The Benelli M4 shotgun, the civilian version of the U.S. Military’s M1014 Joint Service Combat Shotgun, has been with us more than a decade and in that time has produced an excellent—though not unexpected—service record. In creating the shotgun, Benelli eschewed its own inertia recoil system and instead borrowed from the then-new Benelli R1 semi-auto rifle, using the ARGO (Auto Regulating Gas Operation) system. Using two stainless steel, short-stroke pistons located just ahead of the action, ARGO meant that the M4 was clean-running and, more importantly, able to instantly self-adjust to everything from standard 2.75-inch shells to 3-inch magnum loads.
In addition to the iron sights there is an M1913 rail section just forward of the rear sight, allowing the easy installation of optical sights or a laser. Just ahead of the handguard is a front attachment point for a sling.
Everything about the Benelli M4 shotgun is robust—a benefit of it being derived from a military arm.
In shooting, we noted that though the M4 is no lightweight, the leverage provided by the pistol grip made it adequately fast-handling. The 18.5-inch barrel that comes fitted with a Modified choke tube, is nearly as short as is legal. It’s compact enough to be nimble and overswing tends not to be a problem. The gun shoulders well and sight alignment is especially easy, with the ghost ring “disappearing” as it should, allowing you to focus on the front sight without claustrophobia or the sense that part of your vision is being obstructed.
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