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Birthday Benelli M4


Rasyad

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By way of background, here in California semi-automatic shotguns like the M4 must have fixed stocks and 18" barrels. Working within these constraints my goal was to create a minimalist design optimized for my dwarf like body and squared of stance in a home defense / CQB role. Previous experimentation with an OEM collapsible stock helped me discover the appropriate LOP and Drop for my physical build and purpose. Range time and training will be needed to see if i got it right.

 

Anyhow, the details.

 

1. Debrazed the front iron sight and smoothed re-coated the barrel.

2. Removed the OEM rear sight and picatinny rail.

3. I did a ton of research and talked with several companies to try to get a full length rail made for the M4, all to no avail. So I built it myself using a Night force gunsmith rail blank. The NF profile I used allowed the full width contact radius with the receiver I was looking for. I milled the bottom mating radius on the rail section with a 1.5" ball end mill and then hand lapped the rail to the receiver. I then cut to length and shaped the rear rail section and de-horned to eliminate all sharp corners. I carfully indexed the receiver to map out the hole locations using a center finder and the digital readout on the mill. I then then drilled and counter bored the new rail to utilize the 5 OEM picatinny rail screws and drilled and taped for the two OEM rear sight screws. For those that have had occasion to remove a rear sight you will have noticed there is a third hole in the receiver between the two countersunk holes used to mount the rear sight. I purchased an additional rear sight screw and lock washer from Midwest Industries for this third hole. To furthur complicate the task it turns out that Benelli uses some kind of odd metric countersink for all these screws so I had to have them custom ground. Fortuantely, I have a great source here in Oakland. If anyone needs these cutters I would be happy to loan them out.

4, Installed the ATI pistol grip.

5, Fabricated a short LOP fixed stock by welding together the ATI buffer tube, butt plate and end cap. I actually had to mill the butt plate to allow the buffer tube to pass through the plate before welding. I then used JB weld to fill the bottom channel and holes in the buffer tube (used for telescoping) and fill the recesses in the butt plate. I then fillited and faired the surfaces. In hindsight I should have just fabricated my own butt plate as this would have saved a bunch of filling and fairing. It is worth noting that the ATI parts are absolutely top quality.

5. Sniper gray Cerakote by LEO Arms in Concord.

6. I am still torn about the odd color of my first generation A&S trigger guard. I like the durability and function of the anodizing and so did not want to Cerakote this part. I am going to shoot the thing for a while before deciding what I might do about the poor color match.

7. The big benefit of the custom full length rail is the flexibility with regard to optics. Shown is a Shield SIS sight with a UTG Bull Dot Green laser just behind. The laser projects a huge dot through the mount of the Shield sight that is bright enough illuminate and identify a target in a fully dark room. Looking through the Shield sight you see both the circle of red dots of the Shield sight and the huge green dot of the laser. Testing will determine if the UTG laser holds up to the M4 recoil abuse.

 

Thanks for looking,

 

Rasyad

Edited by Rasyad
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Nice effort. And a long haul for you, it sounds like. Just not a fan of stuff that sits high above receivers though. If you don't like the A&S original color, you're probably aware that they offer them in black now and without their name on it, if you prefer. They did offer the new versions back when at a nice discount, if you were one of the first 100 people who bought one of the originals.

 

I have one of their originals too, on my NP3 H20 gun and I don't mind the color contrast with that finish at all. Not enough to spend another 2 franklins for a black one. Was the standard PG stock too long a LOP for you?

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From an aesthetic perspective I totally agree having a bunch of junk high above the bore on a shotgun looks goofy. The top heavy look is made worse by my experiment with the rear mounted laser in that I had to use all the Shield spacers to make it work. I like the general illumination of the UTG Laser and may mount it on a 45 degree offset if it holds up to the recoil. Tuning the optics will be the easy part of this project. The way it is set up the grove down the center of the picatinny rail serves as perfectly adequate short range sight with the optics removed.

 

My other long gun is a LM308MWS with a Minox TAC8 scope. One of my goals is to have both weapons feel the same when I have them mounted in a squared off standing position. None of the comercially available stock options allowed this with the exceeption of the OEM c-stock and the ATI. The OEM c-stock failed for me as the design focuses the bending moment on the threads of the small buffer tube. The ATI is a much stronger, stiffer system, and lighter too when configured as a fixed stock like I have here.

 

Copy that on the A&S, I got the email, just don't know what I want to do about it.

 

Thanks,

Rasyad

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Can you see through the optic and maintain a good cheek weld?

