StrangerDanger

Let me see if I can clear this up. Generally, the Benelli's hammer should remain cocked at all times. Even during reassembly, your life is a lot easier when you reinstall the trigger assembly with the hammer already cocked. You should avoid the situation where the bolt is forward in battery with hammer decocked. What the armorers advocate is you should not try to pull the bolt to the rear with the safety on while the hammer is forward. When the safety is engaged, the trigger is prevented from moving enough to release the hammer sear. So if you pull the bolt handle to the rear, the hammer will be forced hard enough the face of the disconnector. The trigger will be fixed in position and will not allow for any mechanical give. When the safety is disengaged, the actual trigger will move as well as the disconnector. I personally feel this is a poor design kind of like how you can't put a decocked AR15 on safe. The issue is exasperated by the use of the Geissele hammer. I've found myself in situations with the M4 was hammer down and a live round in the chamber due to a malfunction. Now if I re-engaged the safety, and tried to pull the bolt to the rear to clear the stoppage, I'd encounter the issue the armorers advocate against. Now, if I cleared it while it was not on safe, I wouldn't experience any issue. I'd recommend everyone play with the trigger group out of the M4 and see how it responds to these different scenarios. I find the design of the trigger group to be rather antiquated and lacking in many areas.

The FFT is good quality, but the Geissele is heat treated better. It shows less signage of deformation from use. Open this in it's own window and it'll be more detailed. Deformation of the FFT hammer is similar to the OEM hammer. The sear contact point of the Geissele hammer is more refined and has a larger surface area relative to the FFT and OEM hammers.

Locktite isn't required for the installation of the magazine tube. The magazine cap will prevent the magazine tube from ever loosening on you. I find it is beneficial to be able to tear the weapon down and remove the magazine tube for deeper cleanings. If you do want to use Locktite, 243 is the preferred fastener. It is also recommended that you use Locktite Primer prior to applying the threadlocker. This will promote a better bond that will help adhere to two dissimilar metals.

Good job on the install. I would recommend replacing the trigger spring if you deformed it. They're cheap and can be had at Brownells. I would stick with the Geissele hammer. Another member who has been thru the Benelli Armorer course indicated that Benelli advised against cocking the hammer when the safety is on. Supposedly it strains the trigger bushing. I would recommend adding the FFT trigger and disconnector. You'll have the best of both worlds -- longevity in the hammer and a light creep-less trigger pull. You'll have no issues with the magazine tube coming out on its own. The magazine cap actually keeps the magazine tube from unscrewing. I never even bothered to put locktite on my magazine tube since I like to pull the tube out for periodic deep cleanings.

I also have a few Benelli M4 3 position receiver extensions left. I will not be building any more once the few I have left are sold out. So if you want to make your collapsible stock functional on your 11703 or m1014, here is your chance. http://www.gunbroker.com/Auction/ViewItem.aspx?Item=389924463

Ladies and Gentlemen, I am selling a few items from my inventory to fund the down payment on a ranch I have my eye on. So I'm selling the following items thru Gunbroker: M4 M1014 Collapsible Stock, LNIB ---SOLD--- M4 Complete Trigger Group Assembly with a Freedom Fighter Tactical 922® compliant hammer installed. The hammer and breech latch have rounds on them, but the other parts are brand new. --- SOLD ---

I'd recommend trying out Brownells 100% satisfaction guarantee and return it.

Winning

IWC Rear QD Sling Mount This mount is made for a MOE stock, but fits perfectly for the Benelli M4's collapsible stock. AVA Tactical Light mount and QD Sling Mount I use a Blue Force Gear VCAS padded 2 point sling with sewn in QD connectors. It's simple, easy to use and adjustible. You can cinch the sling tight so it holds tight to your body, or let a bunch of slack out so you can shoot while it is still slung. After years of trying different slings and attachment methods, I'm finally happy with it.

Bubba strikes again. Looks like a OEM 2 position tube. Note how there isn't the middle collapsible position or the secondary witness line. You can see where they machined positions 2 and 3 since the stainless receiver extension wasn't refinished. Honestly, I can't see how it actually would function. They didn't machine the corresponding notch that indexes with the vertical pin that is next to the adjustment button on the collapsible stock. The only way it would appear to work is if the jackasses took that pin out and allowed it to be held in position by the adjustment button.

The barrel alignment mark is fine. Most m4's look just like that including mine. The issue is the NP3 finish. It adds to the diameter of the pistons. The piston should have been polished by the assembler to fit properly. Tap the piston out with a hammer. You could make Benelli repair it, but I'd just get some 2000 grit sand paper and put the piston in a drill chuck. Spin it while holding the sand paper. Polish until it fits freely. The locktite you describe was likely from when the weapon was reassembled after the coating process was completed by Robar.

Glad to hear it worked out well for you.

When you press the shell release button, a shell ejects from the magazine tube onto the elevator. You then pull the charging handle to the rear to chamber a round. The bolt should not be locking back. What you are experiencing is the bolt carrier hanging up on the hammer or the breech latch. I've noticed this effect if the weapon is dirty or under lubricated. Also if you're babying the bolt carrier, it will stick. The bolt carrier rails should be sloppy wet. Lubricate the crap out of the area the hammer rides against the bottom of the bolt carrier. Lube the crap out of the receiver extension too. *Another remote option is deformation of the bolt carrier due to battering from the pistons. This event is limited mainly to the 11703 models with the 4 port barrels. These deformed bolt carriers would bind in the receiver when being pulled to the rear. A quick visual check of the bolt carrier where the pistons contact the carrier will let you know if it is the issue or not.

