Upgrading/modding my Benelli M4

RooftopKorean

RooftopKorean

6.5 Creedmoor
First Responder
Messages
2,073
Reaction score
4,908
Location
Downstate / Lake Ariel, PA
Decided to do some upgrading/mods to my beloved M4.

Ordered a slew of stuff from Black River Manufacturing. For an optic, I'm torn on an Aimpoint Pro or Acro P-2 or EOtech EXPS2. The light source I'll be getting an DEFENTAC I took a chance and purchased one from Amazon and while back and it works great. I have one on my 1301 tactical.
  • Carbon fiber mag tube
  • Mag tube clamp
  • Elite adjustable stock with comb
  • Extended bolt release
  • M-Lok forend
  • Breecher choke
  • Foregrip / Hand stop
Pictures to come once I get all the stuff in the mail.
 
Last edited:
Celt

Celt

.450/400 Nitro Ex
Messages
9,664
Reaction score
19,956
Location
Westchester
Ive been eyeballing a 1301 myself, but thats a future purchase. I love the m4, but with everything ive read about the 1301 i think id buy that before the m4.
 
RooftopKorean

RooftopKorean

6.5 Creedmoor
First Responder
Messages
2,073
Reaction score
4,908
Location
Downstate / Lake Ariel, PA
Celt said:
Ive been eyeballing a 1301 myself, but thats a future purchase. I love the m4, but with everything ive read about the 1301 i think id buy that before the m4.
Click to expand...
I also have a decked out 1301.

Got a bunch of the adapters (for Magpul 590 stock and Magpul AK Zhukov forend) from Aridus, also got the QD shotshell holster. For optic I have the Swampfox Liberty RDS and light I have the Defentac 1600 Lumen weapon light (an Inforce WML style).

20220516_113934.jpg

20220516_114250.jpg
 
Last edited:
Depick

Depick

.308 Win
Messages
4,031
Reaction score
8,747
Location
Erie County
I’ve been wanting a 1301 myself but I’m too cheap. It’s probably too late but maybe worth some consideration but the Mesa Tactical urbino stock worked out great on my M4. It made me fall in love with it. It shortened the length of pull perfectly for me.
 
Saltwater60

Saltwater60

.950 JDJ
Messages
34,974
Reaction score
39,356
Location
Western NY
I had a chance to buy an M4 for $700 but I didn’t know what they were worth. It was all decked out for shooting competitions and I wanted one for hunting. During the pandemic I noticed they were going for $2,500 so I was kicking myself for not buying and selling it to make a profit.
 
Beerman

Beerman

6.5 Creedmoor
Messages
1,976
Reaction score
3,087
Location
Deep in the Adirondacks
I like your list of mods. I thought a collapsible stock was not allowed on a semi-auto shotty, and the forward grip is evil, too…. What am I getting wrong here?
 
RooftopKorean

RooftopKorean

6.5 Creedmoor
First Responder
Messages
2,073
Reaction score
4,908
Location
Downstate / Lake Ariel, PA
Beerman said:
I like your list of mods. I thought a collapsible stock was not allowed on a semi-auto shotty, and the forward grip is evil, too…. What am I getting wrong here?
Click to expand...
Doesn't that only apply if you have a removable magazine? Also, that is technically a hand stop.

I guess I'll pin it at the LOP i want it, but make it so I can reverse the changes (if I move). I'll probably tap a small hole and rivet it in place. It should be easily reversable by drilling it out.
 
Last edited:
Saltwater60

Saltwater60

.950 JDJ
Messages
34,974
Reaction score
39,356
Location
Western NY
RooftopKorean said:
Doesn't that only apply if you have a removable magazine? Also, that is technically a hand stop.

I guess I'll pin it at the LOP i want it, but make it so I can reverse the changes (if I move). I'll probably tap a small hole and rivet it in place. It should be easily reversable by drilling it out.
Click to expand...
NYS sucks. The amount of crimes committed with shotguns is so extremely low it’s not even funny that they included this. Someday maybe it will get overturned.

Shotguns are considered assault weapons if they are semi-automatic and have any one of the following features:

  • A folding or adjustable stock
  • A thumbhole stock
  • A foregrip or second pistol grip
  • The ability to accept a detachable magazine, or
  • A fixed magazine with a capacity over 7 rounds.
 
kev74

kev74

20×102mm Vulcan
Messages
49,998
Reaction score
158,158
Location
Orange Co.
RooftopKorean said:
Doesn't that only apply if you have a removable magazine? Also, that is technically a hand stop.

I guess I'll pin it at the LOP i want it, but make it so I can reverse the changes (if I move). I'll probably tap a small hole and rivet it in place. It should be easily reversable by drilling it out.
Click to expand...
You can use a spring pin.

1746975460990.jpeg
 
  • Like
Reactions: REF
RooftopKorean

RooftopKorean

6.5 Creedmoor
First Responder
Messages
2,073
Reaction score
4,908
Location
Downstate / Lake Ariel, PA
The Black River Mfg extended bolt release is trash, had to put back the factory one for now.

There must be some machining or QC issues. When the bolt was in battery, and I would slide it back to charge it and let the lifter bring up a shell, it wouldn't. The only way I could get the lifter to work was to use a screwdriver and push very hard on the area of the bolt release that is circled in yellow.

(The picture is with the factory bolt release back in, but it's the same thing pretty much).

1000011528.jpg
 
RooftopKorean

RooftopKorean

6.5 Creedmoor
First Responder
Messages
2,073
Reaction score
4,908
Location
Downstate / Lake Ariel, PA
kev74 said:
Same thing.

Drill a hole slightly smaller diameter. Cut the roll pin to the depth of the hole, then press or tap it in.
Click to expand...

Thanks for the idea, it worked out great. There was already an existing hole in the polymer portion of the stock, I just drilled a hole through the tube behind it through the other end. I drilled where there is a square section of the tube so it wouldn't interfere with the recoil system.

1000011530.jpg
 
Last edited:
technicalgadget

technicalgadget

.223 Rem
Messages
1,092
Reaction score
1,685
Location
212, 718, 917, 631, 516
The shit we have to go through to make sure we aren't committing a so-called crime is ridiculous.
Click to expand...

Not only compliance with NYS laws, but Federal compliance with 922(r) by increasing round capacity to 7. Assuming that you would be covered since BRM is US company manufacturing within the US and I don't believe there has ever been a prosecution based on 922(r) non-compliance.

Without knowing how you originally purchased the M4, you would be covered with the following US made parts;
Magtube
Pistol Grip
Buttstock
Forearm/Handguard
 
RooftopKorean

RooftopKorean

6.5 Creedmoor
First Responder
Messages
2,073
Reaction score
4,908
Location
Downstate / Lake Ariel, PA
It is 922(r) compliant, you can send your M4 to them and they can do the overhaul for an outrageous price. So as a type 7 FFL I'm sure they have to abide by the federal compliance laws.

As for the tube capacity, it's 5+1. I took an empty hull with two wads cut, stuffed the sturdier portions to provide rigidity and star crimped it. Then glued it with epoxy the cap of the magazine tube to limit it to NYC long gun capacity.

Just like with the roll pin, I can always revert these limitations if I ever move. The epoxy can easily be cleaned up with a Dremel tool after removing the spacer shell and the roll pin and be drifted out on the stock limiting my LOP.

1000011531.jpg
 
Last edited:
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top