 

Good cheek weld, no, not like lying prone on a precision rifle. It is more of a heads up, side of lthe chin, lip, tip of the nose affair. I believe it will be very workable but I don't have any range time on it yet. Will report back with a range report.

 

Rasyad

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Here is the project completed...(for now)...details to follow.....

 

Rasyad

 

[ATTACH=CONFIG]3711[/ATTACH][ATTACH=CONFIG]3712[/ATTACH][ATTACH=CONFIG]3713[/ATTACH][ATTACH=CONFIG]3714[/ATTACH][ATTACH=CONFIG]3715[/ATTACH]

 

Really nice job. You have kept the lines very clean. As far as the height of the optic, depending on the use of the weapon and lets face it that typically we build our M4 shotguns for the sole purpose of self defense, the height of your optic in relationship to the bore simply does not matter. Other than it not being ecstatically pleasing to some people it will have no effect on the function or accuracy of your weapon. That's why we bore site our weapons. The longest shot that would ever be fired in your average home would be about 35'. Clearing a room 13-15'. What ever height is necessary for you to lay your cheek on the cheek weld in a total black out environment and be able to acquire your red dot 100% of the time is the correct height whether that can be done 1/2" above the receiver or 1-1/2" above the receiver. In my case using my Aimpoint it's the latter.

Again, great job on your weapon.

BENELLI M4.jpg

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Really nice job. You have kept the lines very clean. As far as the height of the optic, depending on the use of the weapon and lets face it that typically we build our M4 shotguns for the sole purpose of self defense, the height of your optic in relationship to the bore simply does not matter. Other than it not being ecstatically pleasing to some people it will have no effect on the function or accuracy of your weapon. That's why we bore site our weapons. The longest shot that would ever be fired in your average home would be about 35'. Clearing a room 13-15'. What ever height is necessary for you to lay your cheek on the cheek weld in a total black out environment and be able to acquire your red dot 100% of the time is the correct height whether that can be done 1/2" above the receiver or 1-1/2" above the receiver. In my case using my Aimpoint it's the latter.

Again, great job on your weapon.

 

Except that you've completely missed the ball on the fact that piling a bunch of junk high above, and all over the sides of any weapon used for fast action/self defense purposes, such as you have done with that Frankenstein's monster you created, makes it heavy, unbalanced, and unwieldy.

 

Exactly what you don't want in a self defense weapon.

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I like how the top rail came out and the front sight delete. It’s almost like vent rail sights down the picatinny rail.

 

Looking forward to hearing your range report and how the stock feels with recoil.

 

And not to thread hijack, but you can send an A&S frame to Robar and have them NP3 plated. I have done several of them and they hold up well. I had one plated recently for my burnt bronze build. I need to send it to my painter to have the exterior visible areas painted burnt bronze, I’ve just been lazy.

Edited by StrangerDanger
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Thanks Steve. I have to disassemble the trigger group again for more machining to increase side-to-side clearance for the Briley hammer. Once I have the correct clearance I will give A &S a call to see how their new parts measure. Then make a decision on color, buy an new one, re-coat, sell this one....

 

Rasyad

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Except that you've completely missed the ball on the fact that piling a bunch of junk high above, and all over the sides of any weapon used for fast action/self defense purposes, such as you have done with that Frankenstein's monster you created, makes it heavy, unbalanced, and unwieldy.

 

Exactly what you don't want in a self defense weapon.

 

With all do respect I would not call an Aimpoint Comp 4, a Surefire M951 Light, or a Laser Lyte shot gun laser junk. I'm not sure how much you think each item weighs or how you think that my M4 is some how " Out of Balance" but for me its not. I'm not sure what your physical stature is or why you think that my M4 which may be a total of 3 lbs. + heavier than a stock M4 is some how going to matter going from a ready position to a firing position. My M4 does not sit in a safe or the corner of a room collecting dust. I'm at the range at least once a month and fire between 200-250 sabo slugs with all accessories attached. I am authorized to rapid fire my weapon at the indoor range that I go to. I have no problem with control. Not everyone has the physical capabilities to accurately fire their Benelli in that manner whether it has accessories or not. I do. The only time that I had a problem with feeding is when I had a Surefire Tri-Rail and the rubber sides melted and interfered with the ARGO system. That has since been corrected with a B&T quad rail. Weight from one individual to the next is a relative term. My M4 is fit for purpose for many different scenarios relative to me. I have enjoyed our debate and once again to Rasyad, nice job on your weapon.

Blessings...

Edited by bodybuilder
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  • 1 year later...

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