StrangerDanger

Those Progressive Machine carriers do look nice. I like the shell retainer much better. Good call on dropping the weight.

I found I could load faster from the belt with a California Competition speed loader than from a side saddle. Plus I didn't have the weight penalty on the weapon from the shells and the carrier itself. Consider this, 8 shells adds a pound of weight to your weapon. The carrier itself adds another half pound or so. What at I always recommend people do is strip the weapon of all accessories and run a few courses in a lightweight profile. See if your times improve.

What is the desired goal for the M4? A shotgun is meant to be fast, quick to point at moving close range targets. This is why a lot of three gunners to with the M2 over the M4. It's quicker to engage targets. To to post pictures, I found it best to host them on photobucket. It'll let then you copy the url with the image brackets already around the address. [ img ] url here [ / img ]

Carriercomp was going to produce a bayonet for the M4 with a Sog blade a few years back. Sadly the plan fell through. BW, you need a masterkey mounted below the m4 -- just to be sure.

A knife is a lot more effective in your hand than attached to a pistol. Leverage would work against you and there is no option for a preferred reverse grip. Novelty at best. Not a fan of laserlyte as a company either. They some some real Mickey Mouse crap. Remember those rear sights that had a laser in them?

Is the user using the universal or the picatinny rail adapter plate?

The handguards are surprisingly easy to modify even with hand tools. It always looks like crap at first, but it is easy to conceal your mistakes. If the wire is long enough on that SR07 switch, I'd cut the forearm so just the tape switch and the constant on switch protruded through the handguard. I'd then epoxy the switch to the inside of the handguard. I'd use the epoxy to back fill around the cut open areas. I'd then send the assembly to a Cerakote company and have them paint both handguards Graphite Black.

Has anyone test fit a X400 to the picatinny rail to make sure it has clearance? What I would do is mount the X400 Ultra on the right side of the weapon, then get the Surefire XT07 tail cap. Then get rid of the SR-07 switch since you don't have a pictatinny rail to attach to, and get a ST-XX switch. You can get different lengths depending on what you think you'd need. I'd buy a set of FFT handguards, cut a notch in the right side handguard to route the wire inside. Then cut a notch into the right side handguard for the pressure switch to lay flush. I'd consider modifying the Surefire X400 Ultra so that the selector switch was bobbed off. That switch gets hit easily. During firearms training courses, my X400 would sometimes get knocked to either light only or laser only upon holster presentation. I wasn't real happy about it, and ended up just moving to a X300 Ultra. This overall would be a pretty ideal setup. Having the light on the right side is ideal for a right handed person. You'd have momentary control over the output, and you wouldn't have the issue of running your thumb against a switch and risk jamming it during recoil. I've modified handguards in the past and would be glad to assist in any way I could help.

Cool project! I wasn't aware those mounts existed. Hope you're doing the cuts with a mill. It would be really difficult to maintain a level cut with files and even a sanding block. It is doable though. You'd have to build a miter box of sorts that prevented you from filing/sanding below a set point. You'd need two hardened parallels in the vice clamped to the left and right side with the work surface facing upward. You'd have to make absolutely certain that the work piece was perfectly aligned with the parallels. If you find that your face is too close to the QD socket or the sling is bunching up in your face, you could install it so that the QD socket is over the receiver instead.

Disheartened by the options available, I made my own light mounting solution and QD connector. Finally leading up to the final platform solution. The Ava Mount does away with all the BS. Eliminated the need for custom work, heavy rail system and uncomfortable handguards. It provides a much more solid mounting point. I don't have any concerns about whacking the weapon and breaking anything. For a price point, the AVA Tactical mount was much much cheaper than anything I ever spent my money on.

Finally convinced myself to dump the SideArmor and went with the Surefire M80. Weight was improved, but ergonomics suffered. I found the SideArmor limited my hand placement on the OEM handguards as well. I tried to make the BLAM4 work. This lasted for about a day before I realized what an epic fail it was.

SideArmor Rail with a fixed pistol grip stock. At this point I just tied my rear QD socket to the rear shell carrier. SideArmor Rail with the collapsible stock.

Old Mesa Tactical Mount that I lowered into the pistol grip core. PITA and still sucked. Old school SideArmor mount from around 2005. Note the rearward facing QD socket. The rail itself was actually pretty nice.

Wishing I was shooting that crappy ******* printer.

Note how you have to step into the sling.

