Found chrome shavings while cleaning M4

**NiteFlight** · 08-23-2005, 12:15 AM

I have found some shinny chrome shavings while cleaning the barrel. I know I have shot some slugs from this Benelli M4 but is this the reason?

Does anybody else have similar experiences...?

TIA
NiteFlight

[ 08-22-2005, 11:19 PM: Message edited by: NiteFlight ]

**STA** · 08-23-2005, 02:29 AM

Well I just shot my M4 for the first time last weekend. I shot about 150 rnds of various birdshot loads and then broke it in with a wide selection of low recoil slugs and 00 buck.

Cleaning it that night, I was surprised at the amount of "leading", which I attributed to the fact I shot maybe 70+ rnds of the slugs and buckshot.

I ended up giving the barrel and choke a few passes with a brush and yes I had quite a few slivers of shiny lead come out. I ended up also pulling the gas plugs and also found some slight lead shavings in both sides.

**NiteFlight** · 08-23-2005, 03:22 AM

I believe the barrel is chrome-lined, and that what came out as pieces of shavings and flakes were part of the chrome. If this is indeed the case, perhaps no more slugs from now on...

Does anybody know if slugs is OK to use with these Benelli M4?

**M1014** · 08-23-2005, 07:17 AM

I shoot my M1014 alot,,theres an indoor range closeby ,,,don't worry,,they're just lead deposits,,,h*ll,,,I put a drill-brush to my barrel during cleaning,,,the chrome stays intact,,,,and I shoot all kinds of ammo,,mainly heavy recoil stuff,,,,,,,,,,,,,seeya M1014

**STA** · 08-24-2005, 04:30 AM

Yes slugs should be fine in your M4, though depending on your model, there is some contention on what power you level can use.

If you've got the 4 port 'low recoil round' barrel on yours, you may want to stick with the "low recoil", "reduced recoil", "managed recoil", "LE", "tactical", etc. loadings that are widely available now.

In my outing last week, I ran through quite a few slugs ranging from the Fiocchi Reduced Recoil Slug (12LESLUG), Remington Managed-Recoil Slugger (RL12RS), and the Federal Tactical Low Recoil Rifled Slug HP (LE127RS). These were generically rated by the mfgs as 1150, 1200 and 1300 fps respectively for their 1 oz slugs.

All functioned flawlessly and were quite controllable. They fell in line with the mfg ratings as the Fiocchis were downright mild to shoot while the Federals had much more punch and were dead on at 60 yds with the factory sight settings. The Rem and Fed use a more conventional Foster type slug while the Fiocchis use a aero slug that has the wad attached to the slug.

**wallhanger54** · 08-24-2005, 09:43 PM

Probably what you got out of the barrel....hello?...from the slugs is lead, not chrome. Think about it. Slugs will lead up the bore. Get a Hoppes tornado brush to clean the lead from the bore, use it dry and it will pull the lead out of the bore. If you see pits in the barrel, then you can say the lining is comming out. Not saying it can't happen but its rather unlikely.

**Zectron2348** · 09-06-2005, 01:28 AM

Found some Chrome flakes myself while cleaning a brand new Nova shotgun. Took the gun out of the box, put it together, ran a patch down the barrel, and out comes some small flakes of chrome. Very strange!

Upon careful examination I found they were coming from the choke tube. Seems the outside of the choke tube is chrome plated and there was a bubble under the plating causing the plating to come off the tube in flakes. It was a spot about one quarter inch in diameter. Since it does not hurt anything it is no big deal, but it sure was puzzling at first. I don't know why it would be necessary to plate that steel tube on the outside, but that sure is what it looks like.