My (Northern) Benelli M4 Justification Video Review, Part I

[Ardent]

Took the new Benelli M4 out to the bush and put it through a few of its paces, getting comfortable with it as my new bear gun. I work remote in Northern BC and my bear gun is a very important tool for me, I'm fifty yards from Grizzlies several times a summer, and closer than that weekly with black bears. Shifting to a semi from my 590A1 14" is quite a transition for me, and I was concerned that the collapsing butt, while extremely handy and shrinking the M4 to the exact same size as my 590A1 14", would be a liability if I had to shoot the gun collapsed. I did some budget camera work, my gopro as I've begun using in my Africa videos was forgotten at home, so I taped an iPhone to my hat, and to the gun in a couple different ways. Came with its own challenges but it worked. And yep it was snowing and -10C the second day, mid-April, still winter here sadly.

 

[dahs]

Solid review. I bought a 18.5 590A1 specifically to ride in the plane with me in Northwestern Ontario. Thought about the Benelli, but I know me, and that's just too much money to drop in the water and loon crap on some of those lakes.

 

[Ardent]

Mine will have a rough life, to be sure. I had a bunch more video but none of it was any good due to a lack of suitable camera holds and positions. Did a shoot against my 590A1 where I ruined it using the iPhone video trim feature, for whatever reason when trimmed it makes the audio "skip" and not match the clip. To my surprise I shot the 590A1 as fast as the M4, and hit every target, but didn't get near the pellet count on each target, so I'm shooting the M4 better from the get go. To me that means a lot, as the M4 is brand new to me, and I've used the 590A1 a good deal. Should only get better.

Hundred shells in of buck, slug both low recoil and maximum, zero reliability issues. If you liked it and are able, please throw a "thumbs up" like on there, combatting the youtube generation already.

 

[canucklehead]

Do you like the pistol grip? I find the standard stock to be much more comfortable and easier to transition from an 870 or other pump.

Sweet review by the way...

 

[johNTO]

Nice review/vid! Appears the different loads and cold temps didn't affect the cycling on the semi.
Looking forward to your side to side comparison (M4 vs 590)

 

[Ardent]

Thanks guys, yes I like the collapsing stock, I have big mitts and the M4's much fatter than standard grip feels great to me. Only complaint I have so far is the length of pull at it's fully extended setting still feels pretty short. I'm betting as it was designed with military applications being the design goal, fitting all soldiers including the gear their wearing. For the larger side of average and up sized male, you'll probably want some spacers under the recoil pad.

 

[Gobc]

What made you switch from a pump to a semi?

 

[Ardent]

Mostly just a review of what I wanted from my bush gun; excellent ghost rings, short OAL for transport, stupid tough, factory chokes. Not an 870 guy and generally prefer proven, milspec products (personal preference, plenty of excellent choices out there that don't fit this criteria). Most of all though, was just fit and feel, and out of all the shotguns I've shouldered and a good few I've tested, the M4 felt and hit best, the most natural.

Semi realistically was a secondary consideration, the M4 just happens to be a semi, and an excellent one, but first and foremost I appreciate its other features and fit.

 

[Can-down]

If you square up your shoulders and stance to the target instead of a traditional angled stance the length of pull won't be an issue.

 

[Ardent]

Fair point for some, however background wise I'm a hunter and long range target shooter, never could or will get used to shoulders perpendicular to target. All my speed shooting is of the wing variety, again conventional stance. Given my application, wilderness defence, I definitely won't try to train a new style into myself with decades of shooting conventionally to get over, much easier to adjust the gun to fit than adjust myself to fit the gun.

 

[Can-down]

I hear you Ardent. However it's not necessary to go completely square to see improvements and the fact that you are using this as a bear defense gun, where you might be moving laterally and shooting from less then ideal positions, is a good reason to try different stances.

It's amazing that the overall length is similar to your old 14"er and you gain extra shells and less recoil. Win - win!

An M4 is on the list for sure.

How is the cheek weld with the ghost rings and the stock collapsed?

Seems like that might could be an issue due to the angle and rising comb height as it collapses.

As slip on Limbsaver and some electrical tape would be a quick and easy spacer which is what I did to a Hatsan which is my first foray into semi-auto shotguns. I've always liked pumps but a reliable semi is something else specially with heavy loads.

 

[Ardent]

No matter how hard I try, I know I'd go broke buying shells to train to change stance. Traditional stance has worked for me for years on bears, wild wood bison at spitting distance, lion, and cape buffalo all inside the ranges shown in that video (lion being the furthest, at 40 yards). So I'm not too concerned for any limitations on shot window, an if it ain't broke don't fix it deal for me. Afraid I could spend five years running drills and shooting targets more modern stance, and soon as I'm charged revert instantly back to traditional. There is no cheek weld or shouldering of the gun collapsed unfortunately, that is just raised "off the hip" type shooting. It instinctively hits where you want it to, for me at least, fortunately. That would be the one limitation I can foresee at the moment for bears, but I still hit well with it shot that way fortunately.

This is an example of why it's so heavily ingrained for me, and more shooting from the same stance, this time double rifle, from hunting lion in the Kalahari in feb.