Benelli M4 - Building a H2O

[Milspec]

Awesome

[Milspec]

Do you notice any hue or color difference between NP3 & Np3 plus?

[StrangerDanger]

No I don't see any difference. That was a concern of mine since I was matching up some AR15 lowers that had been done in NP3+ with regular NP3. I couldn't tell the difference and these batches were done several years apart.

[Milspec]

On 2/10/2020 at 11:04 PM, StrangerDanger said:

The Benelli M4 H2O got assembled today. I haven't finalized the installation yet since I have to get the magazine tube and the weapon light head painted to match the NP3 finish.

Do you have the mag tube and light done by a local painter/cerakote guy?  Or do you ship them out to somebody?  I found a guy near me but he seems a little iffy about doing the NP3 paint match.

Edited February 26, 2020 by Milspec

[StrangerDanger]

1 hour ago, Milspec said:

Do you have the mag tube and light done by a local painter/cerakote guy?  Or do you ship them out to somebody?  I found a guy near me but he seems a little iffy about doing the NP3 paint match.

I use a cop that does this in his spare time from a company named, Thin Red Line Performance Coating. He's pretty quick, reasonable on price and willing to take on weird stuff.

https://www.facebook.com/thinredlineguncoating/

[StrangerDanger]

Parts finally came back from paint today. So I got the M4 put together and took it out to sight it in on my private range here in the forest. This one is a smooth shooter. I can't tell the difference between buckshot and slugs thru it. I went through nearly a 100 rounds of slugs and buckshot to get everything sighted in and to see how the action was performing. Cleaning it when I got home was quick and easy. Everything wipes off with a rag with very little effort.

Target set at 40 yards.

Three shot groups of some cheap slugs.

3 shot groups continued. Dialing in the optic.

 

 

[Nocturnalnature]

As always, another job well done!

On a side note, you must have nuts the size of grapefruits to rest that freshly coated barrel on a rock ?.

[No. 6]

Nice job!

[Milspec]

Excellent work SD!  Your painter did a nice job with the match on the light and mag tube.  I can barely see any difference.

 

[StrangerDanger]

Thanks all. The NP3 is pretty abrasion resistant. I was careful when putting it down on the rocks. The lichen covered rocks were best. 
 

Color match is pretty close. The hue is a little off, but most would never notice. 

[Evolution]

Very nice! Whose bolt handle is on that one?

[StrangerDanger]

55 minutes ago, Evolution said:

Very nice! Whose bolt handle is on that one?

Thanks! That’s a stainless TTI bolt handle. 

[Evolution]

Check, and thanks. I recently purchased one of those from Arms Unlimited for 10 bucks when they had them on sale. Looks like a quality piece, seems to fit the same as the OEM but until I can test it on a range, I'll not be using it besides it's black and my gun is NP3.

I don't mind the contrast actually, but it needs a good bit of range time before I'll trust it not to fly out. 

[StrangerDanger]

I like the shape and texture of them over the more commonly found knurling. Sometimes I hit the bolt handle hard with my hand, and the knurling tears up my fingers. I never experienced the over insertion issue people have reported. I guess I could force it in, but I’d have to work at it to make that happen. 
 

This shotguns a pleasure to shoot full house loads thru. A combination of NP3 and a Limbsaver 11403 really keeps the perceived recoil down. 

[D'zaster]

Wow, that looks great, SD!!!

A real jewel of M4 goodness.

[Evolution]

5 hours ago, StrangerDanger said:

This shotguns a pleasure to shoot full house loads thru. A combination of NP3 and a Limbsaver 11403 really keeps the perceived recoil down. 

Could not agree more about felt recoil with these guns. I'm sure the NP3 helps too but Iv'e always thought that the design of the action itself, (the heavy bolt carrier with tail, the recoil tube and the gas system design) is what makes these guns so comfortable to shoot with heavy buck and slug loads.

