StrangerDanger

I received my package today as well. Just finished the install and took some technical data. G = Grams. Factory Trigger: 24.31g Factory Disconnector: 3.59g Factory Hammer: 13.87g FFT Trigger: 23.89g FFT Disconnector: 3.49g FFT Hammer: 14.06g Carriercomp/Geissele Hammer: 14.30g I tested the FFT Trigger and Disconnector with the Carriercomp/Geissele Hammer. No issues were encountered. I did feel that the FFT hammer offered a smoother trigger break than the carriercomp/Geissele unit. I attribute this to the surface coating on the FFT parts. Dimensionally, the parts are the same for the most part when comparing them side by side. The FFT parts along with the Carriercomp/Geissele Hammer have better overall machining and polished edges. While the Carriercomp/Geissele Hammer appears to be polished better, I believe this is simply because FFT coated their parts with a nickel type finish. The trigger itself is NP3 coated. So expect your trigger to have a dull grey appearance after the install. The installation instructions are thorough, although I would recommend they give a schematic picture with the kit for reference. Or Perhaps a few photos for reference. The install took me about 45 minutes. I was taking my time and had the help of a three year old. I took the time to clean out the trigger pack after 13k rounds. The Trigger Decock the hammer. Don't allow the hammer to slam against the trigger housing. Control its decent with your thumb as you pull the trigger. Tapping out the trigger pin (Part #20) is pretty easy. There doesn't seem to be much resistance. Once the pin is removed, the punch acts as a slave pin that holds the trigger assembly in place. Pay attention to part number 23 during the removal of the trigger pin. This is the shell release lever spring. You don't want to pinch the spring and bend it with your punch. I used a punch that was one size smaller than the OD of the pin so there was some room around the punch. Use your thumb to relieve the spring tension from the trigger, and retain the trigger pack in the trigger housing as you remove the punch. The trigger will rock out of the housing and pull out. Be careful though, there is a spring along the bottom of the trigger (Part #7). Remove the spring from the trigger. This spring simply pulls out. The Disconnector The disconnector is held in place by a small pin (Part #2). Using a small enough punch, relieve spring tension on the disconnector and simply push Part #2 out. If it won't simply push out, you may need a 2 or 4 ounce hammer. Once removed, control the disconnector as it pulls out. The disconnector spring (Part #3) and plunger (Part #4) will simply pull out of the disconnector. Installation of new Disconnector Install the spring and plunger into the FFT disconnector. I recommend putting some thick lubricant on the plunger while you have it out. I use Brian Enos Slide Glide. Test fit the disconnector into the FFT Trigger. Compress the spring and plunger and align the pin hole on the trigger to the pin hole on the disconnector. The pin is very small and difficult to manipulate with your fingers. Once you align the holes properly, you should be able to simply press the pin in with finger tension. Reinstallation of the Trigger Pack I recommend a thick lubricant be applied to the engagement hooks of the disconnector and the trigger at this point. A small amount on the side of the trigger wouldn't hurt. Observe the original factory trigger. Look for wear marks. If it burnished in a specific area, apply a small amount of lubricant. Install the trigger spring (Part #7) into the trigger pack. The spring is simply a press fit. Rock the trigger pack into the trigger group. The trigger fits against a notch in the back of the trigger group housing. Look through the side of the trigger housing and visually align the the holes for the trigger pin. Insert the trigger pin (Part #20) from the left side. The Trigger pack will tap in fairly easily, however do not push the trigger pin all the way in yet. You need to reinstall the shell drop lever spring (Part #23) before inserting the trigger pin all the way into the trigger pack. This job would really benefit to having a second person. I didn't have one. So I held the trigger pack in one hand. My second hand had the hammer to tap the trigger pin (Part #20) from the left side. I then compressed the spring with a small punch. I had the punch guided with my hand that was holding the trigger group, and I had the end of the punch pressed off my chin. As soon as the spring was guided into place, I tapped the trigger pin (Part #20) into place which also retains the shell drop lever spring (Part #23). Removal of the Factory Hammer Make sure the hammer is decocked before beginning. Using a pair of snap ring pliers, remove The Trigger Guard Spring (Part #15). Once removed, press the Trigger Pin Bushing (Part #17) partially out. You do not want to remove this bushing completely. You only want to push it out far enough to remove the hammer. Once out, I recommend pulling out the Hammer Spring (Part #10) and Hammer Spring Cap (Part #11). You will have to shift the Shell Release Lever (Part #18) over to get the engagement hook off of the top of the plunger. A lot of crap builds up inside here since it is impossible to clean out when assembled. Clean everything up and apply a thick lubricant. Reinsert the Hammer Spring (Part #10) and the Hammer Spring Cap (Part #11). Re-engage the hook from the shell release. Apply a thick lubricant to the sides the hammer around the bushing hole. Lubricant should also be applied to the engagement hooks on the hammer and on the face of the hammer that contacts the bolt carrier. Press the Trigger Pin Bushing (Part #17) back into place. Reinstall the Trigger Guard Spring (Part #15) with the snap ring pliers. Make sure the snap ring is fully seated onto the groove. I tap on mine with a hammer and punch lightly to make sure it won't move. Assembly and Testing Reassemble the weapon after making sure all of your lubricant points are coated. Sometimes handling the parts during reassembly can wipe off much of the lubricant you might have placed. Make sure the weapon is empty. Cock the weapon and place the weapon on safe. Pull the trigger several times. Make certain that the hammer does not fall. Remove the weapon from safe. Pull the trigger. Make sure the hammer falls. Do this several times to make certain that it is functioning properly. Now, pull the trigger and hold it to the rear. Cycle the bolt handle to re-cock the weapon. Do not let off on the trigger during this process. This is to test the disconnector to make sure it is functioning. The hammer should not fall until you let off of the trigger and pull it again. Test this several times. This process will spread the lubricant around and begin mating the engagement surfaces. Conclusion The trigger pull is certainly lighter and much more crisp. Some of this may be attributed to being cleaned after 13k rounds and properly lubricated. Installation was easier than I had expected. I also became a little more familiar with the inner workings of the trigger assembly. Such as, I do not believe the shell elevator deactivates the disconnector anymore. It seems the only thing that keeps the disconnector in play is the bolt carrier group pressing the hammer down. Once the bolt carrier group stops riding the hammer, the disconnector is no longer in play. Is the trigger worth the price of admission? If it was simply about getting a better trigger, not really. It's nice, but it's a shotgun. Parts count wise, it is certainly worth it. Three US Made parts for 140 bucks shipped? I'm well over the required number of US Made parts now to use the collapsible stock. I get to use the factory handguards which is always desirable. 1. carriercomp Full length magazine tube 2. Brownells US Made magazine follower 3. FFT Trigger 4. FFT Disconnector 5. FFT Hammer Installation was easier than expected. It would be a nightmare without the right tools though. You NEED to have a pair of snap ring pliers. Assorted punches. Lightweight hammer. I'll try to get a few pictures. Sadly my camera was dead when the new parts arrived.

