Unobtanium Posted August 4 Share Posted August 4 This is a post designed to help people who are considering a firearm that fits this genre. Self defense/combative. I remember my first Benelli like it was yesterday. Back in the late 2000s, I snagged an 11707. Immediately I bought an OEM mag tube from Numrich and installed it. I was murdering milk jugs at 100m with it with slugs, and mulching brush with buck and bird. This was back when the CB05(?) stuff was around. 12 copper plated 00 pellets at 1290fps from 2.75" shells. The weapon would malunfunion near the end of each tube. I figured it was a spring issue. Dropped in an m1s90 police spec spring. Issue ceased. Then came my desire to seriously use the gun. I needed a light. There was just no way to affix one, really. The surefire handguard either wasn't out, didn't fit the barrel flange of the 11707 models, or whatever, and LED lights were in their infancy, with Malkoff being the only real solution on a modded 6P. Begrudgingly, I left the platform and bought an ar15. I could put a light on it. Optics were also more available, as I remember, we were stuck with the LaRue shredding split rail and minimal options other than LaRue or SWAN back then. I destroyed a Pride Fowled rds mount like that. Then Kip Carrier entered the scene. Rails, full 1913. Ti mag tubes. Proper springs. Still no great light mounts. Then AVA tactical introduced a viable solution. As did Fab Defense (?) with their wonky little 1913 section on the sling groove ring. Things really hit full stride with thr IWC mounts. Scalarworks SYNC optic mounts. I played with the benelli m4 off and on over the last roughly 1.5 decades, but only around the late 20-teens did it truly become a viable, cohesive weapon system, and I absolutely love my m4 Entry gun. Time marches on, though, and MFALs, thermal, nvds, etc have become a thing. Once again, I have moved back to the ar15 carbine platform. I can mount my mfal, my light, an lpvo, a piggyback nvd compatible rds, etc. I am excited for the day when we integrate this stuff into the gauge. I have already tried with a Surefire xvl2irc on an IWC light mount 1913 section, it just didn't pan out. 2 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CEBEP Posted August 5 Share Posted August 5 Interesting observations. For self defense I kinda tend to keep the gun light and with minimum stuff on it. Even though Holosun is experimenting with integrated night vision red dot sights I don’t think I’ll ever buy them. Reliable red dot and flashlight is all I need for my purposes. Also made modifications to keep my M4 as light as possible without sacrificing reliability. But if you absolutely need to integrate Surefire xvl2irc and alike, I think you already can, as there are pic rail mag tube adaptors. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blain Posted August 5 Share Posted August 5 (edited) On 8/3/2024 at 9:00 PM, Unobtanium said: This is a post designed to help people who are considering a firearm that fits this genre. Self defense/combative. I remember my first Benelli like it was yesterday. Back in the late 2000s, I snagged an 11707. Immediately I bought an OEM mag tube from Numrich and installed it. I was murdering milk jugs at 100m with it with slugs, and mulching brush with buck and bird. This was back when the CB05(?) stuff was around. 12 copper plated 00 pellets at 1290fps from 2.75" shells. The weapon would malunfunion near the end of each tube. I figured it was a spring issue. Dropped in an m1s90 police spec spring. Issue ceased. Then came my desire to seriously use the gun. I needed a light. There was just no way to affix one, really. The surefire handguard either wasn't out, didn't fit the barrel flange of the 11707 models, or whatever, and LED lights were in their infancy, with Malkoff being the only real solution on a modded 6P. Begrudgingly, I left the platform and bought an ar15. I could put a light on it. Optics were also more available, as I remember, we were stuck with the LaRue shredding split rail and minimal options other than LaRue or SWAN back then. I destroyed a Pride Fowled rds mount like that. Then Kip Carrier entered the scene. Rails, full 1913. Ti mag tubes. Proper springs. Still no great light mounts. Then AVA tactical introduced a viable solution. As did Fab Defense (?) with their wonky little 1913 section on the sling groove ring. Things really hit full stride with thr IWC mounts. Scalarworks SYNC optic mounts. I played with the benelli m4 off and on over the last roughly 1.5 decades, but only around the late 20-teens did it truly become a viable, cohesive weapon system, and I absolutely love my m4 Entry gun. Time marches on, though, and MFALs, thermal, nvds, etc have become a thing. Once again, I have moved back to the ar15 carbine platform. I can mount my mfal, my light, an lpvo, a piggyback nvd compatible rds, etc. I am excited for the day when we integrate this stuff into the gauge. I have already tried with a Surefire xvl2irc on an IWC light mount 1913 section, it just didn't pan out. The Benelli M4 is a sweet piece of kit for sure. I like to keep it more of less in basic stock configuration as well due to its weight. I'm a big proponent of KISS when it comes to weapons. Only things I have on mine are a side saddle and light mount. The ghost rings work great, and don't think a red dot / optic is needed. Swapped the front sight post out with a tritium one as well. The gun just runs, and patterns great. I'm also a big fan of the Benelli M2 tactical, runs just as great for me and is a pound and a half lighter when set up the same way as the M4. I think within 50 yards, there isn't a weapon more formidable than a semi automatic combat shotgun. Edited August 5 by Blain 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Unobtanium Posted August 6 Author Share Posted August 6 I integrate everything. I need vis and ir active and passive systems, thermal, etc to all play well with each other. That is where my carbine shines, and where the gauge needs to continue to evolve. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CEBEP Posted August 6 Share Posted August 6 If it’s gauge and not specifically Benelli M4 I think you can integrate everything and more on Keltec KS7 with longer pic rail from Hi-Tec. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Unobtanium Posted August 6 Author Share Posted August 6 25 minutes ago, CEBEP said: If it’s gauge and not specifically Benelli M4 I think you can integrate everything and more on Keltec KS7 with longer pic rail from Hi-Tec. I agree, but the m4 is where it's at for me, until something better comes along. Some of the new 5.56 stuff is really nasty, as well, terminally. The 62gr Dual Performance from Black Hills is up for evaluation for me this deer season. Last year mk318 mod 0 was the top performer terminally, but groups 2.5moa while the dual is running 1.6-1.8 for me. 10 shots at 100. Also, I love black hills qc. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RxArms Posted August 6 Share Posted August 6 (edited) 4 hours ago, Unobtanium said: I integrate everything. I need vis and ir active and passive systems, thermal, etc to all play well with each other. That is where my carbine shines, and where the gauge needs to continue to evolve. I think our heat shield can handle all that. It is 1/8" thick. However for optics mounted to the heat shield, there is a bit of play near the muzzle on the bracket, which was needed to ensure compatibility with older shotguns. It can be reduced some with layers of helicopter tape. Considering it is a shotgun, I am not sure how much 5 thou play would effect accuracy out to 50 yards. I would be curious to see how'd it stacks up with all this gear on it. Unforunately the SBS version is not in the works yet. Edited August 6 by RxArms 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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