Especially compared to pump guns! The Limbsaver is a 10403, right?

 

[StrangerDanger]

Correct on the Limbsaver model. It fits much better than the old 10111 model. It has a lip that fits inside the stock to help center the pad. No Noveske adapter plate needed. I did have to source some screws for mounting the buttpad. M4, 0.7 thread pitch and I think they were 16mm in length. 
 

The main reason I use the NP3 is for the friction coefficient reduction that it provides over anodizing and phosphate finishes. With the parts plated, everything operates smoother. You can hear the difference in the action. The way the spring sound inside the receiver extension and how the bolt carrier rides inside the receiver rails. This reduction in friction is less likely to jam from dirt and debris and spring loads spend less time fighting friction. Operational range of ammunition is increased since it’ll perform better with low recoil rounds. Will it cycle handicap loads? No, not unless you put lighter springs in the action. Will it improve performance on eating value pack ammo? Absolutely. 
 

Add this plating to the trigger pack parts and you feel an instant difference. Instead of the clunky, crunchy feel of the OEM parts, everything slides past one another with only the tension of the springs rather than friction points. 
 

As our local operator proclaims, the color will get you killed when the clock tower sniper sees the glint of your matte gray finish though!
 

 

[Evolution]

9 hours ago, StrangerDanger said:

Correct on the Limbsaver model. It fits much better than the old 10111 model. It has a lip that fits inside the stock to help center the pad. No Noveske adapter plate needed.

Yes, the same 10403 fits all the M4 stocks.

[Milspec]

SD, did you not have the follower plated?

[StrangerDanger]

8 hours ago, Milspec said:

SD, did you not have the follower plated?

It is plated. The older carriercomp followers allowed you to knock the plastic high visibility indicator out of the factory follower and install it into the carriercomp one.

[StrangerDanger]

I took this shotgun back out today for more testing at my range since what better way to spend a day sheltered in place than to go out shooting. I ran a couple hundred rounds of cheap value pack ammo from both Winchester and Federal thru it to see if it would fail. I held the shotgun off to my side with the stock fully collapsed so that I could simulate limp wrist firing with this weak ammunition. Each time it was fired I would allow the shotgun to jerk back in my hands which absorbs some of its inertia energy. This thing ate it all without any issues. I've encountered a lot of issues with this value pack stuff on stock guns in the past.

The NP3 plating opens up your operational window more by having a lower friction coefficient on your action. This is the main reason I like the finish. Corrosion resistance and ease of cleaning are secondary features.

[CobraBG]

Nice work, it looks awesome!! Is the NP3/NP3+ only available in the mat silver? 

[StrangerDanger]

4 hours ago, CobraBG said:

Nice work, it looks awesome!! Is the NP3/NP3+ only available in the mat silver? 

Yes it is unfortunately. On some builds I have had the exterior surfaces blasted off and then they are Cerakoted whatever color the user wants.

 

This build got mailed back to the owner today.

[Sigfla]

Damn that is  sexy looking M4. I prefer the solid stock but that coated one looks amazing. I am trying to find one to buy right now and setup almost exactly like that. I want the coated bolt and solid stock with the same light mount. Can you coat the magazine tube cap as well? I have never seen one done so I don't know if there is any reason why it couldn't also be matched to the gun. 

[StrangerDanger]

The factory magazine cap can’t be plated since it has a plastic overmolded portion on it. Now if you got an all metal extension, it might be an option. 
 

I disassembled his pistol grip stock and had the sling plate and internals NP3 plated. Even the screws in the buttpad were plated. 
 

I have a new concept model I’m working on that uses the Briley 13” rail plated. Then the light is moved out to the end of the rail so that it is flush with the muzzle. The activation button is then routed to where it is comfortable for the user to hit with their support hand thumb using a Unity Tactical MLOK Hot Button. Then maybe use some Railscales G10 Dragon Scales for rail covers and a angled QD sling mount from Strike Industries.