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To get an honest opinion, Whats so great about a Benelli M4


datruth

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I have just bought a Remington 1100, please dont bash me to much, hear me out, but I have always loved the benelli M4 I have not shot the 1100 yet and cant count it out yet but what could be the pros and cons of owning a benelli M4, and whats the best or fastest way in getting one, I would love to pay up front and just wait but Im active duty army and an Upcoming deployment(Iraq) kills that option, and whats a fair price for a brand new/very good used one, thanks for your help In advance

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I have just bought a Remington 1100, please dont bash me to much, hear me out, but I have always loved the benelli M4 I have not shot the 1100 yet and cant count it out yet but what could be the pros and cons of owning a benelli M4, and whats the best or fastest way in getting one, I would love to pay up front and just wait but Im active duty army and an Upcoming deployment(Iraq) kills that option, and whats a fair price for a brand new/very good used one, thanks for your help In advance

 

For me i never fired one until about 9 months ago. First what got my attention was the look of it it is gnarly looking , it looks stealth , the name also got my attention italian stuff is usually pretty good stuff made with quality. My first time pulling the trigger on it it was smooth tight firm feeling you can tell it was meant to last , and then comparing it to a pump mossberg 500 or the Remington 870 it made those gun feel like junk plastic toys ! I was at the shooting range in Corona,CA and two other shooters were there and one had a the mossberg 500 and the other the Remington 870 and as we were shooting simultaneity both there guns jammed, could have been the ammo they were using. Also it being a Semi automatic makes it even better IMHO.

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99% of the gun is over engineered and built like a tank.

 

It has no real maintenance requirements ... I am at 12,500+ rounds with one replacement part (I tore an O right during cleaning by being rammy). I would not be surprised if I get to 20k without any replacement parts.

 

It is extremely reliable and fast, yet soft recoiling ... and I like the ergonomics of it, though I feel the stock LOP is a bit long.

 

Holds 9 rounds.

 

It's just an incredibly solid gun and one that was built by people who clearly knew what they were doing.

 

I am consistently surprised as I clean or examine parts of this gun on just exactly HOW MUCH engineering must have gone into this gun ...

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99% of the gun is over engineered and built like a tank.

 

It has no real maintenance requirements ... I am at 12,500+ rounds with one replacement part (I tore an O right during cleaning by being rammy). I would not be surprised if I get to 20k without any replacement parts.

 

It is extremely reliable and fast, yet soft recoiling ... and I like the ergonomics of it, though I feel the stock LOP is a bit long.

 

Holds 9 rounds.

 

It's just an incredibly solid gun and one that was built by people who clearly knew what they were doing.

 

I am consistently surprised as I clean or examine parts of this gun on just exactly HOW MUCH engineering must have gone into this gun ...

 

+1

 

Also, I have not had any trouble from 2.75 dram up to 3" magnum slugs. 1100 owners always seem to be whining about their remmy's not cycling birdshot and the like. The collapsible stock fixes the long LOP issue.

 

Why don't you just read page one of this board? There are several M4's for sale at killer prices.

 

Also, in all the time I have been here (after the 11707 2-port came out), I have only heard/seen one or 2 guys complaining about issues with their M4's. They were minor issues at that, and some of them no doubt caused by the user.

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I tell people that the Benelli M4 is the Ferrari of shotguns:D:D

 

 

+1

 

If you are looking to buy one, Gander Mountain and Cabelas (I think) carry them. As do local gun shops, if you call around you can find one within a reasonable drive. But the M4 is a semi-hard gun to find, and there is no such thing as a 'deal' on one. The Ferrari analogy is quite correct...few people NEED one, most just want one.

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+1

 

If you are looking to buy one, Gander Mountain and Cabelas (I think) carry them. As do local gun shops, if you call around you can find one within a reasonable drive. But the M4 is a semi-hard gun to find, and there is no such thing as a 'deal' on one. The Ferrari analogy is quite correct...few people NEED one, most just want one.

 

Collapsible stock, never fired, Night-sites, FL tube from SOCOMguy, $2300.

 

I call that quite a "deal". Want to buy it?

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But I was looking for just the fixed stock, black synthetic and trying to keep it around 1400-1600 hundred, thanks

 

Why don't you scroll down a couple of posts and buy that one then. $1400. If that one is already sold, there are tonnes of other M4's in similar condition for sale all over the 'net at that price.

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+1

 

Also, I have not had any trouble from 2.75 dram up to 3" magnum slugs. 1100 owners always seem to be whining about their remmy's not cycling birdshot and the like. The collapsible stock fixes the long LOP issue.

 

Why don't you just read page one of this board? There are several M4's for sale at killer prices.

 

Also, in all the time I have been here (after the 11707 2-port came out), I have only heard/seen one or 2 guys complaining about issues with their M4's. They were minor issues at that, and some of them no doubt caused by the user.

 

Those 1100 owners who are whining about the 1100 not functioning on birdshot are not paying attention to the requirments for the proper ammo for the gun. The "target, skeet, or trap" models are intended to function on "target" (light) loads, otherwise they are intended to be used with standard loads. To get a "standard" 1100 to function with light loads, you have to open up the gas ports very slightly.

Edited by GENELEO
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The gun works with a wide variety of loads without any type of adjustment. It'll eat low dram sissy stuff. Even the ***** handicap loads up to the 3" magnum ball busters.

