Benelli M4 Recoil Experience?

[beantownace]

Hello all,

I need some info from those that may own or have fired many times the Benelli M4. I had a bad shoulder injury a few years back (ski accident) and I am worried about dislocating it again. I really like the M4 seems like it is known to be a pretty soft as a semi but watching some videos and reading some posts it still has a decent kick it seems. Anyone have experience firing it and any suggestions on a low recoil maybe I would fire birdshot at the range and buckshot home defense shells etc. I also may get the Mesa Tactical 12" stock with limb saver mostly because of the length of pull will be better as I am a shorter guy huge stature at 5"5" ,). This would be my 1st long gun but my eyes are on the M4 even with the price tag.

Thanks for any info the M4 looks pretty sweet overall.

 

[Love Machine]

I would recommend reduced recoil rounds if you are worried about the shoulder injury. It still kicks with full power.

 

[cams]

Didn’t you already start a thread on this like 2 weeks ago?

 

[enbloc]

I have shot the M4 with full-power buck and slugs and think that might still give you a pounding...
Defensively though, adrenaline would compensate. Training however...?

I have a question though; Can you shoot with your other shoulder? Auto-loader would also help by not over-working your (bad) shell shucker arm.

 

[H-minus]

Limbsavers work wonders but its hard to recommend a 12 guage without knowing the extent of your shoulder damage. May be worth seeing a surgeon and getting it repaired if you havent already done so. The Benelli is heavier than other autoloaders which should help absorb the recoil a bit more. A Vepr 12, if you can find one, would probably be better if you live in a free state, which Im guessing you dont by your username.

 

[dgrafton]

It’s an inertia gun. IME it’s going to kick more than a gas semi.

 

[seanc]

The benelli stocks are very light and do not help (imo) to dissipate recoil the way a heavier wood stock does. The tube type, to me, tend to be worse as the recoil is even more focused on a single point.

thee may be a way to get a wood stock with a mercury recoil reducer and add some sort of kick ease pad that MAY make it something acceptable for a person with shoulder issues. But everyone perceives recoil differently. And it is hard to know the extent of an injury or what is the threshold to reinjure.

you may be able to find a person that has a benelli set up this way on the skeet fields. It won’t be 100% an M4. But it will be similar. And may give you an idea if this may be a viable solution for you.

 

[Eugenio.FV]

It’s an inertia gun. IME it’s going to kick more than a gas semi.

The M4 is gas, the M2 is the inertia one.

 

[dcmdon]

Yes, M4 is a gas gun.

I suspect the OP wants an M4 because its a really cool toy. If thats the case, then just get it and use reduced power loads.
(No judgement here. Toys are a legitimate part of the gun addiction)

If you think you want it for an actual defensive weapon, you are probably better of with a rifle in .223 loaded with Hornady TAP or something similar.
The recoil will be a small fraction of what you will experience with a 12 ga.

 

[dgrafton]

The M4 is gas, the M2 is the inertia one.

Whoops, sorry
Disregard my comment about inertia guns

 

[whatluck]

Yes, M4 is a gas gun.

I suspect the OP wants an M4 because its a really cool toy. If thats the case, then just get it and use reduced power loads.
(No judgement here. Toys are a legitimate part of the gun addiction)

If you think you want it for an actual defensive weapon, you are probably better of with a rifle in .223 loaded with Hornady TAP or something similar.
The recoil will be a small fraction of what you will experience with a 12 ga.

Came here to post this. AR pistol, Hornady TAP in .223, eotech XPS, and a surefire light. You really don't want to blow your shoulder out on the first shot if you need to use it.

 

[dcmdon]

Well, your comment re inertia vs gas is valid. Just the M4 isn't inertia.

My experience in semi-autos is primarily with a Rem 1100 vs a Benelli M2 and SBE2. My 1100 was my duck gun. But i got the SBE about 10 years ago. The SBE does recoil more than the 1100 but its also 2 lb lighter with a 4inch shorter barrel.

Of course there's been a lot of development by Remington, Browning/Winchester, Beretta, and Mossberg since both the M4 and the 1100 came out.

IMHO if the M4 wasn't selected by several militaries back in the early 2000s it would be just an overpriced gas gun. There's nothing special about it.

I love my M2 because with a 21" barrel length, it handles like a double gun with the balance behind the front hand. And while I love my doubles, its deadly on late season wild pheasants out west. Especially shot over a flushing dog.

 

[22lr]

Question is very subjective. You could probably find one to rent somewhere before you buy?

 

[beantownace]

I have shot the M4 with full-power buck and slugs and think that might still give you a pounding...
Defensively though, adrenaline would compensate. Training however...?

I have a question though; Can you shoot with your other shoulder? Auto-loader would also help by not over-working your (bad) shell shucker arm.

Yes I was thinking that as well try to shoot lefty with some practice may be able to do that.

 

[Eugenio.FV]

Well, your comment re inertia vs gas is valid. Just the M4 isn't inertia.

My experience in semi-autos is primarily with a Rem 1100 vs a Benelli M2 and SBE2. My 1100 was my duck gun. But i got the SBE about 10 years ago. The SBE does recoil more than the 1100 but its also 2 lb lighter with a 4inch shorter barrel.

Of course there's been a lot of development by Remington, Browning/Winchester, Beretta, and Mossberg since both the M4 and the 1100 came out.

