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Updated -- Brand New Benelli M4 Broke


stevenb

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Yesterday, I picked up my Benelli M4, model number 11703. I lubed it up and assembled it out of the box. I went shooting within a few hours of getting it home.

I began shooting some 2 3/4 birdshot. Perhaps 40 rounds of it. I shot a few 2 3/4 buck shot loads and a few slugs as well. So a total of about 50 rounds or so.

That last 20 rounds seemed to be firing slugishly. I inspected the chamber but witnessed nothing wrong.

Then, a massive failure happened. Something was binding the bolt up from loading a fresh round. It looked like a small metal rod.

It turned out to be part of the gas piston. I had to disassemble the weapon to clear the jam. Here is a picture of the shattered gas piston. Looks expensive doesn't it?

piston.jpg

I inspected how the gas system was installed, and consulted the manual and determined that it was assembled properly from the factory.

The steel looks extremely brittle where it busted. Notice the rings around the smaller portion of the pin that broke off.

So now I have to mail this piston to Benelli, and perhaps they might give me a new one after I just spent 1300+ dollars. I get to pay for some more shipping. The customer service wanted me to send the entire gun. I explained to him the possibility that it is a metal failure of the piston only, since the other piston looks fine and it was installed the exact same way, and ****, it was holding double the load. Didn't really like the idea of having to spend another 50 bucks or so for shipping back to benelli. I guess I'm a miser like that.

This was to be used as a home defense gun, but I won't trust it until it can put a 1000 shells down range without a failure. I bought a Benelli so I wouldn't have to deal with BS like this.

Definately not a happy buyer, expecially after I found out that the 11703 model will not properly accept a collapsible stock without some major gunsmithing.

Very embarrassing to have a gun in this price range have a major failure in under a 100 rounds.

-Steve

 

[ 10-27-2004, 03:50 PM: Message edited by: stevenb ]

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Stevenb, if I were you, I'd lobby Benelli heavily for a new recoil tube as well, just so that you can get what you really wanted with the stock. If customer service at Benelli is really on top of things, I would think they'd accommodate you on that one. Very small price to pay for keeping a customer happy, as well as an excellent opportunity for Benelli to shine here.

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Originally posted by stevenb:

Yesterday, I picked up my Benelli M4, model number 11703. I lubed it up and assembled it out of the box. I went shooting within a few hours of getting it home.

I began shooting some 2 3/4 birdshot. Perhaps 40 rounds of it. I shot a few 2 3/4 buck shot loads and a few slugs as well. So a total of about 50 rounds or so.

That last 20 rounds seemed to be firing slugishly. I inspected the chamber but witnessed nothing wrong.

Then, a massive failure happened. Something was binding the bolt up from loading a fresh round. It looked like a small metal rod.

It turned out to be part of the gas piston. I had to disassemble the weapon to clear the jam. Here is a picture of the shattered gas piston. Looks expensive doesn't it?

piston.jpg

I inspected how the gas system was installed, and consulted the manual and determined that it was assembled properly from the factory.

The steel looks extremely brittle where it busted. Notice the rings around the smaller portion of the pin that broke off.

So now I have to mail this piston to Benelli, and perhaps they might give me a new one after I just spent 1300+ dollars. I get to pay for some more shipping. The customer service wanted me to send the entire gun. I explained to him the possibility that it is a metal failure of the piston only, since the other piston looks fine and it was installed the exact same way, and ****, it was holding double the load. Didn't really like the idea of having to spend another 50 bucks or so for shipping back to benelli. I guess I'm a miser like that.

This was to be used as a home defense gun, but I won't trust it until it can put a 1000 shells down range without a failure. I bought a Benelli so I wouldn't have to deal with BS like this.

Definately not a happy buyer, expecially after I found out that the 11703 model will not properly accept a collapsible stock without some major gunsmithing.

Very embarrassing to have a gun in this price range have a major failure in under a 100 rounds.

