Just got my M4, it’s not black!

[Franklinexpress]

Just got my m1014 (11701CA) and the color is not what I ordered.

Not a huge deal but I expected my gun to look like the one in the image, mine has some kind of bluish gray finish, what are my options? Can I re-anodize at a gunsmith and end up with the result seen in the example image? Would Benelli replace it? If it was dark blue like some of the other ones I’ve seen on the forum, I would love that as much as the black but man, this color sucks. 
It’s hard to see in the image but it looks similar to that one from the YouTuber who went to thunder ranch. Does the color change over time? Mine is brand new.

 

[Pack Rat]

Some looked navy blue a while back. I’d probably be glad I didn’t get one of those. 

[Fullassault]

Type III will require removing the finish you have now and redoing it. Anytime you strip a finish will run the risk of muddying the proof marks and lettering depending on how aggressive the ones doing the work gets doing  the removal if that is a concern. Also check back order logs. You could be without you new m1014 for months. 

[Franklinexpress]

3 minutes ago, Fullassault said:

Type III will require removing the finish you have now and redoing it. Anytime you strip a finish will run the risk of muddying the proof marks and lettering depending on how aggressive the ones doing the work gets doing  the removal if that is a concern. Also check back order logs. You could be without you new m1014 for months. 

That is definitely a concern, I don’t understand why Benelli is allowing this. I mean, look at this guy’s guns

 

[Fullassault]

Benelli tends to send out varying shades. Mine is black but my aluminum trigger housing is blue/gray.  It doesn’t bother me. The military M1014 are the same.

 

[Franklinexpress]

We’ll see what Benelli says, not really a big deal but I like my gins how I like them. 

[Franklinexpress]

I guess it also highly depends on lighting condition, hard to determine true color but looking at it in daylight isn’t too bad, but I wonder what color it will fade into.

[ThisShouldDoTheJob]

Baby blue.

It will fade to a baby blue color.

Not my kind of thing, but hey, at least you'll stand out at the range. 😁

[Franklinexpress]

Just now, ThisShouldDoTheJob said:

Baby blue.

It will fade to a baby blue color.

Not my kind of thing, but hey, at least you'll stand out at the range. 😁

F#%> This already too baby blue for me. Do you mean like lighter than this? I feel like mine might fade into gray. Do you have an example?

[ThisShouldDoTheJob]

Joking aside, that is lousy, and I'm sorry it happened to you. I have no idea how it will fade, but it won't fade for a while yet, so that's a problem.

Blame it on COVID, a lack of pride in a job well done, too much texting on the job, whatever, but manufacturing standards in general are going downhill faster than ever these days.

A few weeks ago, I returned a supposedly brand new H2O that was clearly a used and abused gun. And a couple of days ago, the magazine cap retaining spring and pin just fell out of my brand new M1014 that replaced the H2O.

The good news is that Benelli Customer Service has been fine to work with so far, so I would give them a call and - calmly as you can - explain that you would like to replace this clearly blue gun with a black one like the 99% of the other M1014s out there.

Best wishes for a successful resolution. It really does suck when one opens that box with such high hopes, and one's first reaction is WTH???   

 

Edited August 18, 2022 by ThisShouldDoTheJob

[Franklinexpress]

Thank you for that. Seems like you had real problems with yours. I haven’t even fired mine, scared of what else they skimped on. Good to hear that about customer service, we’ll see how it goes. 

[cas]

There's an ass for every seat. I'd love to have one of my Benelli's that color. lol

[Franklinexpress]

3 minutes ago, cas said:

There's an ass for every seat. I'd love to have one of my Benelli's that color. lol

Haha, I’m trying to get myself to like it, it’s working.

Benelli replied and gave me the famous whole process and reasoning behind the color drift that happens with Type III, I’m not gonna bother and go through the hassle.
 I’m wondering how the Beretta 1301(same company) manages to get it right yet they mess this one up.

So besides Cerakote, what another options do I have? I’ve heard some people put kiwi or paste wax on the receiver to darken it a bit, even though it’s not permanent, I’d be ok with that.

Also heard of CLP, is that better than Cerakote?

[cas]

9 hours ago, Franklinexpress said:

Also heard of CLP, is that better than Cerakote?

  Cerakote polymer-ceramic coating (like really expensive paint lol). CLP is a lubricant.

So I'm confused.  Did you mean DLC? PVD?

[Franklinexpress]

3 hours ago, cas said:

  Cerakote polymer-ceramic coating (like really expensive paint lol). CLP is a lubricant.

So I'm confused.  Did you mean DLC? PVD?

Oops, yeah I meant DLC, thank you

[StreetSweeper56]

Watch the "blue" Benelli's become collectors items in a few years.

[Franklinexpress]

1 minute ago, StreetSweeper56 said:

Watch the "blue" Benelli's become collectors items in a few years.

Wouldn’t it fade to gray though?

[StreetSweeper56]

31 minutes ago, Franklinexpress said:

Wouldn’t it fade to gray though?

