M4 low recoil barrels and 3" heavy loads?

[Byron South]

I just purchase an M4 this weekend and noticed it says low recoil loads on the barrel. I purchased this gun for shooting coyotes and use pretty stout loads (3" Dead Coyote loads from Hevi-Shot) will I damage this gun. It is marked 2 3'4 and 3" on the barrel. I would assume that the 3" means magnum and therefor would seem not to be "low recoil". To say the least, I'm confused. It I can't shoot the heavy 3" loads I may have just wasted my money. Please tell me I didn't.

Byron

[mudhen]

You did.

They apparently shatter like cheap window glass with heavy recoil loads.

Sell it to someone who wants it - many, many, do - and buy an M2 for varmints.

mudhen - CA

[Byron South]

If this is so,why the **** don't they tell people. Why doesn't it say this on the box in BIG RED LETTERS. This was my first Benelli shotgun and will probably be my last if this is so. I sold a Beretta that had probably 4000 rounds through it without one hicup. Maybe thats what our fighting men should be using to defend our freedom and not the Benelli. This shotgun funtioned 100% with light target loads as well as heavy 3"magnum loads in very nasty conditions.

How many have had problems with them? and are these isolated instances or very comon ones? If it's comon they should offer a recall, fixit it, or refund your money. I just spent 1200 hard earned dollors on this shotgun and find this out. My hunting season starts this week and I'm a little concerned and somewhat confused as to why they would let this happen if it were a problem. The book says nothing about shooting ONLY LOW RECOIL loads and neither did the guy that sold it to me and NEITHER did Benelli on their website. I wonder if the Marine Corps knows about this weakness?

Sell it? No If this is all so Benelli will reemburse my money. I have taken some very powerful men hunting in the past and are quiet good friends with them. Things like this is what have made them rich. Has anyone been injured do to the breakage. Has anyone been out money because of breakage?

I hope this is all not true because I love the way this gun shoots and handles.

Looking forward to hearing more. Anyone from Benelli want to chime in?

Byron

[MG Dave]

M4 and low recoil

[danceswithgeese]

THE FORUMS ARE NOT A CONDUIT TO CUSTOMER SERVICE. ALL CUSTOMER SERVICE QUESTIONS AND CONCERNS SHOULD BE DIRECTED TO CUSTOMER SERVICE VIA PHONE OR EMAIL (301-283-6981). DO NOT POST CUSTOMER SERVICE QUESTIONS IN THE FORUMS.


This is a customer service issue. Do not expect an answer from Benelli in the forums regarding customer service issues.

[STA]

Byron,
I was in the exact same situation as you back in July. Called customer service and the woman didn't even know anything about "low recoil" markings. Each time I call, I get someone else and it's usually 50/50 if they've heard of the low recoil marks or even know the 2 vs 4 gas port issue. When I do ask about what rounds I can use, they just read their cheat sheet which doesn't mention any limitations save the usual "2-3/4 or 3". As for me, I am sticking with low recoil, tactical type loads until this is (or never) resolved.

I'm still waiting for a warranty parts issue from them going on two months now, so I guess you just take your chances with their lack of service.

[mudhen]

So, if I bought a used gun that said 2.75" shells only on the barrel, I can sue the gun maker because the gun won't accept 3.5" shells

I know you are upset, but you bought a used gun without knowing the specs of that gun

Kinda sucks, but I don't know what to tell you; caveat emptor

Safety and/or usage warnings permanently imprinted on barrels are generally acceptable methods of communicating a particular firearm's limitations and/or requirements.

If the firearm is not defective, traditional theories of negligence will apply. Then all the traditional defenses like misuse, contributory or comparative fault, adequate or inadequate warnings, etc. may apply.

The great thing about law is that anyone can get a law degree and pass the bar, this is 'Merica [img]smile.gif[/img]

Start a dialogue with Benelli's CS and I bet it gets resolved....

mudhen - CA

[ 08-30-2005, 01:07 PM: Message edited by: mudhen ]

[Byron South]

Danceswithgeese,

I was simply wondering/asking for input from others on this issue. I tried most of the day yesterday trying to call CS with no answers(Phones were aparently down). Today I stayed on hold until a recorded message came on TWICE. evidently they were extremely busy. NO where in the literature I have seen advertising this fine product does it state "LOW RECOIL LOADS ONLY". On the barrel, as you know, it simply states "LOW RECOIL LOADS". On the other side of the barrel is stamped 2 3/4 and 3" loads and in the manual that accompanied the gun it has no mention of avoiding or WARNINGS against using 3" heavy shells. I simply was out of other avenues in which to ask for the answers I was needing. Hence my post. I apologize if I stepped on any toes, but after dropping 1200 bucks I was getting impatient and wanted answers. And figured this forum would have them.

