Stan_TheGunNut Posted November 12, 2007 Share Posted November 12, 2007 I purchased a new Benelli M4 and was able to take it to the range today to test it out. I was using Wally World 100 round bulk pack ammo from both Federal and Winchester. The federal was #7.5 shot, 1 1/8 oz 3 dram equivalent, and the Winchester was the same except it was #8 shot. During my range visit, I was having multiple failures to eject where the round to be ejected got caught in the action. In other instances, the gun failed to load. Sometimes when I checked it, the next round was on the lifter, and other times it was still in the magazine. Often, after the last round was fired, the bolt wouldn't lock back. I realize some break in period might be needed for it to function properly, but this seems excessive (my M2 has functioned perfectly since I first took it out of the box). I was using the bulk birdshot simply because it is relatively inexpensive. I guess my questions are, how long of a break in period is normally required, and what methods would you use to break it in? What cheap ammo have you found to work, or not, in your M4? Is there anything I can do, be it cleaning, changing my shooting technique, etc, that would make the gun more reliable? Also, what's the point of a screw in cylinder choke? Has anyone used some blue loctite on it to make sure it doesn't come loose? I think I might. Thanks for any suggestions and insight you may offer. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HOGWILD Posted November 12, 2007 Share Posted November 12, 2007 http://www.benelliusa.com/customer-service/troubleshooting.tpl would not use any kinda locktite on a choke tube, cost of getting a stuck tube out is probably expensive. this link has some info about choke maintenance http://www.trulockchokes.com/chokeinfo.asp, i have allways heard that if your not shooting your shotgun loosen the choke and allways recheck it before shooting and allways use choke lube and keep the threads clean inside barrel and on the tube also. http://www.brownells.com/aspx/NS/store/ProductDetail.aspx?p=4967&title=CHOKE+TUBE+LUBE this would be what ya wanta use. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stan_TheGunNut Posted November 12, 2007 Author Share Posted November 12, 2007 Thanks for the links Hogwild. I think that tonight I'll clean the shotgun really well, and maybe swing by WallyWorld and pick up some field loads, buckshot, and maybe some slugs. Hopefully when I take it to the range tomorrow, it will function better. I'm hoping it just needs to be broken in a little bit, and will eventually run okay on the less expensive ammo. Regarding the loctite, I don't ever see me changing the choke in this shotgun, so why not make it a little permanant. To me, Benelli should have sent it without a choke at all, and just a smooth barrel. I guess at least for now, I will just take it out and clean it, and stick it back in. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
M1014 Posted November 12, 2007 Share Posted November 12, 2007 lets shoot some magnum heavy loads in that there m4 of yours,,about 75 to 100 then try the lite stuff again,,, Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HOGWILD Posted November 13, 2007 Share Posted November 13, 2007 what kinda lubes and solvents ya using? you can get other tubes to use in it, and use some high brass rounds like mentioned above at least 2 or 3 boxes. choke tubes are reccomended to be cleaned after every outing or ya take the chance of ending up with a stuck choke tube which will rust the threads and ruin barrel! was it cleaned befor ya shot it? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stan_TheGunNut Posted November 13, 2007 Author Share Posted November 13, 2007 I swung by WallyWorld and picked up some Remington, Winchester, and Federal 00 buck, and some some slugs. Hopefully I'll be able to tell a little more about how she shoots after 15 rounds of each of those. I'm also going to try and patern the gun to see where she shoots. Today I was there to make noise more than anything...I had forgotten all my targets here at home. I also took the M4 apart and cleaned it thoroughly. I typically use Hoppes and Rem oil. Prior to the first range trip, I had only given it a once over, and not a detailed cleaning. I also just noticed that some of the Federal ammo I grabbed is reduced recoil, so I guess I'll shoot that last. I'm not sure how that will compare to the regular stuff. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
yote Posted November 13, 2007 Share Posted November 13, 2007 I found out any low brass shell isn't strong enought to work the action on the M4, that goes along with the reduced recoil they may have high brass on them but they won't work the action very well. So yeah anything with high brass should work. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stan_TheGunNut Posted November 13, 2007 Author Share Posted November 13, 2007 How many rounds do you have thru yours Yote? I'm hoping mine will shoot some of the cheap bulk stuff to practice and play around with, once it gets broken in. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HOGWILD Posted November 13, 2007 Share Posted November 13, 2007 loose the remoil, Benellis do not like remoil!! CLP or Militec-1 and you will have no more problems!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stan_TheGunNut Posted November 13, 2007 Author Share Posted November 13, 2007 I went to the range again today, and shot some slugs, 00 buck, and some field loads. These all cycled okay, so I think the problem is with the light loads. I'll try a different kind of lube too, and see if that helps with the light loads any. Thanks for the input. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HOGWILD Posted November 13, 2007 Share Posted November 13, 2007 Italian Shotguns and American owners a good recipet for operator error, i have had none of them cause i took my time and read my manual and broke it in with some 3.5 Hevi-Shot and 30 of those almost killed me, took 2 trips to range and i do not try to use ammo that Benelli says ya can't use but i do use some light loads and it has never malfunctioned. Once ya get used to the Italian aspect of this shotgun you will not have any problems unless you do not know how to clean and maintain a quality weapon! Great that your M4 has come around and try the Militec-C it's expensive but goes a long way! Lotta people trying to multi-task with this shotgun and to me it would seem more of a home protection weapon vs hunting,bird hunting, trap and all the other stuff people us it for but to each his own!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stan_TheGunNut Posted November 13, 2007 Author Share Posted November 13, 2007 Thanks for the help Hogwild. Not trying to multitask here...I intend to use it as a HD shotgun. I have my M2 Field for the clays and hunting. I just want to be able to 'plink' with it using the cheap ammo. I'll get some of the Miltec and see how that works. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HOGWILD Posted November 14, 2007 Share Posted November 14, 2007 The manual should have worked this time, and just get a small bottle, it says to use it like 3 times and do it just before range time so the heat will help penetrate the lube better! CLP is ok also but i would not use on outside of barrel, but militec works good on outside of barrel! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
yote Posted November 14, 2007 Share Posted November 14, 2007 I haven't ran that many low brass shells throught mine because it just does not want to load the next round. The prombelm is that the M4 was designed to handle heavy loads i'd think a persons best be would be to go find an M3 since it's pump/semi-auto Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
No F-Bdy Bs Posted November 14, 2007 Share Posted November 14, 2007 Humm, good read Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
M3X2 Posted November 14, 2007 Share Posted November 14, 2007 I use Winchester high brass game loads, 2 3/4", 3 3/4" DR EQ. and have had no problems at all with my M4 or M3 for that matter. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thunderbolt Posted November 15, 2007 Share Posted November 15, 2007 I've had trouble with the Winchester Universal bulk packs in my M4. It's junk. The extractor slips right past the rim leaving the hull partially in the chamber. Same problem in my friend's Winchester pump-action. I have never had a problem with the Federal Field and Target bulk packs. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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