New M4 owner - questions here.

[Varnius]

I recently purchased an M4. I have some questions that I hope you guys can answer. There are many questions...I will appreciate any help.

1) After firing about 100 rounds, I took the gun apart to clean it. I noticed the tail of the bolt (the long skinny piece), near the end closest to the stock, has some shaving/chipping, and I can see silver metal where the black coating used to be. The marks are small (approx 0.60 cm), but are quite sharp and jagged. Is this normal wear while breaking in the gun?

2) The gas pistons: while cleaning, I noticed some wear on the surface coating on the section of the pistons that are not enclosed. Is it a good idea to slightly lubricate those sections of the pistons? I am not considering lubricating the sections that are housed in the piston cylinders.

3) What is the best way to clean inside the piston cylinders?

4) How reliable are the o-rings for the gas system? How long do they last, and will the gun work with damaged/missing o-rings in an emergency? How can I get replacements?

5) I noticed that the o-ring which holds the firing-pin locking pin in place is chipped (I believe it came chipped when I bought the gun). When cleaning the gun after shooting, that locking pin is always a bit loose. Is this normal? Where can I find replacement o-rings?

6) A local armorer told me that it is fine to use CLP Break-Free for cleaning and lubricating, and use nothing else besides that. Benelli's manual says only to use their oil, but it is hard to find. Also, the military's manual for the M4 says "any" quality cleaner/lube is fine to use. What are your opinions?

7) How often do you find yourself re-tightening the choke? After every shooting session, maybe 20-40 rounds, I find the choke very lose (but still on the threads properly). Will there be damage or poor performance if I do not tighten it every 20-40 rounds? I am using a cylinder choke for slugs/buckshot.

8) Has anyone had trouble with ghost-loading (keeping a shell held in the carrier for an extra round)?

Again, I will appreciate any help with this.

[TacticalKoala]

http://www.benelliusa.com/forum/sear...archid=1433342

[L84Cabo]

Welcome to the forum! Note that military actually has their own manual which is much more detailed than the actual Benelli owners manual. I'm on a different computer right now and don't have the bookmark but I'll try to post it for you later. But someone else might jump in here or you might be able to find it through a search.

Peace

[Hookster]

Welcome to the forum! Note that military actually has their own manual which is much more detailed than the actual Benelli owners manual. I'm on a different computer right now and don't have the bookmark but I'll try to post it for you later. But someone else might jump in here or you might be able to find it through a search.

Peace

Welcome to the forum Varnius

Here ya go....USMC manual in pdf

http://www.farrarsodfarm.com/nelli/USMC_M1014.pdf

Later,

Hookster

[saym14]

2) owners manual says not to oil the pistons.

[StrangerDanger]

1) After firing about 100 rounds, I took the gun apart to clean it. I noticed the tail of the bolt (the long skinny piece), near the end closest to the stock, has some shaving/chipping, and I can see silver metal where the black coating used to be. The marks are small (approx 0.60 cm), but are quite sharp and jagged. Is this normal wear while breaking in the gun?
Completely Normal. The "tail" of the Bolt Carrier Group pivots in the cup of the receiver extension when cycling.

2) The gas pistons: while cleaning, I noticed some wear on the surface coating on the section of the pistons that are not enclosed. Is it a good idea to slightly lubricate those sections of the pistons? I am not considering lubricating the sections that are housed in the piston cylinders.
Do not lubricate the pistons unless you like eating a ton of smoke when a shot is fired. I'd have to see the wear on the piston to comment if it is normal or not. Most likely it is fine.

3) What is the best way to clean inside the piston cylinders?
Soak in Hoppes #9. I've had no issues with the o-rings being damaged from the Hoppes. I then blast them out with a little Gun Scrubber to remove any residue. Honestly, cleaning isn't even needed on these parts. Lubrication is more important than perfectly clean. I only bother cleaning for either something to do or after a few thousand rounds. Or, if it gets wet.

4) How reliable are the o-rings for the gas system? How long do they last, and will the gun work with damaged/missing o-rings in an emergency? How can I get replacements?
The weapon will function without an o-ring in place. ****, the weapon will cycle with only one piston. I don't recommend this, but it's nice to know that it will work.

5) I noticed that the o-ring which holds the firing-pin locking pin in place is chipped (I believe it came chipped when I bought the gun). When cleaning the gun after shooting, that locking pin is always a bit loose. Is this normal? Where can I find replacement o-rings?
Brownells sells a replacement.

6) A local armorer told me that it is fine to use CLP Break-Free for cleaning and lubricating, and use nothing else besides that. Benelli's manual says only to use their oil, but it is hard to find. Also, the military's manual for the M4 says "any" quality cleaner/lube is fine to use. What are your opinions?
CLP is alright, but I prefer the Machinegunners lubricant sold by LaRue Tactical. It's thicker and stays where you put it.

7) How often do you find yourself re-tightening the choke? After every shooting session, maybe 20-40 rounds, I find the choke very lose (but still on the threads properly). Will there be damage or poor performance if I do not tighten it every 20-40 rounds? I am using a cylinder choke for slugs/buckshot.
You need to tighten it down more to begin with. It shouldn't be coming loose that easily.