It shouldn't be an issue. I'll function test the weapon with my Geissele hammer and the FFT trigger and disconnector before I swap hammers.

tactical1, I appreciate the offer, but it isn't needed. I have about 6k of various 12 gauge on hand. My 'range' is free and about five minutes away. A normal range outing will eat up 300 rounds. What it will come down to is if you need the 922 parts. If you just want a lighter trigger, just buy the trigger portion. FFT reportss a 1.5 lbs reduction in trigger pull. So it'll end up around 6 lbs. The disconnector and hammer won't effect the trigger feel. Hopefully the stuff arrives by Wednesday.

There is certainly potential for failure in any trigger pack that is relying on other parts for tolerances to be met/maintained. I'm not certain who the actual manufacturer of the FCG components are. FFT didn't offer a name up, and I did't ask. They did sit on this project for a year doing testing. FFT's claim is that the components are superior in build quality than the OEM parts. When pressed on what that meant in reality, FFT said that they were EDM wire cut, properly hardened, ground and they have a superior finish on each of the final parts. I have a carriercomp hammer on hand as well as the OEM unit. I could visually tell that the carriercomp offering was vastly superior to the OEM unit in build quality. The machining was much more crisp and the hammer hook engages better. If the FCG breaks on anyone, it'll be me. Those 0.20 second shot breaks with high brass rounds are rough on a weapon.

