Got my M4 back from Briley

[SJPotter31]

Hi guys. It’s been awhile since I’ve posted but I’ve been reading frequently about all the improvements you all have been making to your M4s. I was able to do a couple small things like the TTI extended carrier and tried out various bolt handles. You guys are a gigantic wealth of information! Thank you! I don’t yet quite have the gunsmithing confidence to make sure that my M4 is built correctly, so I sent it off to Briley to get a bunch of work done. They did the elite package for me as well as the 6 position buffer tube. It took close to 3 months as they explained the buffer tube wasn’t commercially available yet but they were going to get it for me. Needless to say, my credit card has vastly outpaced my skill level. Last time I saw my credit card it was heading westbound over the horizon. If anyone sees it, use your Benelli and put it out of its misery.

Now, I’m hoping to up my game with defensive shotgun classes at Sig Sauer Academy this week. I’ve had that on the books for quite awhile and that’s why I ended up sending it off to Briley, so I could have the mods I wanted done correctly before the classes. 

I thought I’d share some pictures in case anyone was interested how it turned out from Briley. 

I was thinking about losing the iron sights to shed some weight, not sure if it would make much difference, but one thing I noticed that makes me feel I should keep them and possibly upgrade them to tritium sights, is when I use the weapon light it washes out the red dot on the SRO. I’m thinking if I need to use it with the light on, I would have to revert to the irons. Anyone experience this issue? 

 

[phusebox]

Was the 6-position recoil tube made by Briley in-house or is this a new OEM part? Got my first M4 recently and I've been looking around for a 6-position tube and all I can find is the one made by Regal Metal Works, and the one still being developed by RxArms.

[StrangerDanger]

Looking good. I would probably ditch the extended choke and the iron sights. You’d see significant weight cuts from that alone. You’ll also shorten the overall length with is critical for a defensive shotgun. The Benelli is already extremely long as it is. Every bit of length you can remove will make it more functional in close quarters. In a shoot house, even an 11.5” AR feels long when you’re approaching corners. I remember having to clear a mine with a 10.5” AR a long time ago when we were looking for someone. About half way thru, I dropped it to slung and went to my pistol for the remainder of the search. 
 

Do you have pictures of your light activation system? Could you mod the rail to permit looming the wire internally to protect it from damage?

[SJPotter31]

23 hours ago, phusebox said:

Was the 6-position recoil tube made by Briley in-house or is this a new OEM part? Got my first M4 recently and I've been looking around for a 6-position tube and all I can find is the one made by Regal Metal Works, and the one still being developed by RxArms.

It wasn't an OEM part. I had seen an instagram post from Briley announcing a "coming soon" 6 position buffer tube. So when I sent in my M4, I had requested the 6 position tube be added to the order. I think that is why it took so long to get it back. When I had called to check on the status, they told me that the tube had not gone into retail production yet, so I assume it's Briley's in house tube, but they were going to get one for me. The invoice shows they charged me $249.95 for the tube and no charge for the gunsmithing labor to install it due to the wait time. I've seen the posts from RXarms and his tube sounds awesome with a great price, especially with the position markings, which mine does not have. However, I feel I got a decent deal due to not having to pay the labor to install the buffer tube. I like the 6 positions mainly because it lets me dial in the length a little better to make the perfect cheek weld for the optic. 

[SJPotter31]

1 hour ago, StrangerDanger said:

Looking good. I would probably ditch the extended choke and the iron sights. You’d see significant weight cuts from that alone. You’ll also shorten the overall length with is critical for a defensive shotgun. The Benelli is already extremely long as it is. Every bit of length you can remove will make it more functional in close quarters. In a shoot house, even an 11.5” AR feels long when you’re approaching corners. I remember having to clear a mine with a 10.5” AR a long time ago when we were looking for someone. About half way thru, I dropped it to slung and went to my pistol for the remainder of the search. 
 

Do you have pictures of your light activation system? Could you mod the rail to permit looming the wire internally to protect it from damage?

Thanks for the tips! I will ditch the extended choke for a flush choke. I think I can remove the rear iron but the front iron looks like it might be welded to the barrel. The rear sight looks like it’s the heaviest one anyways. My concern about losing the irons though is the red dot getting washed out with the light on. Who knows, maybe under the stress of the situation, I wouldn’t have the presence of mind to revert to the irons anyways. I’ll give a try!

The pressure pad for the light won’t fit through the m lock so I could thread it under the mag tube. It is hard wired from the pressure pad to the light cap. I think I would have to cut slits through the hand guard between m lock slots in order to snake the wire through. I’m not sure what that would do to the structural integrity of the hand guard. 

[StrangerDanger]

On the front sight, the tower will still be welded to the barrel, but you can remove the hood and front sight post. It’ll give you a little less obstruction thru the optic window. 
 

Given that it’s a shotgun, you don’t even need sights to be in the ballpark at shotgun distances. You can use the glass hood of the optic is a big ghost ring. In the event the optic is obstructed by dirt or some kind of debris, the irons wouldn’t help much anyway. You’d be better off just looking over the optic.

I see what you mean with that switch pack. I’ve never handled that remote switch. It would be difficult to get it thru the rail.

[StrangerDanger]

BTW, did you make that purple chair? I made something almost identical in shop class.

[SJPotter31]

50 minutes ago, StrangerDanger said:

BTW, did you make that purple chair? I made something almost identical in shop class.

Man, not only did I admit I don’t have the gunsmithing abilities I’d like, now you’re calling me out on my woodshop abilities!! I didn’t make it..I bought that too!! ? it’s a pretty nice Adirondack chair. I live in NH so it’s made of PVC which holds up to the winters and summers really well. Some day I have aspirations of being a decent gunsmith and craftsman. But that day isn’t today. Maybe tomorrow!! 

[SJPotter31]

On 6/27/2022 at 3:15 PM, StrangerDanger said:

On the front sight, the tower will still be welded to the barrel, but you can remove the hood and front sight post. It’ll give you a little less obstruction thru the optic window. 
 

Given that it’s a shotgun, you don’t even need sights to be in the ballpark at shotgun distances. You can use the glass hood of the optic is a big ghost ring. In the event the optic is obstructed by dirt or some kind of debris, the irons wouldn’t help much anyway. You’d be better off just looking over the optic.

I see what you mean with that switch pack. I’ve never handled that remote switch. It would be difficult to get it thru the rail.

I replaced the breacher choke with a flush modified choke. I think I’ll probably get a flush IC choke to see how that patterns as well. That dropped about 3 inches off the barrel. When I get back from the trip I’m on I’ll dig into removing the irons.  The trijicon SRO worked really well for me during the classes at Sig last week. I didn’t look at the irons once, so I don’t think I’ll miss them. 

Edited June 28, 2022 by SJPotter31