Couple of Benelli M4 Pre-Buy Questions

General Firearms Shotguns
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Thinking of taking the plunge, but would like a better handle on a couple of points before shelling out the hi-dollar.

(1) Reliability with Wally loads? (For 3-gun; I would be loading 00 for HD).

(2) Severity of recoil with full-load 00 or slugs (compared to Rem. 1100 or 11-87, what I’m most used to)?

(3) Best after-market mag extension?

Thanks for any feedback.

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  1. Mine has been very reliable with all ammo ran through it, including cheap Wally world ammo(roughly 1200 rounds- not a lot but no hiccups at all)
  2. Recoil, in my opinion, is mitigated very well. I’ve shot mostly federals(full and reduced recoil loads) of all kinds(buck, slugs, etc) and it is very manageable in my opinion. I find it very easy to stay on target during rapid fire. I shot for nearly 2 straight hours with a buddy of mine using the m4-something that I would not want to do with any other shotgun.
  3. I haven’t put a full length mag tube on mine yet so I can’t comment.
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I have one and i love it. it has the mag extension and large bolt upgrade. only two boxes threw it so far. but i do like it alot.

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My first and probably last shotgun I’ll need. I picked her up right after new years and I now know the benelli difference.

I ran into some feeding/extracting issues for the first 50rds or so (wal-mart winchester birdshot) and I understand this happens until its gas system warms up. Since then birds, bucks, slugs, whatever - the m4 has been absolutlely flawless.

I have no shooting experience with the 1100 or 11-87 but for me, #00 on the m4 is more than mangeable (I’ve only used full loads). Slugs however, still hurt.

I’ve got a FL tube on mine (carriercomp) so I cant comment on an extension.

Do it…just do it. :cool:

5

I like mine a lot. It runs everything I have tried to run in it, from 1145fps target loads to slugs. Accuracy with slugs is “ragged hole” off a bench at 25 yards, and kneeling all in your palm at 50. Buckshot patterns very well. I have an M1014, which differs slightly from the M4S90, but I have owned those two, and they perform similarly.



Here is why I got the M1014: No choke tubes to mess with. Fixed MOD choke. Patterns beautifully with 00 and shoots slugs very well! Once I get the dope, I can hit a 14"x14" gong at 200 yards standing about 20% of the time with cheap Remington fosters, and most of the misses are my fault standing/aiming so high the FSP blocks the target, lol.

Sadly, the M1014 is once again commanding serious prices. I paid through the nose for a completely NIB/un-fired sample that I was lucky to find!
Carrier Comp Ti magazine tube/spring/follower package
Carrier Comp Black Ti/A2 charging handle
Custom bolt release
Geissele hammer
Meprolite night sights
I kept mine “KISS” and didn’t add a lot of weight. I like it this way. Have owned many configurations, from fully decked out, to this, and this is how it will stay. Here is my previous, an M4S90:

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Enlarged Safety - Dave’s Metal Works
Tactical Bolt Release Pad - GGG
Ti Charging Handle - Carriercomp
Ti FL Mag Tube (922r) - Carriercomp
Geissele Hammer (922r) - Carriercomp
Wolf Springs + US Made Follower (922r) [freebies] - Carriercomp
US Made Forend (922r) - Freedom Fighter Tactical
Velcro Side Saddle - 3Gunners
Factory Collapsible Stock
Vickers Combat Sling - Blue Force Gear
BLAM 4 Front Sling Attachment/Light Mount
Mepro Night Sights
X300

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For a magazine “extension” you have two major routes to go. The first is truly an extension, the second is replacing the entire OEM tube. The latter is by far the cleaner and more elegant approach but it does require some heat (heat gun recommended) to break the factory loctite bond. It is a fairly easy DIY job if you use a heat gun.

For the full tube replacement there are a few options:

  1. Carriercomp (titanium only)
  2. Freedom Fighter Tactical (steel (chromoly?) and titanium options)
  3. Dave’s Metal Works (chromoly (steel) only)

Most “Benelli heads” prefer Carriercomp and I run one myself. It is the least expensive of the full Ti tubes. It is extremely light and ligther than the shorter factory steel tube. Its color matches the shotgun well. Be prepared for a wait to get one though…

8

Thanks for the replies and pics everybody.

I found that the Remington Versa Max tactical appears to be basically a Benelli M4 clone, but at substantially less $$$ (and made-n-'Mercuh), so I’m now looking at it too.

https://www.calguns.net/calgunforum/showthread.php?t=579392
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What benefit does the Versa Max offer? Looks more geared toward 3gun with the 22" threaded barrel. An 18" cylinder or ic bore is all I would want or need.

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Yeah, it has been criticized for the barrel length, which I agree with. A lot of people are hoping they will come out with something shorter, which I am now too.

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1)Wally world loads run just fine in my M4S90 as does my M1S90,flawless.

2)Recoil is a little less,but you still know you got thumped. Its not going to feel like a 1 1/8 trap load.

3)Don’t know,still running my gun stock.

With Winchester or Remington no-frills Foster slug loads head shot accuracy at 50 yards with a Mod choke tube.

The choke tubes help with standard 00 loads but can’t hold a candle to Federals Flite-Control loads.

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  1. M4 will work best with loads >3 dram. The federal birdshot boxes of 25 at walmart at 3.25 dram and work great, and are cheap

  2. Recoli is very low compared to most other shotguns

  3. By far the carriercomp titanium tube is the best. Makes it a 9-shot shotgun (7+1+1 as you can ghost load an M4)