Bluing takes decades to patina, I have no idea what it will turn to but I wouldn't call it "fading". Of course this is just my opinion but I would treasure it if I were you, they don't all come out like that. Who knows why but it's something special.

[Franklinexpress]

Just now, StreetSweeper56 said:

Bluing takes decades to patina, I have no idea what it will turn to but I wouldn't call it "fading". Of course this is just my opinion but I would treasure it if I were you, they don't all come out like that. Who knows why but it's something special.

This one is anodized, the receiver is aluminum. 

[StreetSweeper56]

Right, but it won't "fade". Again, I'd keep it just like that, I like rare stuff. I'm doing like 4 things at once so let me clarify. Bluing will patina after decades. I suppose anodizing would change color if you left it in the sun for a long time, exactly what color it would change to, I have no idea. But I don't think, being stored out of the sun it will change color.

Edited August 19, 2022 by StreetSweeper56

[cas]

Like plumb Ruger's and HKs.

[Jaason0]

About a yr ago I order a black M4 and am so excited to get it. I get it and it is a bright blue. I hated it and was super mad. I sold it and ordered another black one. Figuring the first one was a fluke......nope the second was blue also ( little darker shade but blue ). The blue is much more noticable outside. Some people like the blue but not me. I hate it and pretty mad that a 2k shotgun doesn t look like advertised. I sold thee second one and bought a H20. When your selling a shotgun that cost 2k plus the colors should be consistent. It is so weird that you ll see some black ones out there but for the past couple yrs the blue is everywhere.

[Jaason0]

On 8/17/2022 at 3:29 AM, Franklinexpress said:

Just got my m1014 (11701CA) and the color is not what I ordered.

Not a huge deal but I expected my gun to look like the one in the image, mine has some kind of bluish gray finish, what are my options? Can I re-anodize at a gunsmith and end up with the result seen in the example image? Would Benelli replace it? If it was dark blue like some of the other ones I’ve seen on the forum, I would love that as much as the black but man, this color sucks. 
It’s hard to see in the image but it looks similar to that one from the YouTuber who went to thunder ranch. Does the color change over time? Mine is brand new.

 

yeah man I know exactly what you mean. Outside it is much more noticeable. I wanted a BLACK M4 ( like advertised not a blue one. It makes me so mad that you have to think about reanodizing it to get it right. What makes me the most mad is that they made no mention of this. Geissele s adozing has varying shades but they tell you this upfront. When i order a black shotgun i want a black shotgun. I sold mine and got a H20 one. You could always order a h20 one and switch thee stocks and sell the 1014. That way you d have a h20 with collipsable stock. I did this and just sold the 1014 about 250 less.  

[ThisShouldDoTheJob]

I bought a M4/1014 for its vaunted ARGO system, and I'm starting to think that's the only feature I'm going to like about this gun - if/when I eventually get a chance to shoot one. In other words, it better be a real smooth shooter or this $2K+ gun will be out of my collection real fast. Here's a summary of some recent posts/experiences (only a few of them are mine) with Benelli that have me wondering if this is the right brand for me:

> Franklinexpress's blue balls situation in this topic. 😆

>  I had to return a supposedly brand new H2O that was clearly a used and abused gun. That BS took 4 weeks.

> The magazine cap retaining spring and pin just fell out of my brand new M1014 so now I'm without that gun for another 3 - 4 weeks while it's getting repaired.

> Both front sights on my supposedly brand new H2O, and my brand new M1014 came canted/off center from the factory. This is common/acceptable condition on a $2K+ gun???

> The magazine release button is a joke. Thanks to RX Arms for his quick fix.

> The gun is hard to load, and even more awkward to unload.

> The jenky two-piece plastic forend is a joke. I've been around all sorts of firearms for 50 years. If I find putting those two pieces back together to be a finicky PITA in the comfort of my own home - and I've watched many others on YouTube struggle with this finicky PITA feature too - how the hell does a young kid in the military under fire/duress do it? How did this finicky PITA feature even make it onto a combat weapon???

> And, of course, the heat shield. Yeah, I know, it's not really needed, and real men never drop a burning hot firearm under fire/duress and then have to pick it up and burn themselves, but I'm still surprised some sort of heat shield is not on a combat weapon. When I want to reload fast, the last thing I want to be thinking about is how I have to hold this gun just right so I don't burn myself. The forend on the M4-A1 got that right.

OK. Rant over. I'm just ticked off right now after several weeks of delays, and hopefully some eventual range time with my M1014 will set my world right.

Serenity now! 😆

[cas]

4 hours ago, ThisShouldDoTheJob said:

I bought a M4/1014 for its vaunted ARGO system, and I'm starting to think that's the only feature I'm going to like about this gun

So far I think that's what I like the least? The M4 is a fat dirty pig. lol I couldn't believe how dirty mine was inside in only 75 rounds? (mostly buck and slug)

I finally gave in and bought one this spring to get my own opinion on how much was steak, how much was sizzle. Separate the truth from the fanboy fappery if you will. lmao

I'm sure I'll be chased from the forum with torches and pitchforks, but thus far I'm just not seeing it.  It's a great gun, I guess, but not matching the price or the hype thus far.