-Steve

I don't understand why you would not send the whole gun back. If I had a new gun experience a catastrophic failure like that, it would be back so quick it would make their head spin. Keep in mind the ARGO System was developed to make the weapon more reliable. Let's hope the ones shipped to our troops are not as "reliable" as yours was.
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The more I think about it, the more pissed off I get. Expecially after the news that the model I have cannot accept the collapsible stock without milling the **** out of the recoil spring tube.

I'm also worried some damage may have occured to the channel that the piston actually sits in.

This weapon isn't for going to the range, this was ment to be my home defense gun. If they want to treat me right, they'll straight across replace the weapon. Preferably with a 11707 model, since I feel cheated as it is.

-Steve

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  • 4 weeks later...

Well, I finally got my replacement gas piston from Benelli today. Nearly a month after I sent the busted one in to them.

There was nothing in the package to explain what had happened, or even an apology.

It's raining cats and dogs today and tomarrow, so I doubt I'll make it out to put it through another exhausting test of 50 rounds of ball busting 2 and 3/4 birdshot, at 3 drams. If it doesn't break, I'll push it even further for maybe 150 - 200 rounds -- yeah, I'm a saddist like that.

Any more problems, and the whole gun is going back to them and I'm demanding a replacement. This BS with the batf and the collapsible stock is bugging me too. I don't care that much about the stock, but having the extended feed tube on it is importaint to me. If they keep it up, and give us all the finger, I may try to SBR it and get the 14" barrel entry variant. That way I'll be getting something back for the reduced capacity. My luck Benelli doesn't even sell that barrel to us pesants.

I'd really rather not deal with the SBR nightmare though.

I'm starting to have regrets about buying Benelli due to these issues. Unless someone steps up to the plate and starts offering American made parts to get the foreign part count down bellow 10 -- I don't see that a happening though.

If we could get companies like Vang comp to support this format, it might be doable and you might get some benefit too.

Anyone sit down and count out how many foreign parts are in the M4 as it is? I'm not certain which parts count.

-Steve

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WHAAAAAAAA!!!!!!!!! So your gun broke, so what! Ive seen M4's put through more abuse than you could ever dish out and they never failed. Im not doubting yours had a broken part, but Im sure only about 50000 or more of those parts have been made and god forbid not every one of them may be the most perfect single piece of metal ever made. Im sure nothing that you or anyone else in the world has ever bought anything has ever broken. Thats why there are gunsmiths and auto mechanics. Things break, its a fact of life, get over it. And just because yours breaks does not entitle you to anything extra.

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:rolleyes:

 

All I'm asking for is a weapon that works. I know that is a lot to ask. If it is fixed, and it prooves itself, I'm happy. If not, they owe me a replacement. This gun isn't for shooting birds or blasting paper circles. This firearm is ment to defend my home.

-Steve

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who pee'd in your cornflakes dude.

 

I think his main gripe was that his brand new gun broke. I would be a little pissed off too if my gun broke on its first day at the range.

 

Also, what has soured this situation is benellis response, which i am sure has made the Stevenb a bit more upset. Its not that hard to pick up a phone or send a letter with the new part expressing an apology and prompt replacement, which he got neither.

 

Benelli did replace the part and that is the bottom line, but i can understand Stevenb's attitude and i am sure if this was wallhangers gun he would have posted his displeasure also.

 

Andy

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Originally posted by wallhanger54:

WHAAAAAAAA!!!!!!!!! So your gun broke, so what! Ive seen M4's put through more abuse than you could ever dish out and they never failed. Im not doubting yours had a broken part, but Im sure only about 50000 or more of those parts have been made and god forbid not every one of them may be the most perfect single piece of metal ever made. Im sure nothing that you or anyone else in the world has ever bought anything has ever broken. Thats why there are gunsmiths and auto mechanics. Things break, its a fact of life, get over it. And just because yours breaks does not entitle you to anything extra.

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Originally posted by AK_SBE:

Is this the reply from the Benelli customer service rep? :D

tongue.gif

 

You don't know how far you are from the truth!

I tried to dish out the abuse in which he spoke, but it busted on me!

Maybe I should shoot it with a pair of welding gloves on?

-Steve

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