Talk me out of (or into) a Benelli M4

**glocke12** · April 10th, 2013, 06:33 AM

Have thought of getting one for the past six years, more or less have the cash now but Id still probably sell something else to offset part of the cost.

Now, back in December I bought an M2 tactical for use in 3-gun and also basically because I could not find an M4 anywhere

However the more I read about it, the more it seems like it just would not be a smart purchase:
-holds less rounds than the M2
-accessories are expensive
-more difficult to clean than the M2
-like the M2, there are reports that it does not like low powered loads (though I have yet to have this problem in my M2)

Have at it..I am easily influenced.

**Misery Loves Shotguns** · April 10th, 2013, 12:51 PM

I was in the same situation a few months ago. I'd wanted one for years and never had the money but once I could afford it, I paid the local Gander Mountain a visit to handle the M4. I hated it. I'm left handed so keep that in mind but the safety is almost impossible to access from the left side and apparently the bolt doesn't lock back on empty unless the safety is on ... ?? Correct me if I'm wrong on that but it didn't lock back at the shop until I reached around and engaged the safety. For an $1800 shotgun, I was kind of hoping for night sights but no, it has the exact same sights as a $400 Benelli Nova Tactical. I totally get the 5 round import law for shotguns but having to spend extra money on top of the nearly $2000 to buy the gun just to get more than 5 rounds is ridiculous. I didn't care for the charging handle and that probably would have been the first thing I replaced when I got it home (if I were an idiot and bought the gun for some reason). My 930 SPX has a rounded, textured charging handle that feels a lot better to me. The weight of the gun was the biggest problem to me. It supposedly only weighs about a pound more than an 870 but I had less than an hour ago finished handling my 870 loaded with 7 rounds in the magazine, 6 on the Mesa Sureshell and with a Streamlight TLR-1S and CDM gear mount up front (maybe an extra 10 ounces between those two and UNLOADED, the M4 felt heavier to me than my full loaded 870. All of the weight is under the handguard where the piston system is I guess and supposedly that helps keep muzzle rise down during rapid fire BUT do you know what else helps control recoil? Training. Technique. Knowing what you're doing in general ... Making a point about how heavy a gun is being a good thing because it helps reduce recoil is unbelievably stupid. I can dump a magazine out of my 930 all onto the same target as fast as I can pull the trigger and I don't need a 10 pound weight hidden under the handguard to do it. Is the M4 a beautiful gun? Hell yes! Is it well built? Yes it is but I will NEVER buy one. There was not a one single thing about this weapon that I felt justified the price. If you want a tough, well built gun, go buy a Mossberg 590A1. If want an semi automatic, you could go out and buy a Mossberg 930 SPX, Remington 11-87P and have money left over for ammo and accessories for what you'd pay for the Benelli. Don't do it.

**LifeInPa** · April 10th, 2013, 02:32 PM

I'd totally go for a Mossburg 930SPX over that expensive POS. The 930SPX does everything the Benelli does but for 1/3 the price.

**glocke12** · April 10th, 2013, 07:05 PM

Originally Posted by Misery556

I was in the same situation a few months ago. I'd wanted one for years and never had the money but once I could afford it, I paid the local Gander Mountain a visit to handle the M4. I hated it. I'm left handed so keep that in mind but the safety is almost impossible to access from the left side and apparently the bolt doesn't lock back on empty unless the safety is on ... ?? Correct me if I'm wrong on that but it didn't lock back at the shop until I reached around and engaged the safety. For an $1800 shotgun, I was kind of hoping for night sights but no, it has the exact same sights as a $400 Benelli Nova Tactical. I totally get the 5 round import law for shotguns but having to spend extra money on top of the nearly $2000 to buy the gun just to get more than 5 rounds is ridiculous. I didn't care for the charging handle and that probably would have been the first thing I replaced when I got it home (if I were an idiot and bought the gun for some reason). My 930 SPX has a rounded, textured charging handle that feels a lot better to me. The weight of the gun was the biggest problem to me. It supposedly only weighs about a pound more than an 870 but I had less than an hour ago finished handling my 870 loaded with 7 rounds in the magazine, 6 on the Mesa Sureshell and with a Streamlight TLR-1S and CDM gear mount up front (maybe an extra 10 ounces between those two and UNLOADED, the M4 felt heavier to me than my full loaded 870. All of the weight is under the handguard where the piston system is I guess and supposedly that helps keep muzzle rise down during rapid fire BUT do you know what else helps control recoil? Training. Technique. Knowing what you're doing in general ... Making a point about how heavy a gun is being a good thing because it helps reduce recoil is unbelievably stupid. I can dump a magazine out of my 930 all onto the same target as fast as I can pull the trigger and I don't need a 10 pound weight hidden under the handguard to do it. Is the M4 a beautiful gun? Hell yes! Is it well built? Yes it is but I will NEVER buy one. There was not a one single thing about this weapon that I felt justified the price. If you want a tough, well built gun, go buy a Mossberg 590A1. If want an semi automatic, you could go out and buy a Mossberg 930 SPX, Remington 11-87P and have money left over for ammo and accessories for what you'd pay for the Benelli. Don't do it.