I don't expect to see any more 11724's with gold plated pricing. A better trigger pull is still worth the price to play. If 922 no longer applies, it will put a hurt on the sales though.

Interesting. The receiver is stamped Italy. So either Benelli is producing some state side parts to bring the M4 to 922® compliance, or recent law changes have made it irrelevant.

As usual Benelliwerkes, thanks for the insight and photographs.

I talked to Todd over at FFT about installation. He says the hardest part is the hammer. Having done the hammer previously, I can say that it is pretty easy with the right tools. For the trigger and disconnector, he said you knock one pin out and the trigger will come out. Then there is a small pin that retains the disconnector. He said the springs are pretty easy to deal with. The trigger itself is NP3 coated. The hammer is coated in in something similar to NP3. Each piece was coated with a particular finish to suit the job that it performs. There is no geometry change to the disconnector, so it will not affect the hammer down condition. In order to address that issue, the modifications would likely need to be done to the shell elevator and how it disengages the disconnector upon dropping. The biggest draw will be the reduced trigger pull. I predict carrier cyclic rate will be statistically unchanged, but not hindered in any way. Obviously adding three US Made parts in one shot to the M4 is a wet dream I've had since 2004. Getting to the coveted four US Made parts is now extremely easy. I'll take some comparison shots when my set arrives along with my carriercomp hammer offering. I predict everyone will dog-pile them as soon as a few reviews are out. I have no idea what kind of supply lines FFT maintains in terms of quantities.

http://www.brownells.com/.aspx/pid=0/sid=916/schematicsdetail/M4 Parts 51 - 54 as needed. Try calling Benelli. They might give them up for free.

carriercomp claims 5.5 ounces, which equals 155.992 grams. My guess is they're roughly the same. Right now FFT is at SHOTSHOW, so shipments are delays until the 22nd.

I just sent an email to Todd at FFT and asked if there was any geometry change to help this issue. Having a NP3 coated hammer might speed up the action marginally since the BCG slides back over the hammer in order to recock it. I don't expect to see a night and day difference from such a minor enhancement, but if it shaves a few hundredths of a second off of lock time, I'll be more than happy.

Awesome news. I just ordered the complete trigger package. I'll compare the hammer to carriercomp's and stock.

WMD Guns said they'd coat an M4 with Boron Nickel pretty inexpensively. This would be the ideal route since you could get the Titanium mag tube coated rather than the heavy steel factory tube. Glad to see Benelli taking this step. I'd like to know how they are assembling and selling without violating the 922 BS.

Thanks. I can see it certainly being a benefit to have extra notches. Pulling the recoil extension isn't an easy task. It would need to be removed to do the job properly. The extension is stainless, so refinishing back to black would present some difficulties. It can be difficult to align the groove you want when adjusting the stock. You can't see the groove you're selecting, only the witness line on the extension.

It is certainly possible to do. The biggest drawback is finding someone capable of doing it that won't be a butcher job. Generally, the 3 position tubes offer enough in terms of LOP adjustment to accommodate everyone. You certainly won't be getting a longer or a shorter LOP by adding additional notches. You have a great start for an excellent build going.

I like the T1 myself. It is low profile and gets the job done. I wouldn't add a heavy optic to the receiver rail. Five short screws in the thin aluminum receiver won't tollerate much.

Great pictures Benelliwerkes.

Paragraphs help. I had a hard time reading this block of text. It has been an issue periodically with the receiver rail holes. The aluminum is quite thin and threads in aluminum are always iffy. I wouldn't worry too much about it. Particularly if it was messed up by the factory. I would have sent the weapon back to Benelli and let them address it. A proper fitting screw driver is always a plus for applying even torque without damaging anything. Blue locktite is mandatory. The holes and bits should be cleaned with acetone for a really good hold. Then there is a helicoil route if the screws flat out fail. I've known several who have epoxied the rail to the receiver. This is a bit extreme and might limit your options in the future.