Later today on my third call and talking with the receptionist and refuseing to be sent to the back of the line "again", where after 20 minutes I would be forced to just leave another message, She got me intouch with someone that could help and they did. I spent the better part of 5 hours getting this matter resolved. If I had not pushed the issue I would still no doubt be left in the dark. Our dove season starts in two days and I have a new 1200 dollar shotgun that could break at any moment. This might be acceptable to some of you but not me. I will travel 350 miles from my home on this hunt and will also be taking a few of these guys for coyotes during this time. Some of these guys are Writers for hunting publications and some are very influental in the shooting/hunting community. How would it look for my brand new, combat tough, Benelli to fail shooting doves and coyotes. Hope this better explains my impatience.

What I found out.......

The problem as was explained to me is that they are recalling the "LOW RECOIL " barrels and replaceing the parts and barrels with Mil Spec parts. I sent mine back today for the change. They are aware of the problem and are making an effort to correct it.

My beef with this whole deal is that no where on the ads or literature is there any reference to these markings and the admitted problems associated with these barrels and parts when shooting 3"shells (Are there any low recoil 3" shells and if so why?). I bought this gun across the counter in a major chain sporting goods store and they were un aware of the problems associated with the "LOW RECOIL" Barrels and parts deal. When Benelli first became aware of this problem they should have contacted all dealers and made them aware and made arrangements to rectify the problem. The M4 page of the website should have reference to this potential problem and how to rectify it. It makes me wonder how many poor fools are sitting there right now on hold wanting to ask the same questions I did today. I also wonder how many dealers are unaware that they are selling good customers shotguns that the company is aware has potential issues. Benelli has a great reputation but feel they may have dropped the ball on dealing with this issue. A simple memo on the M4 website explaining this issue and a memo to the dealers selling them would have saved me a lot of trouble and them the time explaining it. Hopefully they can make it right.

I love this shotgun and look forward to getting it back and whacking some coyotes with it and dang sure ain't gonna be shooting light loads out of it much. Surely if it will stand up to the USMC it will stand up to coyote hunting. If it don't I'll let you know.

Mudhen,

I bought the gun NIB.

The barrel is clearly marked 2 3/4 and 3". Never tried to feed it 3.5" shells. Never said I did. If the M2 is so good why did the USMC decide on the M4?

All this being said. I did start a dialog with Benelli representatives today and looks to be like the situation will be resolved. They were very curtious, and helpful when I finally got to talk to somebody that had the answers. My point from the beginning is that these issues should never have been allowed to come up. If this information would have been placed on the M4 page and dealers would have been contacted, you would have never seen my smiling face . And the others here that have had problems could have been saved a lot of grief.

Byron

[mudhen]

You didn't read closely - I was merely commenting that your barrel was marked 'Low Recoil' and you bought it anyway. You may not have bought what you wanted or what you thought it was - but that is a different issue.

Benelli's current large catalog does say "light tactical loads" on page 31, but the website makes no mention of it!

The M2 is new - give it time - my GS's are backordered 20-30 deep on tactical M2's - they eventually will be much easier to get than the M4 ever was and they are without the legality issues.

I'd glad Benelli is retrofitting the gun for you - hope it works well.

mudhen - CA

[BLACK JACK]

"The problem as was explained to me is that they are recalling the "LOW RECOIL” barrels and replacing the parts and barrels with Mil Spec parts."

So the civilian version of the M4 is not the same as the military? My two cents is not worth much I know, but for me this just reassures my believe that gas operated shotguns (Even if Benelli makes them) are not worth the box they come in. I am speaking from experence, I have the Beretta 391 and a couple of non gas, inertia operated Benellis. I shoot allot of sporting clays and hunt doves as much as possible. The 391 just can’t hold up. I also had an 1187 I thought I would mention that just for laughs. From experience I can say I can shoot any load in any order with my SBE and my M2. I am not proud of this, but I have put thousands of rounds threw my M2 and have not cleaned it and can count on one hand how many times I have had a problem with it. In my opinion if you have a gas operated shotgun. "You're just not cooking with gas" no pun intended.