8) Has anyone had trouble with ghost-loading (keeping a shell held in the carrier for an extra round)?
Ghost loading will work, but I've experienced stoppages when doing it. I don't recommend it for defense loading.

Firing Pin Retaining Pin
http://www.brownells.com/.aspx/sid=5..._Retaining_Pin

Gas Piston O-Ring
http://www.brownells.com/.aspx/sid=5...as_Plug_O_Ring

You can take the o-ring off, and go to your hardware store and buy them for about 10 cents each instead. I'm not certain what the specific size is.

[xamoel]

Damn thats an old thread!

[SweetM4]

okay, i understand that the gas cylinders and pistons are NOT to be lubricated, but shouldn't the o-rings get a dab of light oil periodically to keep them from drying out?

also, to be clear. it's okay to "clean" the gas cylinders and pistons with something like CLP, but wipe the parts down afterwards, right? i just like the idea of a bit of corrosion protection on all metal parts.

[GTPSC]

Welcome to the Benelli Forum, Varnius!
As for the chokes, as Stranger says, you need to tighten the chokes to a "snug" fit, but not so much that you really have trouble getting it loose! I always recommend that a shooter get into the habit of checking the chokes for tightness after a box of shells are run through the gun. It just takes a minute and you are protecting yourself and gun doing that. All chokes will shoot loose to a certain extent after some amount of shooting.

If your choke becomes too loose, there is the danger of the choke coming off the sealing shoulder in the barrel with combustion gases bypassing between the conical portion of the outside of the choke and the inside of the barrel. In extreme cases, the choke can be blown out of the barrel with some resulting damage to the barrel.

You should also use a "little" oil or choke grease on the threads in the barrel and chokes.

GTPSC (Mark)
BlackBore Chokes
www.blackborechokes.com

[Unobtanium]

I recently purchased an M4. I have some questions that I hope you guys can answer. There are many questions...I will appreciate any help.

1) After firing about 100 rounds, I took the gun apart to clean it. I noticed the tail of the bolt (the long skinny piece), near the end closest to the stock, has some shaving/chipping, and I can see silver metal where the black coating used to be. The marks are small (approx 0.60 cm), but are quite sharp and jagged. Is this normal wear while breaking in the gun?
Would not worry about this.

2) The gas pistons: while cleaning, I noticed some wear on the surface coating on the section of the pistons that are not enclosed. Is it a good idea to slightly lubricate those sections of the pistons? I am not considering lubricating the sections that are housed in the piston cylinders.
Slightly confused here, but again, it doesn't sound worrisome. I always CLP everything and then WIPE IT OFF just as a rust preventative.
3) What is the best way to clean inside the piston cylinders?
With a .40 caliber pistol brush.
4) How reliable are the o-rings for the gas system? How long do they last, and will the gun work with damaged/missing o-rings in an emergency? How can I get replacements?
Very. User: Duggan tore his up by ham-fisting the cleaning operation after roughly 10,000 rounds. That is the only "failure" that I have seen honestly documented (He himself will tell you their failure was his fault). THey are cheap and Brownells sells them.
5) I noticed that the o-ring which holds the firing-pin locking pin in place is chipped (I believe it came chipped when I bought the gun). When cleaning the gun after shooting, that locking pin is always a bit loose. Is this normal? Where can I find replacement o-rings?
This is a *****. You can buy a spare pin, but the O-ring is Benelli-only. Just call them and tell them your O-ring is messed up. I have a spare for that exact reason, courtesy of Benelli at no charge. Always lube this and push the pin in place wiht a "twisting" motion to avoid "cutting" the O-ring against the shoulder of the bolt.

6) A local armorer told me that it is fine to use CLP Break-Free for cleaning and lubricating, and use nothing else besides that. Benelli's manual says only to use their oil, but it is hard to find. Also, the military's manual for the M4 says "any" quality cleaner/lube is fine to use. What are your opinions?
CLP for everything but the rails in the receiver will work just fine. For those rails, TW25B light grease is the best I have found, and I have tried a lot of stuff.
7) How often do you find yourself re-tightening the choke? After every shooting session, maybe 20-40 rounds, I find the choke very lose (but still on the threads properly). Will there be damage or poor performance if I do not tighten it every 20-40 rounds? I am using a cylinder choke for slugs/buckshot.
Never, and yes there will be damage. Get rid of that crap wrench that came with the gun and buy a Briley Speed Wrench. Available from Briley online or at almost any large sporting-goods store. Be sure to use Birchwood Casey choke-tube grease to avoid a stuck tube.
8) Has anyone had trouble with ghost-loading (keeping a shell held in the carrier for an extra round)?
No.
Again, I will appreciate any help with this.

okay, i understand that the gas cylinders and pistons are NOT to be lubricated, but shouldn't the o-rings get a dab of light oil periodically to keep them from drying out?
They will not "dry out", and most gun oils are bad for the kinds of rubber that do "dry out" (usually do to exposure to CFC's or sunlight/UV). The oil is to keep them from being nicked upon re-installation, and I use choke-tube lube/grease on these threads, too. IT's a good anti-seize.

also, to be clear. it's okay to "clean" the gas cylinders and pistons with something like CLP, but wipe the parts down afterwards, right? i just like the idea of a bit of corrosion protection on all metal parts.

After owning 3 M4's this is my advice.