IMHO if the M4 wasn't selected by several militaries back in the early 2000s it would be just an overpriced gas gun. There's nothing special about it.

I love my M2 because with a 21" barrel length, it handles like a double gun with the balance behind the front hand. And while I love my doubles, its deadly on late season wild pheasants out west. Especially shot over a flushing dog.

Would you recommend a 21" M2? Im considering an M2 as a range gun, HD, and occasional 5 stand, think that would be an OK choice? I was leaning for a 24"

 

[enbloc]

Yes I was thinking that as well try to shoot lefty with some practice may be able to do that.

I am confident you will find something that you can use, train with, and count on. But that will be your due diligence.
As to training; your off-hand is always beneficial to master because you never know when your right may become incapacitated or burdened.

I will also give you this to chew on... 20 gauge in semi-auto gas.

This import looks interesting... Not perfect, but at around $300 bucks you won't have a huge problem reselling it if too strong for your shoulder.
Better than spending North of $1800 to find out your shoulder won't tolerate it...



FedArm FX4


20 gauge $310 (5 IN STOCK) 20ga FX4

 

[mac1911]

Hello all,

I need some info from those that may own or have fired many times the Benelli M4. I had a bad shoulder injury a few years back (ski accident) and I am worried about dislocating it again. I really like the M4 seems like it is known to be a pretty soft as a semi but watching some videos and reading some posts it still has a decent kick it seems. Anyone have experience firing it and any suggestions on a low recoil maybe I would fire birdshot at the range and buckshot home defense shells etc. I also may get the Mesa Tactical 12" stock with limb saver mostly because of the length of pull will be better as I am a shorter guy huge stature at 5"5" ,). This would be my 1st long gun but my eyes are on the M4 even with the price tag.

Thanks for any info the M4 looks pretty sweet overall.

the key to reduced recoil is heavy gun and light loads. Maybe switch to the other shoulder ? Gun fit will help also.
Just remember a 8lb gun will have the same recoil shooting the same cartridge pay load no matter the gauge.

1oz slug at 1600 fps in a 8lb gun is something like 18-20ftlbs of energy vs say a 1oz trap load at 1150 fps is coser to 10ftlbs .

 

[Yazz]

You can try mine if you want.

 

[stinx]

Its a 12 Gauge its going to recoil hard with full power loads. Use lighter loads and the push pull technique when firing and recoil will be greatly reduced. I have owned an M4 for about 5 years and its a great shotgun. The Beretta 1301 Tactical is also avery good shotgun thats gas operated.

 

[dcmdon]

Would you recommend a 21" M2? Im considering an M2 as a range gun, HD, and occasional 5 stand, think that would be an OK choice? I was leaning for a 24"

You would need to think about how you shoot. When I first started shooting shotguns at ~18 years old, I was shooting trap at a local club every sunday. One of the old timers told me to get a long heavy gun because it would help to hide the flaws in my swing with its inertia.

I went out and bought a Rem 1100 special trap (left handed) with a 32 in bbl. It worked great.

Since then over the last 30+ years I've developed my technique when hunting to more of a point the gun somewhere in front of the bird and squeeze the trigger, in many situations. Also, when its a classic crossing shot and I want to swing, I'm pretty good with not stopping my swing when I squeeze the trigger.

In short, I don't' need the inertia of a heavy barrel to smooth my swing.

The best way I can describe it is that the 21" gun is like shooting a double gun with 26" barrels. The gun is very "pointy". With its center of balance more towards the rear.
The 24" gun (like my SBE2) is more like a 30 in double, with the balance point further forward.

I hope this helps.

If you are a member of MRA or HSC, I'd be happy to bring it down and let you try it out.

Don

 

[Eugenio.FV]

You would need to think about how you shoot. When I first started shooting shotguns at ~18 years old, I was shooting trap at a local club every sunday. One of the old timers told me to get a long heavy gun because it would help to hide the flaws in my swing with its inertia.

I went out and bought a Rem 1100 special trap (left handed) with a 32 in bbl. It worked great.

Since then over the last 30+ years I've developed my technique when hunting to more of a point the gun somewhere in front of the bird and squeeze the trigger, in many situations. Also, when its a classic crossing shot and I want to swing, I'm pretty good with not stopping my swing when I squeeze the trigger.

In short, I don't' need the inertia of a heavy barrel to smooth my swing.

The best way I can describe it is that the 21" gun is like shooting a double gun with 26" barrels. The gun is very "pointy". With its center of balance more towards the rear.
The 24" gun (like my SBE2) is more like a 30 in double, with the balance point further forward.

I hope this helps.

If you are a member of MRA or HSC, I'd be happy to bring it down and let you try it out.

Don

Awesome, thanks, ill certainly take you up on that offer. Im south shore but once things calm down I can make it over there.

I have 0 experience with shotguns, so appreciate the advice.

 

[mac1911]

When clubs are "open" again for general public events like trap just find local clubs shooting trap/skeet/5 stand plenty of help and most clubs have a few shotguns and ammo to use while there.

 

[dcmdon]

I agree 100%.

Eugenio - show up at a club, be humble. Ask questions and people will bend over backwards to help you out.

The first time I ever shot sporting clays, I showed up with my 32" Rem 1100 trap gun. A guy loaned me a Beretta S05 to use. With the request to not drop it.