 

When it does break, it'll usually continue to chug along to some extent. She I sheared my gas piston in half (faulty heat treatment) it kept working with a single piston until the broken piece of the piston caused a jam in the action. If I had kicked the broken piston piece out, it would have kept working!

 

Good prices can be had on gunbroker. I see great listings here often too. Well within your stated budget.

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The gun works with a wide variety of loads without any type of adjustment. It'll eat low dram sissy stuff. Even the ***** handicap loads up to the 3" magnum ball busters.

 

When it does break, it'll usually continue to chug along to some extent. She I sheared my gas piston in half (faulty heat treatment) it kept working with a single piston until the broken piece of the piston caused a jam in the action. If I had kicked the broken piston piece out, it would have kept working!

 

Good prices can be had on gunbroker. I see great listings here often too. Well within your stated budget.

 

IIRC you had a 4-port design which was a faulty design.

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Those 1100 owners who are whining about the 1100 not functioning on birdshot are not paying attention to the requirments for the proper ammo for the gun. The "target, skeet, or trap" models are intended to function on "target" (light) loads, otherwise they are intended to be used with standard loads. To get a "standard" 1100 to function with light loads, you have to open up the gas ports very slightly.

 

I'm glad M4's don't have such fickle temperments. I run 1145fps 1-1/8oz STS Target loads through mine all the time. Or 3" slugs. Whatever.

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Collapsible stock, never fired, Night-sites, FL tube from SOCOMguy, $2300.

 

I call that quite a "deal". Want to buy it?

 

 

Nope. Already own one....oh, and no that's not a deal. It's probably a fair price, but by no means a deal.

Edited by Lawndart
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Nope. Already own one....oh, and no that's not a deal. It's probably a fair price, but by no means a deal.

 

New M4 w/Mepro's avg. Dealer Price around $1650+Tax (IF! you have a dealer who LIKES YOU A LOT!)

 

@ $200 SOCOMguy's mag tube.

 

$700 collapsible stock, LNIB, IF you get a great deal. Most for for $800+.

 

So...Lets see. $2300 for a $2550 weapon, and that $2550 assumes that you are friends with everyone who sells you a part to it.

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They shoot anything with with no feeding problems, Birdshot, 00buck, slugs, etc.

 

Mine has developed a lot of FTFire's of late. I pull the trigger and just get a "click". I rack the bolt back and there is an empty chamber. I finally traced the problem to it's source. My wallet.

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I'm glad M4's don't have such fickle temperments. I run 1145fps 1-1/8oz STS Target loads through mine all the time. Or 3" slugs. Whatever.

 

 

Not "fickle temperments" the "target" guns were designed to shoot the light loads, the hunting guns were designed to shoot heavy loads.

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Not "fickle temperments" the "target" guns were designed to shoot the light loads, the hunting guns were designed to shoot heavy loads.

 

you are so right gene. having shot 1100's since i was 12 for dove, duck, pheasant and trap i know what your talking about. you couldn't shoot light loads in a magnum receiver so you had to get a 2.75 barrel but you needed the mag for the big birds. it's just the way it was back then. unless you wanted a pump gun.

 

you're getting in a pissing match with a 23 yr old kid who just bought the best combat shotgun available but doesn't have a clue about other shotguns that have been around longer than he's been alive. can't blame him for loving the m4 though.

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At this moment, I have two M4's, one with collapsible stock, one with PG stock, and one M1, and I'm not sure the M1 isn't the best of the bunch.

 

I hunt with an 1100 and an A5, and they are fine as well.

 

I've got $4000 in M4's. They're wonderful, but come on, folks, relax.

 

The one under my bed is the M1, because it feels two pounds lighter than the M4's. It handles better and it points better. That said, the M4's are not for sale.

 

If I could find a mag extension for my 1967 A5, it would be the one under my bed, because it's the shotgun I trust above all others.

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you are so right gene. having shot 1100's since i was 12 for dove, duck, pheasant and trap i know what your talking about. you couldn't shoot light loads in a magnum receiver so you had to get a 2.75 barrel but you needed the mag for the big birds. it's just the way it was back then. unless you wanted a pump gun.

 

you're getting in a pissing match with a 23 yr old kid who just bought the best combat shotgun available but doesn't have a clue about other shotguns that have been around longer than he's been alive. can't blame him for loving the m4 though.

 

I do have a clue about the 1100 and most of it's fickle points. True, it is second hand knowledge, but it is from knowledgeable people.

 

What you MIGHT try, is opening up the gas ports. To do this, you get a large bit set with plenty of sizes that go up in small increments. You enlarge the gas ports bit by bit by going up size by size until you get positive function with the rounds you wish to use.

 

HOWEVER: When I buy something, I think it should function well as it comes from the factory. I don't belive in "break-in", and I will not tolerate imperfection when it comes to reliability. The only weapons I ever had that didn't run right out of the gate was a P226Elite ST and a Les Baer TRS. Both are now no-longer with me. I gave each one 500 rounds to straighten out. They did not. Kimber's exec taking over SIG has resulted in FAIL, and Les Baer's obsession with slide/frame fit is pointless. Plenty of "looser" 1911's will shoot right with his without the problems his have.

 

Why are you knocking being 23? I think that ageism in this case is ad hominum.

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