Can my Stock Benelli M4 shoot Slugs?

[les_garten]

Hi,

I have the stock choke in it that came with it.

 

Can I shoot slugs through it just as is?

[StrangerDanger]

Yes. Mine has never found one it didn’t like. From sabbots to rifled slugs and everything in between.

[les_garten]

Thanx Bud!

 

Any advantage as far as slugs are concerned with switching to a wider choke?

[Evolution]

That should be a 3-notch which is a modified choke, if I have my facts straight. Why does Benelli advise against shooting slugs with anything more constricting than an IC choke?

[Scout_21]

That should be a 3-notch which is a modified choke, if I have my facts straight. Why does Benelli advise against shooting slugs with anything more constricting than an IC choke?

 

I'm not sure... but I see most rifled slug makers (at least for foster-type and brenneke) recommend an improved cylinder but say their ammo can be used with any choke. Searches from forums have all sorts of anecdotal recommendations.

 

Here's a vid with an attempt to look at slugs with various choke tubes. Sample sizes are small... but essentially no real difference from full cylinder to full choke for some foster slugs...YMMV

 

 

Edit: I have the 14" barrel with integral modified choke and have had no discernible problems with foster-type and brenneke slugs. I do steer clear of the more exotic slugs like this steel dumbbell (https://detroitammoco.com/product/505gr-ballistic-machinist-dumbbell-slug/)

Edited March 10, 2018 by Scout_21

[StrangerDanger]

Too much constriction and it’ll damage the slug and cause accuracy problems.

 

Ive fired a bunch of those steel sabot slugs without issues. I used the Hexolite32’s. Their recoil is mild for a slug and they hit like a brick. I fired some through an old 60’s car door without issue.

[Unobtanium]

Hi,

I have the stock choke in it that came with it.

 

Can I shoot slugs through it just as is?

 

 

Yes, but id not use sabot or Federal DP slugs. Regular fosters and most brennekes are fine.

[les_garten]

Yes, but id not use sabot or Federal DP slugs. Regular fosters and most brennekes are fine.

 

Thanx Folks!

 

What's a DP Slug?

[M2_shootr]

Thanx Folks!

 

What's a DP Slug?

 

Deep Penetrator

[Unobtanium]

Thanx Folks!

 

What's a DP Slug?

 

Federal's answer to Brenneke. I have found them to not be the most accurate, and a phone-call to Federal got their opinion from them that they are safe to shoot through MOD, but not advised as long-term use may cause damage. Also note that Federal benchmarks off of Remington, I believe, and Remington MOD is almost a Benelli CYL, in absolute measure.

[les_garten]

Deep Penetrator

 

Federal's answer to Brenneke. I have found them to not be the most accurate, and a phone-call to Federal got their opinion from them that they are safe to shoot through MOD, but not advised as long-term use may cause damage. Also note that Federal benchmarks off of Remington, I believe, and Remington MOD is almost a Benelli CYL, in absolute measure.

 

Ahhhh, OK. These are hardcast? I was wondering about Hardcast slugs as a Brown Bear deterrent.

[Unobtanium]

Ahhhh, OK. These are hardcast? I was wondering about Hardcast slugs as a Brown Bear deterrent.

I'm not sure, but I think so. Regardless, they are much harder than typical fosters. Not sure if it's antimony, tempering, or how they arrived there.

[topleft]

I need to stop listening to other range "experts" who all but told me if I used a slug through the system, it would catastrophic and reference here more often. Granted, they aren't Benelli owners so their input is skewed but I at least thought it was grounded somewhat.

[StrangerDanger]

Get a tornado brush if you’re going to shoot a lot of slugs. They smear lead inside the barrel. The tornado seems to do the best as scrubbing it out.

[rchap1870]

Great thread! I had been wundering about slugs through the mod choke of the M4 myself.

[Unobtanium]

Get a tornado brush if you’re going to shoot a lot of slugs. They smear lead inside the barrel. The tornado seems to do the best as scrubbing it out.

 

I've also found that lubing the bore LIGHTLY (sheen, not drops!) helps a lot. I can clean my bore on my SNT with just a bore snake.

[Scout_21]

Just measured my factory 14" barrel. It has a internal barrel diameter of 0.7145" at the crown...which essentially makes it a "light modified" or "skeet 2". Anyone else have measurements?

[Unobtanium]

Just measured my factory 14" barrel. It has a internal barrel diameter of 0.7145" at the crown...which essentially makes it a "light modified" or "skeet 2". Anyone else have measurements?

0.705" is benelli mod. Constriction from bore nominal ID makes the choke, not overall OD.

[Scout_21]

0.705" is benelli mod. Constriction from bore nominal ID makes the choke, not overall OD.

 

Ah ok... so my barrel is stamped 18 3 which should mean the nominal ID is 18.3mm or ~ .7205" so the constriction is 0.006". But for shooting slugs isn't the overall ID at the crown of the barrel more important?

[Unobtanium]

Ah ok... so my barrel is stamped 18 3 which should mean the nominal ID is 18.3mm or ~ .7205" so the constriction is 0.006". But for shooting slugs isn't the overall ID at the crown of the barrel more important?

 

Long story short, yes and no. I personally question your measuring device in this case, as that's significant deviation. If the slug is solid like a ball or sabot round, yes, you better keep nominal ID less than slug size.

[Scout_21]

Long story short, yes and no. I personally question your measuring device in this case, as that's significant deviation. If the slug is solid like a ball or sabot round, yes, you better keep nominal ID less than slug size.

 

Ok. I'm a bit confused. I thought the barrel proof mark of 18.3mm (~.720") would be the bore diameter for most of the barrel. Then the 0.7145" ID at the crown would the integral constriction built into it serving as the choke.

 

Or maybe I just need to read up on general shotgun barrel construction...

 

But thank you for the info, this is something I never looked into before.

[Unobtanium]

Ok. I'm a bit confused. I thought the barrel proof mark of 18.3mm (~.720") would be the bore diameter for most of the barrel. Then the 0.7145" ID at the crown would the integral constriction built into it serving as the choke.

 

Or maybe I just need to read up on general shotgun barrel construction...

 

But thank you for the info, this is something I never looked into before.

0.723" is spec.

There should be no constriction on your barrel.

[Scout_21]

0.723" is spec.

There should be no constriction on your barrel.

 

Oh! I was always under the impression that it had an integral mod choke...you must have thought I had lead in my water

[Unobtanium]

Oh! I was always under the impression that it had an integral mod choke...you must have thought I had lead in my water

Yeah, the M4 Entry has no ID constriction in the barrel anywhere except the forcing cone. It was hammer forged, imported as a 19.75" barrel with sights welded back, and lopped off once Stateside.