Leaderboard

The traditional M4 weighs in at 7.8 pounds unloaded. This new model with its rail and different stock weigh in at 8.4 lbs. Considering most of the new stock is polymer, my guess is most of the gain lives in that rail. I'd assume this rail is either 6065 or 7075 aluminum. So its a bit of a chonker. Looking at the rail closer, I don't think those are MLOK/Keymod sockets. It appears to have threaded holes for attaching Picatinny rail sections. In two years, I'll be at 20 years on this platform. I've been riding the struggle bus chasing a proper rail system all that time for the sole purpose of mounting a weapon light in an efficient manner. Nothing beats the ergonomics of the OEM polymer handguards, extra points if they're stippled professionally. Every rail system out there for the Benelli M4 has been poorly designed. Poor installation systems that require the use of tools to service the firearm. Terrible ergonomics where you're holding onto a Pringles can. Stupidly positioned Picatinny/MLOK/Keymod rail positions that have little to no thought process on why they are there. Failure inducing designs where the rail makes contact with the gas pistons. All add substantial weight to the firearm. All rail systems abandon the enclosed ARGO piston design that keeps debris out and gases trapped inside. This is why the IWC weapon light mount is so popular for the M4. It gets you a serviceable light mounting solution without ruining the firearm with stupid crap. Unfortunately the mounting solution isn't perfect either on 18.5" M4's. Most of these rail systems require that you remove all of your accessories from the rail in order to slide the thing off of the barrel assembly. So after you've locked all your screws in with thread locker to keep them from being shaken loose, you get to do it over and over again for general maintenance of the ARGO system.