StrangerDanger

Sounds like you got an alienware one! I use those even though I don't really play games to much. They have the horsepower to run programs fast with minimal waiting. Nothing I hate more than clicking the start button and having to wait a few seconds for it to open. Our desktop computer is hooked directly to our 75" 4K TV. I built that computer a few years ago for gaming for my daughter. 4k gaming is pretty impressive.

Test it with some high base or slugs carefully. I never constant on the light, its just bad tactics to run a light constantly. You stick and move with the light. So if your support hand thumb isn't gripping the forend tight, they shotgun can slip in your palm and jam your thumb forward into the cap of the light. Having the forend stippled by like Tango Arms can help keep your hand from moving. Years ago, I built a pistol grip stock for the M4 that had the pressure switch routed all the way under the pistol grip so that it activated like a pair of laser grips does. I put the pad under the rubber grip and routed the wire internally up along the top rail. Back then I used a SideArmor top rail so the wire could be secured to it all the way up to the light. The Surefire tape switch had a 40" long wire and the excess was tucked inside of the stock. The only issues with it was I hate tape switches - they have dead spots and do not activate with 100% consistency. Having the large pad on the pistol grip meant you could have negligent light discharges when slung. I adjusted this a lot to by working on the sensitivity of the switch by adding layers of electrical tape over the switch and beneath the rubber grip. It took hours to do the work, I had to grind out a pocket for the switch to sit under the grip, then loom the wire through the interior of the stock. I was going to try to do one to the collapsible stock pistol grip, but it was a little harder to deal with. I imagine I'd have to loom the extra wire under the forearm instead or better yet, learn to cut the wire to the appropriate size. The pads still sucked and the ones with the 40" wire are no longer available to buy. In the future, I predict we'll see more wireless options for the switch. I'd make them myself if I had the technical skill and cash. It would revolutionize how we mount weapon lights. We could mount all the way forward like where the Steiner weapon light is and have the switch in the rear where we desire.

Carriercomp does their mag tubes, but doesn’t seem like they want to do the charging handles anymore. I even offered to buy like 500 at a time, and they weren’t interested.

Thanks guys! Always glad to help. Hope to have some cool content to share soon!

This cap got machine down. You just have to be careful where the threads are for the plastic lock ring that holds the rubber nipple in place.

Awesome wife story. Was the next stop appliance shopping?

The shroud can jam your thumb during recoil if you’re using the momentary control over the light like is currently taught. It’s one of the reasons I machine them off in a lathe and break the edges so that just the rubber nipple is poking out the back.

The pirate had me going. I thought Ken was going to show up and interject an, “Ackchyually...” and school us on how to fight off a polar bear with his German musk.

Growing up in the 90's, I had a M121 Benelli that had a full length magazine tube and a pistol grip. Somehow I got myself signed up for a a mailing list with Benelli. In the propaganda, they started showing photos of the Benelli M4 which was being tested by the Marine Corps at Aberdeen. Obviously it looked awesome and the ARGO system sounded promising. At the time it wasn't released to the public in America. At some point they released the M1014 to the public in its limited 2,500 run with its non-functioning collapsible stock. A while later, the 11703 model was released. This had a ill fated four port barrel and the same neutered receiver extension. This model came with the pistol grip stock and was generally cheaper than the limited edition. In 2004 I cashed out a bunch of vacation time and bought it for 1,350.00 from gunbroker. I promptly broke the shotgun firing high base loads through that horrible 4 port design. Shotgun went back to Benelli for repairs. I then broke it again since that barrel battered the bolt carrier to the point that it was peening the face of the bolt carrier from the pistons. Back to Benelli again where they replace the bolt carrier, the barrel with a 2 port design and the handguards. I then figured out how to replace the receiver extension with a 11707 models and added a collapsible stock. So I pretty much took the longest road possible to making a 11707.

That detent in the bolt carrier comes out pretty easy. I think it's like a 3/32 punch. They're only a PITA to put back in due to how small the pin is that holds it in place. I like your design with the steel shank and the aluminum knob for weight savings. That'll be lighter than titanium. Really interested to see what you come up with. Every time I try to work thru the problem without building a new bolt carrier, I get stuck. Tough to get all of that in to such a small object.

