922R Dilemma

[Evolution]

OK, so I love my new M4 H20 and I want to get a 7 round mag tube.

 

Now I have to change a couple parts but, the original pistol grip stock ain't gonna be one of them because, I like it's form and it's LOP fits me perfect. I don't want to shorten it by 1-7/8" with a Mesa Tactical stock.

 

I don't like the idea of changing trigger group parts either because I'd like to stay away from changing anything that might affect reliability.

 

So I'm down to the fore end assembly which is offered by FFT. A copy of the original M4 fore end. As with the stock, I like how the original looks, and would like to keep that look.

 

I was going to use their mag tube anyway as they seem to be the only company that offer a NP3 finish on their mag tubes to match the H20's.

 

Anyone have experience with their M4 fore end? I did a search and couldn't find any comments on fit and quality of their piece.

 

They claim that it's a better quality than the original.

Edited August 16, 2014 by Evolution

[ohbejuan]

No experience with their foreend personally. But I will vouch for Stranger Danger's work replacing the trigger parts with Geissele and FFT. That would give you a couple of easy 922r upgrades right there, and you can always buy a replacement trigger pack on brownells for a couple hundred bucks if the mods don't suit you.

[RoadDad]

The FFT forends have been known to have some fitment problems. I can't find most of the old threads with the complaints but here are two that I did find referencing the problem:

 

http://forums.benelliusa.com/showthread.php/32832-SureFire-M80-what-QD-do-you-use-with-it?p=184131#post184131

 

http://forums.benelliusa.com/showthread.php/32855-New-M4-owner-922r-compliance?p=184298#post184298

 

Take a look at the posts just below that^ one for more ideas and info.

 

 

The Geissele hammer will not affect reliability in a negative way (assuming you have swapped it correctly).

 

http://forums.benelliusa.com/showthread.php/31801-GEISSELE-trigger-hammer-VS-stock-trigger-hammer?highlight=freedom+fighter

If you are changing the mag tube, follower, and forend with US made parts and leaving the rest alone, you would be 922r compliant.

[Evolution]

If you are changing the mag tube, follower, and forend with US made parts and leaving the rest alone, you would be 922r compliant.

 

Roger that. This is my plan. Thanks for the links. I will ask FFT about this issue of fitment when I call them.

 

If it's only a matter of the hand guards being a bit long and needing a little material removed then, that's OK for me. Better to be a bit too long than too short, and be loose slopping fore and aft. Maybe they make them a tad long on purpose to allow for tolerance differences from gun to gun.

Edited August 17, 2014 by Evolution

[NHnewbie]

I recently replaced the stock hand guards with FFT with no problems. The fit was different than the stock parts and required a bit more "maneuvering" to reassemble but no modifications of the FFT parts needed.

[Unobtanium]

I recently replaced the stock hand guards with FFT with no problems. The fit was different than the stock parts and required a bit more "maneuvering" to reassemble but no modifications of the FFT parts needed.

 

How hard is it to just COPY the OEM dimensions. *sigh*

[Evolution]

I recently replaced the stock hand guards with FFT with no problems. The fit was different than the stock parts and required a bit more "maneuvering" to reassemble but no modifications of the FFT parts needed.

 

Thanks.

In your opinion, how was the quality comparison of the two?

[NHnewbie]

Thanks.

In your opinion, how was the quality comparison of the two?

 

I could not see any significant difference in the FFT hand guards vs the Benelli stock parts as far as quality goes.

[Evolution]

I could not see any significant difference in the FFT hand guards vs the Benelli stock parts as far as quality goes.

 

 

Grazie mille!

[StrangerDanger]

Given you have the H2O, and you plan on running the fixed pistol grip stock, you only need to replace three parts. I'd opt for the following;

1. FFT NP3 Coated Steel Magazine Tube

2. FFT Magazine Follower

3. Geiselle/Carriercomp Hammer

 

 

Chances are you could get the FFT handguards, and they will fit fine if you want to avoid swapping the hammer. Another option is to use a carriercomp muted finish titanium magazine tube. It may not match perfectly to the NP3, but it would be close and you'd get the weight savings benefit.

[Evolution]

Given you have the H2O, and you plan on running the fixed pistol grip stock, you only need to replace three parts. I'd opt for the following;

1. FFT NP3 Coated Steel Magazine Tube

2. FFT Magazine Follower

3. Geiselle/Carriercomp Hammer

 

Chances are you could get the FFT handguards, and they will fit fine if you want to avoid swapping the hammer. Another option is to use a carriercomp muted finish titanium magazine tube. It may not match perfectly to the NP3, but it would be close and you'd get the weight savings benefit.

 

Thanks-

Yeah, I'm going to give those hand guards a shot. As for CC; I emailed CC from their website 3 weeks ago inquiring about that finish and never heard a word from them back.

 

I suppose they are just too busy. That was before I found that FFT offers an NP3 finished mag tube.