Yep! Damn ants stripped the lube off of the weapons. They left nothing but what appeared to be small whitish granules behind. I noted a b line of ants heading to the safe downstairs. Upon opening it up, the little pricks were all over the weapons feasting on Frog jizz. What's weird is they never messed with the open container of Frog lube sitting on the table. I don't know if they couldn't figure out how to get on the table or what.

A lot of lubricant that thickens in extreme cold weather (think below 32 degrees) might start performing sluggishly. Brownells has factory parts listed here: http://www.brownells.com/schematics/Benelli-U-S-A-/M4-sid916.aspx Hoppes #9 certainly won't hurt anything. I've soaked parts in it for days without issues. I have mixed feelings about Frog Lube. Under ideal circumstances it works well. However, I had issues with the lubricant. Freaking ants came in and got in my safe to eat the lube off of the weapons. It seems to perform well when everything is warm. Make sure that there isn't built up Frog Lube inside the bolt carrier which may be limiting the movement of the firing pin. If the problems persist with the new lubricant, it might be time send the weapon back to Benelli for them to resolve the problems.

Hey, How many rounds do you have on your weapon? Lubricant choices can be effected by temperature. How cold of a climate are you operating in? It is okay to lubricate the rest of the trigger group lightly. Excess lubricant will simply make a mess and attract fowling. It should still function normally though. Take the trigger group out of the weapon and manipulate the moving parts by hand. Feel for gritty movements or if the parts bind at all. If it feels gritty, you can try blasting the parts out with a solvent like Breakfree. You'll need to lubricate the parts afterwards. I personally prefer disassembly of the trigger group when doing detailed cleaning or problem solving. I like to have spare pins and springs on hand so that I can compare the springs with a new unit. I've found several springs to have been compressed shorter than a new one when it is in it's rest state. You shouldn't have these issues until you pass 5000 rounds. Any grease will work fine for the sear contact points. They shouldn't be causing the failure you describe. I'd try a new lubricant that is meant for cold weather environments. I can't really give a recommendation since I live in Arizona and it's 50 degrees right now in the middle of winter. Are you certain that the bolt is fully seating? Any markings on the unfired round's primer that the hammer dropped on?

What was the reasoning for mounting the pistol to the rifle?

Is it? I've never seen it written down anywhere. The safety fixes the trigger in position, so the hammer pivots back the disconnector is hit a little harder. I can't see it doing much or any damage when cycling by hand. This image shows the primary sear contact point between the hammers available. Visually, you can see the Geissele has the most contact area. I trust their surface hardening more than even the OEM.

Looks good. What method did you use to cut the plastic grip core?

The Geissele hammer shows less sign of deformation from use than the FFT hammer. Having said that, I have not experienced or know of anyone who has had an issue with the FFT hammer failing. The FFT trigger and disconnector are good 922® upgrades. You'll also get a nice reduced trigger pull from the upgrade. The only issue I've encountered with the Geissele hammer is the hammer is really difficult to cock when the safety is on and the hammer is lowered. The factory and FFT hammer do not experience this issue.

Many women do not have the physical strength to manipulate a semi automatic handgun. If you can't rack the slide, you shouldn't be carrying that weapon. Semi automatics are limp wrist sensitive where a revolver isn't influenced by this at all. BW: Did you do anything to the bottom of the picatinny rail to match the curvature of the receiver?

BW: How'd you make that shortie top rail? Just saw one off to where you needed it? Did you install cap screws over the unused mounting points? The only thing I'd change on that 14" is the rear sling mount. I'd use the IWC MOE mount on the right side of the collapsible stock. I'd also go with a low profile Aimpoint mount. I tried this arrangement, but felt like I was chicken winging it. I really like the padded Blue Force Gear VCAS with QD ends sewn in. If 2moa is too small, there is a 4moa option available. The T1 I have on my M4 is a 4moa. I'd rather have the 2moa for longer range slug shots though. It's just not worth the price point to "upgrade." I'd probably get the LaRue mount that doesn't have the throw lever either. There is a slight weight reduction, but mainly it is less of a snag hazard. Fully loaded, mines about 9 - 9.5 pounds (accuracy of my bathroom scale.)

Have you looked at the weight savings from going from the Trijicon RX30-23 reflex sight to an Aimpoint T1 2moa dot optic on a LaRue low mount? This package would save you nearly half a pound of weight, and shift the weight profile further to the rear. You could then go to an AVA Tactical light mount solution and sell off the heavy SideArmor rail. If you wanted the shell carrier option, you could use a 3Gun Gear velcro system that adds virtually no weight when not used. It also crushes flat when no shells are present. The velcro pieces are called cards, so you can have multiple cards that you can strip on and off of the velcro receiver piece for lighting fast reloads. I'd recommend the collapsible stock so you could ride it in the middle position. This puts your cheek weld at the perfect height for a low profile optic such as the Aimpoint T1. I'd recommend installing a true spec picatinny top rail. Freedom Fighter Tactical makes a nice unit since carriercomp's are unavailable. If you're not dead set on having the carriercomp tube, get the Freedom Fighter Tactical titanium tube. The weight profile is virtually the same. You'll see a weight savings of about 5 ounces, but much of this will be negated by the weight of the two additional shells it will carry.

Lol. You must have one **** of a shop. A stomp's a rare sight to be seen.

You certain it isn't an ammunition issue? I'd tear down the receiver extension and clean it out. A new spring would be a good idea too.