Fett Tracking Posted February 12, 2021 Share Posted February 12, 2021 Hello all, Been away for a very long time, picked up my first 11707 over a decade ago. I've still dropped in on the forums here every so often but between school, work and life stuff I kinda got out of the parts and industry scene. My M4 is still running strong after 1000s of rounds and very little cleaning and maint. Finally bought another. This puts me back in the market for another full length mag tube (and spring?). There are many more options now than there were 10+ years ago. I am 99% sure that I purchased my first and only full length from Socomguy here when he first started making them. I do have a message out to him already but figured why not start a new thread with a less obscure title. Keeping the topic to full length options and not extensions, and springs only, not other parts...what are people liking these days? I do not even remember if I used the spring that came with my M4 or cut it down or got a new spring, it has been so long. Titanium was just being talked about and carbon fiber wasn't an option back then... I'm looking for lightweight (as we all are) but also dont want to compromise fit and function. Money is less an issue than reliability and durability. I wanna say the Ti options had a rough start but dont remember that clearly either (fit issues or couldnt handle steel casings?). While a weight reduction would be nice, I dont find the steel tube to be too much of a burden. Any reason to go Ti or CarbonFiber over good ole steel, or any reasons not to? FFT vs CC vs Briley? 2021 updates from people who have any of these would be rad all here in one place. Secondly, what is the best go to spring these days? Is everybody cutting down wolff springs? Does the factory M4 spring work? I wouldn't be surprised if I was still using the original spring or if I had just popped a spring out of the 870 collection in my first M4 (I was younger and less considerate). For anybody else about to ask about the same topic, here are some other threads that aren't super old, just fyi. Might prevent somebody from scrolling through to play catch up. I only started this thread to refocus on just tubes and springs. Mag tube extinshion - Benelli - Benelli USA Forums Magazine tube spring effects capacity? - Benelli - Benelli USA Forums M4 Magazine Tube Titanium option - Benelli - Benelli USA Forums Install help below* Just fyi Tips or tool to remove magazine spring? - Benelli - Benelli USA Forums Benelli M4 -- Magazine Tube Removal Pictorial - Benelli - Benelli USA Forums Thanks! Good to be back and happy to see people like Socomguy and StrangerDanger still around! 1 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Birdog19 Posted February 12, 2021 Share Posted February 12, 2021 Fett - Welcome back! I'm running the CC mag tube and that's what people seem to lean toward. The Briley CF is pretty new but it is being used a bit too. I haven't heard anything negative about either tubes on this forum but others may disagree. Seems like aesthetics (color) and weight are the biggest drivers of choice. I have not seen anything on poor fit or workmanship for any option mag tube, but over to others for their experience. Along those lines, here's what I have for 7-round mag tube weights: Nordic: 10.5 oz FFT: 5.6 oz CC: 5.3 oz Briley CF: 3.4 oz If you go with a CC tube you get the follower and Wolff spring as well. I think I am running a cut-down Nordic spring I got when I went with a 12 round tube. It works and the Wolff spring is still in its packaging awaiting its turn. Some folks get a little antsy about cutting down springs but there are some good and varied post on here about that. Bottom line IMHO, it's not a big deal. Nice work on listing all the links from past posts!! I try to save all the helpful links on a word doc for quick reference when needed. ATB, Birdog 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SOCOMguy Posted February 13, 2021 Share Posted February 13, 2021 As many know I'm still here and still making high quality 4130 thin wall steel 7 rd tubes. I may have been the first to make a USA aftermarket tube, been at it for over 15 years now. My tubes weigh 8.8 oz and are done in Cerakote , color is "armorer black" which is a match to the other black on your M4. Recently have done a couple in Cerakote "Titanium silver" which customers report is a very good match to the later H20. ... I'm still here at [email protected] Joe Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fett Tracking Posted February 13, 2021 Author Share Posted February 13, 2021 I think I will buy another from Joe. I like being able to come back after 10+ years and say hey this has been great I'll have another. I think I'll try a carriercomp (titanium material). And a carbon fiber. I am pretty decided on this being my tax return gift to myself and this community. I also want to try one of the Agency arms ones because I like the idea of supporting a company in my main state (CA). In refreshing with Joe, we both kinda remember hearing that M4s are shipped out from the factory with the same spring in their USA market as there is in the full length tube factory models. I also kinda remember not even swapping my spring out and its worked great all this time. I'll update this as I work on the new M4 (waiting for arrival). Anybody with and Agency Arms M4 or parts, please chime in. Anybody with good or bad exp. with CC titanium material tubes, especially high round use, please also chime in... For anybody wondering if Joe (SOCOMguy ^) make tubes out of titanium (because that one thread linked above confused me at first) he does not. That is a reference to the color which looks like a perfect match if you have an H2O. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
