[Benelli M4 or Beretta 1301/A300 Ultima Patrol? Why one versus the other?]

On 3/11/2024 at 4:05 PM, BamBam said:

Umm..ya you missed my points of reference and facts regarding what the intent of the Benelli M4 was envisioned & built for. Compare objectively with intent, apples-to-apples. I never suggested the Benelli M4 is suitably built for a wide variety of users and different types of shooters, therefore making it versatile. Precisely as you mentioned, that WAS the intended audience for which the Beretta 1301 was envisioned & built for. When designing the 1301, Beretta did not have to adhere to guidelines/meet the absolute requirements set forth by the U.S. DOD combat shotgun proposed back in 1998. Regarding cost, to be clear the 1301 tactical model went into production for purchase in 2014(its predecessor was the 1201 model) and initially the 1301 tactical was ONLY available for purchase to the US market and the MSRP??..approx. $1,000..and as demand increased so has it’s price to date. Identically, the same market demand drove the price up after the Benelli M4 went into market 25 years ago. I own two M4 LE models(11715) and purchased both new several years ago, legally as a civilian thru an established FFL dealer..paid $1600 for one and $1700 for the other..so the LE models are difficult to acquire but they can be found. I also have an array of others shotties, including a 1301 tactical I like very much, but it’s objectively & intentionally different from my M4’s.

If I could find an M4 LE at those prices, I would be seriously tempted to get one.  However, all I found were the Non-LE models for ~$2K or more.  Add the normal mods and they get seriously more expensive.

In terms of Mil and LE status, I am neither so, while a LE/MIL shotgun has some benefits for austere and harsh environments, those are highly unlikely for myself.

[Benelli M4 or Beretta 1301/A300 Ultima Patrol? Why one versus the other?]

48 minutes ago, BamBam said:

 Mind boggling how  people continue to make comparisons with the Beretta 1301 & A300U vs. the Benelli M4. IMMEDIATELY, people point out the Berettas are noticeably lighter and handle/swing easier..OF COURSE..because the Berettas are not platforms designed to meet the request proposed in 1998 by the United Sates DOD/USMC for a COMBAT 12 ga. semi-auto system proven effective & reliable in the harshest of any conditions..which is precisely what the M4 did-won-proved superior and functioned reliably for 20,000+ rounds before needing to be cleaned. The M4 was/is purpose built for the rigors of combat..so 25 years later & counting newer semi auto platforms are brought to market but without one tiny exception, go through/meet the requirements in place by the US Military that the Benelli M4 was built for. The Genius of the M4 is it’s ARGO system, a total of just 4 moving pieces to minimize fouling & maximize going boom when it matters most. Beretta owns Benelli, and the piston systems of the 1301 & A300U are similar to the M4 ARGO system..BUT  NOT identical & the Beretta piston systems absolutely have more moving parts to cause fouling. So ya the Benelli M4 is heavier & slightly cumbersome(to some)..because it was not designed to go bird hunting, or for sporting clays/skeet/trap, or paper targets or put in a glass display case..although it can do ALL those things just fine and shoot any load made. The Benelli M4 was purpose built for combat, people always conveniently forget/dismiss that fact..yet at the same time all these years later every 12 gauge semi-auto “tactical” platform made gets compared to the M4, which is the ultimate validation. Of course the M4 always loses two feel-good categories; it’s overly expensive and not light enough, meanwhile the cost for a new 1301 tactical is approx. $1,600 & counting. 

If Benelli offered the M4 with military/LE configuration to the public in the USA, I could see buying being more likely.  At $2,000 "street pricing" plus all the money to restore it to its original configuration (or current LE configuration) it is simply not price competitive with the Beretta 1301.

The ~1 pound weight difference is not significant to most people but, that is a tangible difference just like the added mag capacity from the factory configuration.  Add the stuff missing on the M4 and you are much further apart than the $400 initial price difference.

Add to all that, the fact we civilians are not flying all over the Mideast or to the Arctic Circle and don't deploy on multi-day missions in hostile territory.  My 1301 might need some cleaning before >20K rounds of buckshot but, how many years will it take me to shoot that much?  What is the likelihood I will shoot >100 rounds without a full cleaning?

Finally, the 1301 series is built for a wide variety of users and different types of shooting which to me makes it more versatile overall.  I voted with my wallet but, could have easily gone with the 300 Patrol shotgun too without giving up much, leaving a lot more money for shotgun shells and training.  A bit like the poor college student in the old Subaru on the Forestry Service road with a tent ... A nice Lexus Overlander would be sweet but, would they have any gas money left to actually travel?

[Benelli M4 or Beretta 1301/A300 Ultima Patrol? Why one versus the other?]

The collapsible stock on the M4 seems like a significant difference.  Assuming similar stocks, Argo vs Blinq for cycling or the A300 at a much lower street price.  The M4 requires some tinkering to get 7rd's capacity if you don't get an LE model while Beretta gives you full capacity from the factory.

As I don't own and have not shot an M4 shotgun.  I tend to think it may be overbuilt and a bit heavy compared to a Beretta shotgun.  Any truth to that thought?

What do users here see as the major differences, pros and cons, of the M4 versus the 1301 Mod 2 and A300 Patrol?

TIA, Sid

[Benelli M4 changes over time?]

How has the M4 changed over time?  The LE and non-LE models are easy enough to understand.  Then there are pistol grip stocks versus traditional stocks, and fixed chokes versus replaceable chokes.

I see references to "Mod 2" but, I wonder if people are getting confused over the Beretta 1301 update.  If buying used, are there things to be aware of in terms of updates to be aware of?

TIA, Sid