I don't think it's widely enough known that a new Benelli M4 will require a break in before becoming one of the most reliable semi autos around, it seems to be something you have to find out. With my first one, I was told that a box or two high powered shells would have to go through it before it could handle milder target type ammo, this was true, after both the gun and me getting a good pounding from some 3" buckshot ammo, it would 100% cycle anything reasonable I shot through it.
Now about the new one: the vendor told me that magnum shells were no longer necessary and I took him at his word if only because I couldn't find any 3" stuff I wanted to just blow away shooting at nothing. Therefore, what I brought to the range with me was several boxes of 2 3/4" Challenger lead shot shells and a half box of more powerful Buck shells just in case. I also included a short stack of clays to make the thing fun, intending to plant them on the berm as stationary targets. As it turned out, the vendor was correct, the new gun did mostly successfully handle the lower brass shells, something my old one had refused outright, but OTOH the new one did exhibit failures to eject about one in five times- these were mostly of the type where the spent shell remained entirely inside the chamber, real beatches to clear with a new shell coming up and most definitely not the kind of thing you would want to happen in a crisis situation. In the end, which is to say when I reached my limit, this was still happening after quick firing 50 rounds, although less often, and my shoulder was asking me to quit, so I did. I do have to say that at 25m the modified choke completely vaporized the clays I brought, that was fun. I also remain hopeful that just a few more boxes of Challenger will do the break in trick, or if not I will be shooting some slugs to do the sighting in of the ghost ring sights. From my own experience, you just have to stick with it (and BTW my online reading also says that over-lubing an M4 is not the answer). I will post what happens.
Now about the new one: the vendor told me that magnum shells were no longer necessary and I took him at his word if only because I couldn't find any 3" stuff I wanted to just blow away shooting at nothing. Therefore, what I brought to the range with me was several boxes of 2 3/4" Challenger lead shot shells and a half box of more powerful Buck shells just in case. I also included a short stack of clays to make the thing fun, intending to plant them on the berm as stationary targets. As it turned out, the vendor was correct, the new gun did mostly successfully handle the lower brass shells, something my old one had refused outright, but OTOH the new one did exhibit failures to eject about one in five times- these were mostly of the type where the spent shell remained entirely inside the chamber, real beatches to clear with a new shell coming up and most definitely not the kind of thing you would want to happen in a crisis situation. In the end, which is to say when I reached my limit, this was still happening after quick firing 50 rounds, although less often, and my shoulder was asking me to quit, so I did. I do have to say that at 25m the modified choke completely vaporized the clays I brought, that was fun. I also remain hopeful that just a few more boxes of Challenger will do the break in trick, or if not I will be shooting some slugs to do the sighting in of the ghost ring sights. From my own experience, you just have to stick with it (and BTW my online reading also says that over-lubing an M4 is not the answer). I will post what happens.