StrangerDanger Posted February 13, 2021 Share Posted February 13, 2021 I’ve used the Carriercomp titanium tubes for about 12 years. Zero issues with them. I used their supplied spring and never replaced it. I think my burnt bronze M4 is now around 17,500 rounds. Last year I swapped it out for a carbon fiber magazine tube since I was chasing lighter weight. No issues so far. I don’t know how they compare strength wise, but it doesn’t appear the carbon fiber tube is weak. The threaded areas are stainless steel. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bibliophile Posted February 13, 2021 Share Posted February 13, 2021 About a month or so ago, I bought one of SOCOMguy’s 7-round steel magazine tubes. It arrived quickly, looked to be equal to the quality of any of the OEM Benelli M4 parts, fits and looks great on the gun, and works perfectly. I’ve showed it to another M4 owner, who was also impressed with the quality. Based on my first-hand experience, I’d say this 7-round magazine tube complements the M4 perfectly. Highly recommended. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fett Tracking Posted February 13, 2021 Author Share Posted February 13, 2021 Bibli, you using your oem spring with no alterations? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bibliophile Posted February 13, 2021 Share Posted February 13, 2021 I bought the Wolff magazine spring from FFT, which can be seen here: https://freedomfightertactical.com/collections/m4/products/the-freedom-fighter-tactical-wolff-gunsprings-premium-shotgun-spring Seems to work fine - so far, it’s fed both a few hundred A-Zoom snap caps and 200 “real” shells perfectly. ? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DigCowboy Posted February 13, 2021 Share Posted February 13, 2021 1 hour ago, Fett Tracking said: Bibli, you using your oem spring with no alterations? I recently put on one of Socomguys tubes. Originally I tried the OEM spring, because I read they used the same one as in the full length tube. That was a big fail (FF). I replaced the OEM with a CC and now running flawless. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Diesel79 Posted February 13, 2021 Share Posted February 13, 2021 I just put on a CarrierComp tube. Fit and finish are flawless. The DG finish is about as exact if a match to the barrel as you can get. I did notice they just raised their price $30, but if I had to do it over again I buy from them again. They include a spring and follower too for $229. The lead times might be longer on the CC, but I didn’t care about that. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JRCOWBOY Posted February 14, 2021 Share Posted February 14, 2021 Which one od the CC tubes are a better match to the newer H2O M4 sold right now? Also if someone can post a picture with it on thengun or next to it that would be awesome. Looking to see how close it matches. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SOCOMguy Posted February 14, 2021 Share Posted February 14, 2021 I can't tell you about the CC tube, but you can see the color match on one of my steel tubes ... search the Jan 19 post " M4 Mag Tube Titanium option" .. nice pix Joe Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
StrangerDanger Posted February 14, 2021 Share Posted February 14, 2021 Carriercomp's muted finish is a bead blasted finish that is silver. It isn't an exact match for the H2O Cerakote model, but it is pretty close. It's close to the original NP3 models as well. There is no source available anymore to plate the titanium magazine tubes in NP3 anymore. That died with Robar. The current plating companies won't touch it even though it works just fine. Socomguy's are excellent steel tubes. I prefer them over the OEM Benelli ones. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Evolution Posted February 14, 2021 Share Posted February 14, 2021 This is a "muted finish"CC titanium tube on my Robar vintage NP3 H20 Benelli. As you can see, in most lighting conditions, it does not match the NP3 plating at all. In some lighting conditions it looks similar but, mostly it looks almost like a parkerized finish. When I first got it, I called Marcie and texted her pictures of it on my gun and asked if they mistakenly sent me a tube for a standard finish M4. She told me no, that this is how the muted titanium finish looks. So, unless I was lied to (and I don't think that I was) or, I just got a one-off weird example tube, then this is what you get. Now maybe, their muted finish tube matches a cerakote M4 model better but this is what I ended up with on my original NP3 H20 model. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