Edited August 18, 2014 by Evolution

[M2_shootr]

The FFT for end does not fit poorly, but the one I have, now in a parts bin, does not fit as well as the Benelli piece.

[Evolution]

The FFT for end does not fit poorly, but the one I have, now in a parts bin,

 

Not sure that I understand. It does not fit badly but, not as good as the OEM, so you have relegated it to your spare parts stash and kept using the OEM guards?

 

does not fit as well as the Benelli piece

 

How so? Can you expand on that?

[StrangerDanger]

It's hit or miss with the FFT handguards. I believe Benelli fits each set of handguards to the weapon they're installed on. On my particular weapons, the FFT handguards fit better than OEM. They're a little tighter and the fit is more positive. My sample size is 3.

[M2_shootr]

 

Not sure that I understand. It does not fit badly but, not as good as the OEM, so you have relegated it to your spare parts stash and kept using the OEM guards?

 

 

 

How so? Can you expand on that?

 

The above is correct, they did not fit badly, but they were not up to my standards. The Benelli hand guards for much better.

the right and left did not align with ear other as well as the Benelli pieces. At the receiver the right was shifted aft about 1/8". May not bother some people, but It is poor enough to keep me from using them.

[Evolution]

 

The above is correct, they did not fit badly, but they were not up to my standards. The Benelli hand guards for much better.

the right and left did not align with ear other as well as the Benelli pieces. At the receiver the right was shifted aft about 1/8". May not bother some people, but It is poor enough to keep me from using them.

 

Thanks for taking the time to explain that in detail. It would not be up to my standards either.

[Evolution]

So, today I received my NP3 mag tube, the follower and spring, and the hand guards from FFT. My observations and experience;

 

First, the NP3 finish on the mag tube does not quite match perfectly the finish on the gun. The gun's finish is somewhat shinier than the new mag tube but, it's no biggie. I'm sure that the NP3 stuff will vary slightly in appearance from batch to batch, so that is to be expected. Only a discriminating eye such as mine would notice the difference.

 

Second, the handguards as they came were too tight a fit, a little long) which in my opinion, is a good thing, and all I had to do was sand about 1/32-1/16" of material off of the front of them where they insert into the barrel ring and now they fit perfect.

 

This fitment can obviously vary from gun to gun as the tolerances vary from gun to gun.

 

I realized when doing this that there is a kind of spring inside the barrel ring that contacts the front of the hand guards and exerts a constant rearward pressure on them, apparently so they never loosen up from repeated removal and installation.

 

Good thinking Benelli!

 

I left enough front engaging area on the guards to keep a small amount of spring pressure on them. The OEM ones really had very little to no pressure from the spring but, still, they were not loose.

 

The hand guards appear to me to be of the same quality as the OEM but, they differ slightly in appearance in that the moulded ribs of the OEM guards have a sharp edge on them and the FFT ones have a somewhat rounded edge to the ribs.

 

It all went together without a hitch, and I am very happy with my parts swap especially since I wanted to keep the look and the LOP of the OEM stock, and I didn't want to get into the trigger group swapping parts there.

 

All that is left to do is to function test the gun with the new mag and I'll prob. do that Monday.

 

Cheers!

[ohbejuan]

I know you mentioned it before, but if you don't like that LOP, the mesa is the same but shorter by about 2". I even replaced the mesa grip with a benelli grip

[Evolution]

I know you mentioned it before, but if you don't like that LOP, the mesa is the same but shorter by about 2". I even replaced the mesa grip with a benelli grip

 

Actually the OEM stock's LOP is what I like. That, and the line of it I think, suits the gun better than the Mesa stock.

 

Not to say that I don't like the Mesa stocks, I have one of their recoil absorbing stocks and limbsaver pad on my 590A1.

 

What a HUGE diff. in felt recoil that makes on the pump gun.

 

I just prefer the OEM stock on the M4.

[M2_shootr]

Good to hear those worked for you,.....was going to offer this set up for you to try.

I will take a second look at them, maybe one just needs trimmed a small amout.

[jimbo45]

I know you've already replaced the parts but there's also the surefire forend I have one like it.

[Evolution]

I know you've already replaced the parts but there's also the surefire forend I have one like it.

 

Thanks Jim, but are not those sharp edges of the Picatinny rails kinda hard on your hands under recoil? In any case, a little too costly for me, but thanks for the info anyway.

[Retired]

Thanks Jim, but are not those sharp edges of the Picatinny rails kinda hard on your hands under recoil? In any case, a little too costly for me, but thanks for the info anyway.

 

I just put a KAC rail cover on mine, and don't have any issues with the rails digging my hand.

[M2_shootr]

But the size of the fore end must be almost grapefruit diameter!

[Retired]

But the size of the fore end must be almost grapefruit diameter!

 

Big hands.

Just on the lower rails, where I have my support hand.