500 rounds through it.
I’m suppose to be picking up an M4 in a couple of weeks. Now I am beginning to doubt my decision and just go with a cheaper gun, like the Mossberg 930 SPX tactical or even a FN SLP.
ive had my 1014 for about three years now.
i just picked up an old law enforcement 870 to see what i was missing. i can now appreciate both platforms. however when on the firing line next to other shooters on a rolling thunder drill, i just love how much faster i can run my 1014 than most of the pumps in class.
Mine runs everything including low brass loads right out of the box. Have not shot any less than lethal loads tho since I am not LE and have no use for them.
Mine will run cheap wally world 100 pack stuff,both Fed and Win.Will alos run S&B OO 2-3/4 but my 11-87 will not cycle it.My older M1S90 will also run the cheap wally stuff to.My gun is stock and I do not hang crap all over it…
Only problems I’ve ever had with my Benelli M4 are when I ran it during a thunderstorm and when shooting Winchester’s low-recoil 00 buck. I wouldn’t trade mine for any other semi.