StrangerDanger Posted February 14, 2021 Share Posted February 14, 2021 5 minutes ago, Evolution said: This is a "muted finish"CC titanium tube on my Robar vintage NP3 H20 Benelli. As you can see, in most lighting conditions, it does not match the NP3 plating at all. In some lighting conditions it looks similar but, mostly it looks almost like a parkerized finish. When I first got it, I called Marcie and texted her pictures of it on my gun and asked if they mistakenly sent me a tube for a standard finish M4. She told me no, that this is how the muted titanium finish looks. So, unless I was lied to (and I don't think that I was) or, I just got a one-off weird example tube, then this is what you get. Now maybe, their muted finish tube matches a cerakote M4 model better but this is what I ended up with on my original NP3 H20 model. That’s kind of weird. That tube is a lot darker than this one I just did up. Real deal NP3 M4. Indirect sunlight: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Evolution Posted February 14, 2021 Share Posted February 14, 2021 (edited) Yep. Well that's what I ended up with on mine. I really don't mind it much but, would have been happier if it matched better. Actually, your picture against the tree in indirect sunlight looks to me as a good match to my picture in indirect sunlight on the river rock. Or, maybe I just have an ultra bright NP3 plating on my H20. It stands to reason that even Robar guns probably had a slight variation in finish production, right? Edited February 14, 2021 by Evolution Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
StrangerDanger Posted February 14, 2021 Share Posted February 14, 2021 The hue can be different but you really have to look for it and you may just be imagining a difference, or perspective based on the surface prep. I’ve had AR upper and lowers done at separate times and I can’t really see a difference. The titanium probably came down to who was doing the bead blasting and at what pressure/media size. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Evolution Posted February 14, 2021 Share Posted February 14, 2021 (edited) I think that it's probably that the tube just turned out to be darker than some, or most, for whatever reason. In any case, I just posted my pictures so that anyone (such as JRCOWBOY) considering a muted finish titanium tube looking for a good match to their H20 gun, might consider that they may not end up with a good match. Especially after waiting and anticipating for 3+ months. Edited February 14, 2021 by Evolution Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jim Yeske Posted February 17, 2021 Share Posted February 17, 2021 Just swapped out my 5 round tube on my H2O with a 7 round from benelliparts.net. It matches perfectly and thanks to you all was so easy. Took 10 minutes of prep and 5 minutes of heating. Heading to the range tomorrow to try it out. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dkay67 Posted March 25, 2021 Share Posted March 25, 2021 Can the muted titanium tube be cerakoted to match the factory color H2O? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
StrangerDanger Posted March 25, 2021 Share Posted March 25, 2021 1 hour ago, Dkay67 said: Can the muted titanium tube be cerakoted to match the factory color H2O? Definitely. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BenelliSauce Posted August 31, 2021 Share Posted August 31, 2021 (edited) Hi, first time caller here! Does anyone have the H2O cerakote (or NP3) sporting a CarrierComp's polished titanium tube? Pics would be great too. Or is the jury in that the closest is the CC "muted" one? Edited August 31, 2021 by BenelliSauce Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
StrangerDanger Posted August 31, 2021 Share Posted August 31, 2021 I'd go muted for a H2O gun either NP3 or Cerakote. Both finishes are a matte finish. That brushed polish would be more like chrome. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Milspec Posted August 31, 2021 Share Posted August 31, 2021 (edited) 2 hours ago, BenelliSauce said: Hi, first time caller here! Does anyone have the H2O cerakote (or NP3) sporting a CarrierComp's polished titanium tube? Pics would be great too. Or is the jury in that the closest is the CC "muted" one? You want muted. SD is on the money as always. Brushed would be almost like car chrome. Edited August 31, 2021 by Milspec 1 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RJHUB Posted August 31, 2021 Share Posted August 31, 2021 This is the SOCOMGUY H20 Titanium Cerakote. Perfect match, fit, and finish. 1 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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