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


sidpost

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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

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I would imagine u can’t go wrong with either pick. I have heard great things about each. That being said I own an M4. Largely because of the reputation it has with the USMC, it became my dream gun. Truth be told, I was unaware of the 1301 when I got mine a few years ago. Otherwise, I think I would’ve had a much a harder decision. 
 

What really helped me make the leap was a thread on arfcom written by the manager/owner/whomever of a shooting range in Las Vegas regarding the sturdiness and reliability of the M4. I believe the name of the range is Battlefield Las Vegas. They cater to a lot of tourists because they rent machine guns. He wrote a lengthy thread describing the parts breaking in even the most reliable of guns like the Rem 870 and Mossberg 500 guns. He had raving review of the Benelli M4/M1014 and that even after 10s of thousands of rounds it never broke a single part and was never not available for rent due to repair. 
 

Now this was a thread from many years ago, quite possibly before the 1301 came to market, let alone the A300 ultimate patrol. I’m sure if u did a search u will find the thread. It definitely helped me get over the cost of the M4. Love mine, even after putting another 1k into it to make it how I wanted it. 
 

With all that said, I will likely own  Beretta 1301 and possibly the A300 Ultimate Patrol eventually. Good luck with whatever u choose.

 

 

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I have a M1014 & a 1301, both built out differently. The 1301(no pistol grip) I left in almost a stock configuration because it feels significantly lighter than the M4 and I wanted to keep it that way. I only added a light, estacc cards, replaced the terrible polymer barrel clamp & added a pro lifter(before mod 2 came out). You do feel the weight difference in increased recoil when shooting but it’s not enough for me to care. The “Blink” system is faster in the 1301 but for the speed you would need to shoot and outrun either system it isn’t practical in a real world situations in my opinion. 
 

My M4 is fully kitted out, it was already heavier in stock configuration but you for sure feel it after. There’s still a feeling to knowing you have an M4 that the 1301 doesn’t give and can’t. History matters and that connection to the military and proven track record gives it something that cant be bought no matter what you spend and change on a 1301. 


if I could only choose or suggest one…idk. Depends on the situation and the need of the buyer. The 1301 can be had and fully built out for significantly cheaper than a M4, and comes more ready off the shelf. But I still tell people gun to my head or end of the world I will run out of the house with my M4 due to its military track record and reliability. 
 

(A300 is great gun for the price if someone doesn’t want to go top shelf.)

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I have both and both are great guns. 

Beretta a300 UP wins on a few points as does the Benelli.

Benelli m4: (mine is an SBS entry). 

  • Eats EVERYTHING you can put in the chamber. It's been flawless in reliability.
  • Very fast cycling. 
  • Nearly maintenance free. 
  • Proven design. Can't argue with the combat history.
  • Huge aftermarket support 
  • Ridiculous resale value. 

Cons: 

  • Not threaded for chokes.
  • Every single part is expensive, like really pricey. 
  • Heavy. 
  • Rough edges, this gun bites me a lot. Not sure why. My M2/Nova/Supernova don't.

 

The Beretta a300 UP

  • Roughly half the price of a M4
  • Feels light in hand. Very nimble gun.
  • I like the field stock its very natural to me, points well. 
  • Threaded for chokes. 
  • 7 plus one from the factory.
  • MLOK 
  • Pretty set up from the factory for "patrol" use. 
  • Fast and reliable. Has eaten everthing too. 

Cons:

  • Plastic everywhere... mag tube cover, sights, pic rail, sling mount/barrel clamp etc. 
  • Not much aftermarket support (but not much to change). 
  • Aggressive texturing... without gloves it can get painful on a long range day, especially with HOT loads.
  • Handguard gets hot quick. 

Both are rad guns, however, if I had bought the a300 UP first, I doubt I would have ponied up for the Benelli M4... but I got a great deal on it and "had to have it"

You won't go wrong.

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M4 is more robust.  I have all 3, the berettas are a lot of plastic… M4 is heavier but can go through a battle field and still function if dropped, banged around, thrown around etc, to be honest I wouldn’t ever take a 1301 or a 300UP into a battle if the M4 was there as a choice.

the berettas shine in sport shooting.  Pick your poison.

Edited by RxArms
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 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. 

 

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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?

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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.

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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.

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Well said. It’s like displaying 2 identical year/model Corvettes, but each one has a different exterior color. Then ask 10,000 customers to select/vote for which of the two color Corvettes they prefer, and the color that results with the majority chosen is the winner. Yet afterwards, somehow the objective of choosing the preferred color offered of the two Corvettes gets totally lost..and gets turned subjectively into; why only 2 colors? the winning color is ugly, flawed, old, difficult to see at night, etc. 

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I've had an M4 for 18 years.  It is the shotgun equivalent of a Glock in terms of reliability.  You need to ditch the stupid two-part mag tube and get a one piece mag tube immediately.  The collapsible stock is nice for saving a little space, but my actual preference is for the non PG straight stock (I have all three).  You can ghost load the M4, so 7 in the tube, one on the carrier, one in the chamber for 9 shots.  With a full card on the side, its a heavy bitch, but its an end of the world shotgun...The 1301 Gen 2 is a damn good shotgun with the proven A400 operating system.  If weight is a primary concern, that's the way I would go.  The A300 is a noticeable step down in the operating system/refinement in my opinion.  

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