About 50 rounds. Metallurgical failure coupled with me have a four port barrel at the time. Even with a 4 port, I had the barrel replaced by Benelli at 10,000 rounds. The carrier was beat up badly and deformed near the rails it rides in. It would stick in the receiver when pulled to the rear from the mushrooming carrier. With the new BCG and barrel assembly, I've put another 3,000 through it before I replaced the receiver extension a year ago with a 11707 3 position model.

When I snapped a piston in my M4, it locked it up to the point that I had to remove the barrel to get the broken pieces free. The M4 will function on one piston alone. It will run sluggishly, but it'll work. I've had mounts before that I'd have to disassemble often during cleaning. Most fasteners aren't designed for that type of use. They wear out and loosen over time. I feel it is a step backwards for your well designed shotgun platform. A two piece extrusion that bolts over the barrel hanger would probably be pretty easy and cheap to make for a company. SideArmor used to produce one, but it wasn't designed very well. They had talked about redesigning it in the past.

There is some tollerance variance from one M4 to another. I believe barrel OD have changed slightly over the released models. If you rock your factory sling mount, it will move. The BLAM4 tried to address this, but the one size fits all approach didn't work. Plastic dip was my first thought as well. I'm not sure how it will hold up to 12 gauge though. Properly mixed JB Weld has a pretty high tensile strength. I've made front sights out of JB Weld before. Profiled it with a file after it dried. A weld shop could probably put some beads of weld where you need to limit movement. It sucks that it has to come to this type of modifications to get a simple light mounted without adding a pound of weight. Most of the aftermarket went about a half assed method to attach a light. A clamp design would work well if it was attached to the rear barrel hanger so it wouldn't interfere with disassembly.

Hey Hooker, it's been a while. Certainly a lot of changes to mine in the past year. Cutting down on weight has been my latest drive. It's not that the weapon is too heavy to wield, it's just faster to use when it weighs less when moving from target to target. This is the primary reason competition and three gunners opt for the M2 over the M4 -- it weights less. I like to stay away from aftermarket parts that make a tool-less design need tools to disassemble. For that reason, I'd avoid magazine clamps and stocks that require tools to remove. The Surefire rail and the offset mount worked very well. I hated the ergonomics of it though. Plus adding 5 ounces of weight is never a good idea. I've had the X300 before. I recently sold it though. I run X400's on my rail equipped pistols. My only concern about using the X3300 on a shotgun is what it will do to your thumb during recoil. If you're using the momentary option and fire, you could reallly jam your thumb with stout loads. You have to be careful even with the Scout lights. A guy at work has an M4 that is configured like mine. He's usually a few steps behind on the change curve. So I can compare the ergonomics and weight profile changes between the new and old setup. These changes are night and day when compared side by side. I wish I didn't even need a light, but I've used the M4 in the field in the dark without one and it isn't very fun. My eventual goal is to SBS it to cut some more weight, add a 5 round titanium mag tube and have a much smaller package. I'm also thinking about trying out what Beneliwerks did to his M4 and run a Aimpoint T1 tall mount with the stock fully collapsed. I have one on my AR15, so it just will take some part swapping to see how comfortable it is.

The KZ is a magazine clamp, so you'd need tools to disassemble the weapon. Why they didn't make it so it clamped to the rear barrel hanger, I don't know. I'd try to shim the mount if it is still moving front to back. Even if it was just a dried thin layer of JB weld on the BLAM4 where the snap ring makes contact. You could then sand the JB weld as needed to make the snap ring an interference fit. Same applies if it is rocking side to side. Fill the area where the BLAM4 indexes against the barrel. Then sand it down until it fits. It doesn't have to be perfect. Any contact will eliminate most of the movement. The mount is ugly compared to the Surefire M80. It weighs a lot less. Allows for the ergonomics of the factory or FTT handguards. Cheaper than most rail options. Placement of my light activation button is better than it was on the M80. It's further forward. Allows for the weapon to be disassembled without tools. I still believe there is room for improvement though.

Do all the MOE rails have those little black pegs?

The rails are easy to tell apart. The carriercomp rail has a full true spec rail. Which means it doesn't have that useless sight channel cut down the center like the factory rail does.