Benelli M4 is a 12-gauge semi-automatic shotgun designed in the late 1990s by Benelli Armi SpA of Italy. Serial production began in 1999 and quickly became a successful and popular weapon. Benelli M4 is considered a durable, reliable, and very effective shotgun based on its predecessor, the Benelli M3. So far, it has been used by various special forces, internal troops, law enforcement forces, and special police units of different countries.
Design
Benelli M4 is a simple, battle-proven, reliable design that is light, easy to handle, accurate, and sufficiently lethal within its intended design envelope. It is a gas-operated shotgun with an ARGO system. ARGO is an Auto Regulating Gas Operating System that Benelli has patented.
Benelli M4 Super 90 has two stainless steel self-cleaning pistons and two lugs to lock the rotating bolt. It can fire two different shells; the tubular magazine holds seven 2.75″ or six 3″ shells. The body is made of stainless steel and rugged anodized aluminum and features a phosphate corrosion resistance finish. The regular Benelli M4 shotgun has a 14″ (36 cm) barrel, while it is also available with an 18.5″ (47 cm) barrel. The effective range is around 50 meters with a buckshot and 130 m with a solid shot. In military and law enforcement, it has proven useful in close-quarter battles, such as clearing buildings.
The regular Benelli M4 Super 90 comes with a straight hand grip, but the pistol grip is also available as an option. The same is with the stocks, regular is fixed solid stock, while it also can be fitted with a collapsible buttstock which can shorten the length of the gun by 5 inches (13 cm). It is important to stress that stocks are interchangeable without tools. There is also mounted a Picatinny-type accessory rail that allows various sights, laser designators, flashlights, and other compatible equipment to be installed.
Variants
Benelli M4 Super 90
It is a version with a longer 18.5″ barrel, pistol grip, and telescopic stock. It was specially designed to meet the US Military requirements. Eventually, it was adopted by the United States. This combat shotgun is also widely used around the world.
M1014 Joint Services Combat Shotgun (JSCS)
It is the US Department of Defense designation of the Benelli M4 Super 90. In 1998 the US military issued a requirement for a new 12-gauge semi-automatic combat shotgun. In response to this requirement, Benelli designed and built the Benelli M4 Super 90. This weapon competed against other designs and was selected as a winner. In 1999 a contract was awarded to the American subsidiary of Heckler & Koch to import Benelli M4 Super 90 shotguns for the US Armed Forces. The first shotguns were delivered to the US Marine Corps in 1999.
L128A1
It is a British Armed Forces designation of the Benelli M4 Super 90. British shotguns are often used with holographic sights.
Operational use
The Benelli M4 is in service with Australia, Bahrain, Brazilian Army, Croatian ATJ Lucko, Georgian special operations forces, Greek EKAM counter-terrorism unit, Iraq, Ireland’s special forces, Israel, Italy, Libya, Lithuanian special forces, Malaysian PASAKAU counter-terrorism unit, Malta, Moldova, the Philippines, Slovakia, Slovenia, South Korea, United Kingdom, and armed forces of the United States. This weapon was used during recent military conflicts, such as the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan and the Syrian Civil War.
Technical specifications
| Country of origin: | Italy |
| Manufacturer: | Benelli Armi SpA, I-61029, Urbino, Italy |
| Caliber: | 12-gauge |
| Weight (unloaded): | 3.15 kg |
| Length (stock extended): | 1,012 mm |
| Length (with folded stock): | 887 mm |
| Barrel length: | 469 mm |
| Muzzle velocity: | – |
| Magazine capacity: | 7 x 2.75-in shells, or 6 x 3-in shells |
| Sighting range: | 50 m |
| Range of effective fire (solid shot): | 130 m |
| Range of effective fire (buckshot): | 40 ~ 50 m |
Does the firearm come with chokes?