Love that CNC lathe. It's like cheating compared to operating a manual lathe. I personally don't know what I'd prefer when it comes to an aftermarket bolt knob for the M4 design wise. I've had them all from the GG&G, carriercomp, Design Concepts, FFT, TTI and probably a couple others. While the knurling on the carriercomp was absolutely beautiful craftsmanship, I felt it roughed up my hand when going fast. I immediately got rid of the GG&G model and determined I didn't like the large diameter knobs at all. I found I liked the TTI shape the best with minimal texture on it so that if I blade it with my pinkie when swiping the bolt carrier, it doesn't tear up my hands. I guess I prefer that the knob did not spin and was locked in position. Now, if you could design it so the bolt handle would not come out unless you depressed a detent thru the tip of the handle, you'd really have my interest. I've pulled the knob off during reloading on accident.

Welcome! Hide your wallet.

More details please. You mean you cannot insert 3 shells into the magazine tube? Or from a full magazine tube, the third shell fails to feed into the firearm? What kind of ammunition are you using? Any aftermarket items added to this M4?

Focus the heat on the magazine tube you're removing. Very little of the heat will wick into the receiver. The old tube isn't worth anything anyway. A heatgun isn't going to discolor much.

Yep, that's how it should work. The plugs are just temporary capacity reduction.

4+1 should be fine for clays. They sell the M4's with 5+1 capacity, so you're good to go. The limiter is meant for hunting restrictions.

This might help locate where it goes. 106 sounds about right? Probably a plug for the magazine tube.

You have the stock group in 108? If so, it removes the same way as the pistol grip stock. Remove the trigger pack and unscrew it. It can be tight. You shouldn’t have to remove the buttpad.

Congratulations! Plastic pistol grip stock? Remove the trigger pack, then unscrew the stock from the receiver. Collapsible stock? There is an installation notch that you'll have to find that is between the middle and fully extended position. As you're pressing the unlock button, the stock will rotate about 45 degrees right, then slide up and down the receiver extension. There are witness lines engraved on the receiver extension to give you a general idea of where the notches are. Once you find the installation groove, the stock will then rotate about 90 degrees left, then allow you to pull it off of the receiver extension. This will remove the sliding stock portion. To remove the pistol grip, remove your trigger pack then unscrew the pistol grip from the receiver. For your bolt carrier, there is a cam pin (part 33) that goes in the top of the bolt that retains the bolt in the bolt carrier. Once the firing pin/spring have been removed, you should be able to tip the bolt carrier upside down and get it to drop out. Then the bolt will just pull out the front. Generally you won't be removing part 43 since its pin (part 40) is staked in position.

If I recall, the shell elevators are not a compliance part.

The fit and finish of the FFT handguards isn’t as good as the OEM ones. Usually they don’t seat evenly together. They function fine but there is a weird 1/16” offset usually. Dimensionally they are the same profile as the OEM and they feel the same. You will not have any issues with the light mount if you have none with the OEM handguards. The only other handguards I put in the maybe pile is the Strike Industries Hayle mlok rail. Then it is only worth considering if you replace the set screws with RTV.

I’d guess not very well, but I haven’t handled an Acro. I know my T1 on a Larue low mount made the iron sights completely unusable on a carriercomp rail. I’d consider 86’ing the rear sight housing. You really don’t need backup sights on a shotgun. Having a less cluttered sight picture would be an improvement. This thread has some good photos of the T2 on that MI rail. Apparently it cowitnesses? I’m not sure how the Acro attaches.

Carriercomp has one and FFT had a copy of it. Both are pretty hard to find anymore. The trend has been to use rails dedicated to specific optics lately. Scalarworks and MI come to mind. I don’t recall any others that aren’t part or some monstrous system like Sidearmor/Asgard or Mesa Tactical.

Glad I could help! I’m surprised there aren’t more tutorial based threads on forums. The ones I do find skip over the pain in the ass parts and leave you to assume how to get from point B to C to D. I end up looking at my own posts to remember how I did certain things in the past. I never liked the YouTube based tutorials since I found them to be too fast and hard to navigate. Plus I’d had to sit there and talk thru the video. If we can keep the photo hosting up, there should be no real issues in keeping these active for years to come.