The Wilson QD Mount looks good for a rail attachment point. It would work well on a legacy rail system. It certainly helps address the receiver roll encountered by stacking mounts on top of wide bodied rail systems. I'll post some past pictures of other M4 designs I have had in the past to help you decide what route to go. I've had two versions of the SideArmor. The Surefire M80 multiple times. Custom mounting solutions and now the AVA Tactical. I've had the Mesa Tactical rear mounts in the past as well. I use a Vickers PB Padded Sling for my M4. It's comfortable during long desert/mountain hiking. The Mesa Collapsible stock mount is terrible. Even when I modified the grip core and made it a low mount socket, it still caused a lot of receiver roll. It would also gouge you in the back when carrying the weapon slung behind your back. There were no limited rotation stops either, so it would tangle easily. It was essentially the only option available for the collapsible stock until I found the IWC mount and took the chance of mounting it. Mounting it on the right side does away with the negative aspects of a tail mounted sling point. Mainly the restrictions most users face when shooting the weapon when slung. If the sling was mounted to the left side, it would bunch the sling up between your chest and prevent you from pulling the stock into the pocket of your shoulder effectively. Movement would also be heavily restricted. The weapon has a tendency to feel like it is rolling away from your body as well. The Vickers PD Padded sling has an adjustment tab that is easy to use. I set it so that when I tighten the tab, I can restrict any movement of the weapon. This is perfect for when you're utility carrying the weapon behind your back. The weapon doesn't try to swing around your body and end up in front of you. The taught sling keeps it where you put it. It would be hard for the weapon to swing in front of you if you're carrying a strong side holster. The shotgun is held behind you by the holster. This is awesome if you're hiking or rock scrambling. You can also carry the weapon in front of you with the sling taught. This will pull the weapon against your chest and severely limit movement. You would not be able to shoulder the weapon until you released the slack by simply pulling the adjustment tab. Receiver roll is not your friend. It will make carrying any weapon a miserable situation. I always HATED the way the M4 was slung. I guess it doesn't really matter if you just go stand at a square range. You'd probably be better off with no sling at all in this kind of situation. I tried various slings in the past, from the 3 point tangled knot systems to things like the Magpul MS3 which was a pendulum of pain. Keeping the weapon as light as possible with a quality padded adjustable 2 point sling is what I finally settled on. Front QD sling mount options just recently matured. The rail mounted options just aren't very good in my opinion. I tried GearSector and the Daniel Defense QD mounts with limited rotation stops present. The mounts were fine, but the receiver roll was difficult to control. It always felt like the pistol grip was digging into my back as a result. When I finally gave the middle finger to the Surefire M80 rail, I had to come up with a new mounting solution for the QD mount. I installed a IWC QD socket into a FFT handguard I purchased. The solution worked reasonably well, but I did not trust a plastic mount. I feel a solid hit would pull the handguard out of position. So I Macgyvered the BLAM4 mount into something useful for the first time in it's existence. I drilled a half inch hole thru the steel bracket to mount an IWC QD Mount with limited rotation stops. I then cut off the excess amount of the bracket and the legacy sling loop on the opposite side. I back filled the holes with either JB Weld or epoxy. I deburred the entire piece with a file then had the unit Cerakoted Black (besides the actual IWC mount.) This mount works extremely well. The only reason I removed it is due to the existence of the AVA Tactical mount. Look Ma', no hands. As close to a selfie as I'm getting. Note how the QD mount is attached to the right hand side of the stock. This helps a lot to control receiver roll. I've begun incorporating a similar carry method across the board for my rifle platforms with excellent results.

The IWC MOE mount would probably fit thru the OEM front sling mount with minimal effort. However, the position of the QD mount may be awkward or cause the weapon to hang away from your body. The only way to know for certain is to try it though. I've found that the further away from the center line of the weapon a sling mount mounts, the more it will feel like the weapon is hanging away from your body. Of all the front sling mounts, the AVA Tactical mount is the most secure. I've dislodged my standard sling mount before when doing stupid stuff out while hiking thru the bush. Damn snap ring came of and dropped the weapon. The AVA Tactical mount is literally bolted in four points to the barrel assembly. The failure of the snap ring was most likely my fault, but it was still problem you'd hate to run into in the field. The ring didn't completely fall off, since it was still held captive by the magazine tube.

I'm selling the modified blam4 with the IWC QD mount on gunbroker. I no longer need it since I am using the Ava Tactical mount. Mine is chopped, filled, drilled and Cerakoted black. I'd strongly urge going the Ava Tactical route. I've had the SideArmor rail before. It makes the weapon a pig. You can make one of these if you want, but the blam4 is like 50 bucks and the IWC mount is another 20 or so. Refinishing is extra.

I'm not sure about the GG&G unit. Numrich arms shows the part in stock: https://www.gunpartscorp.com/Products/740770A.htm I'm pretty sure this is the proper part.

Looking for this part? http://www.brownells.com/shotgun-parts/stock-forend-parts/forend-hardware/forend-cap-parts/sling-ring-m1-magazine-cap-sku301000125-6275-15400.aspx

Crap. Just looked them up. That would be better than the NSR since the 13" system comes in at 7.7 ounces with the barrel nut. That's about a four ounce savings over the NSR.

Not to derail too much, but the main rifle will be: Magnesium Lower Magnesium Upper Noveske NSR 13.5" Rail Noveske Black rail covers PWS 416 Receiver Extension JP Silent Buffer JP M16 Full weight BCG upgraded with a POF Rollercam/Gas Key Raptor Ambidextrous charging handle Spikes Tactical Lightweight profile barrel, 14.5", I'll have ADCO pin the flash suppressor in place. Vortex Flash Suppressor Aimpoint T1 2moa on a LaRue absolute co-witness Mount Surefire X300 Ultra on a Mossie Tactic 12 o'clock mount Troy Industries BUIS Geissele 3D3G Trigger Battle Arms Development CASS ST Battle Arms Development Take Down Pins Norgon ambidextrous magazine release Seekins Bolt Release Umbrella Corp Grip Magpul CTR Milspec Stock Magpul MS4 Sling The 22lr trainer will be identical except it will have a Taccom 22lr bolt carrier, and probably a Spikes Tactical 22lr barrel. I'm hoping to be in the 5.5 - 6 pounds loaded range for each.

I've never messed with a M1, but I believe the trigger packs are similiar to the M4. I wrote up a full guide on doing the install for a M4 here: http://forums.benelliusa.com/showthread.php/32332-Benelli-M4-Complete-Trigger-Group-Assembly-Guide?highlight=trigger+disassembly