Mossberg 590A1 is a great shotgun...have had one for many years.

Many of the points you make about the M4 are the same things I was concerned about. I've actually gone to finger fuck the M4 thats on display twice this week, both times with the intention of buying it. But each time I picked it up I just couldn't get past the weight, and price. Than looking at the accessories scared me off even further. $300.00 bucks for an extension tube, $300-$400.00 for a collapsible stock...ugh.

I think for now I will just stick with the Benelli M2 I have...

**Misery Loves Shotguns** · April 11th, 2013, 02:08 AM

I would actually rather have an M2. I handled one a few times and really liked everything but the pistol grip stock. I think it looks odd with the way the trigger guard is shaped and I'm not a fan of pistol grips in general. I had the Mesa Tactical urbino pistol grip stock on my 870 for about an hour before I started to hate it. I prefer the regular stock's grip angle and the shortened length of pull didn't make a difference for me. If for no other reason, stay away from the M4 simply because of the price. You'd be $2000 in the hole before you had even added a magazine extension. That is absurd.

**Odonnks** · April 11th, 2013, 08:41 PM

I have a M4 and do like it. While looking over tactical SG's I considered the FNH SLP MK1, Benelli M4, M2 and 930 SPX and the 930 SPX JM series and the Versamax tactical.

Reading the all reviews I could find none bashed any of them. when handling them the M4 fit the best. Maybe not better enough to warrant the additional cost but when looking over build quality the M4 was again on top.
M2's were harder to come by and I was pretty sure I wanted a gasser. With a inertia gun like the M2 smaller statured folks like a woman may not be able to give the but a firm enough should to allow the gun to eject. I've seen larger soft shouldered men also fail to have the shell eject.

For a SD SG reliability in my wife's hands is important.

Ended up with the FNH and M4. One thing about the FNH is the shell lift is seriously fanged. Quick reloads are done at the risk of getting it run through your thumb. On the list is a replacement. The action smoothness of the FNH and M4 is pretty unreal for a SG.

The M4 shoots beautifully and so far has handled all the light target loads I've used.

I'm still interested in the Versamax but its a few down the list.

**ALS** · April 21st, 2013, 11:36 AM

The Benelli M4 is the Ferrari of shotguns. Is it expensive, hell yes? Is it reliable yes. Complaining about the cost of accessories for a M4 is like buying a $150K Ferrari and complaining about the $1,000 tune ups. The accessories are expensive due to the scale in numbers of guns produced. How many million Remington 870's are in use today vs how many Benelli shotguns in total.
Trying to compare an accessory for a gun that you might sell 500 collapsible stocks in total over the next five years and trying to compare it to the accessories available for a gun like an 870 where there are hundreds of thousands is like comparing Apples to Oranges.

BTW I own a M1 and a M4 for disclosure purposes.

**MOUNTAINORACLE** · April 21st, 2013, 12:14 PM

I checked out Benelli Shotguns for when I decided that I wanted to retire one of Ithaca Mag 10 Road Blockers from home defense duties. I decided I wanted something that fired a "lighter" load the the 10 gauge Ithacas.

I decided on the M-3 Convertible. I like the option of being able to switch from a semi-auto shotgun to pump when using the lighter recoiling 12 gauge loads. The M-3 is costly be has yet have a failure to function or cycle. I am happy with this purchase.